Pics from Track day 10/3/09

[NOT A TA]

Ran my car at Sebring a couple weeks ago. Got these today from a photographer at the event.
Everybody likes pics so I might as well throw um up since I paid for them ! LOL

2nd gear full throttle
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309057-1.jpg

1st gear out of a tight corner, front end up. 2.41 rear and a 3 speed LOL
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309049-1.jpg

HEY! I want to be 1st !!!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309034-1.jpg

AHH, this is more like it!!!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309033-1.jpg

Full speed ahead!!!!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309027-1.jpg

[86Cutlass383SR]

Sweet pics John...Thanks. I still drool over your car...

[The Stickman]

That car just looks damn good, both visually and in the way that it handles.

[Ron S]

Nice pics, beautiful car. Nothing cooler then action shots. Ron

[79-TA]

1st gear out of a tight corner, front end up. 2.41 rear and a 3 speed LOL



As in an original 3 speed manual or a TH350?

Great pics!

[NOT A TA]

As in an original 3 speed manual or a TH350?

Great pics!

Still has the original T-350 and stock converter! Using a B&M Supercooler and shift kit. I'm going to swap in a Keisler 5 speed manual eventually and swap out the 400 for a more powerfull engine.

I though I'd mention the tranny because it seems to me a lot of people who'd like to get their cars out on track think you NEED a standard, or you NEED overdrive, or you NEED 500 RWHP, or you NEED big brakes, or you NEED fancy suspension, to go have fun blasting around a road course, drag strip, Land Speed Race, Open Road Race or whatever. So they spend all their time and money prepping the car and meanwhile it just sits in the garage and they dream of the day they can finally get the car out there. Most of them will never make it, sad but true.

Years ago at my first track day at Lime Rock Park I still had an all stock driveline 350 2 V with a peg leg rear and stock disc/drum bakes. I didn't care! I was ripping around one of the worlds famous race tracks! I ran the car at a local dragstrip shortly after that and ran a blazing 16.4 in the quarter spinning that one wheel a hundred feet off the line! I didn't care! I was out having fun with a bunch of buds at a track rental day. A couple years after that (and a power upgrade)I started going to Land Speed Races. They limited me to 135 MPH (no cage then)but I ran the car over and over all weekend. Who doesn't want to drive at 135 MPH???

I guess my point is that the car is never perfect and there's always upgrades we want to make, so go have fun with it the way it is now. And just keep upgrading as time and finances allow. If you wait until it's perfect you'll probably never end up actually doing anything but looking at the car and dreaming about how fun it could have been.

[Bow Tie 67]

Still has the original T-350 and stock converter! Using a B&M Supercooler and shift kit. I'm going to swap in a Keisler 5 speed manual eventually and swap out the 400 for a more powerfull engine.

I though I'd mention the tranny because it seems to me a lot of people who'd like to get their cars out on track think you NEED a standard, or you NEED overdrive, or you NEED 500 RWHP, or you NEED big brakes, or you NEED fancy suspension, to go have fun blasting around a road course, drag strip, Land Speed Race, Open Road Race or whatever. So they spend all their time and money prepping the car and meanwhile it just sits in the garage and they dream of the day they can finally get the car out there. Most of them will never make it, sad but true.

Years ago at my first track day at Lime Rock Park I still had an all stock driveline 350 2 V with a peg leg rear and stock disc/drum bakes. I didn't care! I was ripping around one of the worlds famous race tracks! I ran the car at a local dragstrip shortly after that and ran a blazing 16.4 in the quarter spinning that one wheel a hundred feet off the line! I didn't care! I was out having fun with a bunch of buds at a track rental day. A couple years after that (and a power upgrade)I started going to Land Speed Races. They limited me to 135 MPH (no cage then)but I ran the car over and over all weekend. Who doesn't want to drive at 135 MPH???

I guess my point is that the car is never perfect and there's always upgrades we want to make, so go have fun with it the way it is now. And just keep upgrading as time and finances allow. If you wait until it's perfect you'll probably never end up actually doing anything but looking at the car and dreaming about how fun it could have been.

