Anybody at the 'ring 14th till 22nd August

[4WheelDrifter]

It was good to meet re2500, stiglet and the crew there.

I managed to get an ultra-wet lap in this time. It pissed it down on Friday afternoon. Still, I always fancied a wet one.



Photo taken before the 2004 ban of course.

I did indeed do a lap in just under 2h40. Although that does include the GP circuit, and my knee decided to pack up on the way to Schwalbenschwanz.
I should've done it in <2h30 really. The quickest 24.4km time was <1h30. I've got some work to do before next year.

[s2driveruk]

how slippery was the circuit? I imagine pretty greasy and in theory one were you could use the 4wd to your advantage, its just not a place i could really push myself or the car much in the wet due to the zero run-off.

David

[re2500]

I can agree with the handling over power statemant for the ring. And it definately pays to drive really smooth. Thats the aspect im trying to work on now. I need to get loads of laps in. I only managed about 6 this trip compared to my usual 12-16, due to the pants standard s2 brakes lasting about 4/5 corners. Stiglet got a good 20 laps in and and his lines and times improved loads!!
The handling of my CQ surprised me. It handles just as well if not better than it used to (i think it surprised stiglet too) dispite the extra weight of the ABY lump the turn in was fairly sharp and the car was very balanced under excelleration out of the corners. definately need to get the alloy subframe mounts and poly wishbone buches on the rear though, as foxhole was a little wobbly at speed. It was definately a worthwhile trip to find the areas needing improvement on my car.

[Rusty]

David, having done a wet session or two at Donington the S2s are great as long as you enter a corner at a speed where the car will grip, i.e. doesn't understeer from the get-go. Thankfully this speed is pretty high with quattro traction and good tyres despite the weight of the car and that same combination gives it grip and poise that just about every other car in my session lacked except Newsh, a scooby and an evo. Mine tended to oversteer into the corners when off the throttle and then you could get it straight back on line with the accelerator and then accept a slight bit of understeer in the lower gears at WOT, the back end was completely planted under power but not off it as I found out a few times, this sort of behaviour in teh confines of the 'ring would be pretty disasterous and the sharper handling on the HnRs would be a bit more of a handful IMO. The ring is not the place to explore the wet lap handling of a near 2 ton, 150mph car Do a winter track day and laugh at all the lightweight, delicate drivers' cars there as they go backwards very quickly

[s2driveruk]

The ring is not the place to explore the wet lap handling of a near 2 ton, 150mph car

couldnt agree more about the ring as a place to learn about the handling of the S2.......a very expensive experiement me thinks!

[re2500]

without a doubt, i tend to try and resist the ring altogether if its wet. We spun the mk2 twice at easter (at very low speeds too, luckily i guess)

[Rusty]

I was fully aware that mine was a bit tail happy in the dry and it was great fun in October, if not ultimately that fast, fun is as much a part of the equation as time though in my book, especially when the little self-preservation bleeper goes off in the back of your mind! A few incidents in the wet at Donington, one at 90mph heading up to MacLeans and one braking from 120 were a little hairy, as was almost spinning onto the start-finish straight after enetering the chichane before it in 2nd rather than 3rd! I had so much time during one slide that I was swearing a lot whilst shuffling the wheel, Newsh had a good view of that one!

[stiglet]

A video of "the black one" (RE2500's S2 conversion). Nice lap, awesome lines

I really need to get a good converter though!


I hate wet laps. I think i'll appreciate them more if i ever sort out the balance on my suspension.

[Rusty]

That's more like an S2 lap, virtually silent except for the tortured tyres!

Sounds like you're short shifting a lot? Temperature problems?

Loving the mini Karussell, bet it looked a bit like this:-

[re2500]

Quite right.... i was short shifting, cos the trip was telling me i had no fuel, lol. Im used to less power and a 10v so short shifting came naturally. When my brakes are better i'll give it more beans.
Temp was spot on, didnt go above norm!!
Mini carusell was awesome on that lap, i was on 2 wheels with the 4R$E out a little on the exit

That lap we had Al (als2avant) in the back 2. Had to show him that his engine was being used properly!

[Rusty]

I thought I detected some Brissolian drawl and was certain that you and Stiglet weren't from round these parts like (or this sid of the river!). Bet he loved it, did he take the E21 out for a spin (not literally I hope!). Silly boy has gone off to Austria for a ski season and left me without a machinist! The cheek of it!

[stiglet]

That car is running very well and i was impressed with the balance of the RARB. I reckon sort those brakes and start shifting at 7 instead of 5 and i wouldn't be suprised if you beat 9 next year

[Rusty]

James's lap was about the same pace as mine that I have on video, with the 25mm RARB mine is really sharp, if a little twitchy off the power. Just need an RS2 FARB now really although I have a spare 26mm bar to try on the back if I'm feeling silly!

[re2500]

Should have some decent width of sporty rubber on 17's, four pots up front, bushes sorted at the rear and home fries by next year. sub 9 may be the target!

Unfortunately the e21 didnt venture onto the green hell. It looks the dogs that car!!! But he was having front suspension issues. He had to change to smaller tyres on the front in an emergency on sunday before he left the UK as he was having severe scrubbage witht the H&R springs. And he had to re pack the front wheel bearing which still sounds a little rough unfortunatly.

Silly Al didnt realise that his e21 wont be insured when his UK tax and MOT runs out at the end of Sept. Im not sure what he plans to do at that point?? He loved his trip round the ring though!

[Rusty]

Sounds like a bit of a scoolboy error! It's damned cool but also damned slow! Needs some nice modern BMW engine up front to make it go go go!