[mko9]

Course layout


Well, I went to Bedford Autodrome Saturday for an open pit lane event. I was a bit worried about the weather, but when I woke up in the morning it was a beautiful day. Quite a crowd at this event. They were running the full circuit at 3.6 miles (see image). Word must have got around in the Porsche community because there were about a dozen variants of GT3 RS, Carrera, Carrera 4S, etc. Also, the standard batch of Lotus Elise, but no Exige today. A few Caterham 7’s and an Ariel Atom. A single Ferrari F430 (I think). Oddly absent were the Subies, and Evos. I was the only Skyline.

Nice rides




The Skyline handled very well. It just goes were you point it without too much complaint. I think the Toyo r-compound tyres probably had a bit to do with that. The one thing I had forgot was to get some race pads for the front brakes. I think there are Ferodo 2500’s in there. They held up pretty well, but just didn’t seem to have that quick bite I’m used to in my other car. Top speeds were about 130-140mph at the end of the main straight. But because of the brakes I was very conservative with the braking zones. It is also almost 200kg heavier than my other car.

I was able to hang with the Elises (Elisi?) for the most part. The Porsches were still blowing by me, and leaving me in the dust on the straights. Except for a Boxster S and a Cayman S that I got by. Best lap time of the day for me was 3:09.73.

For the record, this is a ’96 GT-R. This was my first day out in the Skyline, all my previous track experience is in a Mitsubishi Eclipse GT. The car is basically stock internals, stock boost, etc. Mods include an Apexi induction kit, decat exhaust, oil cooler, Toyo R888 (255/40 R17) on OEM wheels. For the next mod, I may have the turbos remapped. Then with a boost controller, I could pump it up for track days but leave it normal during daily driving.



Speaking of decat, I couldn’t get the cat back on as I didn’t have the right parts. But the car passed the static noise check at 97dB (101 max at Bedford).

End result of brakes

 

[mko9]

Got a pic from a guy at PistonHeads:

 

[Fuggles]

Out of curiosity what was the noise limit on the day?

 

[Alan]

I think its here John in the first post :chairshot

Speaking of decat, I couldn’t get the cat back on as I didn’t have the right parts. But the car passed the static noise check at 97dB (101 max at Bedford).

 

[Fuggles]

I read that. It was more about 97dB at what revs?

 

[Alan]

Good point :clap:

 

[mko9]

97dB at 4500rpm. Measured at 1/2 meter, 45deg off. That is the static check at the gate (101dB max).

They also have dynamic monitors out on course, although I have no idea what they look like or where they are. Apparently not an issue.

 

[Fuggles]

4500rpm and they want 97dB!!!!
Oh dear

 

[mko9]

4500rpm and they want 97dB!!!!
Oh dear

No, no, I blew a 97dB. Max limit is 101dB, which is quite a bit louder.

 

[Fuggles]

My cars over 98dB on tickover

 

[mko9]

dB are not a linear scale. A 3dB increase is a doubling in power. So with 98dB at idle, it is still possible you could be less than 101dB at 4500rpm.

 

[Big Sev]

Hi Mike

Just wondering what you thought of the tyres?

How much use did you get out of them?

Thanks

Sev

 

[mko9]

Hi Mike

Just wondering what you thought of the tyres?

How much use did you get out of them?

Thanks

Sev

Sev-

Tough to say. This was my first trackday in the Skyline. First trackday on the R888's. First trackday on r-compounds in 5 years. I put about 150 track miles and maybe 75 road miles on them. They look fine, all four tires wore pretty evenly and about the same amount. Looks like I'll be heading to Snetterton on Friday for session #2. I need to remember to take some tread depth readings before then.

 

[stuartstaples]

Looks like I'll be heading to Snetterton on Friday for session #2. I need to remember to take some tread depth readings before then.

I may well see you there Not booked to drive but will pop along in the morning and spectate.
You won't have any issues with the noise limits there!

 

[Fuggles]

dB are not a linear scale. A 3dB increase is a doubling in power. So with 98dB at idle, it is still possible you could be less than 101dB at 4500rpm.

Yes but it goes UP not down. They want 97dB at 4500 revs. Mine's 98dB at idle

 

[Porkie]

Yes but it goes UP not down. They want 97dB at 4500 revs. Mine's 98dB at idle

Doesn't matter at Bedford. Static test is just to let them know what cars could possibly be noisy. If you are over static limit you are given a red sticker instead of a green one. You are still allowed on the track and will be given 2 chances at tripping the drive by limit before they kick you off. The static test and the red stickers gives them a better chance of guessing the who tripped the meter when there is a bunch of cars together.

My Boxster always gets a red sticker but has never tripped the drive by... My Skyline and Cossie are the exact opposite!

