Featured in Grassroots Motorsports Magazine!
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I did not update my website last month. I'm a bum, I know. I don't even really know if anyone reads this stuff. In July I moved again. This is hopefully one of the last moves I do. Although I hope to buy a house next year. I married the most wonderful woman, and for our honeymoon we drove through the Oregon Coast to California, and then back by way of Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Montana. Lots of driving, and we had a lot of fun. I will be teaching a new course load for this year: Crazy Stuff I've found on the web lately:
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After replacing the front Suspension Techniques bar last month with the factory front bar, I found the car to be much more fun to drive. Unfortunately I also found that the binding design of the ST bar was actually helping to keep the car off the bumpstops. With the factory front bar installed, the car was much softer in ride, and considerably worse over bumps. The Tokico springs I had been running were, indeed, garbage.
I ordered one of the last remaining sets of Hypercoil springs custom ordered and specially made for a group buy on SR20DE Forum. These springs run the same rates as Ground Control coilovers, but are an OEM style spring. This allows me to not lose my dustboots, not modify my struts, and not worry about road-salt corrosion on the threaded sleeves.
Despite being 100% stiffer than the Tokico springs and 300% stiffer than factory (in front), the ride quality was not compromised at all. It's very firm - don't kid yourself - but it is very liveable, even on long trips.
Initially I was very pleased with the springs, but as I grew accustomed to the new setup, I found the car unable to rotate the way I though it should. I ended up finding that the rear toe had gone to 1/8" toe-in, which instills stability in the rear wheels - not what I wanted. Silly me, I assumed that the springs would not change the alignment as much as they did. My bad.
The Sinister Sentra was also featured as the Internet.Hot.Rod.of.the.Month in the Sept. 03 issue of Grassroots Motorsports magazine, The Hardcore Sports Car Magazine. If you are motorsports enthusiast, hobbiest, or "real life" gearhead, this is the best magazine out there. The folks at GRM do a wicked bang-up job on their magazine every month. The only magazine I have a prescription for....
I have been continuing to attend most of Pro West Motor Sports Club Thursday night events, and have continued to place reasonably well.
Mid August I drove to Red Deer Alberta for the Canadian National Autoslalom Championship where I took a very close 2nd place. 17th overall.
Late August I came back to Boundary Bay to compete in the BC Autocross Championship where I took first place and 19th overall.
I have also come to the realization that I take my racing too seriously. I get to bent out of shape to do well, I need to have fun. Especially since to this year's class shuffling, the Sentra can't possibly beat a comparably driven 5G Civic....
