Special K

The 2.3T version is about on a par power-wise with a turbo/super GT86. But with its additional weight and typical Merkin floppy roadholding I'd not swap.. Spec K

Keith - do not be apologetic - you told it how you felt it... Horses for courses. A dyno is, undoubtedly, the sole focus for a track car. If nothing else it was the only way of developing performance on a race car.... but today it isn't rocket science, F1 uses 'simulators' and even amateur trackday cars now log data with the driver in charge, then log data with the instructor... review the overlay tapes.. (I'm mindful of who won the GT86 class at Blyton when I erred - 'Instructor' at Donington who uses a GT86 - he was totally focussed between each run on his laptop comparables.. blew the top seeds in the class into the weeds and won it by mega-seconds. So I'm glad the regs are being changed for next year.. make monkeys, make enemies..) Science has exceeded 1960's technology - dyno's are no longer the sole measure of 'satisfaction' or 'performance', we are now into the touchy-feely areas of F1 on road cars. The ECU unit in today's F1 car - produced by McLaren - has 11,000 programmable elements - they can 'tune out' a bit of extra torque which upsets Jensen in tyre-management mode and dial in a bit more economy between tyre stops..change the gearbox millisecond downchange when Sergio complains the 'grab' is upsetting his balance under braking.. the world is in the hands of the expert workman,, ). I'm far more interested in having my cake and eating it. Road-dyno. Road -dyno. Spec K

I agree with you, Lauren. It's too warm/too early for them at the moment... thing is they're predicting frost/ice from Thursday onwards so it's hardly worth the cost of changing them back again at the moment.. If it's not cold for our Xmas bash I shall almost certainly change back for that weekend... Spec K

Great write-up, Keith. And it totally endorses my own opinion of Adrian. I agree with your friend's comments about supermarket fuel, I had to fill up with Texaco fuel on the way back from Spa and could immediately feel the change from Shell V-Power.. I'm now on my 47th map, courtesy of Adrian... last time he couldn't understand why it needed tweaking, I'd forgotten to tell him Dave had put a flat air filter in !! Doh... Spec K

Conjecture - Horner will take over from Ecclestone... Brawn will go to Red Bull.... Newey will leave to pursue his America's Cup Yacht dreams.. and the new regulations/incredibly close, skilfull driving will result in a massive resurgence of interest in F1... ..these new spectacles have a nice pink tint to them... Spec K

From memory I think it does have 0-60 elapsed time on it... Alec sorted mine out for me. Spec K

I'll bring my stopwatch to the Xmas Meet... Spec K

I dunn whether it's just my auto but it launches beautifully.. apart from the wheelspin..

Yeah.... but you can't get four track rims/tyres in the boot , like you can with a GT86...

'Oh foul sinner - wallowing in the grime. With lust, gluttony, wantonness and crime... ... move over....' Spec K

Yep - the third.... Adrian's streetcar, my customer car and now the 'Piano Man'.... scene, not herd.... Spec K

Is there any way that we can change the format of the official 'Calendar Dates' from the Merkin method (month/day/year) to the proper method (day/month/year) please? It happens to be one of my pet dislikes... .... the Autosport Show on 01 November 2014?... no, grrr...... Spec K

Correction - now posted! Me being impatient.... Spec K

Rob - managed to 'post' info on the three dates but I'm not allowed to enter info on the 'Calendar' still. No real sweat - can someone enter the data for me please. Tnx Spec K

Nope, still won't let me... I tried to input the L-O-T events in March, refused me permission. Went to 'Help' notes and the posting option (very bottom line) is 'blacked out'.. <sob> Spec K

Har! Be afarid, Ed.... be very afarid... A little bird tells me that this one's local to the 'East End Crew'....auto #3 and older than me! Spec K

Thanks. Yeah, 'twas good. I recall it was good.. can't remember why but it was good... Spec K

