BrettC

Hi guys

On Saturday 19th Feb santa pod are doing one of their RWYB days. As I only live about 4 miles away I am (in a moment of insanity) going to enter my standard Saab.

On the SP website they state that if you anticipate a terminal speed in excess of 100mph you should wear a crash helmet. The problem is, as a 1/4 mile newbie, I have no idea whether or not I need a crash helmet. The other problem is that I dont own one.

Is anyone else going to the event? If so, I would be very grateful if someone could lend me their crash helmet for my run.
Anyone else, come and watch how it should NOT be done.

The car i am entering is a 2.3 Turbo which is not slow by any means with 200bhp but it is not quick at getting away from the line. (too much wheelspin, which is crap driver! im not blaming the car).

Cheers

Brett

ben j

i doubt it'll hit 100 by the 1/4
i'm going that day too!

BrettC

Hi ben j

I dont know whether im relieved about you thinking it wont hit 100mph or annoyed.

What are you going in ill keep a look out for you.

Good luck with your time though.

Cheers

Brett

PS is there a list anywhere of what terminal speeds 'normal' cars have acheived over the 1/4 to give me an indication of what im going to force my poor old (1991) saab to do?

BrettC

I've since discovered that the saab should do the 1/4 in 15.2 seconds. Is there a way of converting this into terminal mph? I suspect not (i'm sure i have seen 1/4 mile times where the terminal speed is higher than another quicker time ie, different gearing etc) but I though I would ask anyway. Apologies if you think is a stupid question.
cheers
brett

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

From my limited experience I'd say your terminal velocity would be about 90-95mph. To exceed 100mph TV you'd be looking at sub-11.5 to 12.0 second, possibly sub 11.0 second, runs.


M

BrettC

Meridian. Thanks mate. No crash helmet needed for me then.

ben j

i'll be in a red vts saxo. hopefully running some rapidoooo times. (its supercharged)

ben j

oh look for a subaru blue 16v clio too. thats my mate, turbo conversioned 1.8 16v

BrettC

Hi ben j

Will keep a look out for you and your mate. Good luck with your times.
Do you guys keep your registration plates on? Ive seen a few clips of normal roads cars going up the strip and they all seem like they have their reg plates removed?
Why do they do this?

CHRIS_D

I can confirm you wont need a crash helmet, unless your on a bike or in one of them rocket cars etc, but make sure you have your driving licence or you will be disapointed.

BTW i did a 13.4 in my uk subaru (full decat, blitz induction and dawes at 1 bar) and my terminal speed was 99.9 mph


ref the no plate, never took mine off - maybe paranoia for the others of getting slapped for insurance claim purposes - but hey, theres no bends so how can you crash ?

HTH
chris

tweenierob

some new cars remove there plates as it may void their waranty racing, subaru staff have been known to attend track days but i have yet to hear of any at the drag strip.
Apart from that maybe they dont want any unwanted attention at home.

Terminal speeds are usually determined by the cars power output, 100mph is around the 300hp mark. Terminal times have no bearing on terminal speeds.

Two identical power cars can record the same terminal speed but if one fluffs the start for example, it will record a 2sec slower 1/4 time.

Going on that post, my 122mph terminal should have me doing 9's

Rob

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

probably take off the no. plate for better cooling? or if you've got a front mount, stop that stoopid pice of plastic getting in the way off all that nice cold air

bloody tempted to do a RWYB drag again, absouloute blast. would recommend it to anyone. don't know if the clutch will take another hammering though and it's gonna be a dear couple of months as it is

skiddus_markus

100mph on an AWD car would see low 13secs usually.The same speed in a FWD would see mid 14's-low 15's.Meridian-a sub 11 sec car only hitting 100mph?Maybe with a short ratio box on the redline in 5th otherwise it would be in the 120's at the slowest.
I doubt you'll hit 100mph,probably around 90-95mph as already said.If you do manage it then well done.

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

I very carefully never claimed I was an expert (I'm no-where near), and yes, there's many factors involved. I was just giving a ball-park guess based on some runs I'd seen.


M

BrettC

Chris D: Thanks for clearing up the top speed and the crash helmet thing. I have since discovered that the car should be able to do 15.2 1/4 with a terminal velocity of approx 92mph.

Tweenierob: With only 200bhp this should be sufficiently far enough away from the 100mph/300bhp mark.

hoskib: The number plates is situated on the front bumper so doesnt really interfere with I/C airflow. It is a front mount but this is completely standard. (Its about the same size as the rad )

SM: Will post my time and TV just for info. Like i said i am a complete newbie to the drag strip so i will be pleased with high 80s and about 16s

Meridian: You were pretty much spot on mate for what the estimated TV. Thanks.

