Another ITR car is born :)

[StephenB]

I have decided that an IT car is "in progress" until it actually starts up and can drive :)

Tonight at 10:04PM it started for the first time! I am very excited and the end is finally near! I will have to take some pictures and post them tomorrow! It's not painted yet but will be soon. This was our first time building a car from a complete shell. I purchased it and had it caged then brought it home and completly stripped it down to a bare shell. Not a bolt or nut was on the car. Randy, Jim, Tom, Justin, Raymond, and myself have taken over a year and put in a TON of hrs re-assembling it piece by piece cleaning/painting each part and inspecting every item. I was very frugal online making purchases and getting what was needed and doing things 100% right but again being as frugal as possible, this certainly made the progress drag out some but made it affordable for me. I can't beleive it will actually get on track soon!

Here is a link to the video of the first time it started up!
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2011581403509

Facebook page with some fun along the way... feel free to friend us.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/RST-Performance-Racing/121619754580674


Stephen

[G-Man]

Congratulations! Looks beautiful.

[StephenB]

Thanks!

I forgot to mention the other helper...Ashlyn. She hasn't been helping out the entire time but after she joined the team 8 months ago has started to "pick things up". :)

Stephen

[rthiele]

Congrats Stephen! Now that it is alive will you give it a name?

[Andy Bettencourt]

Big props. Congrats!!!

[benspeed]

Looking forward to seeing you guys up at WGI - great place to debut the car.

[JeffYoung]

Very nice. VEry good to see.

[robits325is]

Sounds good - Can't wait to see it run.

[dj10]

The more the merrier.

[raffaelli]

Nice work!

The trade off between frugal and time works for me also.

[JoshS]

Thrilled to see more ITR cars, good job getting to this milestone!

[ulfelder]

Love it! Add a Mazda to the ITR roster in the northeast, which already includes competitive BMWs, Porsches and Hondas. So glad we built a car for this class.

[lateapex911]

SOMEthing needs to bust up the BMW domination.....
;)

[Tristan Smith]

Welcome to the "R" fraternity.

[gran racing]

DROOL!

Can't wait to see it running at the Glen. Congrats bud.

[StephenB]

Thanks everyone! Today was yet another productive day and the car is all sanded and ready for paint on Saturday... pictures are from early in the day before stickers and sanding happened.

Trying really hard to get this to tech at NHMS in 2 weeks :) Still have the roof and windows then some other random stuff... (Like I forgot about the fire system.) hopefully those little things go quick and easy!

Stephen!

[StephenB]

PS: suspension isn't even close to being set so no making fun of how its sitting!

[Z3_GoCar]

Thanks everyone! Today was yet another productive day and the car is all sanded and ready for paint on Saturday... pictures are from early in the day before stickers and sanding happened.

Trying really hard to get this to tech at NHMS in 2 weeks :) Still have the roof and windows then some other random stuff... (Like I forgot about the fire system.) hopefully those little things go quick and easy!

Stephen!

Nice, another two color ITR car :D

It's been done before :p

[Tim Dugan]

the car looks great!!! Cant wait to see all your hard work hit the track. Im jelouse your car is done befor mine i need to post some pics of the front of the corrado so the rest of the ITS field can see the front because all there gonna see is the tail!!! LOL i wish cant wait to get back out there and play with you guys:eclipsee_steering:

[zchris]

I just finished a cage in a ITR BMW e36 owned by Aaron Sawitsky out of Boston. I believe he'll be out this year with it. I guess this is becoming a popular class. Be nice to him. He's a real nice guy. Congrats Stephan on getting a new car out.
Chris

[Drew M]

Great. Another car to pass me like I'm waiting for a bus.

Car looks great. Look forward to seein you back out!

[Racy-Stacey]

Car looks really nice, it looks fast and sounds like everyone is getting excited about seeing you out there. So congrats !

[StephenB]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! Car got painted (by me) and didn't come out to bad for my second time painting :) and in a garage with a sears compressor!

I am taking a quick snack break and heading back outside. Trying desperatly to make it to tech for tomorrow! I still have fire system (Probably going to just stick my old bottle in for tomorrow), belts, and numbers to make and put on. I think it may be a long night and finishing up at that track tomorrow!

I don't have pics with me but I sent some to my brother and posted them on facebook. Hopefully tomorrow I will get some pics with the numbers on it!

Stephen

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=145188415557141&set=a.122009241208392.24500.121619754580674&type=1#!/pages/RST-Performance-Racing/121619754580674

[StephenB]

I got my logbook!

I was so stressed going into today wondering what I forgot but everyone was nice and pointed out the few things I need to do before the next event. Only a few minor things that need to be fixed like the towhook on the rear that I forgot :) So glad I went today rather than waiting until race day, I highly recomend getting the car teched for the first time ahead of time so your not scrambling come race day!

Picture with the logbook... http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=145537872188862&set=a.122009241208392.24500.121619754580674&type=1&theater

Stephen

[CRallo]

Sweet man!!!!! Totally happy for you! Its awesome to see you so excited, I know the feeling!

Congrats! I can't wait to see it at the track!

[benspeed]

I think the design and paint are soooooo pro looking! Showed it to my wife and she said WOW nice car!

[JLawton]

I managed to see the car in person yesterday. He did an awesome job with it. I'm totally impressed and totally jealous!! And it sounds great too (and that was only at idle!!) Good job Stephen!

[dickita15]

I managed to see the car in person yesterday. He did an awesome job with it. I'm totally impressed and totally jealous!! And it sounds great too (and that was only at idle!!) Good job Stephen!
+1

[lateapex911]

Holy crap! That thing has a slick paint job! REALLY well done. FAR cry and a huge step up from the old Audis!

