I want to save baby seals, too
Somewhere between the two oil changes per month and the 7mpg you average while hot lapping, it hits you—this might not be the most eco friendly of sports. For years I’ve told myself that I make up for it in other ways. I recycle my phone book (the day it’s delivered), I only shower on even numbered days of the week, and I decided not to replace the burned out lightbulb in the hallway. Boy, it’s higher than it looks. The cold hard truth is that I know this isn’t enough and that I should be doing more to offset my time on the track.
Since it’s unlikely that I’ll be able to kick the habit anytime soon, I’m relieved when I see motorsport organizations taking steps to reduce the sport’s environmental impact. Infineon Raceway recently announced it’s installation of 1,652 solar panels which will produce over 40% of the facilities power demands. Thunderhill Raceway should also be recognized, they’ve had a trio of electricity generating windmills installed for several years now. It would be fantastic to see alternative energy generation become a precedent at other tracks around the world. 
Progress is of course, also at hand on the vehicle development front. It’s old news that Elon Musk was one of the first to make a bold entry into the market of producing all-electric family sedans—by building sports cars. But with the impending introduction of the Model S, it’s interesting now to see his master plan finally coming to fruition. The challenge with all-electic vehicles has long been two critical, sales-crippling factors: very limited range and performance. But instead of hiding these limitations behind fancy small print, Tesla took the challenge head on and set out to specifically conquer these widely known weak points. It would be difficult to argue the result was anything but a success having produced the Roadster, a sports car that accelerates to 60mph as fast as a 911 Turbo and goes over 200 miles on a single charge, plenty for a few days worth of commuting. If the company is able to solve these monumental challenges in a performance car, the most demanding of product lines, then imagine the brand equity they’ll have when the family friendly grocery getter starts shipping. We’ve seen this kind of brilliant product halo in action before, and it works.
I’ve now seen several Roadsters at the track, which is encouraging. But those like myself who will miss the rumble of a small block V8 powered by dinosaur blood should’t panic, it seems we still have some time before the electrics take over. Early this year I witnessed a Tesla Roadster sitting next to a gasoline generator in the paddock recharging after running a handful of laps. If there was a Razzie for efficient use of energy, this would be an impressive entry. In that oil-to-gasoline-to-electricity-to-electric-battery cycle, I’d be surprised if 20% of the original energy was making it back into the Roadster’s cells. But, it’s a start.
Marcus Aurelius got it right
“Because of its volume—and its occasional ruthlessness—Apple gets big discounts on parts, manufacturing capacity, and air freight.
This quote from a Bloomberg article sheds light on one of the less sexy and therefore underrated aspects of any business. I doubt many 7 year olds are overheard saying “Mommy, I want to be in operations logistics when I grow up”. But perhaps they are the unsung heros. I’ve seen a few Apple Operations wizards sharpening their Excel spreadsheets, preparing for war. Their single-minded devotion to what what the rest of us discount as merely “necessary”, reminds me of one of my all time favorite quotes, said by Marcus Aurelius.
“The secret of any victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious.
On Getting There First
Everyone knows launching a product first can have a huge impact on sales, and ultimately on the brand’s perception as either an innovator or a plagiarizer. But the article points out another interesting byproduct of a religious focus on streamlined operations, which can domino into another competitive advantage. If you’re operating within a smaller product ecosystem were suppliers may be limited, or if you’re talking about the astronomical volume of production that Apple requires, it seems you can actually put a choke hold on competitors who need the same suppliers:
“To manufacture the iPad 2, Apple bought so many high-end drills to make the device’s internal casing that other companies’ wait time for the machines stretched from six weeks to six months, according to a manager at the drillmaker.
Some might see this as unfair. I say in the race of getting there first in technology, to the victors go the spoils. I think Marcus would agree.
Tommy at Thunderhill 8.8.11
First time using the GoPro HD at the track. Impressive suction cup, stuck to Tommy’s front quarter panel.
Current Corvette Modification List
This on-going list of modifications and products represent items that are no longer original equipment on my 1998 Corvette Coupe. I’ll detail why each was selected and my experience with it’s real-world street, and on-track performance.
See Performance Statistics for how the car performs with these modifications.
