Branka: Country Road Specialist

[Marcoscrdo]

http://shraderperformance.com/shop/w...RSD_FRS1wm.jpg

http://shraderperformance.com/shop/w...RSD_FRS5wm.jpg

[Tristor]

Ah, I see. Thanks. I haven't put it all back in after the track yet, there's a few noises I'm troubleshooting post-track day. But I can give this a try this go-around and take some new pictures. I haven't taken any photos since lowering the car anyway, so I think maybe it's a good idea to update them all

[Code Monkey]

Originally Posted by Tristor

I'd really like to go on COTA with the car as it is now, but we'll see if that's in the budget later this year.

COTA is very boring in our cars. Hit Eagles Canyon once they re-open, it is a longer drive but totally worth it.

[Tristor]

Originally Posted by Code Monkey

COTA is very boring in our cars. Hit Eagles Canyon once they re-open, it is a longer drive but totally worth it.

Yeah, my goal is really to hit H2R as much as possible this year to continue improving on a known track, but I'd like to do Cresson for sure on the 3.1 configuration. Is ECR reopening soon, have you heard any news?

[Code Monkey]

Hopefully ECR will be running by July-August. The surface is supposed to be baby butt smooth.

[Tristor]

Quick Updates:

• Friday night someone rear-ended me at a stoplight on the South side. It's only cosmetic damage, nothing serious. I fully inspected the car thoroughly, and all I could find was minor cosmetic damage. I'm waiting to hear back from the at-fault driver's insurance.
• Went to the track this morning, this time the track was in the counter-clockwise configuration which I had never driven before. After a couple of laps solo, I asked another member to show me the lines in their fully prepped Miata. They're running 1:33s and I was only able to get to a 1:39, but it's not bad. They said most folks are 1 second or so slower CCW vs CW, and I was 3 seconds off my CW pace. I went off track twice, but was able to recover quickly. Definitely very different track going the opposite direction.
• I ordered a set of Hankook RS4s in 245/40R17 to go on my Apex Arc-8s. That'll be what I'm tracking on mostly later this year after I finish off this set of AD08Rs.
• I ordered a transmission filter, filter o-ring, and a transmission oil pan gasket, as well as 2 gallons of Redline D6 ATF so I can do another transmission service at the end of this year. I also went ahead and ordered another 24 quarts of AMSOil and 2 quarts of AMSOil SevereGear 75W90 diff fluid.
• I'm considering going FlexFuel and getting a tune to give me a softer redline (instead of the fuel cut) and raise my idle rpm, and just doing that w/ EcuTek ahead of getting any exhaust stuff. I know I'll need a retune later, but the fuel cut is very very annoying on track due to disadvantageous shift points combined with having solid mounts meaning everything shakes at stop lights at low idle rpm.

Also, I really hate Race Studio from AIM. I like the AIM Solo 2 DL, but I hate the software. I'm a big fan of Circuit Tools by Racelogic/VBOX. I'm going to work on writing a tool that'll convert from AIM data files to the VBO format so I can use Circuit Tools and Race Render without as much finangling. If/When I get it all working, I'll open source the tool and link it in the forums off Github. I don't understand why the vendors are so adamant to eliminate any cross-compatibility in data format.

[Code Monkey]

I develop software and hate the Race Studio too, what a shit design.

[Tristor]

Originally Posted by Code Monkey

I develop software and hate the Race Studio too, what a shit design.

Maybe you'd like to contribute. I was going to write it in Ruby because that's what I'm most familiar with these days, but to be honest I'm a pretty awful programmer. What languages do you typically work in?

There's no spec for the AIM format, but luckily Racelogic provides a documented spec for the VBO format, part of why I think so many other apps (Harry's Lap Timer, Dashware, Race Render, etc.) support it: https://racelogic.support/01VBOX_Aut...BO_file_format

[Code Monkey]

Way too busy at the moment but may look into writing some code in a few months.

