Donington Trackday Report: 08/12/07

[trackdaynova]

What a day! I have never in my life had so much fun on a trackday, it was unreal!

Got up at 4:30am, overcast, thought "cool", still dry.

Got to Donny - into briefing, still overcasty, if a little darker.

Got out of briefing - oh hell yes, the heavens had well and truely opened - throwing it down - and continued throughout the day.

Was an open pit day, constant down pours made it very interesting, but absolutely fantastic at the same time.

SCCR box and ZF Plate diff were both awesome, and the Uniroyal Rainsport tyres were absolutely phenominal, the grip was unreal

I was quicker in rain this time, than I was in the dry last time. The sc box, together with plate diff and tyres, gave me so much grip it was hard to understeer at all.

If you're wondering why I'm posting this at 15:20, it was because I blew my clutch lol, not bothered in the slightest, the fact it was a standard GM item which I bought 2nd hand for half a bottle of coke - it's not done too bad, just an excuse to get a Helix Paddle & Heavy duty cover for it.

So, had about 8 sessions, by which I mean change of passengers (roughly 20 mins at a time), took 4 passengers in total, Michelle, Steve, Paul (novashed) and my Mum :D was great.

Managed to start the car in 1st gear and drive it home, as could select gears once I'd got it rolling

Despite the clutch failure at only 13:30, I can honesly say that's the best trackday I've ever been on.

Nova was awesome, felt like a completely different car since my last trackday, with all the modifications that have been carried out

Videos later or possibly tomorrow...

Thanks to the following for coming down and seeing me, helping out: iainel, novaian, (forgot the other ones username -sorry), OllyTB, novashed.

Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!


Now then, throttlebodies on, management in, ARPs fitted, Acewell bike dash in, seats in, helix paddle clutch to source and fit - then back to Donny for 27th December :D :)

[novashed]

dont waste time do ya!

have to say credit to olly, was a good day despite the weather.

the car is an impressive piece of kit, put together in hardly no time at-all by my standards lol.

olly is quite impressive at the wheel too guys i have to say!

[The Simps]

Nice one Olly.

Whats the difference in feel between the plate diff and Quaiffe item?

[General Baxter]

i woke up at 5am, and said nuts its too cold fell back to sleep, woke back up at 11am and went **** lol

[trackdaynova]

Awww man - cheers for the kind words Paul - I felt I performed well, but moreso the car (despite clutch!) lol which is only minor.

Hey Simps, plate diff is by far more aggressive that the ATB (Quaife), more torque steer too. but I don't think I could have gone half as fast out there with an ATB, simply because the plate type is always engaged, whereas the ATB only engages when it needs to.

And with the weather how it was, and the speeds I was doing there is no way I'd be able to happily rely on a Quaife to engage when it needs to, in the short space of time you have.

I'd never go back to having an ATB, however I do understand why totally why people have them they're great, but you only know you have one, when you boot it mid corner, don't get me wrong, and its just my opinion.

I know, for instance, that Dar loves ATB's and hates plate types, I'm the opposite (again, its all personal to driving style)

[The Simps]

What would you have on a turbo? torque steer is bad enough! Never really driven a car with a diff!

[Adam]

Was a decent day out, even with the ****e weather.
Glad you got home ok, and didn't have to blag the rac into towing you lol

Car was fooking flying, sounded awesome down the opening straight. Straight cut boxes are ace :D
A guy that came in the garage asked what was in it, he thought it had a LET, thats how quick it was lol

I have a few pics to upload in a min, including the "incident" with the 306. Your front wheel was about 3" from the grass Olly.

Hope Iainel managed to get home ok too, as he had a few electrical issues on the way there.

[trackdaynova]

Simps, as everyone is - you're more than welcome to attend a trackday that I'm next and give mine a blasting around the track to see, I would PERSONALLY like a plate diff on a turbo car, as again, coming on boost going around the corner isn't ideal for understeer, I know this from my Astra Turbo (yes the one you called "one big bodge" ;) lol)

So again, I'm presuming that with a fwd turbo coming on boost, the ATB will wait until one wheel starts to spin faster than the other before it engages, where the plate diff won't wait at all lol

LLTN- So it was you? I'm so sorry dude - I didn't hear you say your name :( Glad to meet you!

Thanks for the compliments about my car, 306 wasn't exactly clever what he did, obviously didn't like fact an F reg Nova was quicker than him.