[JeffYoung]

Awesome. Nice work Stephen.

[Dano77]

Put a tail pipe on thats longer than you think you need. Get the sound as far away from the body as you can,you ears will thank you,the bumper cover flapping when you hit the gas was a nice touch.

Cool car and it sound just right.

[StephenB]

Exhaust isn't finished. :( Waiting on the Borla muffler to come in. Ordered about 2 months ago and they still haven't sent it, but they promise it will be here this week...

The one the car was actually bent and just used to get through tech :) I will have it fixed for WG if I can't get the new one in time. And ya with the infamous flames out of these cars it will definetly be coming out the back!

Stephen

Online searching for some used shrouds around the radiator... $$$

[lateapex911]

Seriously, you've done a good job with the build. Who did the design and spray? Color choice is spot on.

[Terry Hanushek]

Stephen

Very nice

We're looking forward to seeing it at the Glen

See ya at the races

Terry

[StephenB]

Seriously, you've done a good job with the build. Who did the design and spray? Color choice is spot on.

I stole the design from the RX8 pacecars. Totally different colors and I didn't do the black hood and roof like they had. I picked the original Blue and then the green that is on the Mazda2. I went to the Mazda dealer with parts of the car that are blue and placed them next to the green to pick the color ahead of time. The silver (left over from the Audi I painted last year) was used for the engine bay and inner fenders to show leaks and such. We ended up painting the subframes green just for the heck of it. The trunk we ended up doing silver to match the engine bay and then we actually did the floors silver and the cage and sides blue like the exterior... basically we had way to much fun painting it :) Randy, Justin, Tom, Jim, Raymond and I did all the paint. I actually sprayed the entire thing. Not bad for my second time ever painting however up close it sure isn't "show quality" not sure if a good buffing would fix it or not. I kinda think the sealer was to think and we had to much air pressure creating some unwanted overspray. I think it came out pretty cool and learned a few things if I ever do it again. Total cost for inside and out.. basically every part on the car was around $800 bucks... certainly way cheaper than paying someone to do that!

Thanks everyone for the kind words just don't beat me up to much when I am pathetically slow! I have never raced a rear wheel drive car, and this will be much faster than the Audi was. Tourque... well the Audi probably has more than this little lawnmower size engine does! This will be a STEEP learning curve for me personally the rest of the year!

Stephen

[JLawton]

just don't beat me up to much when I am pathetically slow! I have never raced a rear wheel drive car, and this will be much faster than the Audi was. Tourque... well the Audi probably has more than this little lawnmower size engine does! This will be a STEEP learning curve for me personally the rest of the year!

Stephen

Everyone gets a little freaked out about changing cars. I don't think you'll have any problem being fast........... of course, you may be slow because you are afraid to bang it up!! LOL

As I have been told in the past, "shut up and DRIVE!!"


.

[gran racing]

Don't buff the car Stephen. When something happens, it'll make a little easier on you. SOOOO glad I didn't spend a ton of time buffing my car's paint this Spring.

[RSTPerformance]

I winder how mad Steph (Stephens wife & huge fan/supporter!) will be if I put the first dent in it???

Raymond "I already put a small scratch in the engine bay" Blethen

[lateapex911]

She only lets you in the garage of Stephens house as it is, Raymond, so why worry? ;)

[Dano77]

Want me to dent it first??? got no issues with that.

Cant wait ot see it go at NHMS. Gonna need to maintain momentum like never before dude. Have fun.

Dan

[benspeed]

I got first dent on that puppy!!! Making sure I will qualify RIGHT behind Mr. Blethen :-)

That right rear quarter looks tasty....

[dj10]

I got first dent on that puppy!!! Making sure I will qualify RIGHT behind Mr. Blethen :-)

That right rear quarter looks tasty....

And Porsche steel is good strong German steel. ;)

[StephenB]

Yikes! This thread turned on me real quick!!


And Porsche steel is good strong German steel. ;)

There is certainly something to be said for that... during this build I have certainly figured out why these cars are half the price of a german car... you need to be careful what you lean on for sure!

Stephen

[gran racing]

Geze guys. Lets do this right. Denting it out on the track would be a little bit of fun, but wouldn't it be more if a tow vehicle accidently backed up into it? Or maybe some kids bike? Worst case I know a guy at LRP who could help and is experienced with a tow truck.

<ducks as Stephen thows large object towards CT>

[StephenB]

I have a great video of those LRP tow truck drivers! I was asked by LRP to keep it to myself... they really are wrecker drivers!

Isaac's bike may be stolen at the glen ;)

[gran racing]

You have video? Someday I have to see that!!

[benspeed]

Only goofing on ya bud - no plans of becoming Banzai Ben of New Hampshire again :-) We got those bimmers to worry about. You, me and Steve got to work out a plan...

Maybe we start by pitting the Jim Locke Motorsports guys against the Autotechnic guys by using fake FaceBook posts about their...orientations - then when they wreckout behind us we race each other!

[StephenB]

Figured I would post up here rather than making a new thread... The RX8 ITR car is almost done again!!!

After this accident I was a bit worried at how long it would be before I got it back on track!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JonOgVC--7Y&feature=plcp

Original thread from this event is here: http://www.improvedtouring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30484


It's finally showing some progress and coming along nicely. Mike Lavigne at Auto Re-Nu-It in Manchester NH did an amazing job fixing it. This week we just finished re-painting the entire front of the car (Shell) so now we will start putting everything back together. I have purchased all the parts I think I need and now it's just a race against the clock to get it back together! I have a lot of work committments but I can say with almost certanty that I will be back out with it at LRP for The NARRC Runoffs! It took a little longer than planned because I did that WC race but I am very excited to get my own car back out on track :)

Stephen