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We just messed around and didn't get the engine back together before the NCM race, threw a rod Sunday at COTA. Odd failure, broke a rod bolt, all the bearings still looked good after 25 years and 180,000 miles. So had to pull the engine out of the parts car and go through it before putting it back in and we just didn't get finished due to other priorities. Sort of wish I had just stuck it in the car as it was, but a failure like that makes you rethink using older engines with no freshening. I really hated we missed y'all at NCM, the car is awesome on the full course so we could have given the leaders a good push. I wish we could make the 24, but we have a WRL race at Barber a week or two after the 24 so we can't do both. Let me know if you need a driver I will be in Wilmington the entire week before, I could hang around and drive up and do a stint or two if you need help. Or I could just help in the pits, I have some friends doing the race so could go back and forth to help out. I was considering doing that anyway.
I know only too well how easy it is to not get stuff done on the race car. Not sure at this point if we are going to be Ready for VIR 24. I can let you know at the end of July how it is looking. We may have a seat available if we do and of course will use all the help we can get in the pit.
Was my first time at NCM, second time in the 2j Celica. We had some issues with rear main seal on first day. Turns out it was incorrectly installed prior to the race. Removing the retainer plate is the only way I will ever do it. Sunday we probably would have been in top 3 but our second driver got overheated due to coolbox issue and no airflow in car, That caused us to pit twice. My stint started in the rain...great learning experience and scary as hell all at the same time. NCM really is a nice technical track with good mix of slow, hi speed corners and elevation changes. Will definitely run it again.
I know only too well how easy it is to not get stuff done on the race car. Not sure at this point if we are going to be Ready for VIR 24. I can let you know at the end of July how it is looking. We may have a seat available if we do and of course will use all the help we can get in the pit.
Was my first time at NCM, second time in the 2j Celica. We had some issues with rear main seal on first day. Turns out it was incorrectly installed prior to the race. Removing the retainer plate is the only way I will ever do it. Sunday we probably would have been in top 3 but our second driver got overheated due to coolbox issue and no airflow in car, That caused us to pit twice. My stint started in the rain...great learning experience and scary as hell all at the same time. NCM really is a nice technical track with good mix of slow, hi speed corners and elevation changes. Will definitely run it again.
John
NCM grand is a great course, like you said good speed and elevation. I have only done one rear main seal on the 2J's but I removed the retainer plate because I wasn't sure it was just the seal leaking. And your Sunday finish shows how close things are in this racing.
We were having oil pressure issues on track for some reason with the new build, really not sure why. Maybe it's just additional clearance and pushing more oil up into the engine and all not getting back down to the pick up? So, we welded baffles with doors in the steel sump, took it back out last weekend and it seems to be doing better. I wish I had taken pictures, but just didn't think to. Fresh engine is strong, maybe it equates to quicker times on track. Will see in 2 weeks.
Both front fenders have taken some abuse racing the last 1-1/2 years, so we put our professional body man to work on them. Here is a few pics of the dude in action.
What did you do with the rivets in the hood? Add some supports after cutting out the stock bracing?
If I can find the pic I will post it here. We cut all the bracing out and I took it out for a spin and the air pressure pushed a bubble in the hood 6" high about mid fender. Had to put some aluminum channel braces in.
An under hood pic would be cool. I'm curious how much more bracing you cut out. We left the outer edge bracing and it held up okay.
Sorry, I apparently didn't keep a pic on my phone but I will take another one when I get the car out of the trailer later this week. But, basically we cut everything out, only left a small 3" or 4" wide piece of the front framework where the safety latch is so that it would still work. I have hood pins, but I have never understood why people take the safety latch out when they put in hood pins. I have seen 3 hoods wrapped over the top of the car and busted windshields that had hood pins left out with no safety latch.
When we cut out all of the bracing we took out 26 pounds. The aluminum stiffeners I had to put back in probably added 2 or 3 pounds back in. We ran 2 channels down the side and three across the hood that we had to bend a little to fit the shape.
Congrats on the wins in WRL at Barber this weekend!
Man the car was awesome. We blew through some RE71's quicker than I thought we would but other than that we had a flawless weekend. There were a lot of faster cars there but none as consistent as the SC. Won both races with a lap lead.
Here is a 2 min clip of my buddy driving our SC against a really quick Mustang that was in GTO class. We were in GP2 which should have meant we wouldn't normally hang with this car, but the driver at this time was inexperienced at this track, maybe in general, but my buddy passes him. Then immediately spins the car pushing it too hard.
These guys had a 5 lap lead on us at one point, but the way endurance racing is you have to be steady, consistent, and not have any issues. They had a few issues which allowed us to keep up and eventually pass them.
Awesome thread! I have learned a lot. It is a lot of work and money to compete in these endurance racing series.
I have recently acquired a 94 SC400 to gut and have fun with on the track. Beautiful tan leather interior to get rid of. I know the automatic will be horrible. I am only looking to do some autocross and HPDE.
How well do the 255/40R17 tires fit up front? Did you have to modify anything to keep it from rubbing? What 17" wheel width and offset would work the best?
Awesome thread! I have learned a lot. It is a lot of work and money to compete in these endurance racing series.
I have recently acquired a 94 SC400 to gut and have fun with on the track. Beautiful tan leather interior to get rid of. I know the automatic will be horrible. I am only looking to do some autocross and HPDE.
How well do the 255/40R17 tires fit up front? Did you have to modify anything to keep it from rubbing? What 17" wheel width and offset would work the best?
Keep up the good work!
The 255's fit well, no modifications needed. I think I have run two different offsets, based on the wheels that were available and affordable when I bought them, I think one set is 17 and the other is either 25 or 35 I can't remember. They both fit ok. I have actually ran a few sets of 275's on the same 9' wheels as well, no problems fitting those under the fenders either.
07-03-17, 09:16 AM
