Bristol Autox
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lets all buy fireos....
A member needs to attend at least one meeting a year to have voting rights. I don't attend any. So no voting rights here.
I'm sort of in the middle here.
First of all, I fully agree with your position on the many cars that passed: especially the ones with the cracked windshields, hubcaps, nitrous, the SUV, etc. (althougth I'm not sure about the nitrous rule, or whether they're now allowing SUVs, etc.). I went for an instructor's run with one of the cracked windshields, and I was amazed that that guy passed - and I even told him as much (and this was before I learned that you didn't pass); the crack was from top to bottom and looked like a slight tap would break it.
However, I know the Paul. He's a mechanical engineer who owns his own machine shop. He's been one of the driving forces and founders of CART and has been active in CART for 30 years. 30 years is a long time - longer than most of the guys here have been alive. Also, CART has HUGE liability concerns. They pay insurance - lots of it. I'm sure the lot owners have liability concerns as well.
To be fair to him (Paul), he probably doesn't see every car in tech - and perhaps someone saw the spin nut and called him over for his opinion. Looking at it objectively, seeing a 1/2" or so diameter nut hanging on by a thread (or maybe two), DOES look a bit out of place and cause for concern. Also to be fair to him, I spoke with him after the awards about your situation. He said he invited you to show him some spec drawings (obviously at a future event) that shows that that 1/2" nut hanging on by a thread indeed serves no real purpose in terms of safety issues.
Also, and I don't want to seem at odds with you (this might be my rant), but this was the first or second event that you and Clayton attended all year. The CART officers show up every week. Early. They usually meet for breakfast at 6:00 or 6:30 a.m., then arrive to the event to set things up. In addition to setting up the track, they do safety walks, they sweep the course, they have to register everybody, they have to tech everybody, they have a novice walk through, they have a driver's meeting, they manage the race (including making sure people report to their work stations, etc.), they pick everything up and put it away, and they have awards. It's WORK. I rarely (if ever) see any Honda-Swap people arriving early, helping to set up, helping to pick up at the end of the day, helping to tech, offering to help with anything. How many times have the people reading this picked up a cone at the end of the day? I do, however, hear a lot of complaints.
If you want to institute change. Get involved. Get active.
A letter may point out some (legitiment) tech issues, but I suspect it may not help your cause too much - unless it was done gracefully and with respect (and offering to help out in solving the problem you're pointing out). Ranting over something that didn't go your way the one time you showed up (on week 11 or 12, whatever it is) seems, well....
Shit doesn't always go our way in life. It's how we deal with it that defines who we are.
In all honesty, the thing that pissed me off the most about this whole thing was not the fact that i fialed, or the fact that he thought it was unsafe- It was the fact that he was so high and mighty to insult my friend, clayton, to his face, calling him basically a shitty mechanic and then being so high and mighty as to not even LISTEN to anything we had to say.
Uncalled for, rude, and even if he was busy, he could at least of tried to understand for 30 seconds instead of brushing us off. 30 years in the biz or not. He handled the situation horribly, wouldn't even listen to what myself, clayton, or bill had to say about it. What he thought he knew/saw was right, and that was that, and final.
Then, when Vosko showed up with the s14 with the SAME coils as me, and looked at them, i wasn't there, but what i heard was said was "I don't care, they still aren't passing tech".
to me, that's bullshit... he got set in his way, and wouldn't even consider listening to points made or looking at it again, or deeper down into what REALLY holds the whole thing together.
Everytime I race, I pick up the course. The first event out, I took my car out, openend the hatch, and me and bill picked up a good 1/4 of "corner 3" part of the course that no one ever gets to. Getting there early is just not an option. lol i am the worst morning person you will ever meet. I've only made it to two events this year, one of which i was denied the chance to race, and I left early, so therefore, i didn't help out with the clean up. But the first event i went to, I helped more than my fair share, in my opinion. The other times i showed up to watch for an hour, i was well gone before the event was over. not much you can do to help while the event is still running...
http://www.cartct.com/index1.php?center=autocross.htm
If they changed their rules, then they should update the website. As far as im concered, they are still illegal.
On there, they also say: "Cars are classed per SCCA rules"
Of which, nitrous oxide is illegal, and must not even be CONNECTED, let alone used on the course.
what's more dangerous to you- 1100 psi of explosive material, or the slight chance of a shock going through my hood, and i have to 3 wheel it to the pits? (if that part were to break, according to Paul's theory teching of the car)
To me, its common sense.
