Project RS

[Jake]

Let me know how that microphone setup works. I'd like to add one to my GoPro but haven't purchased anything yet.

[navin]

I have an external mic plugged into my Hero2: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://vimeo.com/78633808">http://vimeo.com/78633808</a><!-- m -->

With this mic: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006HOLL/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006 ... UTF8&psc=1</a><!-- m -->

I just have it taped to the back of my seat... Should probably think about moving it further back into the car..

[ScottyB]

yeah i'll let you know how it goes. i plan to try a couple different mic locations: behind the driver's seat, in the trunk, and on the rear bumper. subaru boxer intake noise sounds like garbage so i have no plans to mount it forward in the car.

[ScottyB]

question: for an HPDE1 type setting, on VIR-N (only one real straight) do you guys think I need something like Superblue/Amber in the lines? i currently have Valvoline in there because its cheap and easy to get locally. i will bleed the brakes prior to the weekend and i'm trying to figure out if i need to order fluid.

Valvoline is 480 dry boiling, ATE is 536. is the extra 50 degrees of headroom really going to matter at n00b levels in a 165hp car?

[PDenbigh]

I think you'll be ok. If it starts to fade, just back off for the rest of the lap. More fun and speed to be had elsewhere on the lap than in braking zones.

[Jake]

Yeah, you should be fine.

[ScottyB]

thanks....love it when a plan comes together

[Evan]

question: for an HPDE1 type setting, on VIR-N (only one real straight) do you guys think I need something like Superblue/Amber in the lines? i currently have Valvoline in there because its cheap and easy to get locally. i will bleed the brakes prior to the weekend and i'm trying to figure out if i need to order fluid.

Valvoline is 480 dry boiling, ATE is 536. is the extra 50 degrees of headroom really going to matter at n00b levels in a 165hp car?

valvoline is good stuff. you will be fine.
I tracked my miata with multiple drivers and back to back to back long track sessions with valvoline and it held up fine.

my first hpde in my wrx IIRC I used carbotech panther+ pads and stock fluid.

[ScottyB]

thanks, that just further confirms i can at least enjoy the Easy Button with fluid...i'll grab some from the local parts place.

the car currently has Hawk HPS all around...I just ordered Stoptech Street Performance pads for the front. the HPS are "ok" (mucho better than OEM but thats not saying much) and while the braking power may not be crazy the Stoptech's are said to handle fade much better and be very streetable. i just want to keep the brakes consistent and fade free. for $60 its cheap insurance and i won't have to break focus on driving to wonder if the pads are frying.

[ScottyB]

it felt like so much happened this weekend, i'm sort of still trying to process it all. where to start? bottom line: couldn't have asked for a better weekend, and driving an HPDE is all the awesome you think it could be even for a total novice. mid 60's, almost cloudless with brand new fresh pavement and the car ran flawlessly both days. my run group was about 20 cars so i had plenty of open track time and nobody had any exciting "learning moments" aside from a miata that got a little agro at the top of the roller coaster. had a great instructor....very experienced and fun french-canadian (yoo want to bee tearning en 'ere so yoo ayre note too uuuurly to zuh aaaapex) guy with rather choice taste in automobiles ('73 911 RS and a 500 Abarth) and really helped me focus on being smooth.

i had some very bad habits ingrained from years of street driving and lately rallycrossing that were upsetting the car a lot and he helped me to find a lot of grip that i didn't realize was there. i also picked up a great tactic that he recommended which was to literally talk my way through an entire lap...everything from whats in my mirrors to the flag stations to the gear i'm in. by the end of the weekend i was much more confident and could "see" the line through a complex of corners instead of one corner at a time.

the RS did great. aside from a miata, i was pretty much the slowest car there and the only AWD car. i wasn't really watching but i don't think i could get past about 103 down the front straight. that said, despite getting walked in a straight line by some of the muscle cars, it held its own and better everywhere else and the balance was perfect for my level right now. the Stoptech pads were completely boss....NEVER ran out of brakes which was my biggest concern. the Kumho 4X tires were completely out of their element and happily played for me the song of their people (ever hear the sound of a pig stuck in a grain thresher?) but never completely gave up and didn't chunk the shoulders. nailing the gators through 10 and 11 and Hogpen with the car in a faint 4-wheel slide just never ever got old.

