Hindsight's build thread

[Hindsight]

Yeah I have noticed that VWs in general are loud at idle and even the gas engines sound like diesels! This F150 is like a town car. Can't wait to tow with it.

[RM1SepEx]

Note, my 16 foot x 8.5 trailer with a V nose would have the same space as an 18 ft like Wayne's, it's 20 feet log to the tip of the nose... A flat nose has more towing drag unless you have a tall cap on your truck.

Congrats on the new truck, I tried a Ford van with that engine and it had great power

[Hindsight]

Thanks Dan. I am pretty sold on a V-nose for the better aerodynamics, but it all comes down to what kind of deal/opportunity I can find. I don't have a big budget for a trailer.... probably looking at around $4k to $5k max when I am ready. Need to sell a few things I am no longer using anymore to fund it, since I am pivoting my interests a bit in order to focus more on racing.

[RM1SepEx]

I borrowed a friend's 14 ft, 7.5 w v nose for a 500+ mile trip. On the way home my wife made the comment on how handy the large, enclosed aluminum trailer was... I found this one on craigslist for $3000 within a week. It is a bit beat up and is about 10 yrs old but I've found it to be a great investment between being my camper and toy hauler during warm weather and a garage for her Miata in the winter

[Hindsight]

Got the side skirts installed and re-adjusted the passenger door hinges so the door doesn't drag on the side sail when closing. Need to send the inner splitter support struts off to the powder coater.

[Frank818]

Nicely done, man!

[Lumpyguy]

very nice my friend, Looks like it has come a long way since I was there. cheers

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Went to cars and coffee today. As I was driving there at like 5:30am (!!!) I saw what looked like a GTM on the highway so I pulled up to him and it ended up being an Ultima GTR. Followed him to the show and parked next to him. Turns out I used to work at the same company and in the same building as him for like 7 years. Such a small world. Anyway, the 818 looked HUGE next to the GTR! I kinda want a GTR/SLC/GTM already hahaha.

[aquillen]

"How It's Made - Dream Cars" TV show (on my Dish actually), ran a show on how the Ultima is built in house as a finished car. That show is fun and sometimes gives me ideas.

And by the way - your car is looking gooo----oood. Wife says mine has to be white too.

[Scargo]

Wow, they're so tiny! Those British!

[ben1272]

I would like to some time consider a re-body for the 818 that is more int he vein of a supercar, like the optima or any other for that matter. Given its low slung frame I think that many different body styles could be made to work on its chassis.

I like the optima but there is something about its proportions that throws me off....I think it is the height of the passenger bubble relative to the height of the rest of the car......though it now looks about the same as Porsche's 919 hybrid latest race car offerings. http://www.porsche.com/usa/eventsand...series/fiawec/

Your 818 looks really great and continues to incent me to get my own on the road!!

-Ben

[Frank818]

That's a shiny white, Jeff! And no exhaust smell! lolll

"How It's Made - Dream Cars" TV show

Oh I LOVE that show!!!!!!!!!!!

[Aero STI]

Looking great! I just got back from Atlanta (stayed in Buckhead). Thursday to Sunday the weather was amazing for middle of January.

I've grown very fond of the the Superlite GT-R. They're made outside of Detroit. The level of completeness is incredible. Way less monkeying with stuff compared to the 818 or GTM. I think that's the next project car for me.

[Wayne Presley]

Looking great! I just got back from Atlanta (stayed in Buckhead). Thursday to Sunday the weather was amazing for middle of January.

I've grown very fond of the the Superlite GT-R. They're made outside of Detroit. The level of completeness is incredible. Way less monkeying with stuff compared to the 818 or GTM. I think that's the next project car for me.

Then you should look at this one SLCaero.jpg
SLC Aero

[Hindsight]

Looking great! I just got back from Atlanta (stayed in Buckhead). Thursday to Sunday the weather was amazing for middle of January.

