Hindsight's build thread

[Hindsight]

Consider Lizard Skin and or SEM Rockit. SEM finish is a very uniform texture and actually hides the fiberglass mesh surface. Better bonding properties as well and more $. Lizard skin is paintable and the Ceramic style manages the heat in the motor area along with sound.

Thanks for the input - I just looked up lizard skin and it looks pretty cool. Summit carries it and they are very close to me so might be a good option. Thanks.

Glyn, thanks for the pad input. I have used Ferodo before and liked them so we shall see how it goes. I just took it around the block and the brakes already feel a bunch better without even having bed the pads yet. Much more bite.

[FFRSpec72]

Brakes. My pads seemed to be bed but I didn't like the performance of them at all. They were new Hawk HPS. It's possible that I didn't bed them long enough but that's hard to do on the street with no license plate and I was getting nervous about the upcoming track day so I replaced all front and rear with Ferodo DS2500. I

I have used the Ferodo DS2500 pads before, not bad for track day/daily use, not enough for road racing though.

[Frank818]

Well that sucks for all the wait, man! I know what it is, I know so damn much! I truly sympathize.

[Hindsight]

I have used the Ferodo DS2500 pads before, not bad for track day/daily use, not enough for road racing though.

Well I sure hope they are good enough for HPDE road racing because my first track date is fast approaching! I guess we will see. The 818, being light, may help lessen the heat generation and keep the pads working well. I just needed to ensure whatever I bought would work for both street and HPDE.

I drove around the block last night to check out the headlights. Yeah, real bad. Seem to be angled far to the right and very far downward. I have the morimoto retrofit projectors sitting on the shelf waiting to be installed, but that will need to wait until after the track day.

[Hindsight]

Back to the exhaust. I am re-doing my non-cat exhaust because my previous one allowed exhaust into the engine compartment.

I have narrowed it down to two options and can't decide. The top option would probably be easier all around and allow me to run a rear diffuser at some point but I can't decide if I think it looks cool or dumb. It would look a lot better if I had the same set of tips on both sides but that isn't in the cards due to my oil cooler placement.

What say you? Top or bottom?

[Frank818]

Top. Always the top, being the top guy in everything is the best.

Also the car looks A LOT cooler with a diffuser on.

[Canadian818]

Top one looks much better

[Scargo]

Since this car doesn't know what it is I vote for the bottom. Diffuser? You'd (should) do a wing first.

[BN]

Bottom with one pipe on both side

[AZPete]

I like the top for looks but I'm guessing the bottom will not smell as bad in the cockpit.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Back to the exhaust. I am re-doing my non-cat exhaust because my previous one allowed exhaust into the engine compartment. I have narrowed it down to two options and can't decide.

Hindsight,
Why do you think the your new location will be better for exhaust fumes?
Bob

[Hindsight]

Thx for the input all!

Bob, because the old exhaust tip pointed mostly downward and was forward of the lower bumper. Exhaust would hit the ground, fan out, then a lot of it would rise into the engine bay and get sucked into the cabin. Was REAL bad at idle.

I have had two setups. The one with a cat and the earlier one without. I am redoing the catless version. The catted version pokes out the lower vent. Its ok though I can still smell some exhaust. The only other thing to try is poking it out the side of the bumper but I REALLY don't want to drill that bumper, esp if it isn't guaranteed to fix the issue.

[UnhipPopano]

Having had a low car with the exhaust out the bottom, Subaru XT coupe, I would highly recommend the upper exhaust setup. Several times I ended up replacing the rear exhaust and muffler because when you back into a parking spot with one of those concrete strips, it catches on the pipe and bends it up.

[Hindsight]

Yeah that is a good point and as low as the 818 is, I worried about it. Plus the lower exit puts the pipe closer to the fiberglass which can melt.

[svanlare]

I vote for the top picture. I'm biased though as I'm planning on the same, but I definitely like the dual tips yours is showing vs. the single tip as well.

Speaking of bias...If I had unlimited carbon fiber and welding skills I would do dual tips from the bottom middle with the diffuser modified to fit, but that is probably just me trying to recreate a boxster's backend.

[bbjones121]

Top version definitely. Bottom looks like a bunch of rice burners around here that think they are really cool.

[Frank818]

After calculations, TOP wins. I said "TOP", not "TRUMP".

[flynntuna]

Top. I am biased, cause I'll be doing something similar to the top one. I have a phobia scraping the front and rear on driveway ramps.

[Frank818]

Why would you scrape the rear? Oh if you go reverse?

[Hindsight]

When the road has a downhill angle that flattens out very rapidly. The worst noise you can hear. Like the sound of a garbage truck dropped off the empire state building.

[Frank818]

That happened to you?

Watch out for speed bumps too.

[flynntuna]

Why would you scrape the rear? Oh if you go reverse?

I have a steep driveway. Then there are those parking lots that were designed by off-road enthusiasts. Lol

[Frank818]

Mind sharing how high your mount is?
Looks like 3/16 thick too.

[Hindsight]

Frank, I am back in Oregon visiting my mom this week. I will be back Saturday night so I can measure then but from memory: I think the steel is 1/8" x 1.5". Doesn't need to be super strong. Height was around 2 or 2.5" I think. I will get more exact measurement for you this weekend.

