Silk

Mazda, :-( Sorry you'll miss the opener, but we'll be expecting you in June. Gary

Mazda, I agree with Tom - with all your HP and TQ, the bigger the contact patch, the better. Most of the year I'm spraying my tires between runs to evaporate heat. Now, as a competitor, I'd strongly recommend the tire in the link below. It'll build heat fast, last a long time, and it looks really smart. http://www.universaltire.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=25222&category_id=330 Gary

Excellent!! You'll have a great time. May will be here before you know it, so get all those stray pieces reattached.

May depend on the law in your state. Virginia passed the SEMA-backed replica legislation in 2007 allowing replica vehicles to be registered with the model year for which they replicate...with inspections based on the requirements for that model year. I know of a couple people who converted build-year titles to the year the car replicates. They couldn't run antique tags, but the change did give them a break in terms of inspections & insurance.

One question immediately comes to mind - - - why?

Jack, I have to admit the Cobra has spoiled me a bit on how the Stalker sounds. And I completely agree with you on the Miata. A fellow Cobra owner and I did the 2007 One Lap in his bone stock '95 Miata, and we had a blast. Over 5000 miles without a hicup, and the car was great on the track. Second lowest HP of all the entrants (a Geo Metro kept us out of the HP basement), but we still finished 65th out of about 90 cars. We affectionatley called ourselves SLO~MO~FO Racing. If I were to buy a track-day ride, that would be it! Gary

Dermot, Interesting question you pose. I drive three cars competitively – mostly autocross: a C6 Vette, a Cobra replica and a Super Stalker. All three fall under the general rubric of “high performance,” but all three have very discrete fun factors and performance characteristics. From my perspective, the Cobra is the most fun to drive competitively. It’s a small, uncivilized car that you really have to muscle around the track, and it can step out without much warning. Lift-off oversteer is always deadly. Braking is tolerable, but my car has power nothing – not brakes, not steering – and I like it that way. Kind of like a trip down nostalgia lane. The overall sensory experience with a V8 and limited baffles in the side pipes is quite inspiring. Pretty enjoyable as a road car, even for long trips. With top and side curtains, it’s even tolerable in the rain – as long as remaining largely dry is not an important objective. The Corvette is the least fun to drive, even though its-lap time performance is on par with, and in some circumstances better than, the Cobra. Brakes are superb, acceleration is awesome and the suspension/handling is excellent and very predictable. But it’s a big car and doesn’t give me quite the same level of confidence as the others that I can toss it around with impunity. I enjoy it tremendously, but it’s my rainy day competition car (and my daily driver). The Super Stalker is in a class by itself in terms of performance. On a 50 second autocross course, I’m easily 3-4 seconds quicker in the Stalker than I am in either the Vette or the Cobra. And the Stalker is, for me, a very easy car to drive right at its limits. Flat handling, sticks like glue (I run non-DOT slicks), very predictable. It certainly inspires confidence in me as a driver and gives me lots of room for driver improvement. I think it handles more like a formula car than anything else. Looks wise – well, I suppose it’s an acquired taste. It seems a bit homely sitting between the other two cars. And when I’m running it hard, I think it sounds more like angry yard equipment than anything else. But when I’m focused on lap times, it always puts a huge grin on my face. Also fun on the road, especially in the twisties, even though it’s set up primarily as a track car. In terms of head-turning quotient, the Vette is right about 0. The Cobra gets lots of thumbs up and waves. The Stalker gets a lot of “WTF is that” looks – except for the enlightened among us who recognize it for what it is and honk and wave enthusiastically. All in all, I feel very fortunate to have these three cars. They all deliver a different driving experience and I thoroughly enjoy each of them. Gary

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/classifieds/442/

Al, Got my packet as well - sorry not to have acknowledged it before this. Gary

I'm going to try to make it up this year with either the Stalker or the Cobra. Gary

Other than fiddling with spring rates and a couple of other minor things, the car is pretty much where I want it. So as long as it's dry, I'll drive it all winter. Some days are a bit more "refreshing" than others.

I got a call from an individual that had planned to buy a Brunton Stalker kit and had begun assembling the drive train to build a Super Stalker (supercharged GM V6). He's decided not to go forward with the project and is selling what he has. I told him I'd post his information here. If you have any interest, please contact him directly. * * * * * 2006 Pontiac grand prix S/C motor with 3,759 miles. bell-housing flywheel and bolts - factory pressure plate clutch throw out bearing " " " hydraulic clutch line - factory motor and transmission mounts - factory new alternator alternator bracket - factory two fan belts altinator/supercharger Energy suspension motor mounts - RED belt tensioner/ oil filter housing assembly WRONG Oil filter housing - factory CORRECT 2 Buick " supercharged " emblems Machine shop costs and miscellaneous nuts and bolts I also have all the original parts off the engine including a full wiring harness. I have original bills of sale for all the parts, and a 4 column journal as a history of all my direct expenses associated with the project. All this comes to $ 2,766.27 which does not factor in all the phone calls, trips to the factory, time on the computer, and travel costs to pickup various parts. I live in Cape Charles VA. about 10 miles North of the Chesapeake bay bridge tunnel, at the end of the Delmarva peninsula. The price for every thing is $ 2,750.00 FIRM. Any questions please call me, if no answer please leave a message. Roger L. Munz roger_munz@yahoo.com

