Took the car to the RWYB day at Santa Pod on Saturday. This was the first time I had ever been to one of these, and I found it very interesting. There is certainly a lot more to getting a good time than just stomping the right foot.

My best time was 13.30 with a terminal speed of a little over 110, but it is so dificult to get a good launch on the worn Toyo Proxies I had on the front. I had a full tank of fuel too, which was a big mistake.

I co*ked up the launch several times and nearly stalled it of the line. It is really difficult to control the wheel spin in first and second. I think with a lot of practice and running with minimum fuel, I might be able the get the car below 13 seconds. It was quite hot on Saturday too, the ambient was 26 degrees. I think the only way I am going to get a really good time is to get a set of track tyres, I think 13 seconds is pushing the limit on road tyres.

There were some incredible cars there though. I saw one of the bikes get a terminal speed of 196mph !!

Shame I was the only coupe there though...

Good time squid

From a simulation on "torquestats" :

(power : 400HP from your signature / Weight : 1350 because of full fuel tank)

FWD - 400bhp & 1350kg
1/4 Mile ET: 12.68
1/4 Mile Terminal: 116 mph

Like you said with good tires and no wheelspin you can make 13 seconds. The simulation says about 12.7 seconds.

I think with a perfect launch you can probably do this

Am i right?

I can probably get a fair bit of extra BHP when I go back to Torque of the Devil as they hade to give up early last time as the intake temps wre hitting 60 degrees as the FMIC was fuul of oil and the Aquamist pump was broken again. Also, I had a boost leak on the strip and I could hear it blowing on the way home, so I have to strip it down and see where it is coming from.

However, more BHP wont help significantly, as the wheelspin was the big problem. There is a more effort involved in getting the perfect launch. Basically, I need a lot more practice, and some decent tyres.

While I am here, I would like to say a big thank you to TurboJ and TrickyMex as they have both helped enormously with the development of my car, I could never have done it without their experienced input.

Yup - its really not as easy as it looks, and it gets more difficult with more power.

I ran a 13.37 with 300bhp, so your 400bhp should see you with a much better time

MiniPit - your weight calculation is well out - when I weighed my car straight after TOTB last year, it weighed 1280kg and it was VERY stripped out. I reckon a fully fuelled 20VT is well over 1400kg

You certainly can do it - I did a 12.38 with about the same power

Yeah, it really sounds easy, but I hit the rev limiter on most of my runs. I should really be changingearlier to keep the turbo running efficiently.

Nigel, how many times have you done this? I think experience will help a lot as all the advice seems to leave my brain once I get to the starting line

Also, were your sub 13 second times on road tyres? When you say you stripped out the car, what did you remove? I'm guessing the rear and passengers seat, but what else? I don't fancy taking the door cards off, or are they easy? I ran with two full washer bottles, one for the screen and one for the Aquamist, so I was not really prepared.

At least I did not break anything though! There were some very expensive engine failures on Saturday.

The OMEX I have fitted now also has F1 style launch control but that was not set up because of the other mapping problems I mentioned. I will have to get that sorted and see if it helps.

Ok Nigel

I have weighed my car with half-filled fuel tank at 1340kg. (This was without me inside the car.)

I understand now the weigh-scale i used was probably faulty

Squid, I have 2 vids of your Coupe going down the strip, I did post up a spotted post in the Anglia thread as I was there watching Was even stood next to your car when you were sorting the tyre pressures
I also took a few pics, will try to remember to get them off the camera tonight at some point.

Your coupe vs MR2 (your car sounds awesome hitting the limiter, shame about the tannoy announcement )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxTId47Z0FM

Your coupe vs my friends tuned fabia VRS (I love the fact you killed him, shut him up a bit )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BxmhpqIyoI


Dan

Squid - answers to your questions...

I've done more quarter miles than I care to remember - maybe fifty or more over five years.

The first three years were on road tyres - I got the best results when the front tyre pressures were down to around 24psi (this hampers the top speed, but helps traction) For the last couple of years I have used trackday tyres (Yokohamas being the better drag tyre, as they have soft sidewalls)

When I did the three consecutive sub-13 second runs (12.9, 12.7 then the 12.38), I was only modestly stripped-out - front seats (fitted a pair of kevlar race seats) and all the boot (tools, jack, spare, carpets and linings). At TOTB, I was heavily stripped out - door cards, rear panels, speakers, all seatbelts, rear wiper and motor, carpets, headlining, A, B, & C pillar trims, parcel shelf cover, centre console, rear seats, all the boot. Around 100-120kg in all

Door cards are easy to take off - maybe ten minutes per side. Speakers are 30 seconds each. Rear seats are ten minutes. Rear panels, ten minutes per side. Seatbelts are difficult. Boot contents are very easy - five minutes for the whole lot.