Proof, read #13
http://www.grmotorsports.com/2005rules.html
which also states that its not allowed in solo2
http://www.azsolo2.com/policy/supp_rules_2004.htm
3/4 of the way down- must be left at home! they won't even let it in the event arena!
who is this master? because that legends car is rediculously loud. A couple others approach it, but aren't as bad, but still, would not - at least to me- be considered "muffled".
I'm all for having an exahust, and some noise is expected- but some of those cars are just out of hand.
To me, rules are rules- if you let one slide, and don't let another, all it does is make your group, as a whole, look unprofessional.
Sunday, to me, made me pretty upset, but it taught me a lot of things about people.
they made the guy with the blue turbo'd cavalier, 2/3 event novice disconnect and remove his nitrous bottle from his car.
it must be illegal... but a cart member was allowed to keep the bottle in and use it on track. word.
edit: after driving matt's gsr, ive discovered cars dong need nitrous to be out of control on the track.
btw, i am also a victim of tech. my power steering belt is busted the fuck up. maybe i was passed since ive shown up at every event except for two. i was more than willing to cut the belt off right in the tech line, though.
it must be illegal... but a cart member was allowed to keep the bottle in and use it on track. word.
edit: after driving matt's gsr, ive discovered cars dong need nitrous to be out of control on the track.
btw, i am also a victim of tech. my power steering belt is busted the fuck up. maybe i was passed since ive shown up at every event except for two. i was more than willing to cut the belt off right in the tech line, though.
B,
In general, I absolutely agree with your tech complaints. I, too, had issues with tech early in the season. They were letting several Modified cars into Stree Prepared. Cars that were obviously SP illegal. I had to point this out to them and they started being more careful. But I still have to tell them.
I too feel that yesterday's tech was sloppy with respect to the suv, nitrous and cracked windshields. I plan on saying something about this. The nitrous especially, as you rightfully pointed out.
I agree, they are obviously giving the Legend a free pass. I may mention something about this as well. Although, noise is their decision, and the legend allows all of us to be noisier, because they couldn't obviously deny someone less noisy and then let him run.
CART isn't perfect. But nor is Honda-Swap or anybody/thing else. Someone left a very large pile of trash near where we were parked, and they think is was "them." Meaning "us." CART is very concerned with people burning out or street racing when they leave the track, because the action of one, becomes the action of CART. We should remember that our action or reaction is perceived as the action of all of us in the eyes of others (i.e., CART). The person who left the trash, also left their wrist band with car number. That person probably will be invited not to return.
One last thing, CART people don't speak "drift." Using the term "drift" with respect to your parts, set up or anything else isn't going to fly. I guess Waterbury has had people showing up and treating their track as a drifting event and refusing to drive otherwise. To the point where they've been asked to leave. One of them then took white show pollish and wrote "fuck Waterbury autocross" (or something like that) on this rear window. If these people (I don't mean you) want their own venue, then they can find their own lot and start their own thing.
In general, I absolutely agree with your tech complaints. I, too, had issues with tech early in the season. They were letting several Modified cars into Stree Prepared. Cars that were obviously SP illegal. I had to point this out to them and they started being more careful. But I still have to tell them.
I too feel that yesterday's tech was sloppy with respect to the suv, nitrous and cracked windshields. I plan on saying something about this. The nitrous especially, as you rightfully pointed out.
I agree, they are obviously giving the Legend a free pass. I may mention something about this as well. Although, noise is their decision, and the legend allows all of us to be noisier, because they couldn't obviously deny someone less noisy and then let him run.
CART isn't perfect. But nor is Honda-Swap or anybody/thing else. Someone left a very large pile of trash near where we were parked, and they think is was "them." Meaning "us." CART is very concerned with people burning out or street racing when they leave the track, because the action of one, becomes the action of CART. We should remember that our action or reaction is perceived as the action of all of us in the eyes of others (i.e., CART). The person who left the trash, also left their wrist band with car number. That person probably will be invited not to return.
One last thing, CART people don't speak "drift." Using the term "drift" with respect to your parts, set up or anything else isn't going to fly. I guess Waterbury has had people showing up and treating their track as a drifting event and refusing to drive otherwise. To the point where they've been asked to leave. One of them then took white show pollish and wrote "fuck Waterbury autocross" (or something like that) on this rear window. If these people (I don't mean you) want their own venue, then they can find their own lot and start their own thing.
