RWYB, Santa Pod, 5th May 13 - DISASTER

The weather's looking good FINALLY so I'm feeling a bit of RWYB action at the Pod this Sunday.

The only downside to good weather and it being a Bank Holiday Monday the next day is that it might be uber-busy, but as long as the organisers screw the nut and keep the line moving (rather than pausing to waffle b******s on the PA or let kids in mini dragsters run instead of paying potential repeat customers... ) it should all be fine!

So... Anyone else up for it?

EDIT: Looking for the disaster? Turn to page 2...

Guess I'm going by myself then...?

Guess I'm going by myself then...?

Post up your best 1/4 mile time if you go

Post up your best 1/4 mile time if you go

Depends how satisfactory it is...

Depends how satisfactory it is...

Im not fussed, Just gives a good guideline

The car, I'm sure, is capable of great things. The fleshy part behind the wheel needs practice...

the car, i'm sure, is capable of great things. The fleshy part behind the wheel needs practice...

Exactly!

Suki's all washed and looking her best in order to show off to all the gimp suit wearing crotch rocket riders* (oblique F&F reference...! ).

*The event is in conjuction with a motorbike one...

Dave, I may well go. Was hoping to get the car ready today but between rain and a family party it didn't happen.but if I can do what I need to first thing tomorrow I will be there. Will look out for you.

Dave, I may well go. Was hoping to get the car ready today but between rain and a family party it didn't happen.but if I can do what I need to first thing tomorrow I will be there. Will look out for you.

Good (potential) news! I'm going to set off at about 7 which should put me at the Pod for 8.30, 9 ish. Definitely come say hello if you're around.

I'm all signed on and ready to roll!

My plan of getting here early worked a treat apart from the small detail that it doesn't look like I really needed to... Think I may be the first one to have signed on so far... Oh well. Better early than late...

I'm all signed on and ready to roll!

 

My plan of getting here early worked a treat apart from the small detail that it doesn't look like I really needed to... Think I may be the first one to have signed on so far... Oh well. Better early than late...

Nice one - You been down the strip yet?

I've got a few runs in, yeah. Still need to coordinate the left foot / right foot bit but the times are going in the right direction...

I've got a few runs in, yeah. Still need to coordinate the left foot / right foot bit but the times are going in the right direction...

Spill the beans! Dont tell half the story What time did you run?

D'oh, only just seen this! I'd have definitely come along.

Spill on the times

I did attend this event in the end, as alluded to previously. There were a few highs (my run times, while not great, were at least tumbling as I got more accustomed to what I was doing), but mainly the reaction my car got every time I popped the bonnet to let the engine cool down between runs.

There must be more photos of my car / engine around now than even I could ever hope to own!

I took a few pics with my iPhone while I was there:

I think my Syvecs launch control needs tweaking slightly to get the best out of it. At the moment it's set to hold the engine revs at around 4000 - 4100rpm, which I think is slightly too high. I'm going to have to get an appointment with Ryan at some stage to see if we can get it sorted.

As it stands, with frankly shocking 60' times due to horrendous wheelspin (which I did get better at taming in fairness) my best time was 12.4s at 126mph. I KNOW she'll run an 11 if I can get the launch right!! Suki was easily the fastest street legal car on the day, with the closest being a tuned R33 GTR V-Spec (the blue one behind me in the queue in my last photo above). We ran against each other at one point (obviously I needed to ensure victory in the classic battle of Supra v Skyline marques:sly: ) and, as a comparison of what I was saying about launch, he easily beat me off the line but I was able to reel him in relatively effortlessly with the end timings on that run being him at 12.7s at 110mph and me being 12.5s at 125mph, demonstrating just how much faster to accelerate my car was than his. If I can get that launch squared I'm in the 11s!

Anyway... Highs dealt with it's onto the massive low point of the day which came on what was probably set to be my last run. I was actually quite content with my launch on this one, certainly it felt better than previous ones, but I got about 20m and the car ground to a halt. At first I had a horrible feeling the block had popped until I realised the engine was still running but I just had no drive. The marshalls had to push the car back off the strip and on inspection under the car, I discovered my diff' had disintegrated and was bleeding vital fluid all over the place.

