85 resuscitation

[whoyacallem]

They did end up going to a new home along with some of the other stuff. I was glad they will get used.

[gbeaird]

The weather is kinda crazy this spring, eh? I have the car all loaded up and the ol' 250 is ready to go but my alignment appointment got changed to next Wednesday. That's ok with me as we got a little snow and a LOT of salt today. Finally at a point where a major cleaning was in order as my shop is a disaster.
I have some parts that I don't know if someone would like to give a new home.

Lower front control arms, rear upper and lower, springs, charcoal canister, rear brake splash shields, koni quad shocks, cruise control, onion heads and those things on the bottom of the rear shocks.
I know this isn't the classified section but I don't know if anything is really worth anything. I also have the original rack that needs rebuilding.

Anyhoo, weather permitting I can hopefully drive this thing next week.

is anyone planning on going to road America at all this year? I heard the Shelby weekend is a good option.

I forgot that I have the spare tire too...

You can donate those front LCAs to Roberto2000 who can R&R them with new, rebuildable ball joints. Just a thought.

[whoyacallem]

When my wife got to the track, she noted there was a have and have not parking area! Ties in with your comment, Bruce. It's not cheap to run on a track like that. We met quite a few nice people in both sections and we all had a great time! I'll get myself and the car dialed in better and get back there but probably not until next year. A few more autocross events will help some but on the track is so different.

[gbeaird]

Loooong time between posts! I did my first track day at road america with the SVO Saturday. It was super fun and the car was a blast! Wasn't the weekend I was hoping for though. I missed 2 thirty minute sessions because my instructor noticed the seatbelt on his side didn't lock when he pulled it out. Neither did mine and not knowing that's not how it is supposed to work I didn't know or was a problem. So I drove 2+ hours home and planned to pull them out of my 89 GT, same thing! Ok, check my 65 fastback I put 3 point belts in and they worked. Swapped out the driver's side and back on the way. Made it for 2 laps of the 3rs session that had started at 3 and it was crazy! Road America has so much elevation and blind corners, plus everyone else in the track had a couple sessions in already! Last session was much better, started to figure it out and was hanging with a couple cars when the car lost power. The tube for the bypass valve came off the intercooler, ugh. Quick put it back on, tightened it up, back on track and about a lap later it popped off again. End of session, big grins and a to do list.
I was for sure the only 80s car there and I think the SVO got more smiles and thumbs up than any other car going through the pits mer a guy that used to race one way back and many people with stories about how they lusted after one back in the day. Now most of them have new GT 350s....

When we autocross our 86, we bolted lap belts in over the factory 3-point. We'd wear the lap belts when auto crossing and factory belts when driving to and from events. The lap belts, and corresponding shoulder harnesses held us in the car pretty well, even though we'd occasionally open/close the windows with our knee in some turns. :-D

[gbeaird]

Gbeaird, my oldest daughter's first vehicle is a 76 F100 Stepside with a straight 6 and 3 in the tree. I love that thing, it drives really nice and life is better in an old truck. None of her friends had ever even seen a 3 speed before, much less in the tree.


Eric, that is the way the pipes were and I couldn't get them to fit past the radiator at all. I understand what you are saying and I'll definitely take that into consideration when/if I get a different intercooler setup.

I was able to get the brakes all bled in the SVO last night, Ready to get it off the jackstands and tighten up the rear control arms. Then load it on the trailer and get the subframe connectors welded in as well as the exhaust dialed in. That's going to be tight with the panhard bar.

Nice. My Dad got a 71 F100 XLT when we moved to Texas (you're in Texas, you need a pickemup truck!!). It had a 302 and C4. Nice truck. Kind of gutless, but did all the necessary things, like get him to work and back in air conditioned comfort.

[Bruce]

Learning to use braking markers along trackside is something I never got enough experience with. Track days are great fun but in the end I didn't have the money to do it regularly.

[whoyacallem]

I forgot to start my digi hud but my daughter saw 113 mph in life 360. My speedo is accurate up to 40 ish mph then gets whack. 70=83, 85=103... Turn 1 was a bit scary if nobody was in front of me to give me an idea of when to brake.

[Bruce]

What kind of top speed did you see at RA?