Father & son drive the Reyanad. Son is the hot shoe and wasn't there (but would have had a good run for his money from Jeff). Father was 3rd overall. Here are the results: http://www.nationalroadrally.com/carve_08.html

In an impressive performance, Jeff Duncan and his WCM Ultralite got FTD both Saturday and Sunday at the last event of the year in Cumberland. Wow! I missed Saturday due to work, but couldn’t come close to hanging with Jeff on Sunday and finished 4th. Out of a 94 car field on Sunday, 1st and 4th was certainly another good showing by 7s. Good job Jeff! Gary

Big improvement! Thanks. Gary

Mazda, just a bit under two weeks until the next event in Cumberland. Put down the plasma cutter, angle grinder, mig welder and assorted implements of mass metal destruction and bring the monster on up! And Bob Drye – how about it??? Jeff and I will have the red carpet rolled out. :thumbs:

Jeff, I thought the highest complement our 7s received was several people calling them "cheater cars." All said in good fun, but perhaps with a degree of frustration. :) Hopefully we can drag Mazda and a few others up to Cumberland for the last event of the year. Gary

Russ, Message sent. Gary

Russ, UPS says shipping for the belts would be $12.00. Let me know if you interested. Gary

Mazda, Here's a link to the entry form: http://www.nationalroadrally.com/pdf/2008AutoxEntry.pdf You can also register online at http://www.myautoevents.com/ You can sign up for Saturday, Sunday or both. Most of us try to run both days and stay here: http://www.bestwesternmaryland.com/hotels/best-western-braddock-motor-inn/ Single rooms are about $70 and it has a nice restaurant & bar. About 5 minutes from the Cumberland airport where the event takes place. The picnic on Saturday evening at $20 is a GREAT deal. Its catered, the food is outstanding - all you can eat and drink - and it's held at the farm of a guy who has one of the best private collections of vintage Vettes in the country - with a preference for fuelies and big blocks. As far as tech inspection, very straightforward: no fluid leaks, battery secure, throttle return spring, good brakes, and a Snell SA- or M- 2000 or newer helmet (they have loaners on hand if needed). No problem with an absence of bodywork - others have run that way before. Really hope you can make it. Gary

Yup, that and another one that's a bit faster on an autox course. Jeff and I both beat the one in the video last weekend, but need to find about another second to beat the faster one. The Reynard drivers are nice guys, and those cars give us a good target to shoot for. Gary

Mazda, They'll run on October 25th and 26th. It'd be great if you could make it up there. Between now and then - less weight, more HP! Gary

Jeff Duncan (WCM Ultralite) and I (Super Stalker) were back in Cumberland MD for round four of our summer-long competition. Given the number of fast cars and capable drivers in the field, we were pleased with our 2nd and 3rd place finishes on Saturday and 3rd and 4th finishes on Sunday. Jeff edged me by .047 seconds on Saturday, but I managed to return the favor on Sunday by .185. We just need to figure out how to deal with the BMod Reynards that keep stealing the show. Perhaps a little WD 40 applied to their slicks would be in order. All in all, the Sevens were quite well represented! Here’s a link to the results. Gary http://www.nationalroadrally.com/sizzler_08.html

As I've converted the car from street to track use, I've ended up with some surplus stuff. Hope someone here can use it. No reasonable offer refused. Four Basset Racing steel wheels mounted with Falken Ziex tires. Wheels are 15 x 7, 5 x 4 ¾" bolt circle, 3 ¾ backspace. Tires are 205/50/15H. Only about 200 miles on both the wheels and tires. Excellent condition. Cost over $400 – asking $200 + shipping. SOLD http://www.capitalareacobraclub.com/gallery2/d/89349-1/php0x3VDgAM.jpg http://www.capitalareacobraclub.com/gallery2/d/89352-1/phpbslstkAM.jpg Two Corbeau 3-point double release harnesses. Used for about 200 miles. Cost $80 each - the pair for $100 + shipping. SOLD http://www.capitalareacobraclub.com/gallery2/d/89366-2/phpSYX7aNAM.jpg Two molded high back seats that came with the original package + covers. Seats were never used. Covers have small tears on back (see pic). Both seats and covers for $100 + shipping. SOLD http://www.capitalareacobraclub.com/gallery2/d/89356-1/phpV1LfiAAM.jpg http://www.capitalareacobraclub.com/gallery2/d/89359-1/phpPyeabcAM.jpg

Wow - what a great experience! Thanks for sharing the story. Gary