Special K

There I was . . gently motoring down the M6/M1 yesterday morning from Cumbria. . . left at 7.45am, dropped off the end of the M6 Toll and, at Watford Gap at about 11.00am , caught up with a Ninja '64 plate . .
Hmm . . dunno . .  flashed my lights as I overtook, glanced left . . it was Carla . .!
We had a great hoon from Watford down to M25 . . she's a b*gger for overtaking on the inside (but legit, outside lane was >70mph ). She has proper lane discipline and, being a gentleman, I adopted my surrogate role as shepherd, giving undertake and gently flashing my headlights to suggest "GET A FSCKING  MOVE ON !!"
Respect, lady. I enjoyed it and you broke up a really boring journey . .
Spec K

There I was . . gently motoring down the M6/M1 yesterday morning from Cumbria. . . left at 7.45am, dropped off the end of the M6 Toll and, at Watford Gap at about 11.00am , caught up with a Ninja '64 plate . .
Hmm . . dunno . .  flashed my lights as I overtook, glanced left . . it was Carla . .!
We had a great hoon from Watford down to M25 . . she's a b*gger for overtaking on the inside (but legit, outside lane was >70mph ). She has proper lane discipline and, being a gentleman, I adopted my surrogate role as shepherd, giving undertake and gently flashing my headlights to suggest "GET A FSCKING  MOVE ON !!"
Respect, lady. I enjoyed it and you broke up a really boring journey . .
Spec K

Yet I endure vindictive personal criticism on this Forum for doing exactly what you propound (with my auto GT86).
And, unlike anything so far propounded from the UK,  my mods will be offered on sale shortly and improve the breed.
What the word that comes to mind . . ? Perverse? Hypocritical? No . . it escapes me at the moment . .
 
 

I never liked shopping at Tesco's anyway . .
Yesterday I was at my local Tescos store buying a large bag of Chum dog food for my loyal pet and was in the checkout queue when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.
What did she think I had, an elephant? So, since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Chum Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't because I ended up in hospital last time, but I'd lost 2 stone before I woke up in intensive care with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IV's in both arms . .
I told her it was essentially a perfect diet and the way that it works is to load your pockets with Chum nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the queue was now enthralled by my story . .)
Horrified, she asked me if I ended up in intensive care because the food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off the kerb to sniff an Irish Setter's arse and a car hit me . .
I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. .
I'm now banned from Tescos. Better watch what you ask retired people - we have all the time in the world to think of daft things to say. .
 
Spec K

I did the Friday trackday and took out an instructor. On our last lap I came over the mountain and my dashboard warning lights lit up like a christmas tree . .
The car felt fine, all pressure/temps were normal so Mike P cleared all the fault codes for me but took a note of them - there is no internet connection at Cadwell so we couldn't interrogate them.
Gary (from RRG) arrived on Sat morning  and he instantly diagnosed the issues - he knows all the fault codes by heart!
Turned out that all four wheels had been off the ground and the TRC/anti-lock sensors became totally confused . .
Has anyone else experienced this?
Spec K
 
 

I did the Friday trackday and took out an instructor. On our last lap I came over the mountain and my dashboard warning lights lit up like a christmas tree . .
The car felt fine, all pressure/temps were normal so Mike P cleared all the fault codes for me but took a note of them - there is no internet connection at Cadwell so we couldn't interrogate them.
Gary (from RRG) arrived on Sat morning  and he instantly diagnosed the issues - he knows all the fault codes by heart!
Turned out that all four wheels had been off the ground and the TRC/anti-lock sensors became totally confused . .
Has anyone else experienced this?
Spec K
 
 

Not sure how much you'll notice just having the 2nd CAT removed, it'll probably be a bit louder but not sure you'll feel the difference.
The rear lights is a good start but the sad part is that you'll hardly ever see them, especially if you get the smoked versions as they just looked black out and can't appreciate the design unless the car is on, but it's aways nice following someone with them on
As for the remap, you'll probably notice the most difference with it but you might not get massive gains depending on who you get to remap it.  My map hasn't netted me higher numbers at the top end but has improved the mid range so the car does feel like it pulls more.  But like others have said, usually best to get it mapped once you've had all your other mods, but that's only to save yourself time and money, I've had 2 maps so far because I've added bits to the car since the first map as well as wanting to map certain things out like the high idling start up, I'll eventually have another remap when I eventually get a new manifold.  Yes I've technically wasted money by getting the car tuned a couple of times on the road where as I could have saved myself a couple of hundred pounds if I had waited but where's the fun in that, I do whatever I can do enjoy the car as much as I can.
Some cheap alternatives for you, a positive shift mount for your gear box, only about £30-40 and it makes the feel of the gear changes more solid, more...well....positive as the name suggests.  The other thing to consider which I think you have been looking for but don't know if you've purchased yet but a drop in air filter, you get a bit more induction noise and we've seen gains of 6bhp on a dyno day before.....but again, not sure you'll feel the difference though.

manifold and remap ?