[Tristor]

Just a few quick updates:

• Got Hankook RS4s in 245/40R17 on the Apex ARC-8 17x9s and now have them on the car with correctly sized custom CNCed billet spacers front and rear to fully flush it out. Am scrubbing them in and then will try to get them on track soon.
• SoulSpeed Performance in Austin who did my corner balance and alignment featured me on their social media back in April and I hadn't noticed: https://www.facebook.com/soulspeed/p...98943?sfnsw=cl

Pic dump (credit to SoulSpeed Performance):


















This month (May) is stupidly busy at work for me, so as much as I want to get back on track it's unlikely I'll get to do so until June.


Here's a shot of the new wheels and tires on (right after installation):

[Tristor]

I've got a bunch of PMs I haven't replied to. Just a bump so folks know I'm not dead. I'm super busy with work.

When I can get back into things I've got a significant amount of maintenance items to do on the car:

• Drop AT pan and replace the AT filter, clean the magnets on the bottom of the pan and the pan, replace the AT pan gasket, and change my ATF (still going to use Redline D6 ATF)
• Change my diff fluid (Motul Gear 300 going in)
• Replace my front AP Racing rotor rings and my rear rotors
• Drain oil, drop header and oil pan, replace oil pickup with Killer B pickup, and then install new oil pan gasket, reinstall oil pan and header, and change my oil (still staying with AMSOil Signature 0W20)
• Figure out a mounting solution and install my Chillout Systems driver cooling setup
• Check my A/C system out and do any necessary maintenance
• Drive up to New Braunfels and get sized for a custom racing suit from Simpson
• Finalize my exhaust plans and get an order in since I'll likely have to wait for everything to be fabricated and shipped (thinking Fujitsubo Authorize RM Titanium Single-Exit catback, Fujitsubo dual-resonated front pipe, and the CSG Spec ACE A-350 4-2-1 header with ceramic coating)

Several of the folks here have PMed me about my parts sales threads. I'll try to get back to y'all when I get a chance. I'm on the road a lot lately for work and very busy.

[Tristor]

So I had a bit of a change of plans. I have ended up dropping my car off at a local detailer for about a week now. It should be ready to be picked up tomorrow except for a few minor items that still need to be resolved (I had some new plastic pieces sprayed by the Subaru dealer and am waiting for them to cure/breath before getting them installed, corrected, PPFed, and coated). I spent a pretty penny but I was tired of seeing the nearly hundred rock chips in my car, and it's now been fully touched up, paint corrected, and the whole car has been PPFed and then ceramic coated minus a few parts to still be replaced with new.

Before I dropped it off I spent two days working on it in the shop and did my engine oil, diff fluid, and front and rear brake rotors new. I still need to drop the AT pan and do the ATF and filter, and I haven't installed the Killer B pickup yet either. My A/C system checked out, as well, I tested it. I have a plan for fabbing the mount for my Chillout unit, but I'm still waiting on them to deliver my SFI shirt.

Haven't got exhaust ordered yet, or my racing suit, I'm running into a money crunch since I spent quite a lot getting my car looking better than factory new from a paint perspective.

[Tristor]

I got my car back from the detailer yesterday, but wanted to post some pictures up.


When I dropped it off a week ago, we washed it together and went over it close. We identified 3 dings/dents and 98 rock chips to be fixed. There's a few really bad spots that in one case required me to replace a plastic piece with a new part freshly painted. That's still in the works, but its 99% done at this point and looks amazing.


The pictures don't even do it justice. You need sunglasses to look at it in the daylight it's so bright and reflective. The pearlescent flake in the paint really pops now.


Anywhere, here's photos





























Had the following done:


* 3 dents PDRed
* 98 rock chips touched up with touch up paint
* Whole car paint corrected
* Whole front end PPFed, including film on the headlights
* Rear quarters and rear bumper PPFed including taillights

* Entire car ceramic coated, including windows

[Capt Spaulding]

Very, very nice. If you don't mind my asking, what did the paintwork set you back? These damn rock chips are shit. Haven't been up your way in while, Is TXdot still using chip seal on the FM/RR roads? I've been down the "sisters" countless times on a bike and had rocks hit my knuckles and upper fingers hard enough to break the skin through gloves.