[SabreOfSD]

Originally Posted by BruceChapman

the only other mechanical problem was the control arm link that snapped under hard acceleration.<O</O

lol, that's just sick that it snapped because of that... haha.. Great work, I've been watching this build for awhile and it's been great! Keep up the good work!

[Neanderthal Racing]

my first track day ever (lime rock):<O =""></O>
<O =""></O>
besides the ldn test, on friday we got the car ready for the track. we did a pass under the car to tighten everything up. after only 800 miles since the last tightening pass we found one loosened endlink and several subframe bolts that needed tightening. we also changed the brake fluid, torqued the wheels and improvised a radiator overflow reservoir that would pass the tech inspection at limerock.

the beast’s performance on it’s first track day:<O =""></O>
i am lucky that I live where I do because i’ve got plenty of safe places to exercise the beast’s suspension and brakes. the only real question prior to yesterday was, how will the suspension hold up to the demands of the track. the protocol for the patron bmw chapter driver’s school is for the instructor to do several trips around the track to show you the correct lines, etc. to keep this in perspective, my instructor has his own fleet of high performance cars, including his m3 that is exclusively his track car and takes to the track in a carrier. I’ll have more to say about his m3 later.

he was totally blown away by the car's handling before we got through the first series of s turns coming out of the pits. keep in mind I’m still only running 15 lbs of boost on stock rubber. track conditions were cold; mid 40’s. tires were set at 36 lbs cold.

his comments over the entire day included:<O =""></O>
- “this I probably the fastest car here today” (not sure that is true; we had a viper, a Ferrari modena, <ST1 =""></ST1>a z06 and beemers and porshes of every description there as well). he was speaking about the total motor and suspension package.<O =""></O>
- “there are few street cars that can touch this thing”. (i knew that already (isfh)<O =""></O>
- {{in amazement}} “how in the hell did you know how to set up the suspension like this when it has never been to the track before” (answer, “I asked people who actually know what they are doing”)<O =""></O>
- he must of muttered, “I can’t believe the torque” almost every time we exited a turn.<O =""></O>
- “i cannot imagine this with 30 lbs of boost”<O =""></O>
- “the cars potential is unbelievable”<O =""></O>
- “can i have it”

I think he likes the car. he felt he could get it around the track much faster in the beast than his m3.

a couple of other notes about the car’s performance: it never saw below 4000 (and more like 4500) rpm the entire time. the truly sick spot in its rpm range is between 4500 and 7500 rpm and that’s pretty much where I kept it. I was able to get the car through the esses at 65 mph, the hard uphill turn (¾ through the track) at 85 and the straightaway past the tower at 125 (before having to break HARD for the esses – from 125 on the straight to a 55+(?) mph entry speed. http://www.limerock.com/trackinfo_maps.htm

sound: the only warm place to be on saturday was in the tower in a 2nd floor classroom overlooking the end of the straightaway and i retreated there between each session. several people who had by now recognized the car told me that the car sounded absolutely incredible on the track but especially screaming past the tower at 125. I must have heard comments about how the car sounded from a dozen people.

my first track experience:<O =""></O>
I signed up as a novice and sat through a short safety class. I was then treated to 4 - 20 minute sessions with the same instructor throughout the day.

session 1: my instructor had the car for a few laps before turning it over to me. i can only say that the initial experience is one of extreme multi-tasking overload. you are simultaneously, learning the rules and track culture, learning the track and sorting out the proper lines, negotiating other drivers and listening to and translating someone speaking to you by a microphone in your ear. I did ok but culture shock pretty much sums it up. my big mistakes; I started and aborted several passes before receiving the pass hand signal from the other driver and i mishandled being on the receiving end of a pass by another driver; the first and only time i was passed for the day.

session 2, 3 and 4: halfway around the track on the first lap of the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> session my instructor says to me “you are not the same driver you were the first session”. the big difference for me was that, once I integrated the rules, culture and got familiar with the layout from the first session i was able to now see the apex cones and stay, visually, way ahead of the car. the only other analogy i can make will be familiar to skiers, i.e., keeping your eyes down the fall line – a relaxed focus. as I got more confident i got smoother and consequently, faster. by the end of the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> session I was entering and exiting with enough control and lapping other cars so easily that he pretty much started pushing, no, driving me to go as fast and pass as many cars as i could. big mistakes: on two occasions during the hard brake from the straight to the esses; in one I braked too early (and experienced the first and only brake fade, btw) and in the other I braked too late and used the drivetrain to add some braking. the car got just a little jiggly for really the only time. I just kept the line and drove it out. he also yelled at me on the straight once for not getting my hands back to the steering wheel fast enough following a 4-5 upshift.

the entire experience was mind blowing. I cannot wait until next spring to do it again. my thanks to the patroon chapter bmw club.<O =""></O>

[Adam]

Its refreshing to see that after all your time, money, and general resourses you took it to the track! One track day down, may more to go!

