Where do you test a new car?

[1969zeitler]

When I finally get my Zeitler done, I want to take it somewhere to test it out. Not racing, just check the brakes, shifter, performance, fit etc. My neighborhood and the local Sheriff would not be happy with me running it down our streets (although I have thought about doing it). I don't have my comp license or Novice permit yet. Where do you take a car to test it? Autocross?

[FV90]

Autocross is usually a cheap way to check out a car, the other option is to go to a local drag strip for their test and tune days but of course you dont' have much of a chance to turn. There is a SEDIV Time Trial level 3 event at Roebling Road Nov 13 and 14 but you would need your safety equipment (suit, belts, helmet, etc).

[fv195]

A TT is your best bet. if you plan on doing the double school at RRR then you can learn the track, Mark and I did the same school.
THOR

[kidkoh]

find an empty lot, you should be able to get in about 15 min before the fun police show up. when they do offer the nice officer a ride and maby he will look the other way.it worked for me

[1969zeitler]

Does my car have to be "race ready" to run at the Roebling Time Trials? I don't have a fuel cell yet, still running the factory aluminum can from 1969! I can run that at autocross though.

[billinstuart]

Martin sports Car club has autocrosses at Martin Marietta on the southside of Orlando. There are also autocrosses at other venues.

Autocrossing a vee is nothing like road racing, but you can check basic operation. Remember, when autocrossing, the rear wheels stick out about 10' on each side........

[hardingfv32-1]

That is about how it needs to be done. A parking lot or development that has folded. Have EVERYTHING ready for a short max effort before you are run out. I hope you do not have dreams of using this car for a drivers school.

Who sanctions the time trials?

Brian

[1969zeitler]

I checked the time trials and the car has to be race ready and I have to have a Novice License so that is out. I will try the autocross. The Martin Club has moved to the Lake County Police Skid pad since 9/11. Security at the defense plant caused the move. Back in the 80's, I used to take my 2 sons to the martin plant on Sand Lake Road and watch them run. The Lake County site near Tavares is pretty big and they have a good turnout. Looks like I will try autocross. CFR SCCA also runs at Geneva and Deland so they are also close by. A closed K-Mart is even closer!

[FV95]

Getting a Time Trial Novice Permit is not that difficult. Download the forms. Fill out the application and a SELF medical evaluation and with the proper fee send it to the SCCA. You will be issued a Time Trial Novice Permit. Successfully run three TTs, get a real physical by an MD, and apply for a TT license. The permit is good for 2 years from the issue date. TTs are a great testing ground, and the license cannot hurt when you go to school and strive to earn a regional club racing license.
The Pa Hill Climb Assn runs 9 events a year, 2 of which are track trials, and of the 100+ drivers we have, not too many have a club racing license as they are addicted to racing between the trees and rocks. The Time Trial License is all that is needed for such events.
As for a testing site, since I do some work for a local church with a large parking lot, the Pastor allows me to do my pre-season brake testing and low speed handling tests there. I also use a local Fairground for higher speed tests.

[PS122]

You might check with a local kart track... many are large enough for a vee and if you able to test on weekdays the tracks are empty.

[1969zeitler]

fv95. Thanks for the TT info. When I read the Roebling TT requirements, it just said must have a comp or novice license and I thought it meant SCCA Comp Novice, not TT Novice. I will look into it. I just want to see how it runs and what I need to tweak. I am hoping to get the car to tech early next year and get it on the track after my 2 drivers schools are finished. I will have to make that fuel cell investment soon and then the HANS and a new 2010 Helmet and a set of vintage tires plus rains and finish the engine build and find a place for the MP3 player and gps and of course, the cup holders. Lots to do and more money to spend.... Vintage FV cup holders are not cheap...

[FV90]

From the Time Trial Rules
Level 3 Track Trials (Roebling Road Nov event)
"10.11. FUEL CELLS
Requirements for fuel cells are waived in Time Trials; however any car with a fuel cell must meet all requirements of GCR section 9.3.26 and all subsections."
Now in the same book is a section for the belts/harnesses basically SFI rated harnesses have a 5 year expiration from the date stamped/punched on the label - IN ROAD RACING it is 2 years unless you have an FIA rated harness
Fire suppression requirements in Time Trial (NOT ROAD RACING)
"10.19. FIRE SYSTEM
All cars shall meet one of the following minimum requirements:
1.
Halon 1301 or 1211, two (2) pound minimum capacity by weight.
2.
Dry chemical, two (2) pound minimum with a positive indicator showing charge. Chemical: 10 BC Underwriters Laboratory rating, potassium bicarbonate (Purple K) recommended, 1A10BC Underwriters Laboratory rating multipurpose, ammonium phosphate and barium sulfate or Monnex.
The fire extinguisher shall be securely mounted in the cockpit. All mounting brackets shall be metal and of the quick-release type."

