This is what the Cobalt SS/TC is meant for
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This is what the Cobalt SS/TC is meant for
Spent the last 2 days instructing at VIR. I'll post a lot more info and pics tonight, but here's something to chew on.
2 laps, getting run down by my friend in a Honda Challenge car:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RNeLdwSnZ8
2 wheels off (oops...):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpvQEf2bSxg
A Porsche GT3 popped a coolant line just as he passed me. I ended up getting sprayed with a combination of water wetter and coolant. Here it is all over my car. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn on my helmet cam. Would been a good video. Most of it was still in the air when I was going through, so I didn't have to drive over the worst of it. A few people behind me got loose.
Cobalt Friction XR1 pads did the trick. I've always been a fan of Cobalt Friction since the day Andie Lin started the company, and the XR1s did not disappoint. Besides, they share our car's namesake!
The brake bleeders weep. It's disconcerting!
I have an oil leak now too. I'm guessing it's probably the camshaft position sensor. I'll be dragging it into a dealer soon for this.
Overall, I think the car was fantastic for being so close to stock. I was in the race group, and I think I was the only non-race/trailered car. Got props from multiple folks for wringing it out as much as I did. I'll post more impressions later tonight.
2 laps, getting run down by my friend in a Honda Challenge car:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RNeLdwSnZ8
2 wheels off (oops...):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpvQEf2bSxg
A Porsche GT3 popped a coolant line just as he passed me. I ended up getting sprayed with a combination of water wetter and coolant. Here it is all over my car. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn on my helmet cam. Would been a good video. Most of it was still in the air when I was going through, so I didn't have to drive over the worst of it. A few people behind me got loose.
Cobalt Friction XR1 pads did the trick. I've always been a fan of Cobalt Friction since the day Andie Lin started the company, and the XR1s did not disappoint. Besides, they share our car's namesake!
The brake bleeders weep. It's disconcerting!
I have an oil leak now too. I'm guessing it's probably the camshaft position sensor. I'll be dragging it into a dealer soon for this.
Overall, I think the car was fantastic for being so close to stock. I was in the race group, and I think I was the only non-race/trailered car. Got props from multiple folks for wringing it out as much as I did. I'll post more impressions later tonight.
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Just for clarification, it's a school event, where instructors ride with students. I was just out having some fun in my car during my run groups, where we're allowed to pass on any straight/brake zone, as long as there's a signal.
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any lap times? i race my 125cc shifter kart there alot. full coarse, north, or south?
lol nm the first part of my post
lol nm the first part of my post
Last edited by Jrhdpaintball; Apr 21, 2010 at 02:02 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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I love the North course. I haven't run it in years though.
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the right uphill turn that seperates north and south is awsome, ive done it in my shifter kart and car, its better when your head is 6 inchs above the ground lol
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I won a race on the North course with almost 60 cars on the starting grid, so I have fond memories of it. It was a crazy race, but good times.
but then I was like 
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This was an Audi club event. I've instructed for NASA and a few other groups in the past, but I like Audi because it tends to be a pretty easy schedule, and the students are usually a little more tame.
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So here are some more impressions about the car. If you're on the fence about a rear sway bar, don't be. Get the OTTP hardcore bar. I ran one session with the stock setup, and thought it was pretty decent. Then I put OTTP hardcore bar on. The car doesn't oversteer, it's just more neutral on transitions and under trail braking. You would really have to make a big mistake to get the car turned the wrong way. It handles the way it should have from the factory. John got this bar right. It's a no brainer. Fine in the rain too.
Is it the best handling fwd car I've ever driven? No, but it's damn good. With a little more work and a diet, it will be there. For a near stock car, it's incredible. My biggest beef is that the front outside, outside of the is getting beat to hell. Needs some more camber up front. I'd love if it was a bit more neutral in long corners, but the tradeoff is that it might get more unforgiving.
The suspension moves around a LOT. Definitely need to man up and be brave to drive it fast. I think that's generally true with most fwd cars. It's not like when you drive a rwd or awd car fast through a corner. The latter two tend to be much more stable in a well balanced chassis. The rear of the car will also sway and feel like it wants to come around under threshold braking, but you have to be confident, and make minor corrections to keep it on the line you want.
One note on the tires I used. They were kind of being a pain in the ass on day one. I got them unshaved, and I think it was a bit too much tread. After a good scrubbing in and heat cycling, they got better on day two. Also like pretty high pressures on the stock suspension, but again, to be fast you will punish the outside front. Coming out of the turns, you just have to floor it and let the LSD drag you out.
Oh, and the LNF upgrade kit is all the power you really need on track. I was on 235/40-18 and I didn't have enough tire. I have a used down pipe on the way, but I'm pretty much done with power upgrades after that.