I love Bedford.

 

[Big Sev]

Sev-

Tough to say. This was my first trackday in the Skyline. First trackday on the R888's. First trackday on r-compounds in 5 years. I put about 150 track miles and maybe 75 road miles on them. They look fine, all four tires wore pretty evenly and about the same amount. Looks like I'll be heading to Snetterton on Friday for session #2. I need to remember to take some tread depth readings before then.

Interesting,

Tyre choice is a hard decision and expensive one if you get it wrong, hence the reason for asking

They look like they have good grip power from the photos though!

Best of luck at Snetterton, perhaps you oculd give a second opinion on them as it were

Sev

 

[mko9]

Sorry for the long delay, been on holiday and family in town. I just measured tread depth all around. I have run the tires on the same corner for both trackdays I have done (ie. dedicated RR, LR, RF, LF). I have run about 150 miles on the road, 150 miles at Bedford, and 150 miles at Snetterton. Tread wear looks to be incredibly consistent across all four tires. They are approx 4.5mm on the inside, and about 3.5mm on the outside where the channels are a little more shallow. Performance has been excellent, although I can't really compare it to anything else in a measurable apples-to-apples way.

 

[mko9]

Trackday at Snetterton



Well, my wife got back from the desert, so I signed us up for Snetterton. This was back at the end of August. I put her into the instructor course I took a few months back. In the morning you drive a Vauxhall VX220, and in the afternoon you drive your own car. She was in our Mitsubishi Eclipse GT, and I was doing an open pitlane event in the Skyline. I picked up a set of Mitsubishi Evo 8 Enkei wheels on eBay (£170 = ~$320), and mounted a set of Toyo R888 r-compound tires on them for the Eclipse. I also did a Powerslot big rotor kit, and not a hint of brake fade all day. The brakes have always been a big LIMFAC on that car. The Eclipse brakes actually felt stronger than the Skyline brakes, but the Skyline is also travelling faster into the braking zones, weighs about 400lbs more than the Eclipse, and is running street pads not track pads in the brakes. As an aside, during my MOT the Eclipse front brakes recorded 770lbs (350kg) of clamping force each and the rears each recorded 375lbs (170kg).



Michele had a blast in both the Vauxhall VX220 and the Eclipse. Her laptimes were in the high 1:30's/low 1:40's, with a best lap of 1:36.90 (hand timed) in the Eclipse.

Michele in Vauxhall on Senna Straight

Michele in Eclipse in Russell Bend


As for me, the Skyline rocks. My best laptime was a 1:31.11 (also hand timed). I should have done a few laps in the Eclipse to get some times for comparison, but after I got it all set up I just parked it for Michele. Here's a couple of the other nice cars out:

Very fast Supra


Noble M400 (Twin turbo Ford 3.0L V6 built by Roush)

 

[mko9]

Donington Park

Well, I finally managed to get the Skyline to Donington. Last time I was planning to come here, I blew the clutch drag racing at Santa Pod the week prior, so I had to come in my US-spec Mitsubishi Eclipse GT.

Anyway, I am out of the country now for 6-months. This was my last gasp before putting the car into storage. Being as spring is struggling to arrive and the racing season is approaching, the event was packed. I could only get a registration slot in the novice class, and they were running a fourth session dedicated exclusively to some Citreon Saxo race league. The weather was even colder than last time, and I froze my ass off. It was suposed to be sunny and mild (50's), but that didn't happen. Cloudy, windy, and a high of about 45F.

I was in Garage bays 17/18, this is what was in 15/16:





Here's a couple pics of the car in action:

Turning in at Coppice


Not really sure, maybe the Old Hairpin?


Goddard's Esses, right before the pit entrance


And there are a couple clips hung on streetfire:

This is the third stint, I am stuck behind an old Jag and an STi. The STi finally gets the balls to pass the Jag, then isn't smart enough to get out of my way so I had to follow him around for two laps. The video starts as we are coming around Schwantz.

Video - Mar '07 at Donington Park, UK in a '96 Skyline GT-R.

The next video is my fourth stint. I am just finishing up a warm up lap. I saw the two Caterham-types coming up behind me as I was going down the Dunlop Straight, so I eased off to let them by at the start of the pit straight. I actually followed them for four laps until we all got hung up behind that Jag again.

Video - Mar '07 at Donington Park, UK in a '96 Skyline GT-R

Speaking of the Jag, that guy was a rolling roadblock all day. I know I was in the Novice run group, but that guy was MUCH slower than everyone else on track, and totally clueless to boot. I don't think I ever saw him signal to allow others to pass, so you'd end up with these massive queues of cars behind him. They actually started sending the safety car out to escort him around.