The next weakest part of the chain has been shown up, I guess. Still not happy about it though...

With no drive whatsoever I was at the mercy of a very kind bystander who offered to tow me out of the place so I could call a recovery truck. Weirdly, when we'd got to Podington, a car with two 10-ish year old kids in it pulled over and the driver asked this bloke if his kids could have his autograph. Turns out the guy who towed me out was the BMX world champion who was at the Pod to get amongst some drifting! Mark Webb his name is - top bloke!

Anyway, very very very long story short it took me about another 7hrs to complete the journey to Whifbitz where I managed to arrange to have my car dropped off (HUGE thanks to Darren for coming out to meet me at midnight on Sunday on a Bank Holiday weekend ) and then get back home again.

Incidentally, this encounter also showed up a slight design flaw with my front tow strop in that, because recovery trucks have their winches mounted off to the side on the flat bed it meant the tow strop was pulled at a sideways angle to the car and ripped the bumper :

NOT happy about that one, although once I get a chance to remedy it I think I can conceal most of the damage with Take 2 of my design.

So now I'm left with the decision on what to do about a diff: replace with like or upgrade? Oh my budget is about £6.50 after my turbo upgrade... Joy.

That's the trouble with drag racing high powered Supras on road wheels, things break, if you had of had some drag wheels on it I'm betting it would have never happened, I'd just put another stock diff in it.

Ouch! Thats always something I would dread at the strip something going pop.

I would get it replaced with a TRD diff mate, expensive but worth it.

On the brighter side though, good times and well done!

As Jamie said, he's bin there, done that and got the t-shirt

If your going to use road tyres in future maybe see if you can source the OEM big diff for the added strength?

But focusing on the positives, car looks great and sounds like it has loads more to give on the strip

EDIT - in fact here's one, you would need the shorter driveshaft though :

http://mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?283964-Big-case-pre-facelift-6-speed-diff-with-LSD

That's the trouble with drag racing high powered Supras on road wheels, things break, if you had of had some drag wheels on it I'm betting it would have never happened, I'd just put another stock diff in it.

Gotcha. I liked (like) the idea of being able to tip up and smash out a decent run in full road trim (I was on half a tank of fuel with all the tool kit, etc in the back for the day) but yeah, clearly there are severe disadvantages. Apparently the stock diffs are usually really strong from a 6 spd, so maybe there was an element of luck to this? What diff did you have in the Black Beast out of interest?

Ouch! Thats always something I would dread at the strip something going pop.

Yeah. With hundreds of people watching...

On the brighter side though, good times and well done!

And thanks. Although I've got to say I was mildly disappointed I didn't leave having run an 11.

Uh, or leave under the car's own power...

here's one, you would need the shorter driveshaft though :

 

http://mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?283964-Big-case-pre-facelift-6-speed-diff-with-LSD

Yup. One I've already been offered and am just weighing up the pros and cons of...

But focusing on the positives, car looks great and sounds like it has loads more to give on the strip

And thanks.

Yup. One I've already been offered and am just weighing up the pros and cons of...

Mate I feel for you,

Not the best thing to happen but does happen when you have silly power, im sure she will be back together soon stronger then ever

Was nice to meet you Dave, I gave up after my third run as it was about 45 mins between and didn't want to spend the day just queueing. Sorry to learn about your diff.

Gotcha. I liked (like) the idea of being able to tip up and smash out a decent run in full road trim (I was on half a tank of fuel with all the tool kit, etc in the back for the day) but yeah, clearly there are severe disadvantages. Apparently the stock diffs are usually really strong from a 6 spd, so maybe there was an element of luck to this? What diff did you have in the Black Beast out of interest?

 

I had a stock diff in it for many years, the best i did on normal road wheels was 11.7 when it had 580bhp, i put some drag wheels on it and did a 10.9@126mph (630bhp)