New FB builder Hurley Race Products

[Mike Devins]

How about seeing how the exhaust system is done.

Hey Mike we promise to finish the welding before we deliver the car.

[Mike Devins]

Testing at Waterford Hills today,

[Jnovak]

I have seen this beauty up close and personal. It will be quick IMO.

Thanks ... Jay Novak

[2BWise]

Will it be out tomorrow or Sunday?

[Northwind]

The Mike(s) should be very proud of this car. Job well done!

[Mike Devins]

Just back to the shop - Brian Novak piloted the car for two sessions and the car was solid and leak free.

I will let Brian give a detailed description of the handling of the car but overall I was very pleased with his feedback - now we just need to get Mike Holland in the car and out to Hallet to continue the development.

Mike and his friend Steve also took a number of pictures that I am sure will gt posted when they get back to Tulsa.

Good luck with you new car!

[Mike Holland]

How about one good one this evening before leaving for Tulsa.

[Mike Devins]

few more shots of the finished car

[Christopher Crowe]

Congrats to the Mikes -- great looking car!

[JohnPaul]

really awesome looking car

[a. pettipas]

Pretty...I really like your engine cover and air scoop integration

[brownslane]

Having brought the car to Mike Devins after I picked it up in Tulsa, I can tell you the car is a little bit different! Nice job (as always) Mike! For Mike Holland, what a nice car for you mate! And thanks again for your hospitality and dinner!

Another great FB car is on the track!

[Mike B]

Having brought the car to Mike Devins after I picked it up in Tulsa, I can tell you the car is a little bit different!

That was a different car.

[Mike Devins]

Having brought the car to Mike Devins after I picked it up in Tulsa, I can tell you the car is a little bit different! Nice job (as always) Mike! For Mike Holland, what a nice car for you mate! And thanks again for your hospitality and dinner!

Another great FB car is on the track!

the car that you picked up in Tulsa was an earlier Van Diemen - RF 95 if I remember correctly - This one started life as a RF-98, it was wide tracked and became a DSR and is now resurrected again as an open wheeler.

The chassis conversion to M/C power was the first one that I did, similar in many ways to the one that I do now for the earlier cars.

[brownslane]

No wonder ...now I remember the story. Sorry, "old man's disease" striking again

Really nice work done by a great guy for another great guy! Geeze, I am about to get all teary eyed!
T

[Brian.Novak]

Time for an Apexspeed debrief!

For a first time drive the car was great, it had absolutely zero problems! Got to Waterford and went over the setup of the car with Mike. The thought was the car should be neutral to slight push, which is always nice for a shakedown. Well, the car delivered exactly as advertised. First session I did a few laps, came in for the obligatory leak check, and then headed back out to push on the car a bit. Car was great when pushed with just a slight understeer. No ill handling characteristics, turned in great, stopped great, and had excellent high and low speed grip and responded very well to all my inputs.

For the second session we nut and bolt checked the car and proceeded to make some slight shock changes to soften the car for Waterford as it was a bit overdamped. Car responded beautifully to the shock change, just as it should have. Made another shock change mid session and pushed on the car a little bit more. Then I broke the seat (We were using the stock VD fiberglass seat for the shakedown) Too many cheeseburgers for me I guess! We felt the car had proven itself well enough and decided to save it some wear and tear since I no longer had anything holding me in it.

Overall, the car worked flawlessly and responded beautifully to the changes we put to it; both large and small changes were easily felt and understood. It is very well engineered and executed and I think it is going to be a super competitive car in short order.

Huge thank you to both Mike's for allowing me to come shakedown the car, glad I could bring it back in one piece with some good, useful, feedback.

Then Mike let me drive the DSR. Brian likes downforce.....

As an added bonus to anyone who wants me to test, I bring my beautiful GF with me to pose with your car. We figured that works better than Mike!

Questions?

[Mike Devins]

...........

Then Mike let me drive the DSR. Brian likes downforce.....

As an added bonus to anyone who wants me to test, I bring my beautiful GF with me to pose with your car. We figured that works better than Mike!

Questions?

So how much does Brian like D/F?

Thanks for the feedback!

[iamuwere]

It is really nice to see this car reborn....

[Christopher Crowe]

The car must work as well as it is pretty. Both Mikes should be very proud of this very cool effort...

Regards,

Crowe

[Northwind]

Brian,

You keep on packing that cheeseburger downforce on for the runoffs so the rest of us have a chance! And please bring your girl friend over to our paddock location at the runoffs. There is a fairly large contingent of Novak F1000 conversions in close proximity that she could model next to. So where will the first Novak/ Devins conversion shootout take place? This could be a good one.

[924RACR]

Then Mike let me drive the DSR. Brian likes downforce.....

Heh heh... there's still more room in the WHRRI DSR grid, c'mon down!

[CSHAW]

Nice work Mike.

Corey

[Mike Devins]

http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/MikeH98/library/

Mike Holland forwarded these pictures.

Per Mike "The car is great, it never did anything wrong."

Really makes me happy to have the car out and running.

[mblanc]

http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/MikeH98/library/

Mike Holland forwarded these pictures.

Per Mike "The car is great, it never did anything wrong."

Really makes me happy to have the car out and running.

Why is he going the wrong way? ;-)

[Mike Devins]

It is not an SCCA event and I believe that they run it the opposite direction one of the two races.

[Mike Holland]

For those not in the know, the SCCA Major is typically run in the opposite direction. I am running COMMA and every other race weekend is run in the opposite direction. Next race is Oct 27 with practice all day on the 26 and run in normal race direction.
The reverse direction is how the Indy cars would test here in the mid 80's before going to Long Beach. It is suppose to be faster. Back when there were more races at Hallett and before the special sanctions started, there was a Regional race that ran backwards (reverse direction). As I understand, typical race direction is the only way that SCCA has now sanctioned the track.

[Brett Lane]

Interesting rear wing to diffuser placement. Would those end plates work on my '98? With my HRP diffuser?

[Mike Devins]

I made the rear wing mounts to position the rear wing there - the end plates are stock VD pieces

[ghickman]

Mike Holland
Great looking car, I believe that is the best looking conversion car ever built. Devins did a fantastic job on this car. So happy to see you finally getting track time Mike.

By the way in one of those pictures you say "Passing Eddie Hill"....is that the same Eddie Hill of drag racing fame?

[Mike Holland]

Thanks Gary.
Yes the same Eddie Hill that was first to go past the 300 mph mark in a TFD.

[ghickman]

So what is your plan Mike?

Are you going to race Majors next year and make it to Laguna for the RO's or ?

[Brett Lane]

I made the rear wing mounts to position the rear wing there - the end plates are stock VD pieces

Sorry- I meant the mounts. Didn't mean to call them end plates.

[Mike Devins]

Bret, the conversion on Mikes car is not the same as the Nova conversion so I doubt that the same wing mounts would work.

[Brett Lane]

Thanks....

[jimh3063]

It was this car, that had a very tragic end.

Is that Mike S car?