Been a fabulous weekend.. start at the beginning.. About 4 months ago I spotted that BookaTrack were doing a two-day November trackday weekend at Spa and, as I've never been there before, I gave into temptation. Talked to my chum PeteH about it as he's shared my car at Donington - he was up for it and could lump all my tyres, tools and gubbins into his Kuga. Lauren has oodles of experience of Spa and recommended the Beau Site Hotel which is pretty close to the circuit so I booked up on line. We left at 9.00ish on Friday morning - the Chunnel is only an hour or so from me, we got there early and caught the train for the 30-min journey to Calais. My first time on the Shuttle - really impressed when compared to the ferry, although if you've shlapped half the length of the country to get to Dover you probably would appreciate the two hour rest (if it's calm!). Pete's been over to Belgium/Germany dozens of times so he took the lead when we cleared the port. Four hours later we're eyeballing the motorway turnoff to Francorchamps and the satnav found the hotel no problem. An excellent choice, Lauren, family-run clean compfortable and not overly expensive a €70-odd per night. The wild boar for dinner was excellent - as was the venison on Sat. night.. Saturday we followed two Brits from the hotel to the circuit, as it's a bit tortuous and they'd been loads of tmies before. Signed on at 8.00am, found our garage and got things ready... towing eyes in, checked fluids, tyre pressures etc. It had rained heavily overnight, track was wet so we kept the road tyres on - left them on all day.. 9.00am was briefing - safety, flags, overtaking rules etc. - then it was off for the 'sighting laps' for first timers. There were so many 'newbies' it took three sessions following the Medic Car around, which delayed open pit lane. What a fantastic circuit. We joined from the pits just after the hairpin - we were using the F1 pits - and crossed the start/finish line to spot Eau Rouge. The 'Spa signature corner' - you don't realise that you're doing 115mph as you brake into the left hander, nail the right hander before the hill at 80-odd and then pray you've got the line right over the blind brow.. then it's a flat out blat to a slow chicane - I was hitting just under 120mph before braking down to 45-ish for the right left then get over left for the next right. Won't go through the rest... unbelievably quick circuit.. Track was very wet and greasy so we both took it very easy in the morning. Fortunately it didn't rain at all and the track dried out and rubbered about lunchtime. I had one session with my Instructor - David Bradley - before lunch and he came up with some good tips. After lunch I decided to fit a 'data capture' system into the car to get video and telemetry, then David and I went out again - much better according to him and I think my fastest time was 3min 30odd but I've not reviewed the whole log yet. ObiWan turned up in the afternoon to say hello so, just before we packed up at 4.00ish I took him as a passenger for a few laps. He didn't say a lot... but I think he knows now what FI does for the GT86.. Car was fantastic all day. Never missed a beat but in the afternoon we developed braking issues on front nearside which I'm getting Adrian to look at later this week. Averaged 11.29mpg on track, did 259 racing miles (two full tanks petrol, on sale at circuit). Back to hotel, we sat watching the video stuff until nearly midnight. Woke on Sunday (second BookaTrack day) and it was bucketing it down. We drove through major storms on the way back - I'm glad we opted just for Saturday, as Sunday would have been a complete washout. Left Spa at 9.15am and we were back in East London by 3.15pm. Knackered but it's gone a long way to restoring my self confidence. All I need now is more grip and more power... Pix to follow - still waiting for the USB stick to turn up from BookaTrack. I'll try and post the video to Youtube or something - Alec I'll PM you for help. Spec K

Well done, BBee... .. If bling's your thing you've given it sting... .. now - does it really make is sing?.. .. is it 'roar'? Or 'drone'? ... (or - Ghod protect you) .. does it sound like.... ... Subaru..? Spec K

It might pass muster if... ... you can get eight spare wheels in the boot ... plus tools, spares, fluids, helmet, kit, sleeping bag.. Oh... and it has a towbar and is rated at 1500 kilos.. Spec K

Quixote - good place to ask/try is at the Autosport Show, NEC Birmingham, January. Group of us from the Club joining up on Saturday (special price/parking). See 'Events' thread - Keethos has threatened to buy the place... The only reason for buying a 'full face' is if you intend to drive open sports cars, like a Caterham, or compete at Le Mans. Yes - BTCC wear full face but they don't wear visors. My previous helmet was full face (with visor) and, with spectacles, it was a pain - pushed the rims into my nose and fogged up my lenses. Nothing I could find fitted the bill... you may be luckier at NEC.. Good news is that, with Lauren's collection of track-titfers, you might not need to hire at a trackday! Spec K

Hi Screech, welcome. Pull up a matchbox, throw a twig on the bonfire and join in the revelry... ... you had an AE86, did you 'tweak' it? Spec K

Ah. Big Al - "Why you no risten and lead, glasshoppah?. Second-late Paduan you stay.. no hope for you in A-revers... " :hug: Spec K

You're a closet masochist, Lauren... flicking the back out at 80+mph at a '..wet and cold Spa..' is not my idea of a calm day at the office... you would definitely be screaming your head off in frustration if you 'passengered' with me.. Have you driven your GT86 there yet? Reason I ask is that there was nothing going round corners much quicker, not even 'The Beast' AMG Merc... the Caterhams only had it on acceleration away. (Their Avon tyres wre impressive - any thoughts? Only for lightweights?) Spec K