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PostPosted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 5:36 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:31 am
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Location: Wiltshire
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Spectating only though :-(

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[color=#000080]ST205 WRC 1994
Hybrid turbo
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Apexi Power FC (Not being used ATM)
Apexi Power commander (Not being used ATM)


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 8:07 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 10:01 am
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Location: Cheltenham
Car Model: ST205
I'll be there all day provided we don't have any problems. Better bring my camera for photos of orange car!


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 8:28 pm 
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ahh that's a shame but no worries. Not sure what time I'll be arriving but shouldn't be too hard to bump into each other


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 9:38 am 
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Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:31 am
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Location: Wiltshire
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Just looking at Motorsport-events web site, and it only lists Keevil on the 22/03/2014 and not 22/02/2014, are you sure you have the dates correct in the title Dave?

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[color=#000080]ST205 WRC 1994
Hybrid turbo
Apexi AVC-R
Apexi Power FC (Not being used ATM)
Apexi Power commander (Not being used ATM)


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 5:14 pm 
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Location: Wiltshire
Car Model: ST205
NoGT4 wrote:
Just looking at Motorsport-events web site, and it only lists Keevil on the 22/03/2014 and not 22/02/2014, are you sure you have the dates correct in the title Dave?

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Edit, found out that the dates are removed at midnight before the scheduled event, good to see you there Dave :-)

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_________________
[color=#000080]ST205 WRC 1994
Hybrid turbo
Apexi AVC-R
Apexi Power FC (Not being used ATM)
Apexi Power commander (Not being used ATM)


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:09 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 10:01 am
Posts: 79
Location: Cheltenham
Car Model: ST205
We had a great day at Keevil, and did about 45 laps spread over 6 sessions. The track was still wet when we arrived, although there wasn't really any standing water, and we started out on road tyres for the first session (2 sighting laps followed by another 4 laps at pace) before switching to track tyres for the rest of the day when the track dried out (FZ201s). Managed to spin out on the second corner on the first lap with the FZ201s on - totally overcooked it which resulted in a 270 degree spin in front of a group of 4 following cars (my dignity was the only casualty - mostly thanks to the Honda boys who were behind for their considerate driving). The surface of Keevil is considered to be very abrasive, but we didn't find the wear on the tyres that severe.

The car performed absolutely faultlessly, and the handling is now much more neutral which I think is down to the Whiteline ARB and the thinner ST205 ARB at the front, so no more tendency to plough straight on at the hairpin like the silver car did. The brakes were absolutely superb, and inspired confidence to brake late into the corners. We were also really pleased with the way the car handled with absolutely no body roll (BC coilovers 9Kg/mm fronts, 7Kg/mm rears - MacPherson conversion with ST202 parts). Had a single session of tuition which really helped my driving, as the instructor spotted that I was tending to brake in a straight line up to the turn in point, then come off the brakes before turning in to the corner, causing the front suspension to unload just as I started to turn. Trail braking into the start of the turn massively improved the control of the car through the corners.

Big thanks to Tim at TBDevelopments for the fantastic work he did for me (fitting the brake kit; polybush everything, fit coilovers, fit seats, etc., etc.). Next thing to do will be to work on the geo of the car - I'm doing absolutely minimal miles on the road at the moment so might look at increasing front camber a bit to help with the cornering, and might look at having the car corner weighted. Will try to get the car in to Tim for a check over in the meantime if he can fit it in. Roll on Hullavington!

As usual the standard of driving / general behaviour was excellent (normal at a Motorsport Events day) - the worst I saw was some impatient and aggressive overtaking by a 'Fury' driver.

Good to see you Phil - the car looks absolutely fantastic.


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:17 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:06 am
Posts: 4743
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Car Model: ST205
Nice write up Dave :) Just need a few pics now!
When do you think you will have the BTB exhaust/silencer fitted to enable you to take the GT4X to track days? BTB were at Stoneleigh Race Retro at the weekend.

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Don
GT4DC Chairman
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205WRC JDM 269bhp @ 0.9bar
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four Special GT 590bhp @ 1.8bar
1989 Van Diemen RF88/89 Formula Ford 1600
2008 Nissan Patrol GU 3.0L ZD30DDTi 154bhp


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PostPosted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:09 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 10:01 am
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Location: Cheltenham
Car Model: ST205
Thanks Don - I think that MG photos usually attends the MSE days so fingers crossed that there will be some on the website in the next couple of weeks, I'll link them up if so. We did try to get some GoPro footage but I think I need to re-read the manual :-(

I'm booked in to BTB at the end of next month which is why I'm so keen to get hold of a 'decibel devil' in the meantime. I had quite a long conversation with Adrian and Tony about the current system and they said that it was designed to easily pass a 105dB test and that it usually measured at about 103dB. It could be that the exhaust insert might just get me under the 100dB limit but we'll test it at home when the insert arrives. Its still my intention to have BTB create something that will reliably test under 100dB without the need for an insert, although if that could be done by either modifying or replacing the current silencer that would preferable over adding an additional silencer outside the perimeter of the car. Won't really know for sure until Joe sees the car in the flesh but I'm beginning to think we might get a secondary box under the rear floor if the current silencer is modified.

