Untitled by Eipeip, on FlickrMy build in the beginning had no real direction, however in the end I aimed to make a naturally aspirated car that was fast on a track but could be used as a daily.
Is it fast on the track, well with a better driver it would be. I'm still learning to drive it. If I was to give any advice it would be learn to be a fast driver FIRST and build a fast car second. It takes so much more skill to drive a slow car fast and those people who can you have my utmost respect. However like a petulant child I did not listen to the advice and just went on my own journey. The very young do not always do as they're told, how true.
In 2016 the plan is for more driver training and less car mods, but I digress...
As a daily.
1. Tune
The car is tuned via TPS/Load and not AFR so it is not the most fuel economic way to have a daily. Roughly 200km on a tank of E85. At WTAC about 2 ltrs a lap.
Daily traffic almost impossible to cruise below 2,500 rpm due to the first harmonic making the throttle very touchy. 100 kmh is about 3,000 in 6th. On the track car does not go below 5,000 so no issues there.
2. Creature comforts
No carpets - you hear EVERYTHING from the fuel pump whine to small rocks hitting the floor panels however it does not mask the sound of the engine as it climbs above 5,000.
No radio - makes you concentrate more when driving as a daily. You get to see what is happening around you, plus you can't use a mobile
It is amazing in stop start traffic however many cars on the road only have one occupant in them, sad! It is also sad that if you leave yourself space for safety somebody just has to occupy it. I feel safer on a track traveling at 190 kmh with somebody overtaking than I do in the 100 kmh zone with somebody less than 1 second behind you not trying to overtake. Suspension - as a daily it is not harsh on most roads, and this is suprising. On the track it needs to be upgraded as it is starting to show its age and limitations. You can't knock the OEM rear sway bar for both track and daily use, there is no need to go for a bigger bar under any circumstances unless you are 100% track orientated
Tyres - AD08's or 595 RSR's no problems, however I would not use the FZ201's, R88's or DZ01's as a daily tyre as without any heat they are a handful.
Alignment - running -2.5/-2.0 F/R camber is not too aggressive for the street, however for the track it does need (tyre dependant) at least -3.5/-3.0 camber is much better. This is a hard decision as without buying the tools and learning the knowledge changing the alignment at home is not possible. Having an aggressive alignment for the track and then using it on the road will increase tyre turnover. This is a hard decision. Anyway the car is off the Accurate Suspension for a full checkup and alignment next week, alignment will be what they suggest based on recent feedback given on the car's handling.
Brakes - OEM calipers so no issues here. Pads, I'm surprised how the pad combination Winmax 6.5's and W3's are for use as a daily. Now they are very dusty but do give good brake torque from low temps when used for daily duties, however if it was going to be used as an extended daily I would scale the pads back to A1RM's. Track wise the rear brakes (when using FZ201's) are locking up too early so a manual brake bias valve is needed. Living with a manual brake bias as a daily would be no issue and in fact could improve its braking.
Mirrors - the small lightweight mirrors are great for the track, however as a daily I'm beginning to question the passenger side one. Between the diagonal cross bar of the roll cage, the wing end plate changing lanes to the left needs to be done with care as there are a few blind spots, despite the best adjusted mirror. It would be great to have electric adjustable mirrors for a daily as it seems people just have to bump/play with them.
Seat - No complaints from using the Sparco Sprint 5's as a daily seat, they are actually very comfortable.
Sun visors - not the smartest decision to remove. The windscreen banner from WTAC was a bonus, however it is not legal as it MAY obscure too much of the drivers vision. Need to either reinstall the sun visor for daily duties or conform to the QLD transport rules on a windscreen banner.
The tinting must not extend lower than a horizontal line connecting the uppermost points of the arcs swept by the vehicle manufacturer’s original wiper blades or upper 10 percent of the windscreen, whichever is the lesser. The tinting may be of any shade but must not have a reflectance of more than 10 percent.
As a daily it is liveable with, however I question why I should. Getting from home to Milton in the morning is quick, however leaving Milton at 1615 to drive home takes about 70 mins in the most horrid stop start traffic between Cootha roundabout and Fig Tree Pocket. I can leave work at 1615 walk to Milton train station and catch a train then drive home from the train station in LESS than the time it takes to drive. Cost of the train is about $6 (each way) and this is less than the cost of the fuel I use driving. I don't pay parking (company provided).
As a daily I'm sick of people trying to drag me off or rev their engines at me for a 'race', however I do enjoy the thumbs up and people that ask if they can take a photo or have a sit in it. The looks on children's faces when they get to sit in it and act like a race car driver so their parents can take a photo makes the build worth it. Actually some of the adults that sit in it get the same look as the children
Conclusion... It is a daily as well as a track car, whilst it is a compromise I'm happy with the end result. But it is horrible in peak hour traffic (irrespective of the car I'm driving) so it is back to public transport and ENJOYING the drive from the train station to home (15 mins). There is a very nice section which goes from 70 to 100 and I always manage to be in 3rd gear when I reach this transition... Isn't this is what it is about ENJOYING what you have built.
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