Well folks like it says the site is finally up for the 2004 East Coast Ramble. Please bear with me while I update it and add to it. By the end of this week I will have the menu selections for the banquet dinner posted.

Click on over, browse, and register. Three easy steps to having a good time:

2004 East Coast Ramble

Thanks!
Mike D.

I registered.

The request is in with the wife

Lets hope it goes well. Is/has this event been much of a family event?

I am planning on bringing my 914 to the event with the wife as copilot.

Cheers
Kerry

It does tend be a husband/wife gathering, to some degree. Keep in mind most of the wives are used to our peculiar cars and all the quirks assiciated with owning one. My wife will be there, I tend to get in trouble without here there

My best,
Mike D.

It's an eight hour drive for me, but if I can get a dog sitter, and assuming my 914 is operational by then (should be, all I need is parts from an unnamed person ) I'll be there. Will register later.

Dog sitter? Bring the dog! Aside from my wife I cant think of a better co-pilot. No instances of "You missed yor turn." "shoutldn't you slow down." "Whats that funny smell?" Or my favorite yet "Where are the cup holders?"


Hope you can make it!

Mike D.

We are in

I have such a great wife. She went to Hershey and now the ECR.

I hope to bring the 914 if mother nature is in a good mood


Should have a room buy noon tomorrow.


Time to start my travel list:
- Alt belt
- Plugs
- Run flat
- Spare Petronix
-Wife
- Cell phone
- AAA card

Cheers.
Kerry

It's three large dogs (100 lbs, 80 lbs and 70 lbs) and they won't fit or else I would. But I may be bring a good friend from New York who is an great co-pilot.

Va914 - what's a Petronix?

Edited - I've just registered. The dogs can always go in a kennel. I'm coming no matter what.

If I could spell



http://www.pertronix.com/ignition_products...or_ignitor2.pdf

No races scheduled for me that weekend.
I'll be there with my wife, Mary.
If I can get the street car painted before that I'll bring it too.

Woohoo the registrations are popping in. I did have a few issues the first day with the form not sending the info properly. Chris glad you and Mary are gonna head up. The drive upfor you shouldnt be longer then 45 minutes I think... It will be more then worth it. Joan glad your gonna cruise down! Just tell the dogs it's summer camp...

Keep those registrations flowing!!!

All my best!
Mike

Mike did you get my info okay?

Cheers
Kerry

Thinking hard on this one. We usually travel to Ct. at some point during the summer to visit family anway, so this might just work out!

Are there any plans for an autocross? Or, do some of our Ct and Mass members know of an AX going on somewhere that weekend?

The Fairfield County Sports Car Club has an event scheduled for Sunday, August 29th.

It is held at the Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury, CT.

Nice, Paul. Have you run with that club before? How many cars typically show for their events? Are you planning on going to it? Any one else up for it?
Waterbury depending on traffic would be about what, an hour to an hour and a half ride from the Publick House?

I regularly run with the FCSCC. They are are friendly group of people. The main emphasis is on safety, then fun.

I'll be there and I'll be the guy teching your 914.

We normally get between 60-70 cars at an event.

It should take just over an hour to get there from Sturbridge. It's a straight shot down I-84.

If anyone is interested, we have an event tomorrow (Sunday, May 30th).

This looks like a fun weekend, just put points in the car and I'm all set. Any part swapping going on?

haven't registered yet but it is on the calendar.
we'll be there in the "/6 conversion engine donor car" ...

could be up for an autocross :-) ...
i'm not afraid of getting beat by a bunch of 4-cylinder cars.
( it will be happen, i'm just not afraid of it :-) ...)

We just buy anyone with a 6 enough drinks and when he/she wakes up the next day and finds a 4 inside we tell him he did it.......

I'm happy to see such great response here in the boards! My registration form has been acting up a bit. Perhaps I fat fingered something in the code ... not sure. Anywho I seem to be only getting about 50% of the registrations from the site. If you have registered and not gotten an email from me, please email me and I'll get this straightened out.

My best to all!
Mike D.

E-mail has been sent

Mike, Am I reggied now? I got emails from you about the problems but you never told me I all set. I assume I am but want to make sure, I don't want to miss it!

Kerry and Jim you are both all set!! I am moving the site this week to another server and service as the "free" AOL bs isn't working out as planned. I'm working on getting a mailing out for this week and sending out a bunch of updates by the end of the week!

My best,
Mike D.

Thanks Mike

BTTT

Well, I finally asked Amy if we could go. We'll see what happens, but Aug 27 is our 10th wedding anniversary. We'll think about it and I'll hope for the best.

i looked over the page highlighting the hotel and it looks like a really nice place; i wouldn't mind spending any anniversary in a place like that.

i know i'd be glad to be with Joy doing something she likes on a special day, so we can hope Amy feels the same for you. looking forward to seeing you both there ...