Don't know if I'll be able to wait till Hullavington after such a good day yesterday, if there is a suitable day at Abingdon in early / mid March I might try to book that.

The only thing I'd look at changing before the next day is the Steering wheel - with the column at the most comfortable angle my knees are still brushing the bottom of the wheel when braking and using the clutch so I'm wondering about fitting a slightly dished wheel of a smaller diameter.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:25 pm 
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Location: Cheltenham
Car Model: ST205
Now booked for Abingdon (14/03/2014). Hoping that I get hold of the exhaust insert thing in time to test it with a view to chancing my arm by taking the GT4x if it looks like it might make the 100dB limit.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:07 am 
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Location: Cheltenham
Car Model: ST205
After a foggy drive over to Abingdon we stood around for the MSE briefing in visibility of less than 50 metres nervously waiting for the sunshine to burn off the mist. It started clearing at around 10am and we were soon able to go out in groups for the sighting laps, and by the time the third group had completed their 3 sighting laps conditions were clear enough for the track to open fully.

The track at Abingdon is supposed to be one of the better airfield circuits and we certainly found some of the course quite challenging - particularly the higher speed left hander that leads into the coned section of the perimeter road, and the sharp left hander by the 'pits'. Conditions improved dramatically and by 11.30am it was a warm and sunny day, which made it easier for use to get some heat into the tyres - something that we were struggling to do in the much colder conditions at Keevil. The resulting levels of grip were very impressive.

We did make some minor changes to the damping settings on the coilovers, but we weren't really able to feel much difference in the way the car handled. Starting to feel like we were making a bit of progress with driving only to be brought back down to earth with a bump by the instructor (we both went out with the same guy*), who said that we were both taking advantage of the car's benign handling, which was allowing us to get away with some pretty ham-fisted driving! He was massively impressed with the way the car handled though :)

Time for an oil change now, before Hullavington at the end of the month.

* The instructor was Hamish who works at most of the MSE days - he was great.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:39 am 
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Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:06 am
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Location: Perth, Western Australia
Car Model: ST205
I presume you were in your white ST205 Dave?
Interesting instructor comments about the benign handling etc. One of my friends used to have a Carrera 4 and it was clearly flattering his driving talents! If he had been in a 2WD car he wouldn't just have disappeared through the first hedge but he'd have ended up in the next county! :twisted:

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Don
GT4DC Chairman
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205WRC JDM 269bhp @ 0.9bar
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four Special GT 590bhp @ 1.8bar
1989 Van Diemen RF88/89 Formula Ford 1600
2008 Nissan Patrol GU 3.0L ZD30DDTi 154bhp


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 12:23 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 10:01 am
Posts: 79
Location: Cheltenham
Car Model: ST205
Yes Don - nail on the head, that's pretty much exactly what he said (i.e. backwards into the next county if we were in a RWD!). It brought us back to earth a bit because we felt like we were going OK. At least we have plenty to think about next time out - and we are both keen to learn how to do it properly.

Bit disappointing that we haven't turned into driving gods after 3 sessions even so :lol:

We were in the white car (it really did go well when the tyres got some heat) - blue car won't be on track till after it goes in for noise surgery at the end of the month.

Dropped in to Owen Developments on the way past for a 5 minute chat with MH, as after our discussion at Zaffron I was wondering if I might pop over for a bit of instruction on how to access the data logging info when the noise issue is sorted. That would work well if combined with a half day on the track at Abingdon (subject to appro from my preferred supplier).


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:36 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 10:01 am
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Location: Cheltenham
Car Model: ST205
So... Hullavington -

Weather was pretty unsettled for most of the day and the track was never completely dry although a dry line was emerging before lunch (then it poured down for about 40 minutes), then again at about 4pm, before the rain set in again.

The day went well though and we seem to be driving a bit longer each session, probably averaging about 20 - 25 minutes out on the track each time. Damp track meant that it wasn't really possible to get much heat into the tyres but I felt that I was going much faster than when I was there last year - seemed to be topping out at about 105mph on all three of the straight sections of the track (up from more like 85/90 mph last year).

The tyres had a pretty easy day with the track being wet, and seem to be about half worn after somewhere around 300 track miles. No idea if that is good or bad. Front brake pads not showing any significant wear which is pretty good I think. Started the day with a full tank of V-power and 40litres in jerry cans and filled everything back up about a mile from home, £110 worth of fuel for 200 miles (120 on track). Ouch!

Not sure where next - I have a couple of things booked for later in the year but I dropped the gen6 / gen 7 hybrid off for a new exhaust earlier today and should have it back in about a week with it able to make the 100dBa limit (fingers crossed) in which case I'll be booking the next available day at one of the tracks I've driven.


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