Onasled,
I just finished watching another one of your videos. Many thanks for sharing. As an almost new owner of an MCS, I am trying to get all the driving and performance tips I can get. Your videos are very helpful as I can see your steering input and reactions the car makes on the course.
Just a few questions:

At limerock, what kinds of speeds are you hitting on the straights.. even the faster cars don't leave you by much.

What temps are your gauges showing.... does the MCS handle the track days with ease or are you having to do anything special to prepare the car.

What mods do you run? Tires? Sorry if I am asking too many questions, but I want to get the most out of my mini.

I have RWD experience on the track, wondering if you can tell us what the major differences are with FWD mini so we don't end up in the ditch first time out...

Again... nice driving! I want to grow up to be like you! Actually I am probably older than you at 52... but I can still learn and like to drive fast.
Many thanks!

 

Yeahhh, someone here IS older then me ….
Sometimes I wish I did not post those videos as I think I may give the wrong impression. I am no track expert by any means. I consider myself to be a novice as I really have only seven track days under my belt, though I must admit I do well. I need to be careful here with all of this video talk as I feel that it may jinxs me and the next video I show might be from upside down like this guy.
So, please don’t take me too seriously here. I’m learning as much as most here on this forum are.

(edited ... it was a dumb joke .....)

OK, back on the topic.
I rarely look at my speedo and if I do it’s just a very quick glance. I’m becoming a little more comfortable doing so and lately have been noting my speeds in different areas of the track.
At the end of the straight, just before braking I’m hitting around 120 mph, (all of these are plus or minus about 5mph). I think I’m tacking Big Bend (in order of video) at around 65 and the left hander I don’t know. Through the Ss I don’t know. End of the short straight about 95 and around that corner and up the hill at about 85 + . About 95 (?) on the short straight and about 85+ on the next corner. Hitting about 105 down the hill and taking the sweeping corner at about 95 (seen it at 100 a few times), then down the straight again to brake at 120+. I brake late …
Thirty minutes of this at a time is quite exhausting. Two hours is quite enough …

I have no clue what temps I’m running as I have no freaking gages in my car (has Nav). I will be doing this shortly though. Track days kinda caught up with me as I had no idea I would be doing this many. I have some catching up to do, but want to do it right as my car may end up as a single purpose track car shortly.
The Mini is just a phenomenal track car. I’ve been lucky enough to be around some of the very best cars in the world, have driven some, but as soon as I drove my S, I felt it was just made for the track.

I have never tracked the car stock, (much to some dismay by many here on Nam ) but have driven it with fewer mods then I have now. At this time my suspension is about 90% race ready, shaved Toyo RA1 tires, and all has been done to the motor except for head, cam, and tranny. AND BIG BRAKES. I just about out brake everyone so far. I use to use the steering wheel to correct my lines in the corners, but I now use the throttle most of the time. With all of these mods the car throttle steers wonderfully and has become quite neutral. Every instructor I've had has been floored by the cars performance and some times ask, "this is front wheel drive isn't ?" So much so that I am loosing my lines because it seems I can just go anywhere, but I’m not doing as fast of a lap as I could be because of that. It’s just the best fun I have had in my life. (Thanks Tontobird! )
I hope to be racing next season and will be doing BMWCCA racing school in Sept. If I do, I’ll keep all friends here posted on what’s doing and will hopefully be sharing more videos. (if ya don’t mind) Hope to have some good ones for you next week.

Greg V

 

Damn I cannot wait to get back on the track, and your video is mere inspiration to do so. Thank you for sharing, and the talents you have are being put to good use! Good luck and happy motoring!

 

yike! what was the car that just rool over?

 

Well said ...

What is your suspension setup? Please be specific, I am still on stock struts and springs... That car of yours looks mighty

 

Onasled...Thanks for the write-up... Don't short yourself... You do drive well and it obviously shows. I am looking forward to my MCS.. will street it for awhile and then try a track event or two... I got the car "light" without sunroof and some other weight causing items... cause I plan to track it and use it as my week-end fun ride.
Keep the videos coming... I think we all enjoy and learn from them...
Thanks again!
Mike

 

Onasled, you don't have to be modest. Your cobra video rocked. Even the cobra board recognized that you drive the line smoothly while the Cobra was all over the road.

I see lots of people adding all kinds of mechanical things to their cars when they don't realize the most important thing it to be able to drive smoothly (which u do)

You make us all proud to be mini owners!

 

^ what he said.

Onasled, you're a natural race driver. Keep the vids coming. We love them.

 

Suspension is as follows;
(I'm coping this from a PM I sent to a member here earlier)

• I run my PSS9s at 2 in front and 3 in rear
• Shocks are set at the lower end of recommedations from Bilstein (car is low)
• rear H-sport Comp bar at firmest setting
• Front H-sport at softest setting
• Front camber and toe is -2.5 and 1/8" out. Webb Camberplates
• Rear camber and toe is -1.6 and 0. Alta upper and lower control arms
• Toyo RA1 tires. Shaved 4/64. Front at 35 cold and rear at 38 cold (depends on the track).

