I spent this weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway Park with VARA-U, a combined school and Test&Tune event. VARA holds this event annually, and this year was a great success especially cosidering the current economy. The school event had over 100 students, and the T&T had over 30 participants. On Saturday the students alternated between the skid pad, slalom course, classroom, … [Read more...] about BUTTONWILLOW RACEWAY PARK, VARA-U ’09
10 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT!
No, this is not a 'Woman's Day' article on how to lose ten pounds by walking from the back of the parking lot or by folding your laundry while jumping in place. I'm talking about putting your race car on a diet. A car's acceleration potential is measured by its Weight-to-Power ratio, or how many pounds of car each horsepower must accelerate. A 2200 pound car powered by a 200 … [Read more...] about 10 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT!
THROTTLE LINKAGE VS. THROTTLE CABLE
A lot of older cars used throttle linkages instead of throttle cables. My 1971 Datsun 240Z was one of them. Linkage systems are usually quite robust and hold up to decades of abuse. Unfortunately in the 196os and '70s, they started using plastic pieces, usually the end caps, that sometimes break down, especially when frequently adjusted. And as you can imagine, these little … [Read more...] about THROTTLE LINKAGE VS. THROTTLE CABLE
SOUNDING OFF – db limits
I've never been a believer of the Harley crowd's moto "Loud Pipes Save Lives". All that loud pipes do is get restrictions put in place. Next month I'm going to a track day event at Laguna Seca Raceway in Salinas, CA, just outside Monterey. LSR has a very strict db (decibel) limit due to its proximity to some very wealthy and influential neighborhoods. LSR only has 5 weekend … [Read more...] about SOUNDING OFF – db limits
WELCOME BACK
Thanks for following the link to my blog's new web address. I have switched from WordPress' free software to their upgraded software package that allows you to host your own site. The old posts are now here along with all future ones. Now let's find a way to keep Racing On The Cheap! … [Read more...] about WELCOME BACK
BUDGET AIRBOX, part 2
photos 1, 2 I was lucky to have a set of blueprints to start this project with, instead of having to draw up a template myself. A good friend and fellow 240Z racer is a bridge engineer, and he provided me with this schematic. Supplies and costs: 24"x24" sheet of .025" 5052 anodized aluminum - $25, 6" long x 3" diameter thin wall aluminum tube - $5, three holesaw drill … [Read more...] about BUDGET AIRBOX, part 2