Skidpan Training

This was my second time on a skidpan but my first with formal training from an instructor. It was another great opportunity to test out the behaviour of the car at its limit of traction. The time with the instructor was very valuable as it helped to further solidify the concepts required to be understood in order to hold the car in a slide.

What I learnt:

1. After initiating the slide, maintaining it consists of counter steering and throttle application, and these two concepts work in tandem.
2. Applying throttle further breaks traction at the rear tyres and swings the rear of the car out.
3. Lifting off throttle allows the tyres to regain traction.
4. After counter steering, it is a matter of holding the steering in that direction and modulating throttle between grip and wheel spin. Steering should be minimal as the direction of the car should be controlled through the rear swinging out and being pull back in.

Here are some highlights from my time on the skid pan thanks to Shaun.

Board breaking 14 Oct 2009

Bride Holding Monster strikes again

I picked up one of these today - Bride Stradia with low cushion.

Installation:
1. Unplug seat belt buckle sensor plug from factory seat.
2. Unplug air bag plug from factory seat.
3. Unplug third plug (I can't be bothered looking up what it's for) from factory seat.
4. Remove factory seat.
5. Plug in 2.2 ohm resistor into air bag plug connector in car.
6. Remove seat belt buckle from factory seat.
7. Attach seat belt buckle to Bride seat.
8. Bolt in Bride seat to car.
9. Reconnect seat belt buckle sensor plug.

No DIY is a success without the obligatory fail, quite the paradox. In my haste and glee that I had completed step 5 and that it worked, I had forgotten steps 6 and 7 and proceeded straight to 8. As all good fails would have it, I did not realise I had failed until I had completed step 8. But alas, patience is a virtue and I reversed step 8 and did not attempt to rush it by completing step 7 with the seat bolted in.

A big thanks to Dan (c2888) for his electronics expertise and Kam80 for the online assist when I was picking these seats up.

MGCC Sprints - Sandown Motor Circuit - Further analysis

Here's a comparison of Kam's speed graph and mine. Kam also drives a 350Z and I can see where I can improve.

- Turn 1 - I'm slowing down too much
- Turn 1 - I'm not getting on gas early enough
- Turn 4 - As above
- Kam carries almost 10 kph more through the sweeper/chicane
- Turn 8 - I'm not getting on gas early enough
- Turn 11 (coming on the front straight) - I get on gas earlier than Kam, but Kam has some crazy (almost vertical) acceleration. I'm thinking my gear change from 2nd to 3rd was a bit slow there.