There was only 2 cars that I felt were quicker on the day, which were 2 Mini Cooper S Race Series Cars, I was passing everything else from Evos, Scoobies, M3s, Porsches, even GT3 RS's

Glad it sounds good, from the outside too, looking forward to the pics now... I have the in car footage from the 306 thing, however I presume you won't see much as the camera points forwards

[trackdaynova]

One more thing, every single thing that I wasn't happy with last trackday at Donny, was totally cured this time around, which is how it should be... the mods I've carried out in between are:

- Fuel lines inside car & Swirl pot - to prevent fuel serge I was getting
- Wilwood 4pot brake setup - as the 16v ones just weren't up to the job
- 313lb front springs - to reduce body roll
- Rear ARB - to reduce body roll
- Eccentric topmounts - to tighten up front end suspension
- Uniroyal Rainsports - makes the biggest difference, having great tyres (altho had 888s if it was dry)
- Battery relocation and weight loss helped generally
- Gearbox & diff wasn't planned, but proved awesome


Hitting redline in one gear at 6800rpm, when shifting up, it only drops to 6300rpm back right on power - you'll notice this moreso from vids!

[Adam]

LLTN- So it was you? I'm so sorry dude - I didn't hear you say your name :( Glad to meet you!

lol
Yeah mate, im the quiet one lol

Glad its hopefully only the clutch fooked, and not the new box.


I told you Rainsports were ace when you put the Wet tyres thread up :thumb:

Pics just uploading now, not the best quality, as it was so cold outside i was struggling keep the cam straight lol

[trackdaynova]

quiet isn't the word... but then i spose i'm the complete opposite.

sorry - i didnt have you guys numbers, on the way home, down shifted from 5th, to 4th when coming off the motorway, and it was smooth as a babies bum...

tried all gears - all fine - no noises what so ever?! drove all the way home testing gears - could select them all again, without any problems - however, still getting new clutch now lol

[Adam]

Weird how its "fixed itself" Lol

[Adam]

Few pics:
Iainels, Ian's vectra, mine when we arrived
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Pc080001.jpg
Your nova just before the afternoon session started
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Photo-0002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Photo-0003.jpg
Few on track pics
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Pc080003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Pc080005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Pc080006.jpg
Close pass with the 306


Coming in after the transmission/clutch problem
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Pc080008.jpg
Jacked up to investigate,Lol
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Pc080009.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Nova-crew/Donnington-8th%20December/Pc080010.jpg

[Iain]

Hope Iainel managed to get home ok too, as he had a few electrical issues on the way there.

I'm home woo! lol Went all the way back to get a new alt/tools and when removing the old one found the red wire had broken off the crimp. Bodged it on and got it home. :thumb:

Yeah your car does sound good down the straight Olly. :D Will wander down at the next one you're at too. :thumb:

[Adam]

I'm home woo! lol Went all the way back to get a new alt/tools and when removing the old one found the red wire had broken off the crimp. Bodged it on and got it home. :thumb:

Where abouts?
At the alternator end?

I had a look at that, and it did look a bit dodgy, but it didn't look broken lol

[Iain]

Yeah on the alternator, Mr "I checked the wiring and it looks fine" :p

Edit: just had a look through all my pictures and there's no good ones from the track lol

[Adam]

PMSL lol

I did check the wiring, i couldn't see the Red wire very well because of the inlet.
It did look dodgy tho, it was split, but it looked connected lol

[Martin]

looked a good day. shame about the french car lol..

[trackdaynova]

Great pics LLTN, especially with the weather how it was...

Those 3x track pics aren't in sequence are they? no way did I catch that 306 up from under the CarLube sign, to passing him?

[Adam]

No mate, my cam is rather ****e, and takes a few seconds before its ready to take another pic.
By that time you were down by the first bend lol

There might have been a 2/3lap gap in between the pics, cant quite remember.

[The Simps]

Simps, as everyone is - you're more than welcome to attend a trackday that I'm next and give mine a blasting around the track to see, I would PERSONALLY like a plate diff on a turbo car, as again, coming on boost going around the corner isn't ideal for understeer, I know this from my Astra Turbo (yes the one you called "one big bodge" ;) lol)


lol lol

If you re-read my comments on the matter it will will say "I was told!" :thumb:

Diff thing makes sense. Seeing as I think mine has just blown up and needs replacing might be the right way to go plate. I'd been used to major torquw steer and the equal shafts heavilly reduced it so plate can't make it worse than before surely.

[nova ian]

Had a good day, despite the foul weather, was good to meet you olly and big thanks for letting me know about the day. Shame about the problems, but at least you got back ok and will get sorted.

The car is awesome, loved it, sounds mint paired with the straight cut:D

Glad your car was ok Iain aswell, can't believe the rain held off while we got it sorted.

Bloody Novas heylol

Anyway heres a few piccies I got

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/cruisindude/DSCN1847.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/cruisindude/DSCN1848.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/cruisindude/DSCN1854.jpg

Ian

[trackdaynova]

Doing some lap time analysis from camcorder footage, proves me wrong.

