Rex the VX and Bob try out their track prowess!

[GBOBM]

So, I finally went for my driving instructor day today.

The day started off well with the sun shining and me all excited. I checked Rex's oil level, coolant level and tyre pressures in the morning and everything was as it should be!
Good Start!

Although I had about 2/3 of a tank of fuel I wanted to top up to be on the safe side and I wasn't convinced about the dodgy fuel I had put in the night before in Dundee as the car was running a little lumpy on lift-off. so we pulled into the Shell at the forth road bridge to find they had no v-power. Went over to the BP.... no unleaded at all!
Eventually found some in a little shell in Dunfermline.
We set off and just as we turned off the motorway for Knockhill the engine started to die on the sliproad and the EML came on. oh sh**. Rex obviously decided he was a bit nervous and was feeling sick. Turned off the ignition at the junction and tried to start again. DU DU DU DU DU DU with no throttle! Typical!

Waited a second and then started rex again and although the light was still on the dash he was running fine and smooth. Travelled the last 6 miles and driving into the car park it happened again. Seemed to be fine when giving throttle, but having issues at idle.

I went in a registered but popped the 8fuse out before I did to see if it would sort it.

Seemed to be fine Rex was good to go!

Had a chat and then went out with Rory and showed him my lack of skills in the car. Seemed to be doing ok for the 2 sighting laps and he said that I was mostly ok with my lines and that he just wanted to perfect when I was putting on the power and get me goin a lot quicker.

We swapped seats and Rory did a reasonable paced perfect lap to show me how it was done and also to get a feel for the car. He then showed a dodgy lap to show how it could all go wrong if you came into a corner too quickly. (attacked duffus at about 80mph).
Last but not least he showed me how a hot lap should be done. WOW How great is this little car and although its a bit soft round the edges it did great.

So i jumped back in and I started picking up the pace a lot and giving it some beans. Apart from the hairpin at this point which I couldn't get the hang of, I was really starting to pick up pace, overtaking the scoobies on their instructor days and the ferrari's on the track experience.

When I was just about finished my first session I was giving it some major beans out of the straight, and although there was a Ferrari way in the distance, I pretty much had a clear track. Rory was egging me on to give it full power round one of the corners and then take the chicane at major pace which I did....... only to find a Ferrari doing about 30mph in the middle of the track over the hill about 3 cars lengths in front(iwas doing around 60-65). Bearing in mind I had my foot flat at the point and was really pushing onto the outside kerb, lifting off at this moment in a "oh sh** I'm about to mangle a ferarri" kind of mindframe did not do anything good and spun me in a complete circle.
I don't know where he came from because he was miles ahead and going very slowly over the brow of a hill where I couldn't see him.
Anyway, at this point did the EML not come on again and mean the car died!

Managed to get started again from the safety of the grass and off we went. I know the cause of it was lifting off, but if I didn't lift off and spin I would have smacked it right up the rear end. not good.

Anyway I came in and we discussed what I'd done so far and he gave me some extra tips about things to try.

We went back out and I had grown a pair now and we were giving it some definate beans and starting to find the limitations of an 80k mile car. was lapping around the 67-68second mark which is pretty good and if I iron out the last few bits I'll cut that down again. Let's just say that the track day did not end on as much of a high as I gave it a little bit too much beans into a corner towards the end. Turner in too early and Rex said "I can't turn that tight bob". Ran a little wide, back wheel on the grass and I spun straight towards the tire wall. Now lucky enough there was a gravel pit in the way and it slowed us up but I was about a cars length away from the barrier when we stopped with Rory well and truely sh*t his pants. At this point we were out of CCTV coverage and after hearing the huge screeching noises and the pile of smoke/dust going up Rory's boss was already in the car driving round to rescue us, but we managed to reverse the car onto the grass and get out ourself before we were nabbed.
If I had taken the correct line at the speed I was going I would have been fine, but when you are on the edge, the slightest mistake is costly.

