AutoX #4 (with Pics and Vids)

"roflcopter" (roflroflroflcopter) 03/31/2015 at 11:00 • Filed to: None

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This past weekend my local region SCCA had two autocross events, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. I attended both days along with one of my good friends and had a complete blast. I've been meaning to make it to more of the local events compared to last season but schedules often get in the way. I run an STX class RX8 while my friend was in an ESP S197 Mustang, needless to say they are completely different beasts. Saturday was a lot of fun but I definitely was not on top of my game and the course was a bit slower which left me out of my powerband for most of it.

This awesome Fox was present, it started life as a 2.3 LX and the owner had put some serious time and money into both the suspension as well as the 5.0 swap and he was quite fast and controlled on the course.

This little Honda went hard all day Sunday and turned some quick times.

It was nice to see this 911 owner giving his air-cooled baby some love on the course and really letting it stretch its legs.

This is a video of my second or third(I can't remember) run on Sunday. The course was a bit more open and really catered to my setup. I ended up second in the Street Touring class behind a pushed to the limit 6th Gen Camaro, although I was only ~.5s behind him in raw times. With an alignment and a matching set of tires I think I could easily take him.

After my last run on Sunday I immediately noticed something a bit off while rolling back around into grid. Rough idle, funky feeling throttle response and a bit of hesitation from a stop. So I made a few educated guesses and figured it would make it 10 minutes back home. Yesterday afternoon I ripped into it to see what exactly had gone wrong.

As you can clearly see in this picture, my first assumption was correct. I managed to do some serious work to the passenger side motor mount. Must have happened when I came off throttle across the finish line on that last run.

Luckily it isn't a show stopping issue and I already have a set of Race Roots solid urethane(Energy Suspension's formula) motor mounts in the mail to me and it should be back up and better than ever by this weekend!

My advice to anyone looking to go get involved in an event like this is to DO IT! And if you happen to by local to the Florida Panhandle you are more than welcome to come tag along with me to an event and get a proper introduction to the awesome people around here.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > roflcopter 03/31/2015 at 11:10

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I would love to auto x an RX-8. I almost bought one but didn't think it would work out to well for a daily driver.

roflcopter > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 03/31/2015 at 11:13

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I don't have too much of an issue daily driving it. I did for about 3 years, and then it has spent the last 8 months or so as just my weekend car except for when my other cars break.

It's amazingly well set up from the factory, I'm honestly nervous about modifying it towards the class limits because I'm afraid anything I do is going to make it worse...

Nonster > roflcopter 03/31/2015 at 11:21

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Where in the panhandle? I don't live there anymore, but I grew up in Pensacola and went to school in Tallahassee

Scary__goongala! > roflcopter 03/31/2015 at 11:22

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new motor mounts make such a difference. The stock mounts on my NA were trashed, switched to stiffer mazda competition mounts. Huge improvement in smoothness and high rpm shifting.

roflcopter > Nonster 03/31/2015 at 11:24

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I live in Pensacola and we have events from New Orleans to Brewton, AL at a variety of locations!

roflcopter > Scary__goongala! 03/31/2015 at 11:27

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The mounts that are in it are actually urethane filled ones I made a while ago when one of mine started leaking. I guess the heat from the exhaust manifold finally got the best of it when I came off throttle. The ones I ordered are solid poly ones from Race Roots(not the best place but BHR ones are backordered indefinitely and cost twice as much).

I'd been noticing a bit more driveline slop and a it trickier shifts when on it but had attributed it to 11 year old u joints and all, maybe I should have looked to the motor mounts first. I am not considering getting some new diff mounts, as well as a transmission brace.

Scary__goongala! > roflcopter 03/31/2015 at 11:31

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ive been meaning to replace my diff bushings with better units as well. My new motor mounts are still rubber but 40% stiffer. My 4th to 5th shifts before they were replaced could be very wonky sometimes.

Pinkslip > roflcopter 03/31/2015 at 13:20

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Looks fun!

I've been interested in getting a fast weekend car, like a modified MX5, that I would want to autox. But I'm a little concerned competing in a modified class as a novice autox-er will get me in over my head and I will be completely noncompetitive. Being a competitive person, I don't think I would enjoy that.

The alternative is to take my modified daily driver S5 to an autox event. But I would be less inclined to push it on it's 20" BBS wheels. I need my tires to last on my (3800 lb) daily driver.

Thoughts for a potential beginner with previous road course track day experience?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > roflcopter 03/31/2015 at 21:01

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It was the lack of power and torque below 6,000 rpm. I lived in Sacramento CA and stop and go would have been hell.