Stijn!!

[GH85Carrera]

Back in the olden days, when I was was super active with autocrossing, and much younger, I had a little utility trailer I built. The struts for the wheels were from a 914, so it used wheels from a 914 as the trailer tire, and it was designed to carry 4 autocross tires, a toolbox and a the ice chest rode in the car. I had a trailer hitch on the 914 and a 2 inch tow ball.

I would drive to the event, often 100 or more miles, change all four tires, and autocross. Change back the tires, and drive home. After several years of that, one day I decided I was just tired of all that work for one more trophy. I still have a lot of trophies in my garage on display, and a lot more in the attic no one sees.

I finally sold the autocross wheels and tires, and later the trailer. I don't miss them at all. Now I am way lazy. I drive my 911 to the autocross and go have fun and I don't even take out the floor mats. I can't care less how fast I am, I just do it for fun. I have way more fun, and way way less work.

When I was running at Roebling Road outside of Savannah, the instructor kept urging me to clip the curbs, and rumble strips. I flat refused. I explained I am not looking for the fastest time, I want the best line, and smoothest time, but I will drive this car home to Oklahoma with these very tires, and suspension setup with my wife with me. I am not going to abuse the car to gain a few tenths of a second when the laps are not times at all anyway.

[ted]

Glen that is the correct mindset for the drive it to the track guys.
I've driven my street car to the track a couple of times.
I would recommend you have a good 200 mile tow service on your insurance.

We actually enjoy working on our race cars at the track so the trailer has all the tools and spare parts we might need.
Also it's fun, not work if it is your hobby and you enjoy all of it.
Working on the car, getting the trailer ready, towing to the track and finally racing on track.
You get a group of 5 racers and mechanics with well stocked trailers, parts and tools you would be amazed at the issues we can resolve in the pits.

I don't bounce off gators either, because the front of my car has bump stops, soft springs and full front rebound.
The front is jacked down, the nose is pinned.
No lifting the front splitter on acceleration even with 750hp.

In the end we are all challenging ourselves and having fun.
We all need to find our comfort level, be it time, money or experience.

[ted]

Buttonwillow in 2 weeks with Vara.
Swapping in the spare transmission and spare front calipers this week.

[GH85Carrera]

At Roebling Road it was stupid hot. 98 degrees and 95% humidity. I was having trouble drinking water fast enough to keep up with sweating. There is no place inside to go to cool off. It was brutal. I can't imagine trying to work on a car in those conditions.

Parade in in 2024 is in Birmingham. I sure hope there is a DE or track day there. I would love to add that track to my list.

[ted]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

At Roebling Road it was stupid hot. 98 degrees and 95% humidity. I was having trouble drinking water fast enough to keep up with sweating. There is no place inside to go to cool off. It was brutal. I can't imagine trying to work on a car in those conditions.
Parade in in 2024 is in Birmingham. I sure hope there is a DE or track day there. I would love to add that track to my list.

You should do it, sounds fun.
Agree on a hot day a hot car gets heat soaked so we put fans on it to help cool off the issue that we need to work on.
A helmet blower and cool shirt help inside the car.
Laguna Seca in the summer is the only track for me.
2023 in July and August we have 3 sound free Laguna Seca weekends available to historic race cars.

I've tested on a 100+ degree morning.
2 test runs and the car was in the trailer by 10am and we were on the way home.
Test completed.

Summertime I'd rather be either in the pool or at Laguna Seca.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, when I ran Laguna Seca at one point I was in a garage, and thought I feel cold, I am going to stand in the sun for a while. That was a first for me for July. I have a "Laguna Seca" tip for the muffler on my 911. It is 100% stock muffler system, except the catalytic converter fell off and into the attic and I replaced it with a bypass pipe. That gives it a little better sound. The tip is longer, and points down. I never did worry too much about it being too loud when I was there. Now that tip just hangs on the wall in my garage. It for sure got hot on that tip. If burned off the high temp BBQ paint I had painted it with. No damage, just no paint left.

[ted]

Yep seen a bunch of inventive exhaust pipe appendages added to divert the noise away from the sound booth.
I despise the whole culture of sound restriction devices on race cars at Laguna Seca.
My car with a big muffler did 115db, so I gave up and just run no muffler now.

You put a muffler with too much back pressure on a 700hp engine it kills power and creates lots of heat.
So much so my buddy melted a battery from the increased heat.
Another guy had a side exhaust with a turn down on it.
It hooked another race car on the front straight and spun them both off.

[GH85Carrera]

At the local Oklahoma track, Hallett Motor Raceway, just 90 miles form here it is in the open country. No noise restrictions.

I remember running at Road Atlanta in my 914 back in the 1970s. A Mazda rotary showed up, and it was simply insane loud. A horrid annoying scream, and even from the pits, it was loud on the back straight. We all hated that thing.

[ted]

I like the sound of a 4 rotor.
Here my buddy does his best to hold off a 4 rotor.

