First test session

As some of you know I have spent the last 2 years rebuilding an Anson Supervee that I acquired in a box. With lots of advice from folks here the time has come to put it on track. I am hoping to make it to a test session at Sonoma on Tuesday. I am extremely apprehensive. I believe that the car is sound. Both structurally and safety wise. I have upgraded all safety systems. Personally, I have never driven a formula car. 40 years of road racing karts. The last 10 in a Superkart. I don't question my ability to drive the car, I'm just unsure of what to expect.
Aside from running the car on the stands to verify they various systems I will not know until I unload it at the track what it will do. My intention is to unload, warm it up and putzz around the paddock a couple times to get a feel for the clutch and brakes down in that tiny foot box. Do a quick check of the suspension bolts and if that goes well line up for the next session and try to be the last car out at the end of the line. My plan is to be extremely conservative, keep the revs low, short shift, learn to shift without the clutch and left foot brake like my karts. I do not believe upshifts will be an issue. Downshifts scare me. Hurting the gearbox scares the hell out of me. I know I will figure it out but don't want to look stupid. I also don't want to be in the way. I have a zillion laps at Sonoma and know the track very well so that will not be an issue. I plan on about 2 or 3 laps just to get a feel before coming in and doing a thorough inspection of all the major systems and fasteners. Jot down some notes for later review and if all is well get ready again.
I want to try to add a few more laps each session and doing an inspection after each one. As for tuning, aside from checking the plugs on the engine I don't plan on much. I believe the learning curve will be big enough without changing a bunch of stuff. Maybe a little front wing adjustment to see what it does after getting comfortable. Other than that I don't see changing anything else. Just getting seat time.
Any suggestions on what I should look for, or look to accomplish? Things I may not expect?
Thanks

Congrats Jim, I know this has been a long time coming!

Can’t say but bet it’ll just feel weird and big and heavy, but likely not much faster than what you’ve done. Be good and have fun!

I well recall Lake Speed’s comment about FF being “Just a big, slow kart.”

No offense to all things F.

(Edit: Yes, I know the SA6 is a S/V, mostly just saying you’re well used to approaching the speeds the Anson’s capable of)

From my experience of restoring old race cars that come in boxes, I think your plan is spot on. If you are putting around just keep your eyes in the mirrors. If all goes well, which I am sure it will, you will have a huge smile on your face at the end of the day from the experience and knowing you have put another old car out on the track where it belongs. Congratulations and go have some fun.

Nothing wrong with your plan, although it is pretty conservative (which is not a bad thing). One suggestion - am assuming the brakes are brand new. If so they will take a few laps to bed in in all likelyhood so don't get too far into the red mist too early :)

FWIW, every time I go out on a race session pace lap, a drag the brakes a bit along the straights to get a little heat into them before the green flag flies. Not too much, just use a little more gas and drag the brake.

And, your brake balance cannot be adjusted cold/new brakes.

have fun

bt

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Originally Posted by billtebbutt

Nothing wrong with your plan, although it is pretty conservative (which is not a bad thing). One suggestion - am assuming the brakes are brand new. If so they will take a few laps to bed in in all likelyhood so don't get too far into the red mist too early :)

FWIW, every time I go out on a race session pace lap, a drag the brakes a bit along the straights to get a little heat into them before the green flag flies. Not too much, just use a little more gas and drag the brake.

And, your brake balance cannot be adjusted cold/new brakes.

have fun

bt

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Didn't think about the brake balance. The pad box said bedded on it but who knows. I also forgot about the sway bars being cockpit adjustable. Might be something else to tinker with later in the day. My first day in the superkart I remember a buddy asking me how the chassis was. I just told hell I don't know, It hauls ass and I'm just hanging on. Now it's second nature. I'm hoping the car will be similar.

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Originally Posted by Earley Motorsports

If all goes well, which I am sure it will, you will have a huge smile on your face at the end of the day…….

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It will most likely be like the first time at Road America: won’t be able to wipe that silly smile off your face for three (3) weeks. Well done, friend

A great thanks and 3 cheers for keeping a car 'out there' .......too often an older car becomes abandoned and then there is one less car 'out there'
All I can guess is you will experience a little more G force and push due to the greater weight on significant up and down hill corners.
Do post how it went.

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Originally Posted by Lastminuteracin

Didn't think about the brake balance. The pad box said bedded on it but who knows. I also forgot about the sway bars being cockpit adjustable. Might be something else to tinker with later in the day. My first day in the superkart I remember a buddy asking me how the chassis was. I just told hell I don't know, It hauls ass and I'm just hanging on. Now it's second nature. I'm hoping the car will be similar.

