My wife Nadine and I went to Smoky Mountain Region PCA's Fall Fest this past weekend, which historically has only been an autocross, but this year they did a tour and riverboat dinner on Saturday, and autocross on Sunday - true 'Fest' weekend.

For the past few years, me and our little car Huey have been trying to get an FTD at the events around Zone 3 (Southeast), and we've consistently gotten 2nd except for Carolinas Region's Sommerfest in June, where we finally got an FTD.

This years Fall Fest course was long and fast. In the first run group, the fastest times were around 95 seconds. In my group is Jeff Gordon (no, not the Nascar guy). Jeff consistently beats me with his 1950 lb (with him in it), nearly 300 hp 10" wide tire 914. Huey is 2300 lbs+, and 210 hp on 7 & 8" tires....

Keep in mind, Huey is what we ran Targa Newfoundland in, and completely totalled - flipping end over end. We rebuilt him, but he's still not perfectly straight. Before we really started autocrossing him, we decided to make him more usable, so he's got sound deadening, carpeting, softer shocks (actually original stock from an early 911. and only 140 lb springs....NOT a good autocross set up.

Jeff's car is purpose built - autocross only.

No, Jeff and I don't run the same class - he M2, me I2 - but we still compete against each other constantly for FTD. I've never beaten him.

Jeff's first run was 89 sec...blowing the field away. I ran a 90 I think.

We went back and forth until he got an 86.7. I responded with a 86.2...except I hit two cones...damn!

His next run: 86.0...my last run....87.1. So again...he beat me.

He and I were the only one's in the 80's. But as I said, I'm not complaining. I'm happy I can keep it close with basically a heavy street car.

At Parade I got 10th place OVERALL. and, we found out later, the bolts holding the steering rack had backed out. We were wondering why it didn't want to turn in but couldn't figure out why.
Oh, and one of the 19mm nuts that hold the transmission on...you know that big one back there that goes through the tranny ears....was gone!

All in all, this car is a ton of fun. Holds it's own in autocrosses, fun to drive on the weekends/to events, and looks good.

Can't complain here!!

I'm glad you brought Huey back from the dead. Love that car ...

Great story. Glad to hear you continue to do so well with a "street car." Tough to do.

You mentioned the 19mm transmission bolt came off.

I wonder how many of us actually check our car before each event and torque all the bolts holding our cars together?

I know when I got up to the Medford WCC that someone pointed out I was missing a CV bolt. As it turned out there were a bunch of them loose.

Now autoxing is one thing - track or hill climbs are the other, i.e., you don't want anything loose at a track or hill climb event.

Wonder how many of us are actually doing the homework before events?

I'd say that number is close to zero ...

Now, if i had a dedicated race/AX car and a garage to work on it, i probably would.

My car is parked outside under a tarp and i don't even own jack-stands or a floor-jack.

I will say for my track car - Papa Smurf - I check everything before every track day. I have a lift in the garage, so it's easy...

But Huey is a street car. Do you check your street car every time you go to work? Me either...

Then again, maybe now I will...

Back when I raced the Audi regularly I would nut and bolt the car. Now I havent hit a track or autox in over a year and its bummed me out.. (Im now 2 hours from my nearest autox venue... and no cars that I trust for a 4 hour drive plus flogging)


Glad to see Huey is running good! Nothing like a properly balanced car and a fast driver!

Did you ever write down all the different torque settings for the suspension?

If so that would be a great thing to publish here for everyone to use. And knowing what has come loose before, i.e., like front end stuff, could save someone a serious accident.

Right the Marina is about 120 miles from Modesto. To bad they quit running events at that Stockton motor park, or have they?

BTW Alameda is only 80 miles. You could run with GGR.

Umm...no. how about 'really tight'... ???

then there's 'really tight with loctite'

Well that is two torque settings right there.

A nut and bolt checklist with torque settings you could print out would be cool.

Who wants to help develop one?

John

In 12 years of AXing we only had 2 bolts come loose/fall off. Got bout 9 years out of that install.
Unfortunately they both on the steering rack.
Fortunately the pan caught em'.
Unfortunately it was at an NT event & 95 degs out....asphalt temp 140, we had to fix them in the pits, no tools to speak of, declare a "mechanical" & get'erdone in 10 minutes.
Fortunatley several competitors helped us with tools/jacks/stands....yada.

Unfortunately that was the closest I've ever come to heat prostration and then it was my turn to run...and mow down a shitload of cones.

Fortunately I was OK bout 6-8 hours later.

They stopped running stockton and started running infineon and mather..

And a couple of years ago AAX stopped running castle..

Basically im up shit creek. 160 miles total in my 914 on the highway is not my idea of a good time

Couple video's from the weekend:
Thanks to Steve Schleif (Poorsche914)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=523pRL0QETI




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdYgSJcVFdM

Wow, that is one technical course! Nice smooth driving!

Which leads to the racers adage. "small problems/issues unaddressed become BIG"
Problems..... That noise won't go away!

It was fun watching the video. I personally love big course like that.

There is always so much time that you can gather!

wow, sure looks flat and stiff from that side view camera. hardly any compression or roll under side load

Nice video... What is your suspension set up?

nothing special: 21mm (??) torsion bars front, 140# springs rear, 22mm weltmeister sway front, none rear, stock shocks/struts from a 84 Carrera that are very old...

Got 993 rear calipers up front, Carrera rears in the back (great brake set up btw)

AAS is coming down to Buttonwillow.