[GH85Carrera]

Back when my dad died, I had his estate mail address changed to my address. Enough of the changes got into the system that I still get mail addressed to him. Today I got one in an official looking envelope, and it had a big red text warning that his benefits are changing. I am pretty sure that is not an accurate statement and just total BS. I did not open it, just rip it in half and toss it in the trash. He would be 92 if he was still alive. I do miss hm.

[ted]

If it has a bulk mail stamp it went into the round file.

[GH85Carrera]

Back about a month ago a client called and wanted one more print of a flight we did a year ago, with some different cropping and an all new scale. OK great, I spent the time to get it set up, and send a small jpg "proof" for the layout and size. They decided to cancel the entire thing, and wait for the next new flight. Well crap, OK, long term regular customer, that will be wanting another multiple site flight soon so I just ate the time to make the layout.

This morning he emailed back, they want the print now. Cool, I sent the all done file to our print service bureau, wrote up our invoice and submitted it before they could change their minds again. The print is done, and I will wait until tomorrow afternoon to tell them it is ready. I don't want them to expect same day delivery in the future. Not much money, but it is worth the effort for sure.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by ted

Most get a long shipping container if they don't want a trailer.

The newer 26 foot Featherlight is my preferred trailer.
The old 20 foot Carson Racer hasn't been used in 3 years.
So it has some deep storage stuff in it.
But it is smaller and since its only 25 long it is allowed to park in the pits at the Monterey Reunion so I hold on to it in case I need it for Reunion.

Last reunion I took the big trailer but left it in the track trailer storage lot and pitted out of a buddy's 30 foot trailer.
My 26 foot trailer in track storage had 5 locks on it.
2 wheel boots, a 6 foot locking cable and 2 locks on the hitch.
Also in the hotel parking lot I remove my Ram dually starter relay so it can't be stolen.
A lot of racers losing trucks and trailers lately.

I still need a trailer to haul the bikes and mini-jeep to the trails so this works out for me. Could haul the Cobra as well and put the bikes in it's spot in the garage while it is gone.

I have plenty of parking here too, I can have it in the drive in front of the attached garage and pull the tongue up to the house with the tractor, then put the sand pad back on the jack and I can still get both cars out of that garage. I figure most won't be able to hook up to the trailer this way.

[ted]

Originally Posted by flipper35

I have plenty of parking here too, I can have it in the drive in front of the attached garage and pull the tongue up to the house with the tractor, then put the sand pad back on the jack and I can still get both cars out of that garage. I figure most won't be able to hook up to the trailer this way.

Yeah no way to steal it with the hitch close to the house.
Both my trailers are at the bottom of the lot hidden behind the detached garage.
I still lock them down with 2 trailer hitch locks.
I like this hitch lock, seems it would take a grinder a while to cut it off.
AMPLOCK U-BRP2516 RV/Trailer Coupler Lock (fits 2 5/16 inches Coupler)




Slick track day trailer. Looks like he has a trailer wheel lock on it too.

[GH85Carrera]

One of my friends had a lock on the ball, and chains around the tongue to hold it from getting stolen. Or so he thought. The low life thiefs just used a torch to cut the entire tongue off, and welded on a new one with just a few tack welds and left. No doubt they welded the tongue on better after they were gone.

I don't understand the market for stolen trailers. I guess easy to change the looks of them, hard to trace,, and crooks are everywhere.

One buddy took to removing the wheels and putting the trailer on blocks. Just a lot more work just to keep his own property.

[ted]

Need to get some of the those Apple gps trackers and hide one in the trailer when parked in sketchy locations.

[Porsche-poor]

Morning all. Back to work after 3 days of moving the grad student. I still have a car load of cardboard to take to the recycle center tonight.

[GH85Carrera]

David, you sure know how to party for a long weekend.

The house across the street from us is a rent house, $2,200 per month! They appear to be from out of state. We have left them alone having fun moving in. A full load from a moving van 18 wheeler took most of the day to unload. Their three car garage is stuffed of furniture right now.

As soon as the frenzy slows down over there, we will go introduce ourselves. We sure miss the former owners of the house. Actually the last two owners, both couples were great.

It looks like a Georgia tag on the cars.

[Porsche-poor]

Yeah I sure do. NOT. Now the move in is complete she has to set it all up and then get to orientation next week.

[ted]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I have a "Laguna Seca" tip for the muffler on my 911. I never did worry too much about it being too loud when I was there. Now that tip just hangs on the wall in my garage. It for sure got hot on that tip. If burned off the high temp BBQ paint I had painted it with. No damage, just no paint left.

Let's see your Laguna Seca muffler tip?

This muffler tip at Laguna was 115db and too heavy.
Installed a straight pipe, sounds better now.
Now without baffles it has a lot more raw fuel/fire at exit.
So airflow helps the exhaust exit is slightly rear facing.


This one and the cloth gets a straight pipe next.