[problemchild]

It sounds like you could just use a 2 min blast somewhere before going through all that trouble and expense. Find some cheap muffler for it and take it for a few laps in a quiet industrial park, parking lot, or back road. Make sure there are no kids around ..... do your business ....... then evacuate the area. Quickly on the trailer and gone. Or inside, close the door, stay inside. By the time, someone arrives to give you a hard time .... its over. 90% of the time no one arrives. 9% of the time .... you smile and politely excuse yourself. That 1% of the time ... you have some 'splainin' to do. I have never used a muffler ..... but would assume it would increase your success rate dramatically.

On the rare occasion that you do find special attention ..... you will likely have some colorful story to add to your racing story collection. One of my best ..... is when I missed the MC cop as I went for my regular pre-event Friday test run. He wanted to know if I had driven it the 100 miles that my home address was from our discussion point. He made me walk 100 yds up the road to our shop and get my trailer. I obviously never learned my lesson but as I got older I moved my test runs from major city streets to quiet industrial parking lots after business hours ..... and never had a problem. Find a good spot ..... use a muffler ..... and the potential time length may be much longer!

[1969zeitler]

So... the aluminum wedge-shaped tank/seat back in my 69 Zeitler is a fuel TANK, and not a fuel CELL??? I think I am good except for the harness. I have one but it is more than 5 years old, was going to get it re-webbed. I have a fire bottle and an extinguisher. Don't think I can get it ready in 2 days though... I will check the other tracks and see when another TT is taking place. This is the last one at Roebling this year.

[1969zeitler]

I think I need a good story to tell my Grand daughter when she gets older... How she got to visit Grandpa in Jail, sortof like a Field Trip.

[1969zeitler]

I googled SCCA TIME TRIALS and could not find much about it. Is it like an autocross without the cones and one car on the track at a time)?Anyone know what it is all about?

[FV90]

Time Trials is a program in SCCA that has 4 levels. The first level is for PDX's which in SEDIV are sometimes run with Road Race weekends (another name is HPDE), Level 1 can be done in your personal vehicle and you can use Solo helmet grade (M rated). The Level 1 events are not timed and you are given strict rules to abide by and you usually are given a passing zone on the straightaways, newbies are paired with an instructor to ride along. Level 1 PDX's are run at Road Atlanta but also have been run at Roebling Road , Nashville SuperSpeedway, CMP, and other SEDIV tracks. Pylons are used sometimes to mark apexes and passing zones. Level 2 events are basically the same except times are recorded. Level 3 events (Track Trails) is basically the old Solo 1 program with more safety (drivers suit, extinguisher, harness) equipment required - transponders are used and usually depending on the track size a 15 - 20 minute sessions with 10 cars in the group normally running together. Level 4 is the highest in safety since that level runs at hillclimbs, times are recorded but the track time is more like a Solo with 2 or 3 cars on course and no passing. SEDIV has a L3/L4 championship every season starting in Feb. and running into Nov. Just a quick bit o info.

[1969zeitler]

Does everyone start out at level 1 and then progress to the higher levels or can you start at level 2? Getting that second person in my FV is going to be a problem as I barely fit in there by myself!

[Lynn]

Open wheel cars are not allowed at PDX (level 1)events.

[1969zeitler]

Do you have to attend a level 1 before you can go to level 2 and 3?

[FV90]

Lynn is correct, Level 1 is sort of get you feet wet performance driving but there are no single seat racecars allowed. Level 1 is used sometimes as a worker incentive at some tracks and done during lunch/quiet time. Formula cars best bet is Level 3 events (especially in SEDIV) with tracks such as Road Atlanta, Roebling Road, TGPR, CMP, and Nashville SuperSpeedway being on the schedule. L3 usually have 10 cars in a group with limited passing areas with transponder times recorded. A novice in SEDIV can drive at the L3 events as long as the meet the Time Trial Rules for safety and get a TT novice license.
You can do both drive up through the levels or attend L2 and L3 as a novice. In SEDIV novices cannot run L4 until getting either 3 flat track L3 events or attending a Time Trial school (other SCCA divisions have other rules).

[1969zeitler]

Thanks for the info. Think I got it now. Wish my car was ready this weekend but not bloody likely. I will see if there are other sites that have TT over the winter. I'm thinking Minnesota in january...