91 CRX Si ITA Build

[JLawton]

As Andy said in the other thread, put the NHIS school at the top of your list. If you have some driving experience and keep your head out of your a$$, you might get signed off.

Has all the hard work made it worth it???


There is a secret to getting through Big Bend in a low horse power car that they don't tell you at any of the schools. If you use the traditional line that they do in the rear wheel drive, high HP cars, you'll be getting passed there all day long!!

Of course, I'm probably not the one to tell anyone how to drive LRP!!

[Tom Blaney]

If you have some options for Driver School, I would suggest that you look to Summit Point, the CRX likes that type of track a lot better than NHIS. I have found that NH requires a lot more torque off the corners thatn the CRX has, and tracks like Summit, The Glen, Road Atlanta, and even Pocono are more friendly, since they have fast sweepers and more momentum corners.

[lateapex911]

I'd suggest that the track isn't the be all and end all when choosing a school. After all it's not about winning, it's about learnig the system and getting comfortable with the art of driving off line and still going fast, the art of passing and being passed, and the general environment that is a race.

I'd suggest going to the school that gives you solid track time and has a good instructor base in the types of cars you'll be racing (IT). And, go to a school that your crew can be at for the entire event, because having a crew can be vital.

[gran racing]

So what you doing with that video camera outside the car?

Are you planning on doing any more HPDEs next year at LRP? If you go to one of the SCDA events, bring the family along and have them take a ride with one of the instructors. My wife has rode with me a couple of times and I was absolutely shocked at how much she enjoyed it.


Where will you be racing the most? If you plan on racing at NHIS a few times a year and maybe only go to Summit once a year, I personally say do the NHIS school. You'll learn a ton about the track from the schools and might as well apply that to a track you'll be racing on more often. If you don't plan on doing NHIS, Summit it is!

Speaking of which....pencil the SCCA Summit Point Labor Day double race weekend down on your calendar. That is such an awesome event - I need to go back there next year for it and drag a few of you guys with me. Oh gesh. Maybe you should do the Summit school then.

[raffaelli]

As Andy said in the other thread, put the NHIS school at the top of your list. If you have some driving experience and keep your head out of your a$$, you might get signed off.

Has all the hard work made it worth it???


There is a secret to getting through Big Bend in a low horse power car that they don't tell you at any of the schools. If you use the traditional line that they do in the rear wheel drive, high HP cars, you'll be getting passed there all day long!!

Of course, I'm probably not the one to tell anyone how to drive LRP!! [/b]

Yes, the hard work is worth it!



With some more seat time I will figure out better lines around the track. I have only driven that track in my E46 M3 so I quickly realized that the lines I used will not work in that CRX. I am looking forward to following some ITA cars around to see whats what.

If you have some options for Driver School, I would suggest that you look to Summit Point, the CRX likes that type of track a lot better than NHIS. I have found that NH requires a lot more torque off the corners thatn the CRX has, and tracks like Summit, The Glen, Road Atlanta, and even Pocono are more friendly, since they have fast sweepers and more momentum corners.
[/b]

I am completely open to any track for any school. I want to get it done as early as possible.

I'd suggest that the track isn't the be all and end all when choosing a school. After all it's not about winning, it's about learnig the system and getting comfortable with the art of driving off line and still going fast, the art of passing and being passed, and the general environment that is a race.

I'd suggest going to the school that gives you solid track time and has a good instructor base in the types of cars you'll be racing (IT). And, go to a school that your crew can be at for the entire event, because having a crew can be vital.
[/b]

I have a few gear heads (which I am not) that will be able to help me through school. They will also do through a school later in the seaon. We intend to run an enduro together laster in the season if we can.

So what you doing with that video camera outside the car?

Are you planning on doing any more HPDEs next year at LRP? If you go to one of the SCDA events, bring the family along and have them take a ride with one of the instructors. My wife has rode with me a couple of times and I was absolutely shocked at how much she enjoyed it.


Where will you be racing the most? If you plan on racing at NHIS a few times a year and maybe only go to Summit once a year, I personally say do the NHIS school. You'll learn a ton about the track from the schools and might as well apply that to a track you'll be racing on more often. If you don't plan on doing NHIS, Summit it is!

Speaking of which....pencil the SCCA Summit Point Labor Day double race weekend down on your calendar. That is such an awesome event - I need to go back there next year for it and drag a few of you guys with me. Oh gesh. Maybe you should do the Summit school then. [/b]

It is now killing me that I did not have a camera in the car. I made two lists when I was prepping the car. One list was the performance improvements. The other was saftey and reliability improvements. I decided that I would not tackle the performance list until the saftey list was fully resolved. Unfortunatley, the camera mount is on the performance list. It will be under the Christmas tree though.



I did not realize that my wife could get a ride with an instructor. She would love that. She is going to run some HPDE's this summer. She has it in her blood a bit - she used to race endurance bikes in the desert in southern California. I intend to get as much track time this summer as I can. Until I am cleared to race, I will goto HDPE's, mainly at LRP since it is nearly in my backyard.



I think I will be at LRP the most. Depending on scheduling, I would also like to try NH an WG this summer. I did not consider Summit, but I will pencil it in.