Exactly how I feel, I'm loving the primer on my car since its easy to touch up.

[CarlC]

It's always more fun driving than not driving!

Great pics! It looks like a ton of fun.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

One of the best cars on this site.

[NvrDun71]

Still has the original T-350 and stock converter! Using a B&M Supercooler and shift kit. I'm going to swap in a Keisler 5 speed manual eventually and swap out the 400 for a more powerfull engine.

I though I'd mention the tranny because it seems to me a lot of people who'd like to get their cars out on track think you NEED a standard, or you NEED overdrive, or you NEED 500 RWHP, or you NEED big brakes, or you NEED fancy suspension, to go have fun blasting around a road course, drag strip, Land Speed Race, Open Road Race or whatever. So they spend all their time and money prepping the car and meanwhile it just sits in the garage and they dream of the day they can finally get the car out there. Most of them will never make it, sad but true.

Years ago at my first track day at Lime Rock Park I still had an all stock driveline 350 2 V with a peg leg rear and stock disc/drum bakes. I didn't care! I was ripping around one of the worlds famous race tracks! I ran the car at a local dragstrip shortly after that and ran a blazing 16.4 in the quarter spinning that one wheel a hundred feet off the line! I didn't care! I was out having fun with a bunch of buds at a track rental day. A couple years after that (and a power upgrade)I started going to Land Speed Races. They limited me to 135 MPH (no cage then)but I ran the car over and over all weekend. Who doesn't want to drive at 135 MPH???

I guess my point is that the car is never perfect and there's always upgrades we want to make, so go have fun with it the way it is now. And just keep upgrading as time and finances allow. If you wait until it's perfect you'll probably never end up actually doing anything but looking at the car and dreaming about how fun it could have been.

Great post! I have fallen into that category myself over the past two years or so of my build. I have spent way too much time trying to make it perfect and consequently haven't gotten to enjoy the car at all in the past several years. Reading that gave me a good push in the right direction, Thanks. Killer car BTW!

[The Stickman]

Still has the original T-350 and stock converter! Using a B&M Supercooler and shift kit. I'm going to swap in a Keisler 5 speed manual eventually and swap out the 400 for a more powerfull engine.

I though I'd mention the tranny because it seems to me a lot of people who'd like to get their cars out on track think you NEED a standard, or you NEED overdrive, or you NEED 500 RWHP, or you NEED big brakes, or you NEED fancy suspension, to go have fun blasting around a road course, drag strip, Land Speed Race, Open Road Race or whatever. So they spend all their time and money prepping the car and meanwhile it just sits in the garage and they dream of the day they can finally get the car out there. Most of them will never make it, sad but true.

Years ago at my first track day at Lime Rock Park I still had an all stock driveline 350 2 V with a peg leg rear and stock disc/drum bakes. I didn't care! I was ripping around one of the worlds famous race tracks! I ran the car at a local dragstrip shortly after that and ran a blazing 16.4 in the quarter spinning that one wheel a hundred feet off the line! I didn't care! I was out having fun with a bunch of buds at a track rental day. A couple years after that (and a power upgrade)I started going to Land Speed Races. They limited me to 135 MPH (no cage then)but I ran the car over and over all weekend. Who doesn't want to drive at 135 MPH???

I guess my point is that the car is never perfect and there's always upgrades we want to make, so go have fun with it the way it is now. And just keep upgrading as time and finances allow. If you wait until it's perfect you'll probably never end up actually doing anything but looking at the car and dreaming about how fun it could have been.


I couldn't have said it better myself. BTW it is also good practice to do only one mod at a time that way you know where a problem might be when it comes to handling.

[parsonsj]

John,

Sorry I missed this event, but I'll be out there with you next time!

jp

[NOT A TA]

Thanks guys!

John: I'll keep an eye on the schedule to see when theres a NASA day at Sebring to use that credit you have! Been looking at cars? Send me a PM let me know what you're thinking.