I "obviously" (come to think about it) wasn't quicker in the pouring rain, than I was in the dry, however it felt like it in comparison to those other on track.

Entry speeds were alot slower than if it was dry with 888s on etc.

Anyway, here is another spreadsheet screenshot, I did more laps than these, but alot of red flags, people spinning out meant we had to come back in etc, so I've only done the timed laps on those complete full laps, not including first or last, obviously as standing start on first, and cooling down lap on last.

1m 46s was my fastest, and it was with my Mum in the car :), reason for this (i think), it was after a red flag, I was at the front of the queue ready to go out again - thus I had no traffic in front of me, so nothing slowing me down.

Will upload a selection of vids, later or tomorrow

Here are the figures:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q161/neocapture/DonnyLapTimes08-12-07.jpg

[Adam]

Yeah on the alternator, Mr "I checked the wiring and it looks fine" :p

Next time i'll keep my jump leads to myself :p:p lol




Be cool see the vids when there uploaded :)

[Iain]

Here's a drive-by video, it's hard to track cars driving past you lol

Clicky (http://iainel.co.uk/files/keep/OllyDonington.avi)

[Dar]

I know, for instance, that Dar loves ATB's and hates plate types, I'm the opposite (again, its all personal to driving style)

Wrong! lol
I use an ATB diff but I don't hate the plate diff's at all. If I was running a rally car then I would use a plate diff straight away. However the ATB diff is very good when your not lifting wheels off of the deck etc.

Anyway, glad you had a good day and brought the car home in one piece:thumb:

Just to give you an indication on what a car fitted with an ATB will do around there in the dry, mine was lapping in 1:26 in traffic last year(First time I had driven there). Just TB's & ATB diff (No SCCR box).

[trackdaynova]

Yup, sounds about right, mine was 1m 30s, Standard XE and ATB

Apologies about getting it wrong about you and plate diffs

[Lee]

Blimey, that looked saturated! Glad to hear another good report on the rainsports, i may well give them a go as my wets next year.

Looked like a belting day despite the weather though! Look forward to the vids!

[trackdaynova]

Just sorting some vids out now... the vids I upload aren't probably going to be my fastest laps, as they are when no other cars are on...

Just sorting some out now!

[tom reid]

Glad you had a good Olly, shame I could'nt get down, but had a last minute car to deal with and then a previous commitment.
The car sounds awsome through the gears, it seems to just get better and better.
Were you getting the rev limiter in 5th?

[trackdaynova]

With the weather being how it was, obviously entry and exit speeds were alot less, I did hit 5th limiter (just) on Starkies Straight, which didn't seem too bad

Would be a completely different story in the dry, as I'd obviously be exitting Coppice Corner at a much faster speed/ more grip

Just sifting through videos now, going to up load a session at a time, takes too long cutting and cropping and editting! lol

[trackdaynova]

5.4mb - 4m 38s - Passenger: Mum (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr1LQeNBzJc)

11.3mb - 10m 02s - Passenger: Steve (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxWMC1cIok8)
(5m30s - 7m11s a particulary good watch, gearbox comes into it's own down Starkies Straight)

9.6mb - 8m 42s - Passenger: Michelle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv3QCA8NZl4)
(bit jumpy at the start, maybe 7 seconds in, but sorts itself out - this is the vid with the white 306 incident at the end)


Enjoy! :)

Other Donny Park Vids can be found here (http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=trackdaynova)

[Ste L]

quality vid's


sound's awsome :cool:

[leesri]

when's the next donnington day planned?
I'm hooked! went in november and was awesome!

[trackdaynova]

have a look on donington website, i think that is it for the rest of the year now :)

[Adam]

Cool vids, the box sounds awesome.

[peester]

ha! go-faster mom's..
cool. Great stuff - very T.O.C.A with the ax wiper in the rain, and that straight-cut 'box sound track lol

[trackdaynova]

lol cheers man - sorry I couldnt get to the meet, I would have done if clutch hadn't given up!

I'm happy with the performance overall, just another thing to upgrade now! haha

[MK1-GTE]

watching them vids gives me the bug ...lol

looked like great fun mate :)

[trackdaynova]

yeah it certainly was good fun - didn't think it was possible with such wet weather!

[peester]

lol cheers man - sorry I couldnt get to the meet, I would have done if clutch hadn't given up!



hey its cool no worries, it was fappin cold anyways.. lol

[trackdaynova]

glad you had a good turn out anyway mate :)

[Lee]

Finally watched the vids. Good footage Mr H :)

If I took my mum out id probably be disowned by the end of it lol, fair play to her!