Slightly fuller post...
As for the weekend - absolutely awesome, despite puking on Friday night / Saturday morning and contemplating pulling out of the sprint (or at least the morning) but with a couple of nurofen sorting my headache I had to risk it and hope I didn't have to puke mid-run! In the end I was fine but just lacked energy and needed sleep (what's new?).
Having done the Javelin sprint at Cadwell in the summer I thought I may have had an advantage but that soon disappeared with the wet & leafy track and all my knowledge of the track and speeds for corners was next to useless. Started off very cautious for the sighting laps / practice runs and first timed run with a bit of coasting before braking for Coppice and Park so new there was plenty of time to find.
With Chris having a mystery void and a 2'15 (which was clearly wrong) for his 2nd and 3rd runs, when I saw a 1'51 for my 3rd run I did think the timing was having issues and potentially that wasn't my time but doing a 1'52 for the 4th run I started to believe it, at this point Chris was in the 1'54s and with the track drying I knew he'd improve and could see him pipping me to the win on the last run! Luckily that didn't happen as it absolutely chucked it down over lunch! Even though the sun did come out for the final couple of runs, Chris did improve but not enough and so I won the round and the class overall
Personally I feel I've improved massively over the year, not just in terms of speed but control of the car as well which I'm guessing is the reason for the votes for the Driver's Driver of the year trophy I picked up. Looking forward to next year already even if trophy chances will be reduced quite a bit

A quick write up from me of my day: 
The last round of the championship for the Toyota Sprint Series was as Cadwell Park. I've been on and on about doing a round here and well, my wish was granted! 
Then I realised I haven't driven it for seven years. Oops! So as my main rival was doing the trackday beforehand, suddenly, so was I. 
One of the organisers had worked out that I would be six points ahead of Kev including the mandatory dropped round (which was ironically a win) coming into the final round. This meant that in order to win the championship for my class I had to finish less than five places behind my main rival in the overall times. 
Cadwell was wet, very wet and quite greasy. For the trackday it seemed to have a fair amount of grip still, especially though the back part of the circuit from Coppice all the way back to the entry to the mountain. Some good practice was had, but standing water was a bit of an issue at times. I asked the organisers to red flag it on Friday and they duly did for around 40 minutes.
Come race day and whilst I was in a comfortable position, I didn't get off to the greatest starts. Though I put in a 1.48 second run in the first practice, I then struggled with standing water and put in a 1.52. Kev did a 1.48 in his second run. I had problems with getting the car off the line and this resulted in bad axle tramp that knocked it out of first gear, thus costing me valuable time. 
The track began to dry in the late morning but a monsoon ensued come lunch time. Not what I wanted. Thankfully and a tad oddly, the standing water was cleared to a point and no longer an issue. Though weirdly the grip levels were not as high as the day before. The sun came out and the sky cleared, meaning times would get faster and faster. 
I still messed up a couple of launches but got a feel for getting it right. Unfortunately  the timing clock had been removed due to water ingress I'm guessing so we had no idea of our times until they were posted up. 
On the last run, I had to put in a flyer. I was very careful but fast through the Hall Bends and then made sure I was tidy through the hairpin. This part of the track was covered in leaves and though there was a clear line, trying to accelerate without armfuls of opposite lock required a very delicate right foot. Still I managed it well and got through Barn without too much understeer and only a real kick of oversteer as I shifted up to third on the exit. 
The next bit is always a test of nerve, but I knew I had to take the speed into Coppice and turned in at 105 mph (it was still pretty wet remember), the car ran out to the outside kerb on the exit, I could feel it just sliding a little. I then had a quick dab on the brakes and turned the car right into Charlies 1, with the inevitable understeer on turn in. I could feel the car drift out to the edge of the track as I rode the crest. Then there is the short straightening of the wheel before getting that crucial turn in to Charlies 2 down the hill and onto Park Straight. 
At this point it really is a case of applying the power carefully to minimise the oversteer, but trying to maximise trajectory onto the straight. I was accelerating hard up the hill to Park, trying not to leave the braking so late as so many did and made a good early turn in, taking some inside kerb. 
Chris Curve was a bit of a challenge yesterday and was a constant balancing act between oversteer and well, more oversteer but I pushed it a bit too hard and changed up to 4th gear for a little too long. This mean I nearly outbraked myself into the Gooseneck, compromising my line, but I got away with it. 
I didn't find out till I was halfway home on the M62 but I managed a 1.46.13 and Kev was 0.2 seconds behind me. Close then as it just about always is! Also this gave me 5th overall, my highest finishing position of the year. The Class Championship was mine and so was the win, which meant I had won 4 out of 6 rounds with Kevin winnning the other two.
Really sorry I couldn't be there for the award ceremony and party, but I had to get back to pick up Indy. 
We're going to go at it again next year. The key with this game I think is to have a very close rival, it's made it so much more challenging and enjoyable compared to say winning your class with no competition. I know Mike had a similar situation to me and well done on winning, all the hard work paid off.
 

