Winter 2013/2014 Autocross Projects

Carlton Whitehead · **Posted:** Thu Nov 28, 2013 1:26 pm

I'm sure everyone has a few things they'd like to do to prep for the 2014 season. Share your plans here!

I'll go first.

A few of you have had the (dis)pleasure of watching me use a tool to work on a car. They'll surely be happy to hear that I don't have any plans to work on any cars this winter.

My plans revolve around results software. Instant Results has been working pretty reliably over the last couple years, but I don't think the UI has aged very well. It never really got any design love, so it's just links and text scattered around pages. I know it's been a hit because I always see people checking it during events, but there's room for improvement.

For starters, I'm pulling out the part of Instant Results that reads AXware's files into a separate project called Peppercorn. It'll make it easier for me (and others?) to write other software that pulls data from those files. I've been plugging away at this for about a month, and it's getting close to being ready to use for my next project. Instant Results is my baby, and it's about time I recycled it.

The next project doesn't have a name yet. It'll live on our public website and look at the AXware files that our T&S laptop syncs to Dropbox, inspect them, and calculate season points standings. It'll look at our membership as listed on motorsportreg.com to determine who's a member, who's not, and dole out points accordingly. I'm planning to have a Dishman Cup and Top Gun calculation also.

After that, I'm going to write an API (leveraging Peppercorn) to put on the T&S laptop, and swap out the underpinnings of the current Instant Results with a client of that new API. Once that is done, I'm planning to write a native Android app to consume the new API. Both will be free/open source, documented, and I'll be happy to answer any questions from developers about them, especially those who want to write a native client for some other fruity platform.

Also, happy Thanksgiving!

Alec Moody · **Joined:** Fri Feb 15, 2013 9:02 am **Posts:** 299

Jonell is coming over to my house this weekend and we are putting a new suspension in my car along with a set of control arms that have energy suspension bushings, new endlinks, and FSB bushings. Later in the winter I want to install a lightweight clutch combo, get a hardtop, and wider wheels. I also have to learn to do alignments this winter...

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Thu Nov 28, 2013 6:22 pm

Damn Carlton, that's some pretty sweet stuff you're cranking out. Look forward to seeing that next year in action. It's been frustrating now knowing where I'm at pointswise, but then again between Shawn, Stephen and Chuck, it's been a tough year.

As for myself, bringing the mustang back out for next year so Art will remove his "Rodney is a waxer" sig

. I just added a set of Eibach sways to the car and I have a set of 2011 GT Mustang front brakes sitting in the garage. Cheap version of putting larger brakes on the car. I guess while I'm at it I'm going to install a set of camber bolts. I'd be very happy to get 2 degrees negative camber on the car.

I also have a set of 5 spoke knockoff Saleen 18x10 wheels from American Muscle sitting under the house waiting for new rubber. That won't happen till about Feb. Hopefully the wheels I have will sell and I can afford the new ZII's. That's about all I have planned for the mustang. Now, if I could score a cheap set of those nice Recaro's out of a Boss, well, those would certainly go in as well.

Cash Davidson · **Posted:** Thu Nov 28, 2013 7:44 pm

Happy Thanksgiving! As the turkey roasted, I snuck out to the garage to tinker.

Most coilover kits for the Mazda6 include adjustable perches UNDER the rear springs. Unless you are a "set it and forget it" kinda person, I don't find these very convenient. Also, when setting corner weights, you really need to be able to adjust the spring heights without jacking up the car. So here's my version of adjustable rear UPPER perches. For each side, you need two jack plates (just a 5" dia plate with a big nut welded to it) and a jack screw.

Here is the stock suspension:

We remove the rear hub assembly and the spring:

Here's the subframe upside down:

Remove the control arms and radius arm:

Remove the bumpstop and spring rubber:

Next we cut off the spring guide:

Then grind it smooth. We need a flat surface.

Flip the subframe back over. Here's the top view:

We need a 1-1/2" hole centered over the hole we cut below:

Flip the subframe over again. This pic shows what the jack plate looks like - just a 5" plate with a nut welded to it. To the right you see I have one clamped in place with the nut centered in the hole. It will be welded in place to the top of the subframe.

Flip the subframe over again. With the top plate welded in place, thread a jack screw thru with a lock nut.