I've grown very fond of the the Superlite GT-R. They're made outside of Detroit. The level of completeness is incredible. Way less monkeying with stuff compared to the 818 or GTM. I think that's the next project car for me.

Aww man! I wish I would have known you were in town; I would have offered to buy you a beer. Maybe next time!

[Mitch Wright]

I was blown away at the price of the SLC Aero, $65K complete with a LS engine if I remember correctly.

[Frank818]

Yeah, but the Aero is race only. I configured myself a "simple" SLC and without the trans (10k) and engine it came up at 63k. As lump sumps, a 50% deposit and the remaining later. Have no idea how the build experience compares to the 818.

[Hindsight]

I've been told and have read online that the SLC and Ultima kits are much nicer than FFR. But of course, they are like 4x the price or more. FFR has found their niche between quality/design/price and it is obviously working very well for them.

Not sure about the Aero, but the Superlite SL-C is $44k for the kit. You do get a lot more than in the 818 kit.... the completeness is more like what you get with the FFR GTM. All you need is the drivetrain, from what I understand. Figure $8-9k for a transmission (G50) and then however much else you want to spend on an engine (crate or used out of a modern camaro, trans am, GTO, corvette, or whatever). I think you could probably get one done nicely for around $65k if you didn't go nuts.

Seeing those GT-Rs in person and then watching a youtube video of an SL-C running Thunderhill (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhHKQmHKzdA&t=2s) really made me think a lot about my goals. I'm not rich, and the idea of stuffing a car I've "invested" over $50k and 2+ years of my life into is not something that would be good for my mental health. At the speeds these cars are capable of, going off the track has a much, much higher chance of totaling the car completely and also injuring you. I'm starting to think having a nice street/track car that you drive at maybe 8 10ths on the track, and then having something cheaper like a chump car, spec miata, or spec e-30 that you track and drive at the absolute limit is the way to go.

Anyone on here race chump cars?

[Wayne Presley]

I was blown away at the price of the SLC Aero, $65K complete with a LS engine if I remember correctly.

And that is fully built and ready to drive with a Katech dry sump LS

Yeah, but the Aero is race only. I configured myself a "simple" SLC and without the trans (10k) and engine it came up at 63k. As lump sumps, a 50% deposit and the remaining later. Have no idea how the build experience compares to the 818.

And...

I'm starting to think having a nice street/track car that you drive at maybe 8 10ths on the track, and then having something cheaper like a chump car, spec miata, or spec e-30 that you track and drive at the absolute limit is the way to go.

Anyone on here race chump cars?

I do, they are fun and so far 2 miatas have been written off.

[Hindsight]

Written off as in tax, or as in crashed/blown up?

If you want to stay East of the Mississippi, are there many chumpcar events? Like, around how many a month would you say?

[Wayne Presley]

Written off as in tax, or as in crashed/blown up?

If you want to stay East of the Mississippi, are there many chumpcar events? Like, around how many a month would you say?

slight body work required and no I wasn't driving this one. I drove the start and first 2 hours.

Before

GRMb4.jpg

After

GRMafter1.jpgGRMafter2.jpg

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/pr...-gets-smashed/

[Hindsight]

lol from the pictures I have seen online, your post-crash picture looks very similar to some cars running on the track!

[Wayne Presley]

IMG_19521.jpgIMG_19541.jpgIMG_19561.jpgIMG_19591.jpg

Miata that I Tboned a VW bug with at Sebring

[Aero STI]

Aww man! I wish I would have known you were in town; I would have offered to buy you a beer. Maybe next time!

Jeff, I considered looking you up, but didn't want to impose. My wife is there every January and every July. I don't think I'll come this summer, but possibly next winter. I brought the kids down for a short retreat at the expense of my wife's business.

Since I ordered my Tillet seats through him, I've had a few brief conversations with Allan Uzwiak (https://www.youtube.com/user/zakari3030) about Superlite/RCR. $85K is the ballpark for a top notch turnkey SL-C or GT-R. It's not chump change but it's true super car territory for 1/4 the cost.

