LocostUSA.com

I had a blast at my first real autocross in the Seven today. (We went to our first test-n-tune last month) I answered a thousand questions about the Locost, learned a lot and gave a lot of rides. I think I only went out alone on one run of eight. I'm betting two more Locost builds start in Central KY before the new year.



I learned that R6's don't heat up too well in a parking lot. And that I need to pay more attention to tire pressure. Most of all, I convinced myself on run 3 or 4 that I really can floor it without instantly pointing the nose cone from whence I came. Man, a feller could get used to that.

I also learned that on a strong sunny day, open-wheel tires heat up quite a bit from solar gain. Once I noticed the 50-degree differential from the top of the tire to the bottom, I got in the habit of rolling the car a foot every 10 minutes to help the heat build.

I also found the inside edge warmer than the outer edge in the rear (just feeling by hand...too cheap to buy a pyrometer), so on a lark I dialed in more camber. I don't actually know much about tuning, but it made sense and I think it helped. I also changed the tire pressure and they reversed the course at the same time, so it's hard to guess what change did what. I like how easy it is to adjust the Miata rear subframe. With no steenking bodywork, I can get in there and adjust all four cams between runs with no jacks and no hurries.

I didn't fool around with the front any, but with the Kinetic control arms, it should be a snap as well.

Looks like a good time to break out my Carrol Smith and Puhn books again and learn a bit about suspension and tire tuning. I think I'm going to go find a suitable skid pad and spend an afternoon going in circles. I don't remember what I read about that, but it sounded like you can make a lot of specific improvements in a hurry that way.

This year is going to be my fun year in Solo. I'm so goofy and ignernt, the times and rankings are the least of my interests. People kept asking my times, and I never knew, even 30 seconds after driving by the timing station at the end of a run. I expect next year I'll be far more skilled, dialed in, and competitive. I also expect next year won't be as much fun, so I'm in no hurry!

Despite all my, "I don't cares," of course I had to check the result sheets, and was pretty pleased. I finished 50% from the top in raw times, and 75% from the top in PAX times. Not bad for a rank beginner! Data nerds enjoy: http://forum.ckrscca.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1683

Right now I'm trying to twist Mark Rivera's arm into co-driving in next week's autox. Somehow, I don't think it will be too hard! I'm sure I'll learn plenty from him, but mostly I want to get the tires warmed up! (Don't tell him, though! )

I guess the best thing I can do to improve my racing is to get more seat time. 40-second doses just aren't going to cut it. Even 30-minute stints on the track are pretty limiting. I think I need to get this car street legal and registered so I can put on some serious miles getting to know the machine. Yep...gotta get on that. But not this week...gotta prep for Sunday's autox.

'nite,
-dave "dreaming of cones" hempy

ps. To the two people that might notice: sorry for cross-posting between www.LocostUSA.com and http://forum.ckrscca.org/forum/

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...nowadays people are so intellectually lazy and lethargic that they can't build ANYTHING with their hands. They'll spend hours watching whiny people marooned on an island, but won't spend a second adding anything to the world. -weconway
Visit my [Locost 7 build log]

Dave, next time get A6, the R6 is a road course (read: harder) compound.
In fact, since these cars are so light, I'll be using the A6 on road courses.

Moti

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Moti

My R1 powered Locost build log

Visit the Blackbird Fabworx Facebook Page!

I bought a set of four Diamond rims for $200. I didn't want to pay to have the R6's removed, so the seller threw them in. At that point, they could have been mud bogers and still be better than the barn-find Miata tires I had on before!

But you're right, Moti. Thanks for the advice. My next step will be to get some very aggressive honest street tires for daily driving. Use the R6's until they're done (won't be long, from what I hear), then probably get some A6's or similar. Some guys speak well of the Victo Racers. (sp?) Thoughts?

I *might* get a third set of wheels so I can have street, autox, and track tires, but that's probably overkill for me. Plus, I don't really have climate-controlled room to store them.