Flip over again. Here is the lower plate threaded onto the jack screw. This plate will be welded to the jack screw and will move up and down with the screw. The top of the spring will rest on this plate (i will be adding a spring retainer so it can't slide around).

Top side again. The jack screw will pass thru a hole in the trunk floor and will be adjusted using a 1/2" drive ratchet.

There you go - still plenty of work to do, but I think it'll work quite well. :cool:

JohnByers · **Posted:** Thu Nov 28, 2013 10:33 pm

That is outstanding work!

JasonWatts · **Posted:** Thu Nov 28, 2013 11:44 pm

1) Learning a new clutch...
2) becoming unscared of power.
3) continue fixing my cars... preferably without drilling holes in the valve covers. :furious:

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:19 pm

1) Install new switch to manually trigger DL1 and Video4 logging instead of by speed and rpm. Done.

2) Shorter 2nd and 3rd gears with the associated "learn to reliably quickly shift between 2 and 3". Needed new gear purchased. Install when convenient.

3) Work on 1988 tow vehicle as needed for reliability.

4) Kill time waiting until warm weather doing various house/yard projects. (like blowing leaves again soon.

)

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

- Get a new tune on the car (looking for an extra 10-15whp and maybe another 5-10lb-fts)
- Redo the seats
- Do some A/B testing with Alec for intakes
- Some track related stuff that will cost a lot of money and be ridiculous in fore and hindsight
- 225/45R15 Rivals

Cash Davidson · **Posted:** Fri Nov 29, 2013 4:34 pm

JohnByers wrote:

That is outstanding work!

Thanks John. Here's the near final product.

Gotta buy some springs now. :mrgreen:

Cash

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:20 pm

Wow Cash, that's some pretty impressive backyard engineering! I'd love to learn how to weld. Guess I need to hit up Wake Tech this winter....

Cash Davidson · **Posted:** Sat Nov 30, 2013 5:54 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

Wow Cash, that's some pretty impressive backyard engineering! I'd love to learn how to weld. Guess I need to hit up Wake Tech this winter....

Thanks, Rodney! I highly recommend the Wake Tech welding class. I took it 20yrs ago - the best part is you get HOURS of practice.

Jeremy Ellison · **Joined:** Fri May 13, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 186

Cash Davidson wrote:

RodneyWright wrote:

Wow Cash, that's some pretty impressive backyard engineering! I'd love to learn how to weld. Guess I need to hit up Wake Tech this winter....

Thanks, Rodney! I highly recommend the Wake Tech welding class. I took it 20yrs ago - the best part is you get HOURS of practice.

Rodney, you should definitely do it. I took the stick welding (SMAW) class at Durham Tech last spring and it was absolutely worth it. I wouldn't say I'm any good, but I can probably make two pieces of metal stick together.

Alec Moody · **Joined:** Fri Feb 15, 2013 9:02 am **Posts:** 299

Jeremy Ellison wrote:

Cash Davidson wrote:

RodneyWright wrote:

Wow Cash, that's some pretty impressive backyard engineering! I'd love to learn how to weld. Guess I need to hit up Wake Tech this winter....

Thanks, Rodney! I highly recommend the Wake Tech welding class. I took it 20yrs ago - the best part is you get HOURS of practice.

Rodney, you should definitely do it. I took the stick welding (SMAW) class at Durham Tech last spring and it was absolutely worth it. I wouldn't say I'm any good, but I can probably make two pieces of metal stick together.

Have you taken other classes at durham tech or did you have to take a placement test in order to take that class? The welding classes list a bunch of pre-reqs or a placement test.

Jeremy Ellison · **Joined:** Fri May 13, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 186

Alec Moody wrote:

Have you taken other classes at durham tech or did you have to take a placement test in order to take that class? The welding classes list a bunch of pre-reqs or a placement test.

I took a placement test, it's basically a high school equivalency exam. I think the pre-reqs are things like Math 90 and English 80.

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Mon Dec 02, 2013 11:12 am

Jeremy Ellison wrote:

Alec Moody wrote:

Have you taken other classes at durham tech or did you have to take a placement test in order to take that class? The welding classes list a bunch of pre-reqs or a placement test.

I took a placement test, it's basically a high school equivalency exam. I think the pre-reqs are things like Math 90 and English 80.

A prior college degree isn't enough to satisfy the math and english pre-reqs?

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