Revamped the Drafing Level 2 program. While I'm not as happy about it's "fun-ness," it is a pretty tight program.
Started writing all my Electronics course into PDF-format. Since I don't teach Elx until Semester 2, I won't worry about it for now.
Went camping in Alaska. Well, toured Barkerville and camped there. But the weather was going to get wet, so we motelled it the rest of the way. Spent time in Terrace and Stewart BC, Hyder Alaska, Smithers, Valemount, Kamloops, Chase, Salmon Arm and Enderby BC. Pretty much toured some of the places I lived in.
Did some landscaping in the back yard. Hard work. Yuck. I took out an elevated section of the lawn by cutting and removing the turf, then digging through the rocks and dirt and rocks (mostly rocks), and trying to slope the ground more gradually, then replace the turf. Yuck.
I've added a new section, Services, as a method of putting dollar figures to some of the things I have done in the past. Included are Optimizing Coil Spring Rates, as well as Corner Balancing. I also included plans for the Midget Kart, a document that took me almost two years to write, and the current version still has mistakes *sigh*.
Also added a Google search bar on a few (not all) pages. Dunno if it will help you to search this archive or not. Too much stuff here, really.
Bought a set of plans off eBay from Texas-Choppers
to build a Mini Chopper. Of course, I didn't know they exist until I see them on eBay,
buy a set of plans for $17USD, and then now I see pictures all over. Hmmmm. Could have built my own from the pictures
alone, and it wouldn't have cost me anything. Oh well. Documents are nice, and these ones are very good, plus they
show two different styles of frames, as well as plans for a tubing bender (which will be helpful in buiding headers,
roll bars, frames and chassis parts, etc. etc.). Probably worth it in the end. Gotta build me one!
And always, the stuff I found on the net:
August 14 and 15 was the 2004 BC Autoslalom Championship, with the 15th being CACC #5. preventing the movenet of the
front hubs within the strut mount by using Loctit Sleeve Lock made a significant difference, as well as turning the
front shocks down to 2 instead of 3. The car had considerably more oversteer, requiring a change in tire pressures -
I am now running pressures even front to back. I took first place in the BC Championships, and first in CACC #5.
The car felt ~very~ good.
August 29 was CACC #6. I played with lower tire pressures, getting down to 39psi front and back. I will try and see how low I can go, as they tires are gripping MUCH better at the lower presures, despite two years of age, and probably over a hundred runs. A lot of people seem to be running pressures around 34psi int he Kumho V70A.
Interesting about pressures.... When you can't get any negative camber out of your car, you have to run high
pressures or you destroy the edge of the tread. I've seen tires cord on the shoulder within two events, while the
rest of the tire is totally fine. Once you get some reasonable negative camber, you can run lower pressures since
the suspension is helping the tires live, not the pressure. The lower pressures allow the tire to grip more, and you
just plain get faster. Kind of leads you to believe there is no point to running Stock class, or even Super Stock
if you can't get the camber you need. That, and MacPherson struts just suck.
Anyway, I took first place at #6, and the car still felt really good. #7, the last event, is coming up Sept 19th,
and I have talked a good friend and former FSS nemesis into co-driving the beast, as I'll be hanging up the boots
after this year. At least for a while. Should be great event!
Mounted the rack and set the tie rods (5/8" rod ends). Made the steering shaft, and mounted a bushing for one
of the steering shaft universals. Found that the steering wheel hub from the Sentra won't fit the Corolla, so I'll
have to buy one to fit the Grant wheel.
Once the steering was mounted, I was able to install the hubs, mount the front wheels and now the car is a roller.
Bought four Yamaha R6 shocks off eBay.
Nice, because they are short, light, double adjustable, remote reserviour, nitrogen charged adjustable height shocks.
Downside is the springs they come with are in the neighbourhood of 580ln/in. And not only that, but they are all
different spring rates! Not to worry though, because I will be using 300 in front and 175 in rear, much softer,
which means the shocks will be effectively much stiffer - excellent! Perfect for Solo II.
I got a friend to bend up a roll bar for me, along with two rear stays, a diagonal and a (removeable) "Petty bar." Once it's welded, the frame will be coming apart for painting and assembly, and the mechanicals will get rebuilt.
Probably looking at another year, what with school starting and all.
Talked with Karen Babb of SCCA D-Mod fame about the slicks and wheel size used on her blindingly fast Lotus Elan. You've seen pictures of it in the Hoosier ads in Grassroots Motorsports Magazine. If you haven't, you need to get this magazine. Then look at the car. Then wipe the drool off your chin. Fast.
It seems a good, soft compound 20x10x13 slick is hard to find. Cantilever exists, but the sidewalls are too soft to be really fun. Hoosier makes a 21x10x13, but it's an inch taller. Maybe they'll have one when mine is done??
My Kumho's on the Sentra are 21" tall, I can survive, I think. Then again, I won't be putting the power down that
Karen is in her Lotus. I'm hoping for 150+ reliable daily driven horsepower.