Originally posted by pissedoffsol+Sep 13 2004, 12:09 PM-->@Sep 13 2004, 01:01 PM
Well, maybe men's gymnastics and syncronized swimming.Â
[post=389672]Quoted post[/post]
I think i need to try a new sport.
Just the thought of myself in a speedo is frightening
[post=389676]Quoted post[/post]
Dude, that's you! :rainfro:
Originally posted by pissedoffsol+Sep 13 2004, 12:09 PM-->@Sep 13 2004, 01:01 PM
Well, maybe men's gymnastics and syncronized swimming.Â
[post=389672]Quoted post[/post]
I think i need to try a new sport.
Just the thought of myself in a speedo is frightening
[post=389676]Quoted post[/post]
And it frightens me too....B in a speedo......
uke2:94RedSiGal
Senior Member
Originally posted by pissedoffsol@Sep 13 2004, 12:25 AM
Failed tech, because of the top "spin nut"
[post=389522]Quoted post[/post]
B... I was just wondering who put your suspension on?
it's not on wrong...and it is not just a nut.....
And Martine...I put it on...so don't go there.
the appearance of it, it looks like a selflocking nut put on upside down...but it is not
the ball rotates, and the clearance from the top of the side of the pillowballmount and the shock shaft is very minamal...so the groove on the bottom of the nut is milled to make that clearance better. Take a cylinder bushing, tap some treads into the inside of it, and weld on a nut at the top....then pressfit that part into a steel ball that has a holed drilled into it. Then sandwich that ball in between to plates, with a bearing surface the same size of that ball.........
And Martine...I put it on...so don't go there.
the appearance of it, it looks like a selflocking nut put on upside down...but it is not
the ball rotates, and the clearance from the top of the side of the pillowballmount and the shock shaft is very minamal...so the groove on the bottom of the nut is milled to make that clearance better. Take a cylinder bushing, tap some treads into the inside of it, and weld on a nut at the top....then pressfit that part into a steel ball that has a holed drilled into it. Then sandwich that ball in between to plates, with a bearing surface the same size of that ball.........
Noah- the suspension came from Silkroad, japan, ltd, PRE-BUILT. The only bolts that were installed were the ones that connect it to the low A arm and the top 3 bolts that hold the pillowball to the shock tower... as did vosko's S14 setup and they are the exact same.
Martine, clayton and I did it way back in march before the beave run event in pittsburgh. They were NOT installeld wrong if that's what you're thnking...
Martine, clayton and I did it way back in march before the beave run event in pittsburgh. They were NOT installeld wrong if that's what you're thnking...
Even HKS uses the same design....
The tech squad needs to have people knowledgeable in all aspects of cars- old, new, import, domestic, and must stay on top of all the technologies.
Hrmmm...I remembered seeing many rusted out cars competeing last year...and I'm pretty sure that the same rule applies...it it don't look safe....then you can't run.
And also the TECH guys should have failed the 18" dubs on the teg....just to save the kid 25 bucks and also so he wouldn't destroy his new rims....and get mocked all day by everyone.......
And I am sure I can find something wrong with car 15......everycar has something wrong with it....EVERYCAR.
Just the owners are not aware of it, or the tech inspectors overlook it.
The tech squad needs to have people knowledgeable in all aspects of cars- old, new, import, domestic, and must stay on top of all the technologies.
Hrmmm...I remembered seeing many rusted out cars competeing last year...and I'm pretty sure that the same rule applies...it it don't look safe....then you can't run.
And also the TECH guys should have failed the 18" dubs on the teg....just to save the kid 25 bucks and also so he wouldn't destroy his new rims....and get mocked all day by everyone.......
And I am sure I can find something wrong with car 15......everycar has something wrong with it....EVERYCAR.
Just the owners are not aware of it, or the tech inspectors overlook it.
http://www.alamomotorsports.com/hks_pillowball.html]Durrrrrrr....How'd they get that nut to ballance on that ball with out a strut installed?????[/url]
hrmmmm.....
shaft cylinderlike bearing with a ball pressed onto it.....
now it just needs threads on the inside.....
and look...it's sandwiched inbetween two plates....
I'll show up to the next meeting and ....well.........vote the dude of the island...errr tech duties....hehe
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