I did Lemons for 4 years. We started with a '92 Jetta GL, stock with a 1.8L and factory 5 speed. Worked out many bugs and ended with a Mk3 2 point slow and MK4 five speed. We won many trophies and class B. Then proceeded to ghetto charge the car to the tune of 250 WHP at 1800 lbs. Moved to Class A and moved far away from consistent finishes. The car was regularly turning fastest laps. The car ended up totaled because of a dumbass mustang driver spinning immediately in front. One of my best friends who was instrumental in the team passed away and things evaporated. That was some of the best smiles per dollar I've ever had. It the reason I have over 1000 laps at Gingerman. Lemons is not cutthroat like spec miata or chump, but it's absolutely amazing smiles per dollar. I recommend anyone interested give it a go by acquiring the proper safety gear and finding an established team on the forums that need an extra driver for a race.

[Hindsight]

You would never be imposing! Would be really cool to meet in person.

Thanks for all the info on the Lemons! It sounds like a great time. Do you think there are more Lemons races, or chumpcar races? You mention miata and chump are more cutthroat.... can you elaborate on that? What is the cost like for lemons vs chump?

[Hindsight]

Also, a local photographer took this pic at the car show last weekend and sent it over to me.

[svanlare]

Been racing Lemons for many years now. While you used to be able to build a car and meet both Chump and Lemons rules, not sure that is still true. Our team has a good 30+ races under our belt now and it is definitely a good way to get track time and have a lot of fun. We had an '86 300Z and later added a miata. The Z got replaced by a 91 along the line but the miata is still soldiering on. The Z is usually a contender for fast lap, the Miata usually places higher at the end of the race (same drivers). Also the Z usually has a lot of repairs between races where the Miata usually gets an oil change and a quick once over.

The last time our team looked at the two, there were a lot more races for Lemons than Chump here on the west coast. Haven't looked in a while to see if that is still true, so you'll have to look at the schedules to see about Atlanta. Also when we last looked, Chump was highly biased to "it is all about racing and winning" where Lemons has a much stronger dose of "it is about track time and fun". Nobody on our team is going to wear a catheter and run a 4 hour shift so Lemons it is.

Probably more than you want here: http://zlime-racing.blogspot.com

I don't think I'll track my 818, not because I'm worried overly about the safety of the car, but I'm much more worried about the time I've put into it. So I think I'll autocross the 818 and do DE's, but keep focused on the other cars for tracks.

[Aero STI]

Piling on Steve's response, there were more lemons races than chump when I was involved. The requirements for safety were nearly identical and people regularly competed in both series with the same car. Lemons seemed to get the better tracks. We raced Road America, Gingerman, Autobahn, and Mid-America because they were all a reasonable drive. Gingerman was especially convenient since it's only 35 minutes from my house.

Steve also nailed what I meant by more cutthroat. I don't have firsthand experience with chump or spec miata, just numerous acquaintances who have done all three. The consensus seemed to be that lemons was what they did when they just felt like having a really fun time turning laps. All types were welcome. Chump was a place where overly competitive people congregated. Spec Miata was just the cheapest form of closely matched cars doing some legitimate racing.

[Hindsight]

Thanks Andrew and Steve! Very good info. I think I may end up doing some AutoX days with the 818 to sort out the balance of the car and tune me into driving it at the limit, then continue doing HPDE days at 8/10ths to keep the risk low, and then do a Lemons car for going all out on the track and having a low-stress time. With all the time and money I have in the 818, I'm starting to lose sleep at the thought of one snap-oversteer incident trashing the car beyond repair.

[Hindsight]

Working down the checklist toward the next track day in March. Going to put in a new radiator, add ducting for it, add the fuel surge tank which will require re-making the rear firewall, adding front splash guards, and wrap up some suspension stuff (replace one of the Baer tube nuts that I cut down in order to determine steering rack spacer size, re-align the car, and adjust rear bump-steer). Oh and I need to build an airbox that is sealed to the side scoop like Tamra and Andrew did.