I have also corner balanced my car and I do run Alta adjustable sway bar links, which is a must when using adjustable coilovers.

Hey, here a a couple of photos I found the other day. This was what helping washing my buddies cars was like. These are only two (well actually three but one is hardly in the photo) out'a dozens he owned. That's me about 20 some odd years ago, .... dreamin..

 

Thanks for the reply, I will attempt a similar setup, if possible. I have PSS9s on order, I have the Webb Camber plates already with good results, except some clunking here and there

Another question: What settings do you use on the street, to and from the track, etc ? (Mine IS a daily driver)

Sway bar links? Are those different from Rear control arms? I have the lower control arms and 1.7 negative rear camber I believe

Most recommend middle setting on the rear sway bar... What did the firmest setting do for your(our) car?

Phil

 

onasled, gotta ask, but that other car in the 2nd photo... is that a kit car? It looks mighty familiar, like a Manta Montage. I almost bought that one, but I ended-up builiding an Aquila (gull-wing, M1 replica)...

Red, sway bar links can be found here, 4th and 5th from the bottom:

http://www.webbmotorsports.com/suspension.php

These are adjustable, to ideally eliminate pre-load. They are not the same as control arms, which can also be seen on that link. I'm guessing that onasled goes on the stiffest setting on the rear sway bar to help the back end rotate out more, particularly so with the stiffer from sway now...

 

Phil,

Note on the Webb camber plates! The early (don't know if he had the builder correct them yet) second generation camber plates have a problem that I found. This was an unfortunate falling out between Randy and I as he never attempted to take care, or even follow up with the problem. I fortunately knew of the builder of these plates and contacted him directly. He recognized the problem and had new parts to me in 48 hours.
This may be what you are experiencing. The problem is that the bearing is moving up and down in it's housing. In measuring them I found they were off by several thousandths and when I would go over bumps that would bang up and down. The builder did remedy this and I suspect has fixed the problem on any later ones he built for Randy.
Jack one side of the car up so one front wheel comes of the ground. Do this while closely watching that wheels strut top mount under the hood. Just get the wheel slightly of the ground, then lower it till the weight is off the top mount, then repeat. You may see that the top strut bolt looks like it is moving up and down in the camber plate.

Let me know.

At this point I just leave my settings for the track and drive the car on the road with that setting. The car is becoming less of a daily driver, but I still do drive it as much as I can. Some tire wear is beginning to show. Drives perfectly fine though.

Added This;
Phil, I use the firm setting on the rear bar because of the added stiffer front bar. I ran the middle in the rear when I had the stock front bar.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the plates, I will look into that.

I'll let you know

If I could get Randy to answer a phone, I would order some sway bar links !

Assuming I need em sooner, where do you recommend I order them?

Phil

 

No replicas Tony. Alll original racers with history and all are Ferraris and very earl Alfas. That one in the background is a 512 once raced by Jacky Ickx

 

Phil,
Usually best prices on Alta from these guys. They are good to order from. Or just go to Alta themselfs, but they are more $ there.

 

Phil, is this you? Your the one who did this event minus Randy? Which one is you?
Very nice pic!

 

Well then, that's a cool friend to have had in your younger years! I guess the kit did a pretty good job of copying it





Webb's links are not for all 4 corners, at least not yet. I've been waiting... Randy is in NC for a Pulley Party this weekend, but should be back on Tue. You should be able to place an order though with one of his assistants. James comes to mind. If not, just go direct to Alta...

 

Mike,
I wish I had done this. My car has all the gizmos as I had not a clue that I would end up tracking it. Figiure the sun roof will come out soon and a metel sheet welded in. CF might be a posibility if class rules alow.

 

No, no, no Tony, that's a 1969 McLaren M6BGT repro, not a ferrari! :smile:

Here is an original of that

 

:smile: Is that you, Onasled???? Great piccie, even if it's blurry!


Clover
MMC#2

 

Yes, I am the one on the drivers side (with PHIL on my name badge ..LOL)

Yes, I had the NEW car prepped by Randy and he dropped out a month before the race. I picked up my co-driver with less than a month before the race, locally in Ohio, Joe Browne. Good Guy and similar background.

We had a riot and I think you would too on the ONELAP. Not much practice, 1 warmup lap and 2 or 3 timed laps and a cool-down and that's it for that track session. Eat, check your times ad go out in the afternoon and do it again. We alternated tracks. At VIR we did South, North and FULL. At NHIS we did one Nascar straight, then off onto the "road corse" in the morning, Straight and turn 1, then off - in the afternoon

We were both NEWBIES and learned a LOT along the way, I am much better on the track now !!! Thw Car will soon have the PSS9 setup and thanks for your help