Honey Badger's Completely Off-the-Rails Race Car Build and Track Adventure Thread

[honeybadger]

Like... a sequential gear box?!?!... oh man, is it me, or is it getting hot in here... lol

Oh yeah. My goal is to slowly work my way towards a bastardized version of a V8 super car for time attack--including the "stick" sequential gear box

Hopefully will end up with a true monster of a Voodoo putting down 700+ to the wheels with the help of some NOS, high compression pistons, monster cams, and a ton of RPM

 

[Understeer]

Oh yeah. My goal is to slowly work my way towards a bastardized version of a V8 super car for time attack--including the "stick" sequential gear box

Hopefully will end up with a true monster of a Voodoo putting down 700+ to the wheels with the help of some NOS, high compression pistons, monster cams, and a ton of RPM

Can’t wait to see it in action. It will be an absolute monster.

 

[Hack]

Was out at COTA instructing this past weekend. I borrowed my buddies Miata to abuse on the track. With this little guy down on compression on cylinders #1 and #3 and a slipping clutch, my goal was just to break 3:00 minutes. While that sounds comical, if you've ever driven a car like a Miata on a track like COTA, these double digit HP beasts are actually quite hard to drive quickly. Definitely a humbling experience

There's a little "track" near my house so small you only briefly get the throttle on a GT350 all the way down. Top speed in the GT350 maybe 100 mph if even that. In other words, completely different from COTA. I still think I can relate to your experience, though.

I took my NA 1986 944 there and it was a real trip. Everything is completely different in a small, light, low HP momentum car versus something like the GT350. Foot to the floor almost everywhere - trying not to scrub off any speed - trying so hard to position the car precisely, etc. It took me all three lapping sessions before I felt remotely comfortable.

It's very fun to see the same problem from a different perspective.

 

[tracktardicus]

Holy schniekies, they removed all of the sausage kerbs!!!

 

[honeybadger]

There's a little "track" near my house so small you only briefly get the throttle on a GT350 all the way down. Top speed in the GT350 maybe 100 mph if even that. In other words, completely different from COTA. I still think I can relate to your experience, though.

I took my NA 1986 944 there and it was a real trip. Everything is completely different in a small, light, low HP momentum car versus something like the GT350. Foot to the floor almost everywhere - trying not to scrub off any speed - trying so hard to position the car precisely, etc. It took me all three lapping sessions before I felt remotely comfortable.

It's very fun to see the same problem from a different perspective.

That sounds like a blast. I actually prefer the Miata on smaller tracks. HB is just too fast and you spend too much time braking and managing weight. Where the Miata is wide open all the time. And you can really “toss” it around. It was even surprisingly fun at COTA. But I’ll stick to HB if I can

Some day you’ll have to come down to COTA and drive it.

Holy schniekies, they removed all of the sausage kerbs!!!

Oh ya. With no F1 this year, they never put them back out. I think only Indy and F1 uses them. Would’ve been a good time to try for a lap record.

 

[tracktardicus]

They were in place for WRL from T3-T9, but they have been removed since then.

 

[honeybadger]

They were in place for WRL from T3-T9, but they have been removed since then.

Were they new at that point? I should have clarified that they put the new ones out for those races. They fully remove them once they get worn down.

Most of the time I'm on track there, they're in place, just worn down a lot so I drive like they're not there

 

[honeybadger]

Side note: I'm looking for a used trailer toad if anyone has a line on one. If you know of any used ones for sale, please send me a PM!

http://www.trailertoad.com/

 

[tracktardicus]

Were they new at that point? I should have clarified that they put the new ones out for those races. They fully remove them once they get worn down.

Most of the time I'm on track there, they're in place, just worn down a lot so I drive like they're not there

They didn't appear new. They definitely have been removed though.

 

[The Chairman]

They didn't appear new. They definitely have been removed though.

Are we talking about the extra orange curbs at a few corners? I looked at my Oct event videos and at least three turns still had them.
First time I ran there 6 years ago, we were told to look out for them as they were set to keep the motorcycles from cutting the corners too much. I presume that’s correct. Would certainly upset the F-1 cars too.
But all the bigger orange blocks were gone in Oct.

 

[honeybadger]

While I wait for HB's engine to get back (yep, still have the car!), my buddy and I decided to tear into his Miata motor as I am fairly certain we were down a lot of power (HA!). Looks like it was the original 190K block, heads, and pan. No evidence of any major replacements that we could see.

We originally planned to only do seals, gaskets, and rings, but since it was his first re-build, we decided to do a full tear down and cleaning. It's been fun. Block is painted silver, pan/valve cover painted blue, etc.

Cam sensor port was leaking pretty bad. Also note the oil burn in the exhaust port.

To get the combustion chambers cleaned, we soaked them in carb cleaner. Worked like a charm on the oil build up.

TONS of oil across all exhaust ports. Boo

Pistons were REALLY dirty. Worse than most Voodoo motors. HA. Carb cleaner really brought them back to life. Soaked for 24 hours, cleaned with a toothbrush, etc.

Bores were dingleberry honed. They turned out great

Where we're currently at. We've put the pistons back in with the original bearings. I'll grab picks of those. They look great and within spec. Put new OEM rings on. Cylinder bores were also perfect. original rings had just worn out.

New valves and springs are on the way. Then we can button the engine back up.

Meanwhile, back to waiting for HB's motor.

 

[honeybadger]

HB's engine is officially done and packaged up for shipping. Fingers crossed we don't have to open it up again for 2 years. Ouch. My wallet.

 

[shogun32]

Ouch. My wallet.

Standard pack of 20s? 50s? 100s?

 

[honeybadger]

100s unfortunately. Took quite a few new parts to get it right again

 

[olaosunt]

HB's engine is officially done and packaged up for shipping. Fingers crossed we don't have to open it up again for 2 years. Ouch. My wallet.

you may have mentioned it before but what pistons are in the v2?
RPG says there are “issues” with the Diamond pistons .