So that was my final lap! Brilliant fun and will definitely be doing it again

To end a brilliant day I went to pizzahut for lunch and managed to crack my numberplate off a kerb outside! Twat!

Rex was sick again so I'm just about to go out and see what his symptoms are from the ODB2.

Things I learned today:

1. on track, understeer is not necessarily a bad thing as it tells you where limit of the car is and as rory said, "on a rear wheel drive car, just turn more and the angle of the wheel will slow you down"
2. 80k shocks are soft as sh**. was rubbing the arches on every corner at the end. Just as well I have new 111R shocks on the way!
3. Smoothly in, smoothly out.
4. Balls are great, but too many balls with not enough experience is bad.
5. Gravel traps when you have the roof off don't half make a mess of your interior.
6. Never tell a car you are going to a track day. It'll only get sick and let you down.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings.

Pictures and Videos to follow!

Bob

[philthy]

Nice write up for anyone considering a training day but...

4. Balls are great, but too many balls with not enough experience is bad.


Bob

[GBOBM]

Haha....Didn't read it like that, but yeah!

[mckeann]

rex? really??you call your car rex?? wierd


Oh, and your point 1 about understeer isnt something i'd agree with. If you understeer, and you wind on more lock, when the car slows down, it'll probably snap to oversteer. If your understeering, reduce steering angle and edge off the throttle to regain control

[GBOBM]

rex? really??you call your car rex?? wierd


Oh, and your point 1 about understeer isnt something i'd agree with. If you understeer, and you wind on more lock, when the car slows down, it'll probably snap to oversteer. If your understeering, reduce steering angle and edge off the throttle to regain control

Yeah, sorry I should have been more clear..... He said to steer into it at first and then gradually ease it off smoothly while keeping the throttle steady (i.e. don't boot it!)

Rex is what my wife named the car..... "Rex the VX"

[Rob E]

Nice one Bob, I'm due to do one of these instructor sessions that my kids gave me for Christmas but my VX has been off the road since someone ran into the back of me in January. Now I have the car back, I'll be fixing a date. The car is looking its best since I've had it, so must be time to run it through a gravel trap

[GBOBM]

Yeah, this is what mine looked like after I got it back:

side:


Wheel:

[Rob E]

OOOOOOOO!!, the cold winter really took a toll on my paintwork and I have a lot of bubbling, especially on the pax door. The people down south who fixed the accident damage to my rear clam did a lot of touching up after we decided that a total strip down and repaint just doesn't make economic sense. The car is looking really good (well, of course, since this is SE, as good as a lego car can) - that isn't going to be enough to keep me away from KH but I'll be gutted if I take some chunks out of the car similar to the ones that were just filled!

[tut]

Rob, only the Elise guys with small peni delecti differentiate on the VX220.

tut

[Rob E]

Yes, I know Tut, given the sh17 that has been thrown around on vx220.org recently, this is a lovely place on which to be a VX owner

[vik54]

Excellent account Bob - love it that a man feels able to give a personality to his car
You do learn loads on the Performance experience - I had a lesson with Gregor last year............I now blame him entirely for my track bug

[GBOBM]

Glad you liked it. I know giving a car a bit of a personality is a bit of a girly thing to do, but I sometimes think if I speak nice to it, it will keep me out of trouble when needs be!

Part of me wished that it ended on a high, but then again the fact that my last ballsy move ended me up in the gravel, a cars length away from the tyres, means that I'll probably take it a little easier when on my own and not think I'm Nigel Mansell!

Typically, my new shocks arrived about 30 mins after getting home!

[GBOBM]

Yes, I know Tut, given the sh17 that has been thrown around on vx220.org recently, this is a lovely place on which to be a VX owner

Rob, what's your username over there?

[kevham]

Nice write up of your day, Bob.
Your enthusiasm is inspirational.

Lets see the video!
Cheers,

Kev

[VXJON]

Yes, I know Tut, given the sh17 that has been thrown around on vx220.org recently, this is a lovely place on which to be a VX owner

Link it

Dont really visit .org anymore