blunierdr

Late October, I competed in my first Auto X and had a blast. I thought I would post some pictures and video just for fun. Tell me what you think!

blunierdr

Compilation (with music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKV0l...ature=youtu.be

Side View (Raw Footage)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygBsF...ature=youtu.be

Roof Cam (Raw Footage)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwQny...ature=youtu.be

Sail Pannel (Raw Footage)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at4Ag...ature=youtu.be

Midniteson2

Sweet Car, Great Vid! good to see other thirdgen's rippin it up

Homer23

What took you so long to post the video on Youtube?

blunierdr

I had planned on posting everything a while ago, but time got away from me! I have lots more footage from the Go Pro's, but I thought the compilation video was more fun to watch.

88 5.7 Iroc-Z

I like your car man, thing looks pretty mean, and it sounds awesome as well

blunierdr

I put a few more videos up, and I organized them in post #2. Check em out and tell me what you think!

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

How tall are you? Your head looks like it gets along great with the headliner, and your seat looks like its already leaning pretty far back.

GTA's need more leg room, sad but known issue with the Ultima seats.

I had hoped to hit up lots of Auto-X's with my car once I converted it to manual, but then I blew up the engine early in the season. Though the short block is now at the shop, so come late March or early April I hope to have a 420whp+ engine in there.

Love seeing vids of thirdgens tearing it up on a track.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

ha, awesome video man!

blunierdr

I'm right at 6 foot, and yes the GTA's would benefit with a tad more leg room! I never have an issue with head room in my car, but with my helmet I did have to lean my seat back a little to keep from hitting the headliner. I had a couple of the guys that rode along with me comment about how comfortable those ultima seats were. I've always liked them!

I hope you get that engine put together and running soon, good luck! I have plans for my drivetrain as well, I always liked the idea of running GMPP's zz383 through a HSR, someday maybe!

blunierdr

Thanks nova!

pg29

What tires were you running on during the videos in post #2, and what size are they front and back? Also what brakes are you using front and back? BTW car looks good out there.

blunierdr

Thanks! And just running 245's on 17x8 inch wheels all the way around for the time being, vette wheels and much wider tires in the future tho. Brakes are the stock discs all around, I would like something more substantial in their place as well some day. I still had a blast tho, and my setup worked better than I had expected it to!

blunierdr

Oh and they are Dunlop Direzza's, the DZ101's I think is what they are called.

TPI-Formula350-

I think I'd get lost on which why to go around the cones. Cool videos

Nathan Gandy

That looked like amazing fun. I'd love to hear about what kind of work you've had done to your car (if any) that prepared it for such an event. I'd love to participate in something like that in the future.

blunierdr

Actually it doesn't take as much prep work as one might think. I have always wanted to get somewhat serious with Auto X so my suspension setup is pretty aggressive, but that is truly unnecessary if you are new and just wanting to try it out. I did a thorough inspection of my car, bled new brake fluid throughout the entire system, stiffened up the shocks and struts, cleaned out the interior of my car (removing everything that isn't attached to the car including floor mats, ect.), filled my tires up to 40psi (this was adjusted throughout the day, but usually between 5-8psi more pressure than you normally run on the street is a good starting point for me) and finally changed the engine oil, checking all the other fluids as well. Other than that, it was just driving all day!

ziggy89

yes I know its an old post. but two questions. one how is auto cross with that cowl hood. I want to hit up some events this year and I just had my 3inch harwood put on. kinda hard to see. two what region do you run?

blunierdr

The cowled hood doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It does take a little bit of your view away from the right front but I rarely even think about it, I'm probably just used to it. I don't think it is something that would be a big issue for most people.

I still want to get more involved with autocross because I think it is huge amounts of fun, but I only have been to a few autocross events so far. All the events I have been to were Chicago region though.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

This thread predates my joining, so I'm not sure if I ever saw these. Man does this make me want to get back into AutoX. Thanks for the viideos.

ziggy89

where is eureka at? I thought it was down by Peoria.

blunierdr

Yup you are correct, between Bloomington and Peoria

ziggy89

I figured down in that area you might run the great river region. then agiain they never have big open courses like the one in your video.

blunierdr

Yeah Joliet is about the best place to autocross in the state IMO

ziggy89

good to know. its a bit a drive for me but I might have to check it out. I really want to hit up a track day somewhere too. id love to run road America.

blunierdr

You should check out GPS Track Time! I went to one of their events last year and had the most fun I have ever had in my Trans Am. Jimmy Yu is an awesome guy. They have track days at Blackhawk Farms Raceway and at Autobahn Country Club.

