Help needed ASAP

[beermanpete]

I think the Garolite G-11 or G-7 would handle the heat better.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#garolite/=ehxk7v

http://www.mcmaster.com/#garolite/=ehxlnr

[Jeff G 78]

You can see the car here.

50 sec in z being passed and passed again at 6 .15

Fiero Crash

Looks like fun

With our Friday issues, we never mounted the video camera in the car, but one of the other racers says that he will soon be posting a montage of night racing clips with our car. To get a feel for what CCWS is all about, check out this video of a Ford LTD 5.0L and a Dodge Neon. They had a great battle.

[Captain Obvious]

Don't get me wrong... I'm not questioning the belief that there are materials better suited to this application than Delrin. I'm sure there are LOTS of better choices. I just happen to already have Delrin in stock and it's very easy to work with, that's all. I picked that one for all the wrong reasons. Kinda like looking for your car keys where the light is good.

And again, I'm not pushing for Delrin or anything, but if I'm reading the datasheet correctly, they list the melting point at 175C. That ought to be enough, right?

You can see the car here. Looks like fun

Does look like fun.

I drove a Fiero for years and years and I feel for that guy. I think I've talked with him in the past.

[madkaw]

I just spent time on the Chump Car series forum and I freakin love it. What a great series and and a great idea. I have been cracking up reading the rules. I think the Z makes a great canidate for this race scenerio. I just told my wife that I have found a race venue that I can compete in-she's thrilled;)

[beermanpete]

Don't get me wrong... I'm not questioning the belief that there are materials better suited to this application than Delrin. I'm sure there are LOTS of better choices. I just happen to already have Delrin in stock and it's very easy to work with, that's all. I picked that one for all the wrong reasons. Kinda like looking for your car keys where the light is good.

And again, I'm not pushing for Delrin or anything, but if I'm reading the datasheet correctly, they list the melting point at 175C. That ought to be enough, right?

Does look like fun.

I drove a Fiero for years and years and I feel for that guy. I think I've talked with him in the past.

Delrin is a thermoplastic and will soften and melt. As it softens the mechanical strength reduces. This could allow the fuel rail to move, the plastic could run out, etc. Garolite is a thermoset plastic and does not melt. It could fail due to heat in other ways but won't melt. The G-7 and G-11 types are rated for much higher heat than Delrin, Nylon, and other common plastics. Since cost is an issue maybe a handle from an old pot or other cookware could be donated to the cause. A lot of these are made from Bakalite and similar materials.

[Jeff G 78]

I just spent time on the Chump Car series forum and I freakin love it. What a great series and and a great idea. I have been cracking up reading the rules. I think the Z makes a great canidate for this race scenerio. I just told my wife that I have found a race venue that I can compete in-she's thrilled;)

Steve,

The racing season is over for 2011, but the 2012 schedule should be out within a week or two. I'll send you the link when it comes out. If you are serious about getting into CCWS, I strongly suggest taking it slow and either joining an established team as either a crew member or rental driver for your first race or two. There are lots of established teams in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan. You are more than welcome to crew with us to get a taste of CCWS racing. As of right now, I don't think we need any drivers, but that can always change.

CCWS IS great racing! The series (as well as LeMons) is growing very rapidly since many people are tired of SCCA and how serious everybody takes it. CCWS is a blast and it's FUN! They go to some of the best tracks in the country (as well as Mexico). This year, they were at VIR, Infineon, Sebring, Road America, Laguna Seca, Charlotte, Iowa, Texas World Speedway and other great tracks. They ran around 40 races in 2011.

Now the bad news... Even cheap racing isn't cheap, but it's a heck of a lot of fun and cheaper than most other forms of racing. I run a 5 driver team and we each spend about $800 - $1000 per race. If we weren't chasing issues and spending lots of money last-minute, that cost would drop slightly. Entry fees, tires, brakes, racecar fuel and tow rig fuel will set you back about $600 per race and the car will cost about $3000 to $5000 to buy and build including the cage, race seat, a HANS device and other safety equipment. Finally, each driver will need personal safety gear which can be had for as low as $350 and go way up from there.

This is why it's a great idea to rent a seat the first time out. For about $600 you can usually find a seat and all you need is your personal safety gear.

If you (or any other Classic Z Car Club members) want more info, feel free to contact me.

BTW, my wife comes to my races and LOVES it. She has been BEGGING me to let her race with us. So far, I have kept her out of the car just because I can barely afford one share, let alone two shares. I'll get her in the car at a track day next year and we'll go from there.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Jeff G 78

[Jeff G 78]

Delrin is a thermoplastic and will soften and melt. As it softens the mechanical strength reduces. This could allow the fuel rail to move, the plastic could run out, etc. Garolite is a thermoset plastic and does not melt. It could fail due to heat in other ways but won't melt. The G-7 and G-11 types are rated for much higher heat than Delrin, Nylon, and other common plastics. Since cost is an issue maybe a handle from an old pot or other cookware could be donated to the cause. A lot of these are made from Bakalite and similar materials.

I will look into the Garolite Pete. It looks like the right stuff.

Today, I washed the race grime off the Z, filled the tank with gas and Sta-Bil, and swapped the water for coolant in the radiator. I didn't diagnose the problem, but it sounds like I blew the manifold-to-downpipe gasket out. There is a new exhaust leak under the hood. Hopefully it's just a gasket and not a cracked manifold. I also checked the engine oil and it is not only still at the full mark, but it's barely dirty. Not bad for 1450 miles at WOT! I use nothing but Valvoline VR-1 40wt.

As I ran the car to circulate the Sta-Bil and coolant, I realized that the car never warmed up. I have a feeling that the fail-safe thermostat might have failed. After 20 minutes in the driveway, the gauge barely made it to 120F. During the race, it was running around 130F according to the gauge.