so, I guess I need a new Signature (new track rat)

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:59 pm

A some of you know I am no longer sporting the Miata.

So I guess I need to change the signature.

Thoughts?

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:18 pm

Marty Howard wrote:

A some of you know I am no longer sporting the Miata.

So I guess I need to change the signature.

Thoughts?

So what did you get or do we have to call Karnack to guess for us?

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:24 pm

Made it's debut and my first run ever in it at CMP this weekend:

here are some shots of the car just before we put it on the trailer to come live with me.

clinehall · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:50 pm

Well just go ahead and kick my a>> for the best purchase of the month! Very sweet, how do you like it, where'd you get it, etc, etc

clinehall · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:51 pm

As for signature HOw about FFRbomb

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:55 pm

Looks like that car has a unique cooling system. I never thought of putting plywood in front of my radiator. Man, I'll bet the heater gets up to temp quick!

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:02 pm

clinehall wrote:

Well just go ahead and kick my a>> for the best purchase of the month! Very sweet, how do you like it, where'd you get it, etc, etc

ok,
first of all...it's awesome to be doing the passing instead of the other way around.

The car is great and I love it. The guy I bought it from kept it pristine (or I should say his crew kept it that way). It is a full spec Challenge car with only 7 hours on it (at the nationals last year) and came from Phoenix. The package included the car, matching A/C 24' enclosed trailer, and a bunch of spares. All for probably less than what you are looking to pay for the Racing Mini.

At CMP the car was awesome. I am not use to having actual horsepower, and the thing can handle. There wasn't anyone I couldn't either keep up with, or even catch....except Danny Snith in the 400 HP Cobra, or David Farmer in the Z06 (plus they are both damn good drivers). I had a lot of fun reeling Eric in while he was driving Devin's Panoz. And then just hanging behind the other two Panoz's was a lot of fun.

My biggest issue is eveything has changed so all of my "seat of the pants" points of reference are gone. So if I am by myself then I just kind of putz along on track. But if I can tuck behind someone I started to pull some good laps and times. I just need to learn how to drive the thing and not be such a sissy with it.

The car is phenomenal as far as cornering goes. So much so I am having a little trouble finding how far it can actually be pushed before it starts to rotate. When it does rotate it appears to do so very predictably as long as you are modulating the throttle appropriately. Otherwise the front bites hard and turns in quickly. Just a quirk of the car, or at least a difference from the Miata. Power is awesome of course, maybe not as much as the vettes and other big power cars, but way above from what I have come from. The brakes feel like they could be better. It appears there is almost no rear braking going on. I am going to play around with the bias and see how it feels.

I had two issues, the first was one of the battery hold down bolts broke and the battery spilled acid in the trunk. It's not all shinny and polished anymore. The other was the brakes weren't as good as I thought they should be. We think the toe settings could be adjusted better.

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:05 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

Looks like that car has a unique cooling system. I never thought of putting plywood in front of my radiator. Man, I'll bet the heater gets up to temp quick!

lol, no plywood.

That's Kevlar honeycomb to protect the radiator and oil cooler.

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:07 pm

I've seen this thing in person, and it's a top notch build. Everything is neat and tidy, stuff is powder coated, it's..."correct." Great buy.

Marty Howard wrote:

I had two issues, the first was one of the battery hold down bolts broke and the battery spilled acid in the trunk. It's not all shinny and polished anymore. The other was the brakes weren't as good as I thought they should be. We think the toe settings could be adjusted better.

Try some Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish on the bare aluminum skin in the trunk. That *should* clear right up.

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

Very nice Marty, what are the rules on the engines in these challenge cars? What sort of power do they make?

Kevin Harvey · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:55 pm

How about

"Miata on Steroids"

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

Call it whatever you want. That is a bad a** track rat Marty. Very nice!!!

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:13 pm

Les Davis wrote:

Very nice Marty, what are the rules on the engines in these challenge cars? What sort of power do they make?

For the FFRC (Factory Five Racing Challenge) they have to be 88-94 Mustang GT 302 engines. They are allowed pre-throttle body intakes, roller rockers, and pulleys. Typical output is 220 WHP, 300 WTQ.

In GT2 for, they can have more mods and basically any 302 based engine. That includes 321 and 331 stroker motors:

Here are the stats from the Build specs page:

In FFRC Spec form (with V710)
0-60 4.3
1/4 12.9 @ 104
Lat G's - 1.21

From the FFRC Specs page in GT2 form:
0-60 3.9 (GT2)
1/4 12.3 at 113
Lat g's - 1.25

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:15 pm

well, it must be true love. I just bought a "track car only" clay bar for the first time. oh, and aluminum polish.

ColinOConnell · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:23 pm

Congrats on the new toy. I couldn't drive this weekend so I've got tons of pictures.

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so, I guess I need a new Signature (new track rat)

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