i'm a cheapass and slept in the back seat on Friday and Saturday night. i do not recommend this in a sedan. every morning felt like i just finished being strapped down through a transatlantic flight but hey, i saved like, a tank of gas so yay me i guess :bootyshake: i still had to pay a camping fee of $35, what a racket.

the biggest PITA all weekend, of all things, was my damn GOPRO. had wifi issues most of the time and a backpack battery that wouldn't turn off. by Sunday i had it mostly figured out and got some nice footage with the new external mic.

overall weekend highlights:
- the "new VIR" is even more a world class track with the repave
- always great hardware to oogle - lambos, 911s, old Z's, stangs and vettes
- i thought the classroom time would be a total drag, turned out to be one of my favorite parts. time VERY well spent.
- i had the pedal to the floor probably about 90% of the track, car never cared and only used about 3/4 qt. of oil all weekend
- great "paddock mates", made some good friends and had some laughs
- passed or kept up with a number of cars i didn't think i'd be able to
- my instructor told me if we had one more session on Sunday afternoon he would have sent me out solo. i took that as a very high compliment and it will spur me on for next time!

[BLINGMW]

wait, this was your first event no? As in, you've been talking about doing a HPDE for as long as I've known you :thumbup:
Well good work!

[ScottyB]

As in, you've been talking about doing a HPDE for as long as I've known you

yes :oops: been a loooong wait.

[BLINGMW]

[D_Eclipse9916]

the biggest PITA all weekend, of all things, was my damn GOPRO.

Woohoo about the event!

And a +1. People wonder why I can't seem to get a good video of my racing. Always an issue with those damn go-pros. I WILL have it fixed for this season, I insist.

[Jake]

Woo! Congrats on a great weekend :thumbup:

The "talking through laps" technique really does work, whenever I notice myself getting a bit out-of-sorts or losing focus, I start talking to myself. Immediate improvement.

So when will we see you out at a NASA weekend?

[ScottyB]

GOPRO footage of my last session, after i got out of some traffic and into a clear track. had a fun time trying to keep up with the stg1 Golf R in front of me on Rivals. i think the remote mic was a success. couldn't get around some camera buffeting over 100mph.

[youtube]N6-6msviVmc[/youtube]

[SlimKlim]

Sounds awesome! I just bought Jake-ums and remote mic and adapter for his HERO3 so I can guilt trip him whenever I want to borrow it. I'm gonna stick the camera on the bumper and drop the mic somewhere in the engine bay when I autocross on Sunday, should make for some entertaining videos. :thumbup:

[ScottyB]

not much cool stuff to report on the subaru itself, but a whole lot of "car stuff" goin on in the near future.

stay tuned for a mini-installment of "Garage Pimpification, Ya'll." we're basically moving back to GA in a few weeks, and of course one of the demands was that the new place had to have a decent garage. first project before move-in: i'm putting down a floor coating called "Polycuramine" that is similar to epoxy but harder than Paula Dean's arteries, and its getting a layer of "salt and pepper" color chips over the grey base color. on top of that is a Polyaspartic clear coat to protect and will contain a mixed-in anti-skid grit. if i don't botch it all up it should last well into the next owner's time...but we'll see how that goes. i wanted to do racedeck but it is cost prohibitive right now. i'll do a detailed product review when all's said and done.

the rallycross saga looks like it will start kicking even more butt as i'll have 2 SCCA regions to run with that have rallyx sites 1 and 2 hours away from our location in Augusta. i've never run with SCCA but it looks like they have a good classing format and pretty straightforward rules. i think the RS will fall into Prepared AWD and competition will be stiffer than what i had here in NC by a long shot. i'm pretty excited for the challenge, and it also raises some questions about my goals with the car....whats the best way to develop it further but still keep it managable for DD use? do people at daycare frown upon cars sliding into the dropoff area with a hydraulic handbrake? i'd love to be able to compete in a division championship event if i'm good enough within 2 or 3 years.

anyway, more to come in a few weeks. remember....same subaru time, same subaru channel.

[.RJ]

Gettin deep in to the dirty souf...

[WRXtranceformed]

Love following this car. You are using it the way it was meant to be used! If you need a place to stop and relax on the way down to ATL you all are more than welcome to hang out with us!