[Hindsight]

Ok Frank, my mounts are 1 and 3/8" above the FFR mounts integrated into the frame.

In other news, it has now been six weeks since I submit my paperwork to the state for vin and title

[Frank818]

Ok and since you are out of threads on your pic it seems 1" would be good to try at first. Thanks a lot. I believe I'll go with that solution.

Sorry about the damn state's bureaucracy, but at least you're done! It's just a matter of time without efforts and you're on the road like Frank with his R.

[Hindsight]

Frank, my mounts are different heights on each side. The one in the pic is more like 1 and 7/8". The other one is 1 and 3/8" and the threads are much better. 1" might be too short actually.

[Frank818]

Ok, noted, 1-3/8 to try.

[Hindsight]

Some sort of good news for me on the registration process: I finally received something back from them in the mail. They acknowledged receipt of my paperwork and are now asking for two appraisals. The safety inspector told me they might do that - the purpose is for them to determine a taxable value so they know how much to charge me taxes on (I will have to pay a one-time 7% sales tax on the appraised value of the vehicle). So I need to have two appraisals done and send that back into the state. It's anyone's guess as to how long it will take from there but here's to hoping it will be quick.

I'm counting down the days to racing at Road Atlanta the 25th through 28th. I was hoping to get my new exhaust completed, rear splash guards installed (don't want gravel getting flung at my air filter, wiring, etc), bump-steer fixed via Baer bump steer kit, and adding some additional camber, but I think those are overly ambitious goals with what little time I have remaining before the event. The work was starting to become a burden instead of fun, which is what this whole project was supposed to be about so I'm backing off and just hoping to have the exhaust and splash guards finished.

[wleehendrick]

the purpose is for them to determine a taxable value so they know how much to charge me taxes on (I will have to pay a one-time 7% sales tax on the appraised value of the vehicle). So I need to have two appraisals done and send that back into the state. It's anyone's guess as to how long it will take from there but here's to hoping it will be quick.

If you've paid state sales tax already on any parts on the car; provide that documentation as well. Don't let the state double-dip you! CA doesn't require an appraisal, but you do have to pay sales tax upon registration, but has paperwork to avoid double taxation.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the tip! I actually thought of the same thing a while back - although I doubt GA has any kind of way to prevent double-dipping. In my case though, I didn't pay sales tax on the kit donor car since both were from out of state. I'll probably have to pay a one-time sales tax of around $1300 or so in order to get my license plate and registration.

When this is all said and done, I'm going to create a write-up on the Georgia kit car registration, end to end. I've read a couple posts on various forums, and some of them are close to the process I have been asked to follow, but not quite the same and may be out-dated.

[UnhipPopano]

Can you apply the sales tax you already paid on the parts and supplies that were taxed?

[Hindsight]

I doubt it, but even if I could, I wouldn't want to go that route because I have way, way more into the vehicle than it is worth. I'm guessing if there was an option to deduct tax for parts, they'd want to value the vehicle at the sum total of the kit + donor + all parts. I appreciate the suggestion though!

[Pearldrummer7]

I paid tax on my FFR purchase when I registered it in NY. It was 4 figure day for me -_-

better than sum value, of course.

[wleehendrick]

they'd want to value the vehicle at the sum total of the kit + donor + all parts.

That's how CA determine the value for tax purpose... hence why you can deduct tax already paid. Yup, it'll be a couple grand when I register.

[Hindsight]

I just posted in another thread about roll bar height and harness mount and realized that I haven't tried the broom-stick test with my new helmet yet. The helmet I previously tried was a motorcycle helmet and I found out the other day that I can't use that for road racing so I bought an SA2015 helmet and realized I should try the broomstick test with it. FAIL! By quite a lot actually. I am only 6' tall. That S roll bar is way, way low and I don't like how it nearly leaves the left half of your head exposed due to the inward lean.

I got some DOM mild steel tubing in 1.5" OD with 0.095" wall thickness and I plan on trying to cut out the old roll bar, bending a new one, and welding it in with new supports - all this weekend, before the three days of HPDE the following weekend. I still have to finish my exhaust too. Too busy to work on it on week nights so wish me luck on getting all that done.

[DSR-3]

Maybe an option for the roll bar is an extension- something like the SCCA did for Spec Racer's called the "tall man" option/mod. Better check with the sanctioning body for your events though. The SCCA had the was in the odd position of offering (requiring at some point I think) a solution that was not compliant with their own rules! It's not a pretty solution, but would be simpler than full bar replacement- which you could do later.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the input - much appreciated. I considered that initially since it would be easier but in the end, since this HPDE event isn't sanctioned by NASA or SCCA, etc, there is just no telling what rules they will follow so it's better to be safe than sorry and do a complete rip and replace like Bob did.

[Mitch Wright]

Most HPDE groups allow cars with factory rollover protection. That includes Audi TT, Honda S2000, late model MX5 are examples. I don't believe any of the HPDE groups that host events here (10/10ths, Chin, Bluegrass BMW Club, MVP Track Time, LAPS, NCM) are or I believe would be fine with an S roll bar.
I think a phone call and a few photo's will answer the question of what a HPDE group will accept.

[Hindsight]

Thanks Mitch. It isn't the bar itself, it's the fact that my head sticks up 1-2" above it when I am sitting upright and have my helmet on. I won't pass the broomstick test.