solo vee novice

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gallopingghost
Posts: 10
Joined: August 15th, 2010, 10:12 am

solo vee novice

Post by gallopingghost »

I am so glad that I now have access to the website, thank you moderators. As an experienced solo participant but new to solo vee, I have been doing as much research as I can in regards to what will make me as competitive as possible in FM. I have a Bobsy framed - D13 solo vee with a 1600 engine. I run 8 x 13 inch and 7 x 13 hoosiers, Jammer side-shifter linkage and drum breaks all around. Offsets for wheels are 6 and 7?. As I have been rebuilding/learning I am up to the suspension. At this time I have Koni adustables upfront and A single Carrera on the 0 roll rear suspension out back. What do folks reccomend for front shocks?

I am talking to an engine builder about bumping up the 1600 to a 1915, move to a 40 idf webber and 110 or 120 cam. I am hoping for over 100 hp and the weight of the vehicle coming down to minimum to decrease my solo times. Any other suggestions on improvements for solo?
77FV Rio Grande Region SCCA
76 Bobsy
Lynn
Posts: 592
Joined: June 24th, 2006, 11:15 pm

Re: solo vee novice

Post by Lynn »

Disk brakes, and I don't mean the VW disk brakes. Think dune buggies. I think you mean a Jamar shifter. Check you backspacing. While 6 and 7 may be true, I think 5 and 6 may be what you have. Many of us are using 8 and 10 inch wheels, but I have been told that the smaller wheels might be better since the tires should come up to temp faster. I was going to test that this year, but cheaped out and decided not to buy the extra wheels and tires.

Shocks? I dunno. May car came with completely worn out Konis on the front. They are so old they can't be rebuilt. There are QA-1's on the front now, but since I have an essentially non-functional front spring, it probably doesn't matter what is up there. The rear shock is a double adjustable Koni.
69 Beach Solo Vee, #65 FM

85 Lynx B Solo Vee

71 Zink C4 Solo Vee
gallopingghost
Posts: 10
Joined: August 15th, 2010, 10:12 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by gallopingghost »

I had my butt handed to me at a divisional at Pikes Peak in Colorado by a formula 500 so more horsepower is a must. I do find a narrower tire on the rims I have work much better than the wider tires that I had on at the beginning of the season. I am able to build heat into them by the second run. My shocks in front are new and they seem to raise the car up a bit (relatively for a FV). I have a set of Carrera's that need to be rebuilt but it seems that it might be more cost effective to buy new shocks. The Qa-1s' seem like a good product.
77FV Rio Grande Region SCCA
76 Bobsy
Rich_G
Posts: 41
Joined: June 25th, 2006, 11:16 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by Rich_G »

Are you running short 3rd-4th gears or making do with stock vw ratios and 2-3. I've not heard of anyone being nationally successful with stock ratios. If you have not gone to a short 3-4 setup I'd look in that direction (as a compliment to your added HP).

Regards,
Rich
FM92
South Carolina Region
gallopingghost
Posts: 10
Joined: August 15th, 2010, 10:12 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by gallopingghost »

The specs I have for the transmission are: 4:37, with 1st 3.80, 2nd 2.06, 3rd 1.31, and 4th .89 as far as I can tell. The shift mechanism is my achilles heel at this time. I can move through the gears but getting back to 2nd for a slow section just doesn't happen. I have been working on getting this solve though.

Today at the third leg of the Rocky Mountain divisional, I was generally able to stay within a half a second of the BM continental, 1 1/2 half seconds from EM and 3 seconds from the fast time of the day fendered car DM. I am find that I like the narrow tires more and more but I am using 35's so I will need to go to 25's. I won the Rocky Mountain divisional but two of the victories were attendance victories (I was the only one in my class!) so that was not a great accomplishment.

I looked at data aquisition from last night and my peak G was 1.32. What I have read is that you have to trust the lateral grip in the car. In a CSP prepared Miata on a national tour course we typically pull 1.25. I am finding that driving the V is a very steep learning curve!
77FV Rio Grande Region SCCA
76 Bobsy
remmers
Posts: 164
Joined: December 4th, 2008, 10:07 pm

Re: solo vee novice

Post by remmers »

i've only ever run FV as a road racing car, but data acquisition says 1.5 G on our 4.5-5.5" wide tires seems to be about normal. i'm guessing you should be able to do just as well if not better with whatever slicks you run at solo.
DanRemmers
Posts: 293
Joined: June 24th, 2006, 7:21 pm

Re: solo vee novice

Post by DanRemmers »

The R25s will be faster than the R35s. You may be able to use the wider tires with the softer compound--it depends on the weather.

You should check tire temperatues. You may find that the R35s don't get up to temperature. Here in the DC region, a hot sunny day can heat up my tires so much that they are cooler right after a run. (I have tried spraying them down with water, just like the stock classes.) On a damp surface just after a rain, I couldn't get the tires even warm to the touch.

My R25As are about 5 years old now. When they were newer, I was about 2 seconds slower that the DM cars. Now I'm about 4 seconds slower. (My driving skills are not at the national level. :cry: )
gallopingghost
Posts: 10
Joined: August 15th, 2010, 10:12 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by gallopingghost »

looks like I will have to work up to the 1.5 g level. I have checked temperatures and they are good by the second run and optimal by the third run. Although I hit three cones on my fasted raw time at the finish this weekend but if I ignore that last mistake, I was close the BM continental (about 3 tenths of). My goal is to get as close to EM times to be anywhere near regionally competitive.