Neil: One change at a time is a good idea for sorting once the cars mostly set for suspension stuff. Otherwise if you switch a bunch of stuff you can't tell what made it better or worse. Next on my list is some new rubber.

Nvrdun71: Just get it together and then do projects that don't take the car out of commission more than a couple months or a winter if you're up north. I've been there! Still have a 66 Mustang in pieces I started almost 25 years ago! Learned my lesson on that one. Sits in my driveway to remind me not to do it to the others.

Amir: Thank you, thats a nice compliment coming from someone who knows the cars here well.

Carl: If I remember correctly you daily drive your Camaro? I'm going to start driving my 67 RS SS conv daily. Its been in storage far too long and although it doesn't have AC I can drive it down here from now till May. I haven't used a first gen as a DD since the 70's. Should be fun

Bowtie67: I had a buddy in high school with a tube framed 68 who said the same thing about the primer. He's had it since 74 and still hasn't painted it!

Ron: Seeing your Mustang all the time here makes me cringe when I walk past mine in the driveway wasting away. I wish I'd finished it before moving to another project. Fresh engine, tranny, rear, interior done, and then I moved on and it just sits.

[NOT A TA]

Other random pics from that event

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309018-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309013-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309012-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309007-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring103090022-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309039-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/Sebring10309048-1.jpg

[sunkistcamaro]

Your car looks great!!

[796spdbu]

Looks like it was a blast. You have a beautiful car!!

[rlplive]

Still has the original T-350 and stock converter! Using a B&M Supercooler and shift kit. I'm going to swap in a Keisler 5 speed manual eventually and swap out the 400 for a more powerfull engine.

I though I'd mention the tranny because it seems to me a lot of people who'd like to get their cars out on track think you NEED a standard, or you NEED overdrive, or you NEED 500 RWHP, or you NEED big brakes, or you NEED fancy suspension, to go have fun blasting around a road course, drag strip, Land Speed Race, Open Road Race or whatever. So they spend all their time and money prepping the car and meanwhile it just sits in the garage and they dream of the day they can finally get the car out there. Most of them will never make it, sad but true.

Years ago at my first track day at Lime Rock Park I still had an all stock driveline 350 2 V with a peg leg rear and stock disc/drum bakes. I didn't care! I was ripping around one of the worlds famous race tracks! I ran the car at a local dragstrip shortly after that and ran a blazing 16.4 in the quarter spinning that one wheel a hundred feet off the line! I didn't care! I was out having fun with a bunch of buds at a track rental day. A couple years after that (and a power upgrade)I started going to Land Speed Races. They limited me to 135 MPH (no cage then)but I ran the car over and over all weekend. Who doesn't want to drive at 135 MPH???

I guess my point is that the car is never perfect and there's always upgrades we want to make, so go have fun with it the way it is now. And just keep upgrading as time and finances allow. If you wait until it's perfect you'll probably never end up actually doing anything but looking at the car and dreaming about how fun it could have been.
Excellent point.

[NOT A TA]

Looks like it was a blast. You have a beautiful car!!

Thanks guys! Yup it's a lot of fun! You get the most seat time of any type of track event that I know of at a road course day.

[CarlC]

Not a daily driver.

[79-TA]

Hey, so the auto handles it just fine (with trans radiator)? Do you just leave it in drive and leave the downshifting to the kickdown during acceleration?

I was hoping to run a 2004R in my car (perhaps with paddle shifters . . . all a ways off waiting for funds) but was wondering how downshifting under braking would work with the auto.

[JEFFTATE]

it seems to me a lot of people who'd like to get their cars out on track think you NEED a standard, or you NEED overdrive, or you NEED 500 RWHP, or you NEED big brakes, or you NEED fancy suspension, to go have fun blasting around a road course, drag strip, Land Speed Race, Open Road Race or whatever. So they spend all their time and money prepping the car and meanwhile it just sits in the garage and they dream of the day they can finally get the car out there. Most of them will never make it, sad but true.



I agree....

BTW , sorry I missed this event.
Thanks for the invite..