xcarguy

Here's what one M-spec owner did with the headlights: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=20426&g2_page=2 http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=20426&g2_page=3 Also, simply browse the Stalker Gallery; lots of photos and ideas: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_page=4 X

Contact the folks at wirewheel.com They deal in these cars every day.

Brilliant! Simply, brilliant! :hurray::cheers::hurray:

Klasik-69, Well done, sir! :cheers: X

Go to a parts store and purchase a thread pitch gauge such as the one pictured below. Use it to find your thread pitch.

Loren Edwards (325) 650-7049 He's the man, aka WestTexasS2K on this sight.

A good source for heim joints: http://www.qa1.net/ A good source for mounting hardware: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/ The -AN hardware form Aircraft Spruce can be converted to SAE (ex. -8AN is same as 1/2" SAE). Aircraft hardware can be ordered in pretty much any specific grip length desired (non-threaded area on bolt shaft).

Dave, Welcome back. What is the possibility of purchasing your old Birkin back from the current owner? You speak of building a new car or modifying a used car. Your old Birkin is already set up for you. Duriing the long winter, you could install a Duratec; this has already been done by Texas Motor Works and I think the mods are minor . . . just a thought. :seeya: X

Congrats!!! Time to join . . . http://gglotus.org/

Installed oil pan baffle from Improved Racing. http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=23147

The use of 'universal' hand signals in loud, open-top cars should be considered normal operating procedure. :smash:

whotoo, Congradulations on joining in on the fun! :cheers: X

Croc, Great video! Thanks for ‘getting out of bed’ and sharing. Counting down my favorite examples: 7. Example two—get lost on the way to the hairdressers: really, the haircut could have waited just one more day. And, s#%##t, I think I broke a nail. 6. Example three—drive like a monkey: da%*&ed track Nazis, always sneaking out and putting down those hidden second apexes. Happens to me quite frequently, but that's okay . . . I always find them! :smash: 5. Example four—drive like a tosser: deep down inside, admit it, we ALL want to ‘drift’ through that corner . . . what fun!!! 4. Example five—disconnect brain: lots of sand in that area where there should be grass . . . track Nazis up to no good again. 3. Example one—forget to lock down your hood: and I thought this only happened during chase scenes in the movies.:lurk: 2. Example seven—track orgy: what can you say; some things are better admired from a distance. 1. Examples six—solo wanker-yank: make the most of those off-road excursions by adorning the scuttle (Love Bug style) with incoming flora. Hands down, my favorite! :seeya:

Looks like a lot of fun! It's especially satisfying to get behind the wheel of a car you built yourself and turn it loose. :cheers:

Croc, Unfortunately, the only data I have for comparison on how my car performs with the aero is between the two track days I’ve done with this car at MSR Cresson (MSRC). MSRC is the only track I’ve ran the car on thus far and I have never run the car without the aero mods. So, as for noticeable down force, I’ve never had a chance to do a side-by-side comparison of the car at speed with and without the aero, so not sure what the down force differences (if noticeable at all) would feel like. However, I do believe the aero is coming into play at speeds north of 80mph (my best guess base on entry speeds, sustained speeds and exit speeds on the track). Aero would probably also be better with the front fenders removed, but I like the protection from rocks the fenders yield. A few years ago, I took a rock to the elbow and cut a tendon; hurt like crazy and took forever to heal. The first track day was run on April 13 at MSRC and was run CW. The second track day was run on June 1; same course, run CCW. In between running those two track days, I made a few changes to the car and changed my driving technique a bit. Here are the particulars for the April 13 event: · MSRC 1.7mi course, CW · Rear wing installed · Front wing installed · Front fenders installed with louvers · Front springs—600lb · Rear springs—400lb · 1/16th to 1/32nd tow in · Avon slicks—21.5x10.7x15 at all four corners · 15x10 wheels with 4.5 offset at all four corners · Front tire pressure—20psi · Rear tire pressure—20psi · Down shifts from forth to third at all corners entries · High for the day--78°F · My max speed for the day—somewhere between 125 and 130mph · My best estimated lap time for the day—1:25.5 Particulars for the Jun1 event: · MSRC 1.7mi course, CCW (I’ve been told the track is somewhat faster when run CCW as opposed to CW; it does seem to flow better) · Rear wing installed (no change) · Front wing installed (added out wing extensions) · Front fenders installed with louvers · Rear diffuser installed · Head lights removed · Brooklands windscreens removed · Front springs—600lb (no change) · Rear springs—400lb (no change) · Near-zero tow in · Avon slicks—21.5x10.7x15 at all four corners (same slicks) · 15x10 wheels with 4.5 offset at all four corners · Front tire pressure—20psi · Rear tire pressure—19psi · All turns entered in forth gear with the exception of two · High for the day--92°F · My max speed for the day—somewhere between 135 and 140mph · My best estimated lap time for the day—1:22 If you went back and compared my videos from April and June, June would reveal better setup in the corners as well as higher entry and exit speeds. As for how much difference the aero is making on the MSRC track, I can’t say. I will say that—with all things considered—the car handled better, had incredibly better grip and felt much more solid in the corners in the June event vs. the April event.