I'll put some more pics up in a bit.
Is it the best handling fwd car I've ever driven? No, but it's damn good. With a little more work and a diet, it will be there. For a near stock car, it's incredible. My biggest beef is that the front outside, outside of the is getting beat to hell. Needs some more camber up front. I'd love if it was a bit more neutral in long corners, but the tradeoff is that it might get more unforgiving.
The suspension moves around a LOT. Definitely need to man up and be brave to drive it fast. I think that's generally true with most fwd cars. It's not like when you drive a rwd or awd car fast through a corner. The latter two tend to be much more stable in a well balanced chassis. The rear of the car will also sway and feel like it wants to come around under threshold braking, but you have to be confident, and make minor corrections to keep it on the line you want.
One note on the tires I used. They were kind of being a pain in the ass on day one. I got them unshaved, and I think it was a bit too much tread. After a good scrubbing in and heat cycling, they got better on day two. Also like pretty high pressures on the stock suspension, but again, to be fast you will punish the outside front. Coming out of the turns, you just have to floor it and let the LSD drag you out.
Oh, and the LNF upgrade kit is all the power you really need on track. I was on 235/40-18 and I didn't have enough tire. I have a used down pipe on the way, but I'm pretty much done with power upgrades after that.
I'll put some more pics up in a bit.
So here are some more impressions about the car. If you're on the fence about a rear sway bar, don't be. Get the OTTP hardcore bar. I ran one session with the stock setup, and thought it was pretty decent. Then I put OTTP hardcore bar on. The car doesn't oversteer, it's just more neutral on transitions and under trail braking. You would really have to make a big mistake to get the car turned the wrong way. It handles the way it should have from the factory. John got this bar right. It's a no brainer. Fine in the rain too.
Is it the best handling fwd car I've ever driven? No, but it's damn good. With a little more work and a diet, it will be there. For a near stock car, it's incredible. My biggest beef is that the front outside, outside of the is getting beat to hell. Needs some more camber up front. I'd love if it was a bit more neutral in long corners, but the tradeoff is that it might get more unforgiving.
The suspension moves around a LOT. Definitely need to man up and be brave to drive it fast. I think that's generally true with most fwd cars. It's not like when you drive a rwd or awd car fast through a corner. The latter two tend to be much more stable in a well balanced chassis. The rear of the car will also sway and feel like it wants to come around under threshold braking, but you have to be confident, and make minor corrections to keep it on the line you want.
One note on the tires I used. They were kind of being a pain in the ass on day one. I got them unshaved, and I think it was a bit too much tread. After a good scrubbing in and heat cycling, they got better on day two. Also like pretty high pressures on the stock suspension, but again, to be fast you will punish the outside front. Coming out of the turns, you just have to floor it and let the LSD drag you out.
Oh, and the LNF upgrade kit is all the power you really need on track. I was on 235/40-18 and I didn't have enough tire. I have a used down pipe on the way, but I'm pretty much done with power upgrades after that.
I'll put some more pics up in a bit.
Is it the best handling fwd car I've ever driven? No, but it's damn good. With a little more work and a diet, it will be there. For a near stock car, it's incredible. My biggest beef is that the front outside, outside of the is getting beat to hell. Needs some more camber up front. I'd love if it was a bit more neutral in long corners, but the tradeoff is that it might get more unforgiving.
The suspension moves around a LOT. Definitely need to man up and be brave to drive it fast. I think that's generally true with most fwd cars. It's not like when you drive a rwd or awd car fast through a corner. The latter two tend to be much more stable in a well balanced chassis. The rear of the car will also sway and feel like it wants to come around under threshold braking, but you have to be confident, and make minor corrections to keep it on the line you want.
One note on the tires I used. They were kind of being a pain in the ass on day one. I got them unshaved, and I think it was a bit too much tread. After a good scrubbing in and heat cycling, they got better on day two. Also like pretty high pressures on the stock suspension, but again, to be fast you will punish the outside front. Coming out of the turns, you just have to floor it and let the LSD drag you out.
Oh, and the LNF upgrade kit is all the power you really need on track. I was on 235/40-18 and I didn't have enough tire. I have a used down pipe on the way, but I'm pretty much done with power upgrades after that.
I'll put some more pics up in a bit.
(looked a little sketchy there when you put 2 wheels off the track lolI'm signed up for my first Solo-II Auto-X race in this car in May, I can't wait to see what she will be like. Have plenty of tread left on the stock contis so for this season they are staying, but I have read a lot of good things about the rear sway bar and I have been debating on doing that for a while. Is this car your DD if so did the sway bar have any effect on the car as a daily driver and/or in poor road conditions?