Not sure about the rest of you but I get a lot of rattle and squeaking sounds from my engine cover and trunk cover where the fiberglass panels touch and rub on eachother. I found some white felt strip with adhesive backing from McMaster and plan on using it to quiet down the rattles. I'll report back with the results and some pics if it works as well as I hope it will.

[UnhipPopano]

From the builds using a rear trunk, they report that the fiberglass in the rear is way stiffer. Felt may quiet down the sounds of the fiberglass panels rubbing on each other, but you might think about ways to stiffen it up and reduce the racking. [http://www.marineengineering.org.uk/page82.html]

Racking
Uneven water pressure caused by wave action leads to distortion of the structure as shown and is resisted by the Shear Stresses in the structure including most significantly the Transverse bulkheads and framing. Racking stresses are highest at the corners of the box section and thus the corner brackets are specially inspected.

[Frank818]

I like the gas station pic.

[Hindsight]

Thanks Frank!

UnhipPopano, I stiffened up the engine cover a ton with some balsa and fiberglass. Need to do the same with the trunk lid at some point, though even when I do get it stiff, I know there will be a few points where it makes contact and rubs. Hoping the felt quiets it down.

Made a couple new friends at a car show last weekend; one has an LS swapped FD RX-7 and the other has an LS swapped gen 1 Miata (lol). I took them each for a ride in the 818 last night and they both commented on how solid and tight the car was. They weren't expecting that at all. I tend to agree.... if you build it right and take care of any rattles, the car is quite solid and tight and has a quality feel.

[svanlare]

I've been debating what to use as so the covers don't just sit fiberglass on fiberglass. I have no answers yet... Felt seems really easy, but not sure how it will hold up.

[Hindsight]

I just installed some today so I will report back in a while. I think there is a pretty good chance it will hold up but we shall see. Might also depend on how much rain the car sees - mine will never see any.

[Frank818]

Jeff, with all those discussions and improvements you're making on the car I kinda totally loss the big picture.
Your car is registered right?
When's the last time you drove it on the street?
When's the next time you plan on driving it on the street?
When are you planning to have everything ready for your track ride?

[Hindsight]

Hey Frank, car was registered last September. I drove it on the street two days ago, and typically drive it several times a week if the weather is good. When I drive it, it is either purely for fun, or to go to a car meetup or car show. Need to have everything ready for the next track day by mid-march. That's going to be cutting it close.

[Frank818]

Cool! Yeah I've seen those pix outside so I thought you were driving a little although not everything is fixed. Was wondering when the track would be next and it's not too far from today!

[Hindsight]

Lots of stuff done in the last week but not a lot of pics to show for it. I made a hood prop rod that hinges and attaches to the engine cover. Much more convenient to have that in place so I can use it at car shows. I replaced the rear mesh with a new piece of mesh that doesn't have a hole cutout for exhaust since I changed mine up. I fabricated front splash guards (both in front and behind the wheel) because the FFR-supplied once didn't fit well. They came out really nice and I sprayed them with 3M undercoating which looks very professional. No pics yet.

I've now turned my attention toward the fuel surge tank. Hoping to have it wrapped up by the end of next weekend. I decided on locating it behind the driver seat. I will need to build a new driver-side firewall. I'm going to install a combination rollover / fuel-discriminator valve in the top of the fuel tank and use that as my vent. This will keep fuel from coming out my breather on the track (and double as a rollover valve). Need to make all new fuel lines for the setup and am waiting for some new AN hose ends and olives to arrive. While I have everything torn apart, I'm going to finally loom the rear section of the wiring harness and also build a cover for the ECUs, and carpet the firewalls.

[Canadian818]

Is that a radium surge tank? They look nice, definitely on my list to buy. Fairly pricey IMO, but you get what you pay for. I'm curious how loud it will be behind the seat, I recall someone mentioned they're quite loud. Maybe consider using rubber to isolate it from the bracket?