Dan's NC track toy

[Dan]

I got the original tyres I brought the car with (RE001’s) put on the CX-7 wheels I brought off eBay today. I didn’t weigh them but they are definitely heavier than the stock wheels + NT01’s (some of that may be a difference in tyre weight too), they are for the road though so it’s not a concern.

At $81 for the wheels + $100 to fit the tyres I was pretty happy with how it turned out, now I’ve got a set of street wheels and track wheels.

I’ve put a couple of pictures below for anyone looking at an alternative to the MX5 wheels if you need a street set, they clear the brakes by a country mile which is nice and can often be found quite cheap.

In other news I’ve upgraded the rear pads I brought the car with to Carbotech XP8’s and I have a set of XP12 front pads’s sitting at my place to upgrade from my current XP10’s when they die (1 track day left). Deckspeed have a set of DBA Front Rotors waiting for me so both the XP12's and DBA Rotor's will be in next week after the Speed off the Streets day on Tuesday. Given how obnoxiously loud the XP10's were sometimes on the street at low speed I'm interested to see how loud the XP12's will be..


Stock vs CX-7 Wheels:


On Car:

[Dan]

Another track day done! Today I went down to a Speed off the Streets day at Wakefield, it was fairly busy with 4 groups but I got plenty of track time in (got a 40 minute session to end), the weather was great and I didn’t have an off which I think makes it a good day.

I also managed to cut another 1.36 seconds off my PB which now stands at 1:12.45. Consistency is good given most laps of the sessions are 12’s and low 13’s (I’ll post up some VBO files if anyone’s interested).

I feel like a lot of the time was made on T2 (earlier braking + better line) and better flow through T3/4/5. Given the mods (4.1 FGR, BC V3 Coilovers, Sways and NT01's) I'm pretty happy with the time but there is still a lot of work to do and plenty of time left on the table.

It was also cool to see one of these driving on the track (E63), I’ve never seen one away from the showroom floor.

[Charlie Brown]

Great time Dan.
Looks like you will be playing with Ralph, Russ, Pete and myself upfront from now on.

Your query re the XP12 noise on the road. They scare pedestrians 2 kilometres away with their high pitched scream.

Definitely NOT a pad for the road.
I swap my front rotors and pads for track days. Out with the DBA T3's & Hawks, in with the stock rotor and XP12's for the track.

[Dan]

Thanks CB, hopefully I can get my time down to get into the fast group for the next Club Day. It'd be great to mix it up with you guys and watch the lines you are all taking

I love your comment about the XP12's, very true about the noise. I actually swapped out to them before the day since I didn't want to mess with swapping out pads at the track if I actually went through my XP10's. Definitely not a pad for the street, unlike the XP10's they even opt to put more meat on them rather than accommodating the shims

I'm going to chuck in the Bendix pad's my car came with when I get home tonight until the next track day.

[Dan]

Yet another track day at Wakefield down today, I wasn’t going to go to another track day until the practice day at SMSP Brabham Circuit on the 15th of August but I had nothing else on and got an invite to go so I figured why not.

I didn’t improve my time as dramatically this time with only a 0.34 second improvement to 1:12.11 but consistently seemed to be there with my First and last sessions top 4 lap times being:
First session - 1:12.41, 1:12.61, 1:12.65, 1:12.69
Last session - 1:12.11, 1:12.17, 1:12.38, 1:12.56

Before I came today I was looking at the two corners where I significant improvement can be made versus the faster guys which was T3/4/5 and T10. It looks like I made some improvement but there is still a ways to go on both, T10 it looks like I could probably jump back on the throttle earlier and T3/4/5 I need to improve my line through it (less sharp into T5 I think) and grow some balls to carry more speed through it (Red is the faster log, green is last track day and blue is today). Theoretical time in Circuit Tools says 1:11.78 so consistency in all corners is something that I need to address as well.

T3/4/5


T10


Only issue with the car is I’ve got a clunking in the rear suspension now that I need to get checked out, it started on the left side and is now happening on the right, I’m thinking something to do with the sway bar since it’s switched sides and the sway bar Banana’ed an endlink recently but I’m not sure.

[Regie]

Get some adjustable end links. The stock ones are pretty flimsy

[Dan]

Get some adjustable end links. The stock ones are pretty flimsy

Good call, I'll get a set before the next track day. The car needs an alignment anyway so I'll get them put on while it's there.

Are the Whiteline ones ok?

[Regie]

Check the sponsor section. Mx5parts have some in stock

[Charlie Brown]

Dan, I know exact location with the log may not be accurate but if it is then your entry to both T5 and T10 is earlier than I do.

If you hit full power early in T5 without nailing the correct apex you end up on the ripple strip loosing traction. Use as late an entry as possible.
In T10 your turn in point is position the car as far left as possible and turn in where the road runs out of bitumen. Hit the late apex and end up with the car on the edge of the track on the exit.

[Dan]

Good advice as always CB.

I think the GPS is pretty accurate to what I’m doing and I also think you’re 100% right that I’m turning in too early for T5, I’m on that ripple strip every lap without exception. I think I’m sort of taking it like a double apex and as soon as I track out from T4 I’m turning back in for T5 rather than straightening out and taking it as 2 corners which would keep me out wider like you suggested.

Are you stabbing the brake before T5?

On T10 I’ll try a later turn in and apex next time I go like you suggested too.

[Regie]

Hey Dan

did you get my PBox files a few weeks ago?

[Dan]

I did have a look at them but unfortunately I don't think it was a great day for logs because it was a bit damp.

The 1:08 lap that oztrackdays posted up was the one I based most of the differentials off.

[Charlie Brown]

Dan,
In T5 I use two methods, the tap of the brakes in the first lap and then when the tyres are warm I use another method. I'll talk to you next track day about it.

[Regie]

Dan,
In T5 I use two methods, the tap of the brakes in the first lap and then when the tyres are warm I use another method. I'll talk to you next track day about it.

Left foot brake?? thats what i do

[Dan]

Dan,
In T5 I use two methods, the tap of the brakes in the first lap and then when the tyres are warm I use another method. I'll talk to you next track day about it.

Sounds good, looking forward to chatting about it then

Left foot brake?? thats what i do

That's a cool move, left foot braking isn't even in my repertoire of tricks.