-dave

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...nowadays people are so intellectually lazy and lethargic that they can't build ANYTHING with their hands. They'll spend hours watching whiny people marooned on an island, but won't spend a second adding anything to the world. -weconway
Visit my [Locost 7 build log]

Well it sounds like anything is better than the charcoal donut you had on the car before

I had a set of victoracers on my miata, they weren't as good nor lasted as long as Toyo RA1 (which is currently getting phased out, it's discontinued).

Moti

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Moti

My R1 powered Locost build log

Visit the Blackbird Fabworx Facebook Page!

This is great exposure, and it will be fun to see the other cars start to show up!



I'm not sure how it works at a parking lots, but hillclimbs etc. you could keep track as your staged with a mark on the treads. Each time you move up stop where you think the tire needs heat. I never really bothered, but it should help going into the first couple of turns. Might also be another thing to help get mentally keyed to the run...

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

There is a replacement tire for Toyo's RA-1, the R888. I haven't driven them yet but my understanding is that they are similiar, but not quite the same. I haven't been at the track enough this year to get a feel for what people really think of them. I do know that when I finish off the RA-1s I have for the Evo then I will be trying the R888 out.

In my experience the Victoracers are are faster than the RA-1 but alot more sensitive to heat cycles & tire temps and they wear much faster. They also take appreciably more skill to get the most out of. For a first set of R compounds, the RA-1 has always been the gold standard. They are cheap, last forever, don't care about heat cycles and just get faster as they wear into slicks. And you can essentially drive them right down to the cords. The down side to all that forgiveness was that they were a bit slower than the faster tires in that category.

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.. in the world

Dave,

I have the victoracers on my locost. Havent driven yet so cant report. I had them on my Alfa Spider ant they were very good.

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TSuppa
"Alimony is like buying Hay for a dead horse"
'86 Alfa Spider Quad
'79 Alfa Spider Veloce
http://tomsuppa.blogspot.com/

I've heard and I've been told the RA1s are being discontinued, but I've also been able to reorder them no problem and have been told by Toyo that they aren't phasing them out. The R888 is no good in the wet whereas the RA1 is great in the wet.

They are supposedly the same compound, but different tread.

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mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

If you buy Victoracers get them shaved to recommended autocross depth or they will chunk out and go away very quickly. I prefer the V710s if for no other reason than you don't have to pay $15 a pop to have them shaved. If you can still get the RA1 then it would be a good investment as they last forever compared to the Kumhos. The Toyos are hard enough and the seven is light enough you may get by using them on the street, but the zillion heat cycles will reduce grip levels quite a bit. All of these aforementioned DOT-R tires are made for heavier cars and won't work nearly as well on a light 7ish as well as a true bias ply racing slick. They are made for lighter formula cars and allow much greater slip angles before breaking loose.

IMHO-YMMV

Chet-Former regional STS champ, board member, webmaster, trailer puller, safety steward, course designer and current autocross burnout-Burdette.

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

I was refraining a bit but I think Chet is right here:



Those greater slip angles make the car easier to drive, especially at high speed ( tracks as opposed to parking lots ). Making the car easier to drive, presto!, makes you a better driver.

A set of good street tires and some used slicks is a pretty economical approach for track days etc.!

If you get yourself to Summit Point for an event, I'll crew for you...

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

Sorry if I'm getting on board late, but how about getting some used R-comps. The price is right, and in D-mod you don't need Dot-R's. http://motors.shop.ebay.com/merchant/leegrx7

The problem is if you already have 14in wheels, you might have a tough time finding tires. 13in R25a's are pretty cheap used, and they're still sticky.

Dave, I don't know if you've seen it but here is a website that is a great help for folks just starting to Solo; http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm
A woman name Kate Hughes wrote it and it's super...and free. Tons of good info for the rookie racer. I was Solo Chairman in OK several years ago and we gave copies away by the box loads. Every race we gave them to anyone interested.

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RacerDan
+442 Chevy 2.8
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the
Ark, professionals built the Titanic.