Here's a trick for you to try...

As you drop the clutch for the launch and the wheels start to spin, lift the throttle slightly (only slightly - any more an it will bog down). The boost pressure will drop very quickly, but as long as you don't lift off completely, the turbo will still be spooling. The tyres will regain traction and you'll be off The 'lift' is probably only a second at most, but just removes enough power to let the tyres hook up

Using this technique got me a 2.01 second 60-foot time, which is RWD territory

Thanks for that Nigel. I might be back there in a few weeks when TurboJ should be there as well. Will be interesting to put my Coupe next to his Bravo Turbo. I think the bravo should be a lot lighter...

Thanks for those video's, I'll have a look at those when I get home.

It's a tough learning curve that's for sure, same as driving fast on the track. I have always run will full trim and I try to have at least half a tank or more on the day because if it runs too low then there can be issues with the swirl pot emptying under launch, had this happen a couple of times. Do you have your timing slips, that will give a better idea of what's happening and where you can make up some more time. Your terminals are also a little low, normally these are fairly consistant regardless of the 60ft time. Car sounds good though

Agreed!

Also, are you warming the tyres up before the launch?

Forgot to mention that better tyres will help but better technique will help even more.

My best time on road tyres is 12.3

Show off!

yes its so so much harder to launch at pod than you think! iv drove my supercharged vr6 mk2 golf down there and the coupe is 3 times harder to get the launch correct.

i did 13.92 @103mph with 242 bhp went back with 249.6 bhp and best was 14.0.

its all about the launch i reckon even with an extra 20 bhp id stuggle to break 14s consistantly its not just putting your foot down.
under 13 will be a great time even with 400 bhp as coupes a fwd and there so difficult to lauch, you either light up the front or bog down.

of the 3 times I watched squids coop go down the strip he didn't 'get the tyres warm' before his run ;-)

how many runs did you do rich,also i managed 13.2 running 0.9 bar of boost unmapped

It's your turn next Seriously though, I don't say it to blow my own exhaust as it were, but just to demonstrate that it is possible given the right setup. The 1/4 is a killer because you know within millseconds if it's going to be a good time, technique really is key.

it was a good day even though you did not get the times you hoped for rich but bearing in mind that you was running nearly half a bar off of your peak boost and a fully loaded car the times were not bad, especially as it's the first time you have done this sort of thing, I may have some gyres for you to run I'm just waiting for a confermation on the size of them.

Also I still look like a lobster

did you try letting the front tyre pressure's down to below 15 psi

This was on the 30th
Ive just thought i was going mad cos the Sun was Classic fords only
Matt

We dropped the pressures down to 22psi on the front and upped the rears to 40. This actually made things worse as I got bogged down on the launch.

I never tried to "warm up" the tyres, as I wandered if I would have enough tread left to get home! I think easing off the throttle on launch would help, but my paddle clutch is a bit unforgiving, which makes these launches difficult.

Ricky, it would be great if you could get a set of track tyres. I'll have a look around for a some manky old coupe wheels as spares. Jason could use these too.

I'll try to scan the timing slips tonight and post it up here...

Is anyone planning a rwyb trip to pod soon

What a really nice day it was. There was some really mental stuff there. Love the old Pinto power escorts

Squids car is more than capable of doing a sub 13. In fact with a good setup, tyres and launch I think that a low 12 is possible. There is plenty of power in fact a bit too much it’s just laying it down is always gonna be the issue.

I like the videos, glad somebody was filming as my camera phone is pants, just a shame it was some secret agent thing, should have come over and spoke with us.

I hope there are more coupes at the next one

I'm a touch shy dude, I'm not one for running over and introducing myself lol.
I would of run my coupe, but as my lovely boss decided to pay me late I couldnt afford to bring it so had to make do with being passenger in a mk5 golf

Next time...

mk5 golf you may have to change you sig

Sod that! Sick of the Elitest attitude of certain VAG owners.. I'm very much an appreciater of all marques