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Jim,
So glad you you have it on track and making some noise. Congratulations!

From Carroll Smith - Prepare to Win:

Put the car on the jackstands.

Have the helper increase pressure on the pedal until you feel that the fronts are just barely locked, at this point if the bias is correct, the rears will just barely not be locked.

This is done with the tires on by grabbing the outside of the tire and trying to turn it.

This will get you close and fine tuning needs to be done at the track because of all the variables involved.

This method is also simple for simple minds like mine. You will be very close, likely within one turn of the brake bias knob.

Bill Margraf is in Auburn and he looks after a clients Anson. He is pretty busy but I can almost garuntee you he will find things wrong or that could be done better.
He is a total pro with experience in Indycar on down for 40 years.
You proably don’t have to worry about sway bars yet.
Are you going to be in the group that is 1:50 or slower? You will be more comfortable there I imagine.

I’ve met Bill at the track along with Ed. Both nice guys that have given advice. Although Ed and Chuck Raggio have SA4s looking their cars over has been a great help in building my SA6.
For sure I will be in the slow group to start. Should I get comfortable enough I was told it’s no problem switching to the faster group later in the day.

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Originally Posted by DanW

Jim,
So glad you you have it on track and making some noise. Congratulations!

From Carroll Smith - Prepare to Win:

Put the car on the jackstands.

Have the helper increase pressure on the pedal until you feel that the fronts are just barely locked, at this point if the bias is correct, the rears will just barely not be locked.

This is done with the tires on by grabbing the outside of the tire and trying to turn it.

This will get you close and fine tuning needs to be done at the track because of all the variables involved.


This method is also simple for simple minds like mine. You will be very close, likely within one turn of the brake bias knob.

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Thank you. Early on those books were suggested and I picked up all of them. They have been a great reference and I highly recommend them. I did set the balance this way and hope it’s as close as you say.

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Originally Posted by E1pix

Congrats Jim, I know this has been a long time coming!

Can’t say but bet it’ll just feel weird and big and heavy, but likely not much faster than what you’ve done. Be good and have fun!

I well recall Lake Speed’s comment about FF being “Just a big, slow kart.”

No offense to all things F.

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First time in a Reynard FC , it felt just like a 125 TAG kart
Go run a drivers school. Low key learning experience and you are going to need a license anyway.
most organizations won’t just let you show up and run unless you have some strong credentials.

If you're really worried about the gearbox on downshifts, there's nothing wrong with using the clutch. Upshifts will be easy without.

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Originally Posted by jrh3

First time in a Reynard FC , it felt just like a 125 TAG kart

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And as we both know — we were the NA development team in 2002 for the Biland SA250 that ran against Rotaxes — our TaGs are *almost nothing* like what Jim raced!

All to say, you’ll be fine and I envy your voyage!!!

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Originally Posted by jrh3

First time in a Reynard FC , it felt just like a 125 TAG kart
Go run a drivers school. Low key learning experience and you are going to need a license anyway.
most organizations won’t just let you show up and run unless you have some strong credentials.

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Licensing was a concern. I am lucky and have been licensed on my prior credentials. :-)

Wow great news man! You'll figure it out and do fine.
Try to snap a couple pictures if you have the time
Congrats!

When downshifting make sure to just jamb it good and hard into gear. Any hesitation will be the worst thing for it. Just my $0.02.

jfb

The day went pretty well. The chassis works, nothing fell off and no leaks. Upshifts were easy. Downshifts not too bad. I did have a couple of crunchy ones, but all in all did fine. I did have one issue. The engine wouldn't rev past 4,000 to 4,500. At that point it just started crapping out. I could kind of drive around it nursing the throttle. First thing tried was to shut off the rev limiter, No help. I played with the racetronic mixture screws. I tried revving it in the paddock while adjusting the timing dials on the HP1. Threw some plugs at it. Nothing helped. So short shifting for a few sessions was a good learning experience. It got to a point where I wasn't learning anything else with no real power. Packed it up and headed home. Smiling but frustrated. I did manage to get it to just start to slide a bit in turn 7 on one lap. If I just could have grabbed a foot full of throttle it would have been awesome. I was also "that guy" one session. Went to the fuel pumps at lunch and filled my jug. Got to talking and eating and never put it in the car. Needless to say I got towed in from turn 1 LOL.