race report - video, palm beach sportscar classic Options

[machina]

Had our first joint event at Moroso with the SCCA and the VDCA. It was sponsored by Jaguar, pretty cool event.

Best finish for me was 7th out of 21 cars. The car turns and stops as well as most of the formula cars but the tired 1.7 injected motor just doesn't have it on the straights.

I could reel in any car out there in the braking zones only to be left behind in the straights again. It was kind of funny that the british cars, (MG, Triumph, etc) marvel at my "huge" brakes. To these guys, the stock solid rotors on our cars look like a dream compared to their drum brakes and 9" rotors.

In the faster class, my friend alan alesi in his 914-6 won the first race. This was against the jaguar backed factory e-types, pretty incredible. Car and Driver was there, was talking to the photo editors, Csaba was driving one of the jags.

I posted a video clip on my site, http://www.synthesisdv.com/vg/
click on the 914 in the garage. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) You will need windows media player v9.

dave

[thesey914]

great viewing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[TimT]

Dave, nice video!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

what sort of camera did you use to record the video? and what editing and compressing software did you use?

[Brad Roberts]

What gear do you downshift into going into the first turn on the first lap ??

No limited slip ??

I miss driving/racing the 914's (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I also hate seeing Miata's pass 914's (even on the cool down lap)


B

[machina]

It is a sony mini-DV about 4 years old. I used to use a hi-8 camcorder but it always jumped and skipped. I was suprised to see how stable the video is with the mini-DV format. Only problem was the focus going out when I hit the rumble strips. Can overcome that by setting focus to manual @ infinity.

Ran the footage into the box with firewire, edited with MGI videowave which came free with a firewire board I got for my other computer. Has pretty good toolset but not as vast as premiere of course. Then converted to wmv with free windows media encoder v9.

This was the first time I tried all this.

dave

[machina]

What gear do you downshift into going into the first turn on the first lap ??

No limited slip ??

I missed the shift at the start at the first turn, thats why you hear the motor zing like that. I think I zinged it like that about 5 times over the weekend. Still hard to get used to the shift pattern.

Normally it is 3rd gear in the 914 and yes, no limited slip. Really don't need it with 70 horsepower (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

I need a motor (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[Brad Roberts]

I was being nice by NOT asking if you missed a shift at the beginning...LOL

Every 914 benefits in some form or fashion from a LSD. Everytime I hear wheelspin in the video you lost several tenths of a second that the car should have been moving forward and not spinning the tires.

The open wheel'd guy's have some crazy lines around that track.

The best part was sneaking up on the red "elva" or whatever it was and passing him on the outside. You surprised him when he looked up and saw his mirrors full of Silver 914.


B

[scotty]

There's something about the sound of an angry four...even a tired one... that I love!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) Great video...and interesting site...and your car is soooo clean! Cool installation of all the goodies too!

[Howard]

Thanks for sharing your site and video. Beautiful car

[VegasRacer]

Thanks for sharing Dave.
It is always nice to see a 914 being used properly.

You don't have to tell me about being fast in the corners and feeling like you are in the wrong gear and need a magazine rack on the straights. I have been stuck racing my 2.0 four against 914-6's and 911's with 2.4's. They changed the class rules in VARA so next year I get to move down a class and I expect to be very competitive against the Alfa's, MG's and Triumphs.

[eresener]

Dave,
If you get a chance try Ulead's Video Studio 7...very easy to use and you can either make video CD's or DVD's from the same software...obviously if you have a burner installed in your computer. I've been a hired gun for Ulead for about a year and a half now...been making interactive Cd's for over 7 years... also one of the pioneers of interactive.... worked on the first interactive laser disc program for General Motors back in 1981...

BTW if you go to www.Ulead.com all of their software is available for a free download for 30 days...try and buy...not bad...

Anyone else out there if you have video you want on a DVD or want to create an interactive CD of you Teener...drop me a PM anytime....

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)
Ed

[machina]

Dave,
If you get a chance try Ulead's Video Studio

Ed,

Actually, I have owned Ulead MediaStudio and even photostyler from years ago. I guess there is an upgrade path from mediastudio to the newer video studio.

I really don't do much video here, just for fun really.

dave

[eresener]

Dave,
MediaStudio has a PRO version...but it is pretty expensive...I have it installed here..but don't use it at all....the VS7 i wrote about is extreemly easy to use...and it costs less that a hundred bucks...

I am in the process of building my 914 and I am documenting every step in both video and digital stills....hopefully by the beginning of the summer this car will taste the asphalt...and I will create an individual chapter of each step on DVD. I look at as a digital album of the process....will also incorporate "reality" commnets from myself, friends and suppliers as I build the car.... it will be fun, frustrating and most of all...mine.

Here in southeast Missouri we have some fantastic roads through the foothills of the Ozarks....semi-long streches of asphalt....and many, many areas that were built just for the Teener....both long and short curves....up and down grades that will make me proud of this car...my 84-944 5-speed enjoys cruising these undiscovered streches ...so I know now how I am going to enjoy my Teener.....

Best, Ed

[waterboy]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) VERY cool video. That gives me inspiration to get my project finished! Dave, you need some more HP and you will really clean up (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)