PS, due to your hole post, story, and guide book, you FORCED me into spending cash on my car.... did I mention my gf hates you? lol...

Adam
375awhp/350awtq

[esemes]

a-w-e-s-o-m-e story !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


felt like i was there, too...... (in spirit, WE ALL were, you know!)

now, what's next, praytell?

ese

[wdb]

Bruce,

Great writeups as always. Thanks for keeping us 'in the loop'.

[Neanderthal Racing]

Originally Posted by esemes

a-w-e-s-o-m-e story !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
felt like i was there, too...... (in spirit, WE ALL were, you know!)

now, what's next, praytell?

...to get as good as the car is, esse.

i'll have to live off the rush of my first track experience because i'm probably done for the season. i be raising ride height and swapping to snows in a few weeks.

we're going to get off to a strong start in the spring with aquamist up and running along with the boost and a roll cage with a camera mount. i'll have all the maps that i'll need on the laptop (after dyno tuning by phil) so i can get as much track time as possible at lime rock and watkins glenn, with several side trips down to englishtown to get ready for the shootout.

that's the plan.

adam: sorry about that girfriend thing. it's all about laundering money. ("what did you do to make it louder?" "louder?...it's not louder, honey")

wdb: i hope you can make it with me next time.

[Datadatum]

Sounds like you may have had fun.

Originally Posted by BruceChapman

I’ll have more to say about his m3 later.

So, what's the additional story about the M3?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BruceChapman

adam: sorry about that girfriend thing. it's all about laundering money. ("what did you do to make it louder?" "louder?...it's not louder, honey")

Just a little louder, FP green with 3'' inlet and all supporting mods, 125whp gain from baseline to post mod... Car seems actually quieter then before!! The thing is, we were going to be installing a new stone patio, 8k worth! However I found a home for that 8k under the hood of my car!!!! I blamed my ability to make poor decisions on you, the guy who spent 3x my budget!!!

Adam

[Neanderthal Racing]

Originally Posted by Adam

I blamed my ability to make poor decisions on you, the guy who spent 3x my budget!!!

no problem...i'll take one for the team (isfh).

[esemes]

isfh

dont get it; dont search it.

WTF?? hello?

=)

[Neanderthal Racing]

Originally Posted by Datadatum

So, what's the additional story about the M3?

my instructor invited me to go with him for his last session in his m3 with the expert group, which i considered a real privilege. the dude can freaking drive and was out on the edge of the envelope the entire time. his car had upgraded pads and racing harnesses but was otherwise stock with a full interior and leather seating, which was a total pita given the g's. as i said, he tows it to the track.

he took completely different lines in the m3. he'd pass someone approaching the turn, casually waving to the guy as he was passing inside - almost as we were hitting the apex. instead of hitting the double apex ess on the classic line i (and everyone else) would take, he'd hit the apex on ingress but basically drifted around the turn hanging the rear out a little and hugging the inside of the turn. everything felt much faster in the m3 even though it wasn't. in places like the uphill where we had been hitting the crest of the hill at 85 (grabbing zero g's) in my car we saw maybe 70+ in his but it felt much faster; because of the line and those god-awful leather seats. on the long straight the best he could manage was maybe 115. it was a real treat to watch him work.

my only regret is that i didn't get a chance to get back on the track with the beast just one more time after that. i learned a lot about the course riding shotgun with him; with some things that he told me to do in my sessions making a lot more sense after watching him do it. i would have loved a chance to attack the course again but it will have to wait until next time.

[Neanderthal Racing]

Originally Posted by esemes

isfh

dont get it; dont search it.

WTF?? hello?

=)

isfh = insert smiley face here
searching it won't help.

[esemes]

Originally Posted by BruceChapman

isfh = insert smiley face here
searching it won't help.

isfh =)

thnx again

ese


ps- final pics of the beastie yet??

[MidlifeCrisis]

Originally Posted by BruceChapman

“this I probably the fastest car here today” (not sure that is true; we had a viper, a Ferrari modena, <ST1 =""></ST1>a z06 and beemers and porshes of every description there as well). he was speaking about the total motor and suspension package.

Not a surprise. I regularly cream everybody (in cars that are driven to the track) in timed laps, usually by a pretty good margin. http://www.protsys.com/SAACColorado/...ntime82805.htm

My car is 'similarly' modified, but I do run Kumho V710s 245/45-17 on 8.5" wheels.

You're gonna love that car at the track - roadcourse driving is totally addictive - sigh.

Great project and thread - thank you for all the energy expended in keeping us current (seriously, that's a lot of computer time).

Cheers - Bruce<O =""></O>

[Neanderthal Racing]

My STi Page

congratulations, midlife. that is some car.