I had the best time yesterday! There was a PCA DE event here at track and I was able to go out there for the day. I didnt register for the DE event (kinda broke at the moment) but they had an opportunity to do parade laps at lunch for only $20. I did drive my car out there for the day and even though I still have sooooo many things that could be fixed (seems like it never ends) a friend of mine convinced me to take the parade laps. It turned out they let us do almost 10 laps and there were about 10 cars out there. I was right between a 944 and a Boxster and although I would lose the 944 and the Boxster would get right on my bumper in the straight, I would catch the 944 and lose the Boxster in the tight sections.

I had so much fun in my car! My buddy that rode shotgun (he races Spec Miata and was helping me with my turns) was really impressed with how the car handled and the power it had in the top of the power band.

The only problem I had was a strong gas smell when we hit the turns really hard. I think it was just sloshing around so much and probably coming out of the vents on the top of the tank. I was wondering if this is a common problem and what I could do to possibly negate this in the future. There is a Spec Miata race at another track this weekend coming up and I would love to do some more laps between races!

Anyways, thanks to all for all your help getting this car to where it is! I had a blast!!!

Common problem, when I was on track with stock tank I plugged the overflow hose to cut down on gas smell ..

Which hose is the over flow? Is that the one coming out of top by cap?

Also, replace the large round gasket on the tank to overflow/filler body fitting. It is 40yrs old and probably leaking there as well.

Good luck, have fun and I remember my first DE with my 914. Dumped oil on the track as the valve cover gasket was bowing and under hard cornering the oil would come up and over and leak on the heater box.

GREAT fun in a 914 and resist the urge to add power. It is more fun to go fast in a slow car than slow in a fast car (and you'll be forever chasing the next thing)

What about my hell-hole repair? I am nervous that I have not fixed it and now putting the car on the track. I really want to fix that and I know it will be a long long project but honestly with the way I am driving now (still a newbie) I really couldnt feel the car flexing too much. Should I move forward with fixing that before I continue to track the car or can I drive it as is until I get to the point that it causes problems?

In our region of PCA, cars are welcome to do a casual inspection at the tech inspections for track events. I would say to go to an inspection with the track inspection form and tell them to do a track inspection and see if you have anything that would need to be corrected. On our inspection form there is a check for rust; see if your car passes or fails. Our track inspections are free unless you arrive too close to the end.

Anybody have the part# to the karge round gasket going to the overflow/filler of the gas tank?

My car needs that replaced as I get gas smell when hard cornering on the streets and is likely the gas sloshing around.

PET 201-00 914.201.893.10

I cant seem to find that part anywhere either. Anyone have a link?

Goto Pelicanparts.com and search for "914.201.893.10". Comes right up.

Thanks for the part# 914World'ers.

In general, if you are having Hell Hole issues, it often manifests in the inner semi-trailing arm mount rust which will not necessarily fail gracefully.

Get it looked into and repaired as soon reasonable or whenever you are on the track you will have a nagging feeling that "THIS" is the corner in which it will fail.

The track is safer than the street as you don't have the idiots to deal with but you want to be able to trust your machinery.

Have fun!

You'll find alot of non 914 drivers will have the same impression of the 914. My last instructor was a spec miata racer and said the same thing.

The most fun was when the 944 was blue flagged to let me by. He didnt think the blue flag was for him until it turned black and his session was over....
I didnt couldn't mess with the Boxsters though.

A very wise man once told a group of us DE newbies, "If someone is behind you, it's because they have caught up with you. Pull over and let them by, and you won't have to deal with them again." He specifically mentioned 914s as being cars that you may even have to tap the brakes to let them by on the straight, even if they are turning faster lap times than you.

Someone did that for me that weekend, and I was quite chuffed about it!

--DD

Is 'chuffed' good?

Edit. Nevermind. Googled it.

Well, that's it then...it's all downhill from here!! Look at your bank account...then imagine all the money you will have THE REST OF YOUR LIFE...then throw it all out the window. THAT'S what happens when you go down the slippery slope of driving on the track!! But OH the fun you will have spending all your money!!

DD...the saying they used to say in NNJR "if you see a car in your mirrors, God didn't put him there...he's faster than you!! Get out of the way..NOW!!"
Then they would point to ME in our 914 and say "WHEN you see that little blue 914 behind you, if you DON'T move over, he might pass you anyway..."

Here's a story of what you might be in for... don't say I didn't warn you!!

http://www.naroescapemotorsports.com/Cars/Papa_Smurf.html

That was an awesome read thanks! And the funny thing is that only have my car for one year I can relate to lots of the problems you guys had at first