(i registered Joy and me today ... we'll be there...)

When I made my reservation they informed me the price break was at the lodge and not the inn. Can someone confirm this???

The inn looks great and the Lodge looks fine but just not as nice

I'll still be there

Cheers
Kerry

Sadly it's true, we are in the lodge not the Inn. The Inn didn't have enough rooms to hold us. It's very very popular with wedding parties. Hmm I can see the papers now: Bridesmaids abducted by twin trunk drivers!

The lodge is nice though and it is right next to the Inn.

Updating the sponsors and news section tonight and sending out a masss email to everyone thats registered so far.

My best to all!
Mike D.

Ooooooo Bridesmaids.

And given the tendency to drink in the evenings at the Ramble the Bridesmaids may be in trouble!!

Dammit dammit dammit dammit dammit!!!!

The Zone 7 autocross school is that same weekend. So now I have to choose between helping the local folks learn to properly flog their cars, and hanging around and with the East Coast guys!

This is not the sort of decision I like making, I feel like either way I lose...

--DD

I'll buy you a beer or two if you come to the ECR. Hell, I'll even let you have some of my bourbon

Sparky

I've registered and e-mailed you some time ago, but haven't heard anything. Should I register again?

i heard rumblings of an AX associated with the ECR...

why on earth would you want to teach your competition how to beat you?
or it could just be an insidious plot to mis-teach people so you can beat them later :-) ...

anyway - if it were a HSDS, i could understand it, but i think if i had a chance to be with people i could join once a year, that's what i would do.

oh, wait - that is what i'm doing ...

What's this? AX @ ECR? I'd better keep that quiet if I want ANY chance to attend.

Paul Heery raised the possibility back on Page One - a local group has an event already scheduled ...

I've had a couple of people contact me about this. So, here are some particulars.

1.) I am a member of the Fairfield County Sports Car Club. We have a regularly scheduled autocross on Sunday, August 29th. Unfortunately, I am not able to attend the ECR, but I will be at the AX on Sunday.

2.) This autocross is not affiliated with the East Coast Ramble. However, we are a friendly bunch and gladly welcome all participants.

3.) The AX site is located in Waterbury, CT at the Naugatuck Valley Community College. It is located right off I-84 and is about an hour from the ECR hotel. Directions can be found at the bottom of this page

4.) The cost is $20 per driver. You will normally get 5-6 timed runs and we leave ample time for fun runs at the end. It will cost you $2 per fun run.

5.) We do not pre-register for our events. You have to show up, fill out a simple form and pay your money. Registration is open until 10:00. So, if it was a late night at the ECR, you may still be able to make it. We have a good neighbor policy so first-car-off is normally not until between 10:30 and 11:00.

6.) We run a muffled event. So, if your car is too loud, you may be told to put a sock in it.

7.) We run and class according to SCCA rules.

8.) There are places nearby to get food, but you must leave the site. There is a McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Dunkin Donuts and others down the road. The Electric Car Club from the college is on-site selling coffee, cold drinks and some snacks.

9.) We run rain or shine.

10.) If there is enough interest from this group, I will volunteer to be the club's Event Chairman for this AX. That would give me the abilty to designate a 914 area in the paddock and more importantly, design an AX course that would be a great layout for 914s.

i think there's a "9:14" breakfast slated for Sunday, but maybe we could arrange to have that trackside ... i hate the thought of being on the road before 0800 on a Sunday, but as soon as someone says "track day" the epinephrine kicks in and i'm up ...

i have no idea how my car would be classed per SCCA these days. does your club support the Open Street Prepared class? since i'm just targeting DE prep i haven't even glanced at a rulebook lately ... not that it matters - a 2,2-L LWB 911 is gonna be toast on a 914 course ...

pls consider this an indication of interest - it looks like it'll be our only AX this year...

i'm just hoping i'll have time to finish off the 911 after resurrecting the Subie ...

Joan sorry you are all set. I've been a little crunched here. I've sold my house, am remodeling the new one. To top that off I am leaving the company I am with and going to a different one. Ohh and the icing, the secret weapon I had for the ohhh and ahhh crowd at the ramble has fallen thru. I was taking my rust free shell, yes rust free, and having rabbit flares welded on and having the whole shell pwder coated as part of my 6 conversion. The welder had a nervous breakdown and I just dont have time to finish this up for the ramble. So I'm bringing my b-car instead.

Dave you have to be here. Who else can judge the flaming shot contests? Who else would we get to point out the flaws in our "pristine" east coast cars? :unsure:Besides we share the same birthday with Ed V. the three of us have to have a belated drink together!! Is it working......

Hey aside from all that I'm still sane!! Just ask my rice crispies they told me so this morning!