[quike]

Your right down the road!



I will definitely look you up! Thanks!
[/b]

Right down the road is right. I'm at rt. 376 / rt. 82 junction. Also, I'm sure Tom Blaney has been helpful as he is familiar with the car and full of information. I believe he is pretty local to say. Anthony Serra at mecchanic shop north is very very good at at car preperation and suspension set up. His set up may be too agressive for the learning curve imo. though but he can surely help you out.

[raffaelli]

I am just off 55 at 82/55.

Tom has been helping me with advice. His input has been very valuable to me. It is time to start repaying him by adding his parts to the car.

Is there someone local I can go see to obtain a log book this winter?

[raffaelli]

So now that I have a trailer. I have been thinking of some ways to build some cabinets on it. It has a tire rack. I was thinking of filling under the tire rack in for storeage etc. Any ideas?

[Tom Blaney]

I don't have any good pictures, but what I suggest is that you do a couple of things. First close the opening between the rails on the bed. This will keep all of the road slop from coming up under the trailer and onto the underside of the car. I used thin diamond plate and spot welded it to the rails. Close the front of the trailer by using some sheet aluminum (from the dirt track shops) and make a three sided box from the tire rack frame. Now you have a realitivly dry area where you can put water tight boxes that contain your spares and things like the jack, jack stands, etc. Your good tools should stay with your tow vehicle since at some track things get legs.

This is the closest I could come to a closed trailer without all the hastle of trailer boxes. The good quality plastic containers lock well, can be stacked and once in a while you can empty all the junk out give them a quick hose down and your ready to go again.

[quike]

Having a trailer is like gaining new freedom. I actually bolted an aluminum storage box from a pick up truck on my trailer&#39;s tire rack<FREE>. It seals water tight, has locks, and is not permanent just incase I want to actually use the tire rack for tires! I leave my jack, jack stands, empty fuel jugs, tools, spare parts, etc.... in it all year round.

[raffaelli]

Thanks guy. As soon as I can get to the trailer (snowed in) I am going to start with placing the car on it and adjusted the strap locations. I am not so fond of the current locations. They seem to be too far away at the corners of the platforms. I think I&#39;d like to enclose the area under the tire rack with an aluminum lockable made in place cabinet with some shelves inside.

Has anyone seen a platform at the top of the tire rack used for viewing? A buddy suggested it. Thought it was a bit much.

[raffaelli]

Hey Fellas, Can you give me some direction on obtaining a log book? I have reached out to a few people in Region 23 (where I am) to get some advice. I suppose due to the holidays and off season, my request is not at the top of the list. I would like to get the log book accuired as soon as I can. Am I limited to NYR? Can you put me in contact with someone who can issue log books?





Merry Christmas and have a safe a prosperous New Year!

[lateapex911]

I would repost this in the NE section. I would mention that I&#39;d be willing to tow a bit, and would bring a 6 pack of choice, or something similar.

barring that, NER has a number of preseason tech sessions for annuals and new log books, to ease congestion at the first events.

[tom91ita]

the issuing tech inspector should have the log book. things that you might want to have with you are the photos of your car and a 3/16" drill bit in a cordless drill in case they want any other inspection/thickness holes.

i typically try to do the pre-race annual inspections for the following reasons:

more relaxed atmosphere and you can ask the inspectors for advice on things that can be done different ways for window nets, belts, etc.

they appreciate not having to do at the track

if there was anything i overlooked, there was time to correct. i&#39;d rather tow 50 miles each way for the tech inspection than 300 miles one way for a race and not be able to....

and cookies never hurt at a tech event either when there are several cars being done, etc.

this last year is the first in three that i did not do a pre-race annual due to timing but i was very nervous when bringing the car to tech 3 years ago since the car had not been teched since 1998 and there were several updates i had to get done and i was afraid i had over-looked or ignored something.

good luck. and after tech, don&#39;t forget to put the ARRC and the IT Festival at Mid-Ohio on your schedule.

[raffaelli]

Thanks guys. I picked up a trailer a few weeks ago so I am now mobile. I would certainly like to get the instpection done with well in advance of any track event

[brownaimer]

Strongly recommend getting the car "teched" prior to first race. Some inspectors get real cranky at the track and they can find something wrong, if they want to and delay you more. Get in contact with an SCCA person - I am in MidDiv - and we have a designated contact person at each track and they can put you in touch with a licensed tech person. Good luck. I have a 91 CRX Si built by Tom Fowler (Atlanta) that I am still getting to know. Just haven&#39;t had time to race as much as I expected. The car is faster than the driver at this point.

[raffaelli]

Fuel Sample Port for reference

https://improvedtouring.com...ad.php?t=23455

[raffaelli]

The last two things I need to do to the car are stickers and kill switch connections. I will wrap them both up this week. I should have an inspection ready car by the end of the weekend!

[raffaelli]

I have a few questions about the kill switch

https://improvedtouring.com...t=20130&page=3

[raffaelli]

The car passed the inspection this past weekend! Cage stamped 2-2337!


Thank you Dick for taking the time out of your schdule to the inspection and put up with hours of questions. Very much appreciated!

I have updated the photos.
http://www.putfile.com/album/83179