Peters NA6 "Britney"

[PeterB]

So much for pre-preparation - was lifting the new V70As out of the Falcon with a quick lift and twist and ripped the muscles in my back, aggravating an old injury - F@#%!@@# !!!

So, I will be sitting on my couch watching movie re-runs and swallowing anti-inflammatories whilst you enjoy the track day - I need a pit crew or learn to be more careful.

Good luck all and have fun.

I am disappointed at missing the presentation as I felt I really earnt the class 5 trophy this year, just sneaking in ahead of Bernie and Mitch for fastest laps and removing flag points in my efforts to go faster.

See you in September at Wakefield when I will get to try the new tyres.

[Tony]

I'd be happy to run the new tyres in for you Peter

[Guran]

Damn, of all the bad luck. Sorry to hear you're out. Rest easy!

[PeterB]

I took Britney out for her first competitive run on Sunday at the Fairbairn Park hillclimb outside Canberra. Britney has had a forced break due to an injury to me, then my very enjoyable holiday in north Queensland.

As I have glazed two sets of NA6 slotted rotors with Hawk HP Plus pads due to overheating, I have fitted a set of NA8/NB8A rotors and calipers to try to get some better heat dispersion. If this doesn’t work I will have to try some cooling ducts, or stop overdriving.

I even washed and polished her and fitted her new Kumho V70As for the day. I bedded in the tyres and brakes as best I could on a little hilly run near home.

Not a bad day as I almost matched my pb with a 50.39 and just took first in class 3A after a good dice with a nice corolla.

However, the Kumho’s did not match the times set on my tired R888s, despite the new brakes and a good run. They did not launch nearly as well as the R888s and were a bit slippery in parts, but maybe they need a few trackdays to wear in and produce their best.

I have entered for the interstate challenge trackday on 3 November and will need to find a track day at Wakefield before then to practice with the different brakes and V70As.

[Charlie Brown]

Peter, the V70a's will take more than a hill climb to get them to work. Expect a second a lap atleast quicker than the R888's at Wakefield.
Dump the HP Plus and get some CarboTech XP12 pads from Daniel. You'll stop on a dime.

[PeterB]

Thanks, I have ordered a front set of Carbotech XP10 on Michael's reccommendation as being more suited to a non ABS car running the events I do.

I look forward to trying them out.

[Tony]

Peter,

Something to consider; a few of us have had "issues" with XP10 front pads and slotted rotors (most notably with the DBA Series 4000 T3).

I get terrible fade at both Wakefield and EC South after a couple of laps and I also get lots of pad build up on the rotor resulting in a pulsating pedal. I don't seem to have any problems on the longer circuits.

Perhaps XP12 may be a better option, I don't really know.

Although I haven't seen it myself, I'm lead to believe there is a small note on a Carbotech web site somewhere that recommends the XP pads be used with plain rotors only.

I'll be interested to hear your feedback.

[PeterB]

Thanks, I will be running plain rotors on Michael's recommendation. He said no benefit was to be obtained from drilled/slots with these pads.

With the 1600 I am pulling up from much lower speeds, so will not be stressing them as much as you turbo runners.

I will report back on how it goes.

[PeterB]

I gave Britney a run in the Canberra Centennial Hillclimb at Fairbairn Park today. A big field and some parade laps with passengers meant we only got 4 runs.

I started the day with new V70As on the front and old R888s on the back, and although it launched well the rears went away quickly, so times poor.

At lunch I fitted the other new V70As to the rear and the first run gave a new personnel best of 50.14 and 1st in type 3A, so close to that elusive 49 second run.

As I was so close I attacked the final run with great vigour, but of course over-drove for a disappointing 50.9.

However I got a nice Centenary trophy for 3A and there won't be another one of those in my lifetime.

[PeterB]

I dragged Britney down to Eastern Creek South for the final State Supersprint round on 26 Oct.

A hottish day, but as I was fitted up with my new NA8 brakes with Carbotech XP10 pads on the front and as new Kumho V70As, I was expecting big things.

The brakes were excellent with good bite, consistent stopping and no fade, so a great result there, so far.

On my 1st run at SMSP South in July I ran a 1.08.64 on old R888s, but to my great frustration could only manage a 1.08.54 today, and although this was good enough for 2nd in type 3A (from a field of eight runners), it was very unsatisfying as I was expecting better from myself and the car.

I didn't really get a handle on the track and didn't have the grip I was expecting, but maybe next time !!

When I fired Britney up to run her off the trailer I was greeted with a very nasty rattle from the engine bay so some dignostics and repair are needed if I am going to make next Sunday's track day. Hopefully it is an ancilliary and not engine internals !!!

[PeterB]

Initial diagnostics have revealed collapsed bearings in the alternator, which is only 3 years old has but has spent its life being used hard.

I ran her without the alternator belt and she sounds ok, so looking good.

However, I may be committed for self harming - how many razor sharp clips and ties are there in the engine bay !!!!!!

Hopefully next Sunday will be a better day on familiar ground at Wakefield - it will be a fairer test of the new brakes and tyres.

[greenMachine]

Glad to hear that it was nothing too serious.

My race car has an under-drive crank pulley for that reason.

[PeterB]

The alternator was rebuilt by Carco with new bearings, so Britney was ready for the interstate challenge at Wakefield Park (3 Nov 2013) on her NB8A brakes with carbotech and one track day old V70As.

The day was hot and very windy with lots of dust around, but despite this I still could not get anywhere near the times that I had hoped for.

I was stuck in 1.15s most of the day and only managed to squeeze out a 1.14.8 in a later round.

Fortunately there were no Victorians in Class 5, so I ended up with a nice trophy for 1st class 5.

This was the 2nd track day on the V70As and I could not get any decent grip. I fiddled with tyre pressures from 31 to 35 psi hot, but had only ordinary grip, with only the last couple of runs giving any feel. I struggled to be much better than my times from a couple of years ago on KU36, so something is not adding up - or else I was driving atrociously !!

Some say that you need several track days to wear the V70As down a bit to get optimum grip, so we will see what happens after a couple of runs. I will check ride heights and alignment in case something has gone amiss.

However, any day on the track is a good day, so thanks again to all the officials who put up with the lousy conditions.

Next run is the inaugral Cooma hillclimb on 17 November, so that should be an interesting challenge.

[Jeo]

Cooma Hillclimb?

[PeterB]

Yep, Cooma Car Club is running their inaugral hillclimb on a closed public road on the south side of town on Sunday 17 Nov. The road runs up to a lookout and Miss Heidi's Teahouse - Mt Gladstone road.

http://www.coomacarclub.com.au/mt-gladstone-hillclimb/

They are limiting to road registered cars for this first attempt. Track is said to be tight and tricky.

If all goes well they hope to run four a year, out of snow season. The Council has apparently been supportive to get off season visitors to town.

Should be fun.