Thanks all.

Brett

PS If the time i report is rubbish, it was because my tyres are crap!

AdiM

I went last year and had a top time, but not a top 1/4 mile time as it was wet. They try and dry the track with a jet engine thing on a truck but the rain kept coming.

The surface is really odd, the slightiest bit of dampness and you get no grip at all. I had the rear wheels spinning in my Esprit ( 240 bhp ) in 1st, 2nd and 3rd !! That would not happen on a normal road.

No one wore a crash hat when I went and many cars would have terminated at 100mph+ if it had been dry.

Another odd thing about 1/4 miles and terminal speed is that you can get some cars that have almost identical 1/4 mile times but hugely different terminal speeds. I'm hoping to go in the next month or so and try again.

AdiM

Oh, one other thing. Even thought they have timing lights ( 3-2-1 go !! ), your time only starts when you leave the line. I found it best to try and ignore the other car and the lights and just go when you are ready.

BrettC

AdiM

Thanks for the reply mate and for the top tip about the timing only starting when you move not when the light goes green. Will defintately bear this mind.

____________

anyone else going this saturday from SN. I'd like to watch some scoobs from here showing how its done!

skiddus_markus

I wasn't having a dig.I'm not an expert either but have been to plenty of RWYB's and have a pretty good idea of what to expectr from different cars now.

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

also 3-2-1 lights go thru amber to green quicker than your brain can follow them. someone told me to go as soon as you see the first amber as by the time your brain tells your feet to what to do it's already on green

as said though, only bother with this if you're interested in good reaction times. but whatever you do, don't sit on the line for 10 secs reving your car to perfection only to stall as some tit did in a porker as we were watching

personally i found racing the person beside me much more of a buzz than what times i got, any good times were a bonus

whatever else happens, you'll have a great time

David Lock

I saw that jet car thingy at Santa. About 5 secs or something. My ears are still hurting..........

BrettC

hoskib: I know what you mean about having a good time. This is purely for a laugh and as its just a few miles up the road it would be rude not to! I am sort of interested in what my actual time will be though (wether i beat/race the chap next to me or not) I am in a bit of a dilemma at the mo of wether to spend a fair old bit of cash on the saab to make some really noticable improvements or to sell it and then buy as Aero.

What happens in the unlikely event that you get a false start? Do i continue down the strip and the que up again or do i stop if i realise i have jumped the lights?

If i stall it then......ill get my coat!

DL: knowing my luck ill be put up against the jet car!

AdiM

As soon as you move off the line the timing starts, so if you sort of move, stop etc then the clock is still running so you just go down the track and join the queue again, that's all you can do.

I did a 0-60 / 0-100 thing at Bruntingthrope in the summer. Much less pressure as you just go when you are ready and the accelerometer measures you're time/distance. I managed 0-60 in 4.7 and 0-100 in 10.2 . 1/4 miles was 13.2 @ 110mph, but I backed off a bit before the end.

BrettC

Where those times in your Esprit? Pretty impressive.

AdiM

Brett

Yep, but not the one I took to Santa Pod. I've had this one for about 12 months, it's a V8 Sport 350, that's the lightened track version of the V8. Most magazines test it at about 4.4 to 4.8 to 60, so for me to get 4.7 with just one attempt was pretty good I thought. I just managed a very good ( lucky ) start and away it went.

BrettC

AdiM.

Very nice car mate.

Are you sure you don't want to take it to SP this weekend?? goooo on!

AdiM

Brett

This weekend is a bit short notice, but I'll definately be going soon. Last time there were 6 of us, me plus 4 300ZXs and 1 Escort cossie. My mate has swapped his 300zx for a Celica 4x4 so he's very keen to try it out. The trouble is, for me it's almost 350 miles round trip so it's a bit of a waste if the weather is bad. I'll let you know when we are going, because I'm eager to see what time I can do.

Adrian

BrettC

Hi Adrian

When you next come down PM me. I only live about 5 miles from it so could potentially come at quite short notice. Lotus, 300ZX, GT4, cossie, saab..eh....saab??

trekkker

anyone going sunday

trekkker

BrettC

Took the old saab today.

Best time: 16.181
Best reaction: 0.135
Best TV: 89.82

Time got slower throughout the day.

A bit dissapointed really

On one of my runs there was a v quick Fiat Coupe though (20V Turbo).

Time: 14.741
Reaction: 0.333
TV: 95.57



There was a nice gaggle (collective noun?) of scoobs there too doing good times, good idea with the fire extinguisher into the IC....you could have given me a blast too.?!