This spreadsheet I made a while back might be interesting for some of you:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/87478421/GT86_Ratios_and_Tractive_Effort.xlsx

<Moderated before posting>
Keethos,
When you took me out in your car I was surprised at how confident you drove! You were certainly on the pace and taking it to a realistic limit - and you could have gone seriously quicker with more circuit experience.
I was lucky to go out with everyone there in their own cars and it was a genuine pleasure. There was focus (tempered with caution due to track condition) but yet again the GT86DC entrants proved themselves a worthy group to be considered by asny trackday organiser. Well done everyone!
I have to say that the L-O-T guys are a super bunch. And I would counsel all to read their 'pace notes' for every circuit (on their website) before going out on a new circuit, they are really well researched and informative - like which kerbs are serious rumble strips and which can be ingnored. Am  I the only one who thinks their style and method is so much friendlier and laid-back on trackdays than others?
Well done Rob275 in organising our 'intro' to a great bunch of people. Good organisation and excellent value for money - I would love to do a weekend in France/Belgium with them.
Spec

Hi Gordon
Congratulations on your new acquisition and welcome to the Forum.
Most of us (who bought 3 years ago) kept the revs down for 1000 miles. However, our boxer engine is a strong as a horse, the learning-curve within the dealer network has evolved (with input  from our trials and tribulations) and it should only take 100-odd miles to bed the piston rings in, so providing you don't boot it full power up to 7k in the first 500 miles you should be okay.
Enjoy it. Throw it about a bit on its silly tyres, especially through roundabouts. Get used to it. Feel the need for more power and then let your passion overrule you pocket . .
 
Spec K

I reckon to use about half a tank at somwhere like Blyton. On a trackday I average 8-9mpg
Spec K

I'll head over B-)

At last! are they all like K in Essex?

Nick has given me the heads up about this, I will trundle down after work in mine and meet up with you all. 

She doesnt know yet LOL but not bad price for those arms £260,so not much more than a bush kit which involves a lot more work.
 

Just replied to your earlier post, Gordon - didn't realise you were associated with PP . . still, we all have son-in-laws . . naughty boys . .
One GT86 in the family is considered eccentricity. Two in the family is considered madness . .
Spec K 
 

Was a good day

Welcome Mick, the only problem you should watch out for is Special K, other than that you'll be fine so long as you don't plan on going FI.

I watched world time attack this morning.  Most of the cars were running dry sump.  Nobody looked like they had been deep fried, not even the V-Sport GT86 that was running the same sump Nigel and I have bought.
The stock sump and oil supply aren't sufficient for my needs nor those of Nigel so we had no choice but to buy a proven system.
I'm more worried about 12 bar of oil pressure than it leaking

Mike, that looks a really neat setup for your needs. I would love to 'passenger' with you if the opportunity arises.
I presume the lever is static and doesn't move with the wheel, as with the other controls - it would bash your left leg, yes?  Can I ask who installed it for you?
I cannot see the cruise control stalk - (or is it the 'on-off' button just showing behind the steering wheel?) - how do you change maps?
Spec K

Ed - I was not aware you drove your car on the road - wow, this must be a meet, my friend!
I cannot fault my DS2500's. I've driven with them on stock calipers / upgraded K-Sport calipers / current Stop Tech calipers. And this is road (around our area in East London) and on track.
Mike - I am also auto box. Ed's a pudding-stirrer, as are most on this Forum.  (Blurry neanderthals, the lot of 'em  . .)
Without knowing your driving mode (in auto) I cannot comment on the issues you are having but I am at Donington at the end of this month and if you would like to experience an auto (TRC off, Sport Mode on, Manual mode engaged, 320bhp, the last of the late brakers . . ) you are more than welcome to 'passenger' with me.
Spec K