I have been losing a lot of gear lube from the axle boots. I was told by the formula continental driver that he runs his gear box lower than usual for solo and this works out for him. I bought the german boots and will replace the Tiawan boot. Do folks run a typical level in the gear box or lower than usual?
77FV Rio Grande Region SCCA
76 Bobsy
Rich_G
Posts: 41
Joined: June 25th, 2006, 11:16 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by Rich_G »

Sounds like you have stock gears. I also was never able to get the 3-2 gear change to work with any regularity - an ongoing frustration that leaves you hopelessly under-rpm pulling out of slow corners in 3rd loosing gobs of time. Some say they have it working so I suppose it is possible but I'm sure using different ratios is a much better solution. I never went past local events so I didn't bother solving the problem before I sold my car to someone interested in road racing it.

The alternative is running gears in positions 3 & 4 that are lower speed ratios so that all of your running & shifting is between 3&4 rather than 2 & 3 - a non-problematic gearchange. This is what the group of solo-vee guys who were successful against FM's used (before the rule changes 'improved' the vee's chances) - Scott Nardin, Ricardo Gonzales...etc. in the early 2000's. I don't know what ratios they used but it was something between stock 2nd & 3rd as a 3rd gear and between stock 3 & 4th as 4th gear. Johnny B. might know more specifics.

If anyone else is beating quality F500's with stock ratios I've not heard of it.

PS - in the South Carolina 98 degree summer I saw 180 degrees on my 8y/o R25's and they still had no grip :mrgreen:

Best of luck,
Rich
FM92
South Carolina Region
gallopingghost
Posts: 10
Joined: August 15th, 2010, 10:12 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by gallopingghost »

Well just went through video and performance box data for Sunday. I was able to pull 1.79 g's in the tightest and fastest section for a brief time so I guess the tires are sticking. I just ran calculations on my gears at my highest RPM. It seems that the fastest section of the course was 58 miles per hour, and that put me above 2nd and not yet in the power band for 3rd (second gets me to 48, third gets me to 75). The only issue I had was that the course at that point was uphill. The highest G's were on a fairly flat section and were momentary. When I get time I will post a video link for critique's from anyone with an opinion. :mrgreen:
77FV Rio Grande Region SCCA
76 Bobsy
FV80
Site Admin
Posts: 1195
Joined: June 27th, 2006, 9:07 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by FV80 »

One thing you can do to improve your 3-2 shift is to install a reverse lockout - generally at the trannie (doesn't help much at the shifter). If you don't have to have reverse at all (not up on solo rules), you can just put a STOP to keep it from hitting reverse. An aluminum (Or other) piece clamped around the trannie nose and positioned to stop the hockey stick at 2nd rather than allowing to to go to reverse. If you are required to have reverse (or just WANT to), then you have to make a spring loaded stop that can be overridden with force through the shifter - or possibly a pivoting stop that can be moved from the cockpit with a cable. I don't have one, so can't give you a pic, but it's been discussed here on this forum before. Do a search and you might find something.

Steve, FV80
The Racer's Wedge and now a Vortech, FV80
DanRemmers
Posts: 293
Joined: June 24th, 2006, 7:21 pm

Re: solo vee novice

Post by DanRemmers »

My reverse lockout is on the shifter and it works well--once it's adjusted correctly. I just loosen a wing nut and flip the lever out of the way and I can get reverse.

The most important thing with the shift mechanism is to make sure all the joints and bolts are tight. A threaded bolt going through the shift rod will wear quickly and put lots of slop in the shifter.
Rich_G
Posts: 41
Joined: June 25th, 2006, 11:16 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by Rich_G »

I'm surprised to still find this but check this out:

http://www.oocities.com/svoa2000/nardin.htm

This is car info from Scott who beat F500's at a national level with some regularity including at nationals. There are others with their info and pics here as well.

Regards,
Rich
FM92
South Carolina Region
77fmod
Posts: 324
Joined: July 27th, 2006, 10:20 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by 77fmod »

Okay... I have adopted the 1.48 3rd that Scott used to run and a 1.26, I think, 4th..... It worked great with the 1600 but with the 1915 it is even better....

All I'm giving up for now....

Until later,

Johnny B.
gallopingghost
Posts: 10
Joined: August 15th, 2010, 10:12 am

Re: solo vee novice

Post by gallopingghost »

That is very good advice... a 3.80 1st gear with a shortbox would give me 26 miles tops in first, 48 in second with a 2.06, 68 miles with a 1.48 third, and finally 78 miles with a 1.26 fourth. I am all a twitter with this information! I have to get me some new gears! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Where can I get the gears, my transmission came from stuff VW transaxles in california.

I have a reverse lockout at the shifter and have found that it helps although I will need to spend an afternoon adjusting again (it was not yet right last event).
Last edited by gallopingghost on August 25th, 2010, 10:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
77FV Rio Grande Region SCCA
76 Bobsy
FV95
Posts: 21
Joined: September 14th, 2009, 10:32 pm

Re: solo vee novice

Post by FV95 »

RE: Reverse lockout. I run a Vector FV (GCR rules) in the Pa Hill Climb series where shifts from 3rd to 2nd are critical. Ken Taggert Engineering made a reverse lockout for me that is perfect. It mounts on the shaft at the end of the transmission. IT is actuated from the driver's seat via a control cable. If you are interested, pls send me an email at jjpfoto@earthlink.net and I will send you a photo and Ken's address. John Pitman
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