First Impressions, Sebring Turn 17, and Florida chatter, Sebring Drivers Event Options

[Seabird]

After five months of toiling over my 914 in preparation for this past weekend it finally came. With the exception of taking it once around the block in my assessing the purchase and once around as a final check before going out on track Saturdays first session, on a wet track, was the first time I have driven this bad boy.

My first impressions on the final check drive was just how sharp and fast the steering is. Much sharper than the Alfa Spiders I have had and my GTV. I know the comparison is often made but the best comparison is that of the go-kart. A comparison I never really understood till now. Much like the go-kart, the 914 rotates with the slightest input from the steering wheel. Very little steering input is needed to achieve the desired directional change.

The first session was a wash. Literally. The track was wet from rain the night before. I went into a 4 wheel drift going around turn 15 on the pace lap. That was rather embarrassing. Its the one off camber turn in Sebring. In the e30 I can get pretty aggressive there. It must be a physics thing. After a few laps I heard a strange noise from the engine bay so I decided to pit. One of my air filter lids had worked loose and was flopping around in the fan shroud!! Miraculously it did not brake anything though the bolt was missing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

By the time the second session came around the track had dried off significantly. I was able to get a good session in and knock off the rust that had developed in the last 6 months since my last track event. I missed a few shifts both in the up and down directions but I managed not to blow anything up in the process. I felt the car was not as planted as it should be so I made a note to try lower tire pressure. Again half way through I had to pit with a mechanical issue. Driver side throttle linkage had vibrated loose and I was only opening up the right carb. A little dab of loctite solved this but the remainder of the day way rained out (for me). Mental note: at the very least buy and keep wiper blades handy.

The ugliness of Saturday disappeared with the setting sun and we were grace with an amazing Sunday. I had dropped my tire pressure a few psi (30>28 cold) on Saturday and the difference was immediately notice. I had planned to drop the tire pressure down a few more psi; under braking the car still felt a bit squirmy. The car and I were more in sync and I felt I put in a much improve run. No lap timer on board yet but the video would later show in at least one lap were I was only cruising on the back straight I dropped my best lap time, from the e30, by 2 seconds. My confidence was certainly up.

Second session was much the same. I really felt comfortable in the car and was having a blast driving it around. Turn 15 caught me off guard again but I managed to keep it pointing straight. My over revving (it certainly wants to pull beyond 6.5k), miss shifts, and other bad things started to disappear as I became more comfortable in the car. Unfortunately this turned out to be my last run. About half way through I started to get a fuel starvation issue. Felt the same as when the bolt came loose on the linkage. So once again I limped in, idling around the track.

I tried to figure out what was wrong but got no where fast. In the end I suspect some of the laquored gas the was left in the tank worked loose and found its way to the internal screen and reduced the available flow.

So my driving was done for the weekend and I was left wanting more. In the end I was happy I was able to get out there despite all my set backs in getting the car ready. I am thrilled with the driving experience offered by the 914-4 and am super energized to continue to develop it.

I should have pictures to post tomorrow, just waiting on digital delivery from the photographer.

Here is a video from the first session on the second day. Notice how I am able to real in the high power cars in the turns (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Sebring Session 3

It was great to meet two other forum members, Shane and Joe. And it was great to see them in their teeners out there looping!!

Miguel