I always thought Road America would be awesome too, but that track is absolutely massive. Multiple very high speed straights slowing down to tight corners would absolutely fry a third gens stock brakes. I have upgraded my brakes to C5 Z06 brakes up front on my car and I would still be nervous coming hard into some of those corners. Not to mention you would need a fairly serious drivetrain if you wanted to be even remotely competitive with the Porsche's and Vette's that would inevitably be there. (looks like your car might have that last part covered already )

I am in the middle of a cam/head/HSR swap this winter so I hope to have a lot more firepower to work with this year. Maybe if my car feels more confident this year I will start seriously looking into a track day at Road America.

ziggy89

yeah ive been doing reading on Blackhawk and autobahn. I just really want to do a road course. ive got stock brakes on mine so I know id be cautious coming up to corners. and im not really looking to be competitive just have fun.

blunierdr

You should be fine with stock brakes at Autobahn north course for sure, not saying they won't take a beating if you drive hard but my brother took his very stock 87 Z28 and was fine. I haven't driven at Blackhawk but I've heard that it is hard on brakes for some reason. With good brake pads you should still be okay I would imagine, just something to consider. At any rate you would definitely not regret going! It is loads of fun. I hope to go again this year, maybe to Autobahn's south course, that looks pretty awesome.

ziggy89

from what ive seen from Blackhawk its a very high speed track with a bunch of soft and medium curves. only a couple of really hard braking but constantly on the brakes. and like I said im not concerned with destroying my brakes. brake parts are cheap. unless I have to find parts for my rear drums might be hard. or expensive.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I am in the Chicago region and have gone out to Autocross with the Tri-State sports car club and the few times I have gone I have been extremely disappointed. I believe the group that actually runs the joliet events is not the Tri-state Group. The last time I went with the Tri-State was opening event 2014 and possibly the last straw, I was there from 8-4 and only had four runs....4!! Everything moved so slow, the crew running it was ill prepared and disorganized. The timing equipment didn't even work some of the time so some contestants actually had 8-10 runs while others like myself were screwed and only received 4. Not to mention some of the contestants showed up in vehicles that were not cared for. One of them burst a radiator hose on the course and another blew a tranny line.... Both while on the course of course. If you also end up going with the Tri-State and have a bad or long and unproductive day realize that is usual and decided if that is how you want to spend your Sunday. Rant mode off.

That being said, the group that runs the Champaign County Autocross out of Rantoul Air force base is superb. It was always run well, very polite and helpful people running it. Never had less than 6 runs in and I was never there past 2 or 3. After the regular runs they will do dollar runs and keep going until numbers dwindle enough to stop. And a big plus is they do it Saturday and Sunday! You can drive there and run Saturday and stay in a motel/hotel for $60-100 and do it again Sunday.

blunierdr

Wow, I am sorry about your experience, that would make me pretty upset too. I need to make a point to make it to one of the Rantoul autocross events this coming year, it sound like a good time

Tibo do you go to the Rantoul events fairly often? Maybe I'll see you around

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

My oldest brother has been to that one a couple of times, and had good things to say about it.

The only downside seemed to be that the old surface is pretty rough...pretty hard on tires.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Yes and no. They usually try to avoid the areas that are cracked for turning maneuvers. One time they ran the edge of the course to close to the edge where the pavement and grass meet and a driver in a focus didn't have much control and I think he may have tipped it. It pays to walk the course and know how hard to drive in areas....

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Maybe. I have been trying to leave Illinois (Hellinois)(Crook County)(Peoples republic of Chicago)(Madiganistan) for several months now for warmer and more cost of living and tax friendly states. If I am here I will try Autocross with them once more. I want to try it with the Miata Club but I always hear that they only allow "X" amount of people and after that they send anyone else home. I've also heard they run a tight course that is more suited to, well, Miatas and other smaller nimble cars.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

I hate that. While I have not done it in years, even the Detroit Region SCCA ran a tighter course than I liked. The ones I enjoyed the most were run by the Corvette Club of Michigan. A little more wide open, maybe even very slightly higher speeds, but certainly still Solo II.

ziggy89

Every one I've always done was set up pretty tight. Thought that's just how it was. Wasn't hard not to push through some of the corner .

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I do personally believe that some clubs set it up to favor their type of car or to deter other types of cars from coming or being as competitive. Shorter courses with tight maneuvers favor smaller cars like a Miata, Mazda 3, focus, Z3, golf, wrx, etc. Courses allowing more speed and built more loosely would favor a pony car or corvette size where an ability to accelerate and have wide tires is better than a small car with a tight turn radius.

I think there are also Porsche and bmw clubs that run there own but I haven't been or heard anything about them.

ziggy89

Agreed. my region president has a Miata also

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Yep...I experienced this in college where I was running a "large domestic car" and the guying laying out the course had a 911.