My best to all!
Mike D.

Dude, you are so screwed. I went to look up where your 911 would be classed and assumed that it would be in a Prepared class because of your comments. The SCCA is not kind to Porsches and 911s in particular. You would be running in ASP along with the prepared Corvettes, BMW Ms, Vipers, Honda S200s.

Good luck. You'll need it.

Guys..I have never AX'ed so I guess I should attend a DE before a AX event, hu?

Is there a site that would explain what I need to do to my 914 to be able to AX it and what I need to wear?

Cheers and sorry for the AX 101 questions

Kerry

Kerry,

You will find the answers to most of your questions in the Solo II Novice Handbook.

DE first? If you want to, but it's not necessary.

i just like any class labelled 'open' -- no rules, just right.

the car -probably- isn't a SOLO-II Prepared (race tire) class car. no engine mods, f'rinstance. i ran my GTI in a Prepared class due to the rear disk brake conversion but i don't think i've really changed anything on this car that would bump it to Prepared - it's just got more and bigger of everything the car could have had originally.

i just have no idea how the classes between 'Stock' (which it's clearly not) and 'Prepared' run. then (in some regions) there's the complication of 'Street Modified' for which i suppose it's technically eligible - as i recall the rules - which is to say, imperfectly.

but i don't care.

i'm not coming up there with any illusions that i'll win anything, or even place well. i haven't AX'd for at least two years (although that was in a SWB 911...) and most of my 'serious' competition is in the GTI, a front-drive car on slicks... i'm just coming up to slide around and have fun, and later we'll compare times. i expect any moderately well prepared 914 with a moderately experienced driver will simply walk away from my times, even if i tweak the antiroll bars to improve rotation. it's for the fun of participation...

Sigh! I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that I must bow out of the ECR this year. I will be instructing at the Zone 7 AutoX school instead.

Have a drink for me, guys!

--DD

I'm in.....

An update on the AX on August 29th.

The FCSCC knows to expect a few mid-engined, two-trunk, Miata beaters to show up. I've cleared everything with the club and it's not a problem.

Second, I am the club's Event Chair for this AX. That means that I am in charge of the event and I get to design the course. Does anyone have any favorite design elements that they would like incorporated into the course?

To publicly answer some of the questions that I have received, here is the schedule for a typical FCSCC AX:

All of the information that you will need is on our website at: http://fcscc.com


7:00 - Course designer and helpers arrive to set up the course.

8:00 - The site officially opens. However, no one will stop you if you arrive earlier.

8:30 - It’s around this time that the course has been completed enough to be walked. However, there are a few people that like to walk the course earlier while the designer is still setting it up. You can sometimes pick up a nugget of information that will help you figure out some small detail that you might have otherwise overlooked. With the exception of the Safety Meeting, you can continue to walk the course until the first car goes off.

9:00 - Registration and tech lines both open. We do not have pre-registration. You just need to fill out a simple form and pay $20 for each driver. Once you have registered, you then take your car through tech.

10:00 - Registration and tech close.

10:00 - Shortly after registration and tech close, the Safety Meeting is held. We call it a Safety Meeting not a Driver’s Meeting since we require that everyone on the site attend. At the meeting, we go over safety, run order, work assignments, etc. Right after the meeting, most people will walk the course at least one more time.

10:15 - Guided Rookie course walk. Anyone can tag along.

10:30 to 10:45 - This is about the time we get the first car off. We really can’t do it any earlier since there are some neighboring houses and we like to stay in their good graces. Which reminds me, we run a muffled event. Cars can’t be too loud.

A couple of key points:

- We class cars according to SCCS Solo2 rules.

- We don't run in run groups. We normally run through the classes in each run. It's normally - Stock, Prepared, Street Touring, Modified, Rookie. We get in at least 5 runs (sometimes 6) plus fun runs.

- If non-drivers are attending, they must sign in at the gate as "crew". Connecticut state law does not allow us to have spectators.

- We have use of the bathrooms in one of the school buildings.

- Other than some beverages and snacks available from the college's Electric Car Club, there is no other food onsite. However, there are a few fast food places nearby (Burger King, McDonalds & Subway).

Here is a link for directions to the site. Scroll down, the directions are towards the bottom.
http://fcscc.com/04schedule.htm

I've been following this event. I talked to the wife about attending. We just can't make another vacation this close to the last two. Post lots of photo's for us and have a beer for us.

The site has been updated again!!

Check out the updates and the news. It seems my updates had not been happening as I thought. So much for automated scripts.... well my scripts anyways .

2004 East Coast Ramble

I will not make it since I have my kids that weekend. Maybe next year though.

Looking forward to pictures.

where am i gonna be precisely 7 days from now?

at the Show and Shine at the Nashoba Valley Winery!!!!!!