[whoyacallem]

More time on that track would be awesome! Turn 6 was quite interesting a couple times. On a big track I don't think an SVO has much of a chance against anything with 500+ horsepower. That didn't bother me much, at this point I am the weak link, not the car. Autocross is a bit less dependent on horsepower and at the 2 events I have done so far I had faster times than my buddy with a 2014 mustang who told me I would NEVER beat him....

[svono50]

It was a lot of fun, would definitely like to get back again. The guy that told me I shouldn't run said seat belts do get old and should be replaced. I haven't really heard that but it makes sense.

Those new GT350's and vette's and stuff can really freaking rip! It was crazy how fast they could just disappear.

Coming out of turn 5, up the hill to that blind left hander the first few times was interesting.

Hopefully back to auto crossing again soon, I did the first one of the season here at Ho-Chunk casino in the rain and mid to low 40 deg temps. That was interesting too.

It is just nuts how new cars can just run away from our technology, that is for sure. I run 3:05's on the Autobahn CC full course (3.56 miles) and I rode along in a race prepped S550 Mustang once. The guy was literally a horrible driver...missing apexes, way early braking points, etc...but he still easily clocked a 2:36 on one particular lap...sheesh!

You need to set your line up for turn 6 BEFORE you are under the bridge, otherwise you will be in a world of hurt...especially in the rain!! My instructor was all over that one as one of the most critical corners not to make a mistake at. Kind of like turn 4 on the Barber Motorsports track, as you blind crest the hill at the apex of the turn...wahoo at full tilt!

[MIKESVO]

Sounds like you had fun Ryan. I ran super bikes there back in the late 80s. Love that track.

[whoyacallem]

It was a lot of fun, would definitely like to get back again. The guy that told me I shouldn't run said seat belts do get old and should be replaced. I haven't really heard that but it makes sense.

Those new GT350's and vette's and stuff can really freaking rip! It was crazy how fast they could just disappear.

Coming out of turn 5, up the hill to that blind left hander the first few times was interesting.

Hopefully back to auto crossing again soon, I did the first one of the season here at Ho-Chunk casino in the rain and mid to low 40 deg temps. That was interesting too.

[svono50]

Sounds like you had a good time. I ran RA back in 2012, but it was raining cats/dogs and ~52 deg (see SVOCA front page for me cresting the hill on the front stretch), so a true pucker ride trying to tip-toe around the course on the 'very wet' line.

Inertia locks typically get gummed up over time and only need a cleaning to return to working condition, not too uncommon. Now you got me thinking to check mine, as it has been too long. At least on track I have my Schroth Rallye-4 units to keep me firmly planted in the seat.

I typically get similar reactions with my 86 at track days. One guy last year had always wanted to own one, but has relegated himself to a '22 911 GT3RS...my heart really bleed for him (ack!!). Nice guy in any case, but he wouldn't trade rides for a session for some reason...maybe next time (ha,ha).

[Bruce]

RA is an interesting place for sure! Glad you've got it up and running.

[whoyacallem]

Loooong time between posts! I did my first track day at road america with the SVO Saturday. It was super fun and the car was a blast! Wasn't the weekend I was hoping for though. I missed 2 thirty minute sessions because my instructor noticed the seatbelt on his side didn't lock when he pulled it out. Neither did mine and not knowing that's not how it is supposed to work I didn't know or was a problem. So I drove 2+ hours home and planned to pull them out of my 89 GT, same thing! Ok, check my 65 fastback I put 3 point belts in and they worked. Swapped out the driver's side and back on the way. Made it for 2 laps of the 3rs session that had started at 3 and it was crazy! Road America has so much elevation and blind corners, plus everyone else in the track had a couple sessions in already! Last session was much better, started to figure it out and was hanging with a couple cars when the car lost power. The tube for the bypass valve came off the intercooler, ugh. Quick put it back on, tightened it up, back on track and about a lap later it popped off again. End of session, big grins and a to do list.
I was for sure the only 80s car there and I think the SVO got more smiles and thumbs up than any other car going through the pits mer a guy that used to race one way back and many people with stories about how they lusted after one back in the day. Now most of them have new GT 350s....