What my color says about me: Red . . Ah . . . What can i say? It was painted red when I bought it back from Mike Sharkey.

Croc, For negotiating the not-so-great roads of south AR, I run the following on the street: Center Line Wheels and Nitto NT01 tires (dry road only) 17 x 8 front with 225/45ZR17 and 17 x 9.5 rear with 255/40ZR17 The 17” wheel/tire combo (see photo below) gives me just over an extra inch of ground clearance for speed bumps, etc. When I go to the track, I switch to the following: 10 x 15 wheels (Summit Racing) with Avon 10.7 x 21.5 x 15, A-11 compound (all four corners). This combo reduces the tire diameter from almost 24" down to 21.5" which is a great height for the 1.7mi track at Cresson. I'm running the 15" slicks based on Roger Kraus's recommendation for my car's weight and power. I run the SR wheels as they came while the CL wheels have been powder coated—I hate having to polish anything.

Over the years, I’ve morphed from being a car show hound to just simply wanting to drive (and sometimes, drive hard). I don’t do car shows very often anymore, but when I do, I never stay for the entire show. I’ll usually pay the entry fee to support the host, look around for a bit and then leave. In early May, I took my car to a local a car show. When I arrived, I supported the host by paying the $25.00 ‘entry’ fee, collected my t-shirt and goodie-bag and moved on without filling out the entry form. Curious, I sat down and pulled the blank form from the goodie-bag and began to look over the entry classes. It was then that I realized that the most fun car I have ever owned in my life no longer fit the mold of car-show enthusiast thinking. The classes at the show were: Antique—okay, my car is registered as a 1964 Lotus &, but really, am I going to fit in with the 1931 Willys that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor or with the little MG whoes owner has built and polished it with his heart and soul? Classic—classic what? Muscle—yep, and lots of it in the power-to-weight class, but not a Chevelle, Charger, Mustang or Z-28. Street Rod—ah, no; I suppose I could have removed the fenders and entered it as a hi-boy Lotus. Trucks—well, my car does have straight-axle S-10 rear end, but . . Best of Show (only first place)—no shiny pieces on my car; how about a Best of Go class? Best in Show Interior (only first place)—what interior? Best in Show Engine (only first place)—nothing shiny there, either. Best in Show Paint (only first place)—it does have red paint (somewhere) but I’ve recently nicknamed my car ‘Stickers’. :seeya:

While not a Duratec or X-flow, my car does have an oil temp gauge in addition to the oil pressure and water temp gauges. Oil temp is picked up from RH side of the oil pan. In the last track day video I posted, oil temp is displayed at around 150-160 near the beginning of the session and peaks out at around 210 (no oil cooler) by the end of the session while water temp starts out at around 180 and ends up in the 230 range. The track day was run on June 1 in Cresson , TX and the outside temp during the run was 88 degrees F. In the video, you can't see the oil pressure gauge (hidden by steering wheel) but you can see the water temp to the left of the tach (looking through the steering wheel) and you can see the oil temp gauge to the right of the steering wheel.

What did your water temp read in relation to your oil temp?

Seven owners, once behind the wheel, seem to have an extremely poor since of direction. This often calls for a rather lengthy stretch of road to clear the head. A good rule of thumb for 'Seven' distance for any given leg is to multiply the actual distance to be driven by 5 and then add 59% to that figure.

Shoot WestTexasS2K a pm; he's the WCM go-to guy.

He was not; I was the only representative of Seven-esque owners. 1:15-1:16 range . . . Guess I'll have to drill some more holes in those front fenders! :svengo:

:cheers: