Build thread on Groot 2

[t walgamuth]

So I bought the 98 Van Dieman from Phil. I have been getting it ready to run in Colombus In on Saturday. So far all my surprises have been pleasant. I spent a few hours yesterday getting some raised boards to get the car into my trailer without dragging on the back of the trailer where it breaks for the ramp. I was going to cut away part of the clutch pedal to get a little more room but found it had already been done.

I'm loving the car so far!

Tom

[t walgamuth]

Today I bought a new lithium battery.....more cranking power and about 9# lighter. Also adjusted belts and seat so I can get in and fasten my belts by myself and get out too. I also loaded up everything I will need tomorrow at the event. I am ready to head out at zero dark thirty.

[Lynn]

Good luck, Tom!!!

[t walgamuth]

Thanks Lynn! I had a good first outing. One of the battery cables was loose so I fixed that in the paddock...then the tech guy spotted water under my car. I pulled the rear cover and looked at all hose clamps, but he noticed it was coming from the radiator cap. I had looked at it at some point and left it loose. Tightened that and no further problem. The car was a little loose the first two runs so I adjusted tire pressures and got it neutral. Tire temps were very even front to rear and inside to outside. We had a predominance of right hand turns so the left front got hotter than the right. Temps were from 95 to 105f.

[captain_pants]

I spent a few hours yesterday getting some raised boards to get the car into my trailer without dragging on the back of the trailer where it breaks for the ramp.

I made smooth hump profiles (same way you'd make a skateboard ramp) the width of my tires and screwed those to my door skin. Greatly increases the versatility for uneven unloading areas.

Have fun with the new (to you) car!

Corey

[t walgamuth]

I made smooth hump profiles (same way you'd make a skateboard ramp) the width of my tires and screwed those to my door skin. Greatly increases the versatility for uneven unloading areas.

Have fun with the new (to you) car!

Corey

Yep...same idea. I used up about 1/3 of my odd lumber lying about and a nail gun.

Tom

[ewcmr2]

Yep...same idea. I used up about 1/3 of my odd lumber lying about and a nail gun.

Tom

Yep, I screwed a couple old 2x4’s to trailer door as proof of concept. It worked so well I haven’t built the snazzy curved ramps.

[t walgamuth]

Yesterday went up to South Bend to run at the Tire rack. It was a lovely day with rain threatening but never coming.

The car was completely neutral, alternating between pushing and loose depending on the situation. The track there is asphalt and pretty slick. I had a great time running 75% of the time with the tail out a bit. My biggest problem is the seat belt crotch straps metal end pieces digging into my hips. There will have to be some modifying there. Driving position now is very good. I discovered I was steering hand over hand on it. I didn't think that would be effective but it was today.

Seven runs in from 43 something to 39.8. Tire temps were pretty equal....fronts mid nineties, rears a bit higher. Last run came quickly after 6th run as it was a rerun and the tire temps reflected the closeness of the time between runs by being about 5 degrees warmer. There was a place where there were two 180 degree turns that were very tight....tricky and even the best drivers had trouble with them. A bit too tight for the turn limited FF chassis. I dnf it first run.

Great fun!

[lowside67]

The car was completely neutral, alternating between pushing and loose depending on the situation. The track there is asphalt and pretty slick. I had a great time running 75% of the time with the tail out a bit.

Great fun!

Generally that behaviour seems most prevalent when the tires are either old ("tired" haha) or not up to temperature. We found that once the tires were happy, the car's behaviour would be more consistent and then we could adjust accordingly; typically just by one or two notches of adjustments on the swaybars maximum.

Glad you are having fun!

Mark

[t walgamuth]

I am wanting new tires but it is late in the season for a significant investment like that.

Thanks Mark!

[t walgamuth]

Hi all, it seems I have two air gauges and I suspect both are wrong. What is a brand of gauge I can depend on to be accurate?

[t walgamuth]

I cannot figure out how to change my avatar image, can someone direct me to instructions please?

[burgerc]

Tom, you bought another CM car? Enjoy!

Clemens

[Garey Guzman]

I cannot figure out how to change my avatar image, can someone direct me to instructions please?

In the upper right, click on "Settings". That'll take you to your profile/preference page. On the left column, there is "Edit Avatar"

Hi all, it seems I have two air gauges and I suspect both are wrong. What is a brand of gauge I can depend on to be accurate?

DaveW started a thread about gauges. Whenever possible, I do what he does although I haven't bought one of these yet.
https://www.apexspeed.com/forums/sho...ght=tire+gauge

[TeamFRD]

Hi all, it seems I have two air gauges and I suspect both are wrong. What is a brand of gauge I can depend on to be accurate?

check saferacer.con. 70percent off sale. I bought a longacre 30 psi guage for under 20.

[t walgamuth]

check saferacer.con. 70percent off sale. I bought a longacre 30 psi guage for under 20.

Thanks very much! I'll check that out.

[t walgamuth]

Hello, the overflow on the van dieman currently has a hose that runs to a catch bottle. My habit is to fill the tank in the trailer with a small can since none of the filling stations around here have hoses long enough to reach the filler from the door. Since it does not back up into the fill funnel the only way to tell if it is full is to notice it backing up and running over the catch bottle. Is this standard operating procedure?

I don't know what my old Reynard did as I towed on an open trailer and just stuck in the hose and let it click off.

[Lynn]

Tom, the vent hose on your former Reynard does not go to the catch bottle. The vent hose runs down the backside of the bulkhead to below the floor. It has a loop in it to prevent the cell from draining if the cars gets in a position other than four tires down.

[t walgamuth]

Thanks Lynn! How big is the loop?

[Lynn]

I don't remember. But, make as big a possible. And, two loops is even better.

[ewcmr2]

Rollover valve even better.
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr....asp?RecID=899

[t walgamuth]

Rollover valve even better.
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr....asp?RecID=899

I'm trying to picture how this one works for me. It would close if upside down right?

[ewcmr2]

I'm trying to picture how this one works for me. It would close if upside down right?

Better for safety, doesn’t help with filling tank.

For filling I have a calibrated dipstick (OK, it’s a 30” long zip tie) to see how much gas is in tank, then I add as many gallons as needed to get it up to the level I want.

[t walgamuth]

Better for safety, doesn’t help with filling tank.

For filling I have a calibrated dipstick (OK, it’s a 30” long zip tie) to see how much gas is in tank, then I add as many gallons as needed to get it up to the level I want.

Yes, looks like I'll be dipsticking it.

[t walgamuth]

Just got back from the autocross in south bend at the Tire rack. The weather held....sunny with some clouds but no rain. We got in 4 runs. It was a tricky course as we went onto the main skidpad twice, once in each direction. On my last run I did a half spin leading into the finish section but never let off the gas and just went on from it. My Best time of the day.

People like the car. Lots of questions. One guy is thinking of buying one. He got in mine and found he fitted pretty well. Next sunday we are running on the concrete at Grissom. He may come and do some runs. I might run his Lotus Elise too.

[t walgamuth]

Ran yesterday at Colombus In. Had a great time. The course there is a big u shape with squared off corners, an old airfield owned by Cummins. There were a zillion slaloms and a few other similar things which I normally don't like that much....but no complaints as when all the dust settled I had third fastest time of the day and fastest in the first run group.

[lowside67]

Open face helmet is a brave choice in a formula car! It only takes one pebble in the face to change your mind on that quickly in my opinion.

-Mark

[t walgamuth]

Yes, I'd prefer a full face but cannot get one on over my glasses.

[lowside67]

Yes, I'd prefer a full face but cannot get one on over my glasses.

I also wear glasses and many folks I know do as well. This is probably a silly question, but to clarify, you haven't been able to find a helmet that you put on, then put your glasses on from the front through the eyeport? That is how I do it and I imagine that's true for you as well, but you said "cannot get a helmet on over my glasses" so just wanted to confirm.

-Mark

[Jamesbe]

Yeah lots of people wear glasses with helmet. That looks downright dangerous even at an autox.

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

[t walgamuth]

I also wear glasses and many folks I know do as well. This is probably a silly question, but to clarify, you haven't been able to find a helmet that you put on, then put your glasses on from the front through the eyeport? That is how I do it and I imagine that's true for you as well, but you said "cannot get a helmet on over my glasses" so just wanted to confirm.

-Mark

I appreciate the concern.

I have not found any helmet which I can put on over my glasses, nor one which I can put my glasses on after the helmet is on. I have seen people who can do this but their heads are not as big as mine. I have run full shields before but they are hard to find and scratch very easily.

I ran the 85 Renard FF and the Dmod Lotus seven previous to this car and so far the worst I have experienced is when the wind is strong at Grissom the grit hits my cheek from the west wind. This car's body is higher than either of them (Especially the Lotus) and the area of exposure is pretty small. On a very windy day I will run clear goggles over my goggle style prescription sunglasses. There is a modest air deflector on top of the cowl.

I would not run this way on a track with the higher speeds. I know from my experience riding motorcycles that the higher wind forces would make my eyes water excessively. I had a full windshield which I used on my old bmw which was set to deflect the air to my forhead and top of head, but I could look over it for the best visibility. I rode in the rain with that setup too though always with a full shield.

Thanks for your comments. I believe I will go do a search for a full face shield that will work on my helmet after your comments.

[TedV]

Optometrist still knows me as the guy who shows up with helmet to try on glasses. Flexon metal frames, slide in through eye port, make sure ears are happy, then do the chin strap.

When headed to the start line, I leave lots of room in front of me especially when behind R comp rear wheel drive cars. I have a divot out of my visor where a rock got spit off a spinning tire as a Vette launched in front of me. I worry about that more than hitting my own grit spit from my own tires. I've even been chewed out by grid workers when they say to pull up. I still tell em no. Safety issue. Besides the rocks. Being a little farther away is extra safety for when the reverse lights come on and the car in front wants to back out of line. THAT gets the adrenaline pumping when in a low slung mod car.

[t walgamuth]

Optometrist still knows me as the guy who shows up with helmet to try on glasses. Flexon metal frames, slide in through eye port, make sure ears are happy, then do the chin strap.

When headed to the start line, I leave lots of room in front of me especially when behind R comp rear wheel drive cars. I have a divot out of my visor where a rock got spit off a spinning tire as a Vette launched in front of me. I worry about that more than hitting my own grit spit from my own tires. I've even been chewed out by grid workers when they say to pull up. I still tell em no. Safety issue. Besides the rocks. Being a little farther away is extra safety for when the reverse lights come on and the car in front wants to back out of line. THAT gets the adrenaline pumping when in a low slung mod car.

Thanks Ted! Do your ear pieces go straight back? Also do you have smallish lenses?

[Lynn]

Tom, I have four sets of glasses. My everyday clear and sun glasses have the smallest lenses. The bifocals are much bigger, but the sun glasses I use with the helmet are the largest. The only pair I can't wear with the helmet are the everyday small sun glasses. The reason is the way the earpieces curve inward to hug the head. Great for keeping them from slipping everyday, but won't come close to going on with the helmet.

I learned when I first got the VEE and needed a full face, that I can't put on the helmet and then put on the glasses. None of them will go on. So, I have to put the helmet part way on and then insert the glasses through the eye port. After getting the glasses to a comfortable position, I pull the helmet down. It may help that I use a Bell with the large eye port.

You probably won't be able to get the glasses to the exact same position in the helmet that you can without it. But, you should be able to get close and comfortable. The helmet will keep the glasses from bouncing around and blurring your vision.

Ted gave good advice when he said he takes the helmet to the optometrist. If I ever need new frames, that is what I plan on doing.

[t walgamuth]

Tom, I have four sets of glasses. My everyday clear and sun glasses have the smallest lenses. The bifocals are much bigger, but the sun glasses I use with the helmet are the largest. The only pair I can't wear with the helmet are the everyday small sun glasses. The reason is the way the earpieces curve inward to hug the head. Great for keeping them from slipping everyday, but won't come close to going on with the helmet.

I learned when I first got the VEE and needed a full face, that I can't put on the helmet and then put on the glasses. None of them will go on. So, I have to put the helmet part way on and then insert the glasses through the eye port. After getting the glasses to a comfortable position, I pull the helmet down. It may help that I use a Bell with the large eye port.

You probably won't be able to get the glasses to the exact same position in the helmet that you can without it. But, you should be able to get close and comfortable. The helmet will keep the glasses from bouncing around and blurring your vision.

Ted gave good advice when he said he takes the helmet to the optometrist. If I ever need new frames, that is what I plan on doing.

Thanks Lynn!

[TedV]

My latest closed face helmet is a Bell BR1. Lenses each measure 52mm wide, 42mm tall with 22mm separation across nose. Overall glasses width is 140mm at ear piece hinges next to lenses, 153mm-ish wide at ears. 35-40mm length curve down behind ears at an angle in the 110-120 degree range. Big part of the solution is the flexible metal frames. I would destroy plastic and other metal frames until flexible metal.

[CM/FFdriver]

.

When headed to the start line, I leave lots of room in front of me especially when behind R comp rear wheel drive cars. I have a divot out of my visor where a rock got spit off a spinning tire as a Vette launched in front of me. I worry about that more than hitting my own grit spit from my own tires. I've even been chewed out by grid workers when they say to pull up. I still tell em no..

I do the same TedV sometimes 2 car lengths, to have a grid worker give you grief is wrong, I will go talk to them before my next run to let them know that it's for my safety.

Ben

[t walgamuth]

Thanks for all the helpful comments.

I am looking for a way to provide a full face shield. My helmet was new this year so I am reluctant to throw it aside.

[t walgamuth]

I have started dipsticking the gas tank to see how full it is. It works fine.

[Gary_T]

'Why must you pummel my car with the stones??' in an eastern European (maybe?) accent... from the guy years ago who would line up closely behind my friend's Lotus 7 clone with big power and big tires. He did it 3 runs in a row...

I'm also a glasses guy, it can be a pain, but take your helmet to the glasses shop and try loads. You'll find some that are better than others.