Engine & Drivetrain
- Cold Air Intake – Breathless Performance Vortex Rammer
- Radiator with Engine Oil Cooler - DeWitts High Performance
- Underdrive Pulleys
- Engine - LS2 Corvette
- Intake Manifold - LS6 Corvette
- Cylinder Heads – AFR 215cc
- Cam – Custom Grind: 231 Intake Duration, 235 Exhaust Duration
- Rocker Arms – Comp Cams
- Fuel Injectors – 42lbs/hour
- Headers – LG Pro Long Tube With X Pipe
- Clutch – LS7 Corvette
- Flywheel – LS7 Corvette
- Remote Clutch Bleeder
- PCV Catch Can – Elite Engineering
- Differential Clutch Pack Shims – Upgraded
- Mufflers - B&B Triflow
- Polyurethane Engine Mounts - Pfadt Race Engineering
- Polyurethane Transmission Brace - Pfadt Race Engineering
- Custom ECU Tune Performed By Synergy Motorsports
Suspension
- Swaybars – GM Z51
- Shocks – GM Z51
- Polyurethane Control Arm Bushings - Pfadt Race Engineering
- Lowered Ride Height
- Corner Balanced
Interior
- Harness Bar
- Drivers Racing Seat – Sparco II
- 5 Point Harness – Simpson (driver), G-Force (passenger)
- Camera Mount - I/O Port
- Mac mini Stereo
- Clarion Stereo Head Unit
Brakes
- Steel Braided Brake Lines
- Brake Pads – Performance Friction 01, Hawk HPS & HP Plus
- Brake Fluid - Motul 600
- Front Cooling Ducts
Wheels
- Track – CCW 3 Piece
- Track – 2001 Z06 OEM
- Street – 1998 Corvette OEM
Tires
- Track – Toyo R888 (previously Hoosier R6, Kumho Victoracer v710)
- Street – BF Goodrich KDW, Michelin Pilot Sport 2
Saftey
- Helmet - Simpson Stingray SA2010
- Gloves – Simpson PosiGrip Racing Gloves
- Driving Shoes - Piloti Prototipo Touring
- Front & Rear Tow Hooks - Pfadt Race Engineering
Corvette Performance Statistics
Rebuilt LS2 Motor
Power
- 471rwhp / 541bhp (+196hp from stock)
- 452rwtq / 519lb-ft (+169lb-ft from stock)
Vehicle Weight
- TBD
Personal Record Lap Times
- Laguna Seca: TBD
- Thunderhill: TBD
- Infineon: TBD
Original LS1 Motor
Power
- 338rwhp / 388bhp (+43hp from stock)
- 355rwtq / 408lb-ft (+58lb-ft from stock)
Vehicle Weight
- 3,244lbs (-1 from stock with full tank of fuel)
Personal Record Lap Times
- Laguna Seca: 1:48
- Thunderhill: 2:11
- Infineon: (seem to have misplaced the videos)
LS1 Corvette Modification List
These are the modifications I made on the car between the time of purchase and when I replaced the motor in 2011.
See Performance Statistics for how the car performed with these modifications.
Engine & Drivetrain
- Cold Air Intake – Breathless Performance Vortex Rammer
- Radiator with Engine Oil Cooler - DeWitts High Performance
- Underdrive Pulleys
- Headers – LG Pro Long Tube with X pipe
- Mufflers - B&B Triflow
- Clutch – C5 Z06
- Flywheel – OEM
Fidanza Aluminum Flywheel & OE Z06 - Remote Clutch Bleeder
- Custom ECU Tune Performed By Newtech Performance
Suspension
- Swaybars – GM Z51
- Shocks – GM Z51
- Polyurethane Control Arm Bushings - Pfadt Race Engineering
- Lowered Ride Height
- Corner Balanced
Interior
- Harness Bar
- Drivers Racing Seat – Sparco II
- 5 Point Harness – Simpson (driver), G-Force (passenger)
- Camera Mount - I/O Port
- Mac mini Stereo
- Clarion Stereo Head Unit
Brakes
- Steel Braided Brake Lines
- Brake Pads – Performance Friction 01, Hawk HPS & HP Plus
- Brake Fluid - Motul 600
- Front Cooling Ducts
Wheels
- Track – CCW 3 Piece
- Track – 2001 Z06 OEM
- Street – 1998 Corvette OEM
Tires
- Track – Toyo R888 (previously Hoosier R6, Kumho Victoracer v710)
- Street – BF Goodrich KDW, Michelin Pilot Sport 2
Saftey
- Helmet - Simpson Stingray SA2010
- Gloves – Simpson PosiGrip Racing Gloves
- Driving Shoes - Piloti Prototipo Touring
- Front & Rear Tow Hooks - Pfadt Race Engineering
To Steve
I was 7 or 8 years old when I laid hands on one of your first firsts, an Apple II. It wasn’t long until I became concious that this machine was more than a tool, something magical was happening and I wanted to be a part of it.
At 17 I had just finished setting up a brand new iMac and teaching one of my first clients how to connect to the Internet and send email. She suddenly burst into tears and I sat awkwardly waiting for her to provide some sort of explanation. She was finally able to tell me that her daughter was serving in Iraq, and that phone calls were extremely limited. The only reason she needed a computer was so that she could write her daughter as often as she wanted. It was at that moment that I realized something you already knew. It had never been about the technology, the megabytes and the megahertz. It was about people, the connections and the freedom. You knew exactly what you were doing.
At 21 years old I was lucky enough to be accepted into the official Apple family and witness the countless smiles of customers who were discovering their own creativity for the first time. What had previously laid dormant from lack of inspiration and caged for absence of usable tools, was now unleashed in a fury of desire to learn more and conquer their next big idea.
I was 23 and sitting in your office, listening to you describe the wonders of iPhoto. That I was there for a completely unrelated job interview was inconsequential. Like a new father returning triumphant from the delivery room, you were bursting with pride about the recent launch of iLife and how it would change the way people everywhere told their personal stories. Your excitement was so genuine, so pure. It was intoxicating.
At 32 years old I left to make my own, albeit small dent in the universe.
Steve, it was your dedication to perfection and intolerance of failure that armed so many of us with the ambition to exceed our own expectations. You gave us the freedom to dream, the wisdom of restraint, and the passion to see it through to the end.
You were our teacher. We are your legacy. We won’t let you down.
Laguna Seca 11.2.10. Welcome to oversteer.
Short clip of me passing a Corvette ZR1 and a Ferrari F430. Filmed with a Flip that was unfortunately not pointing straight during that session so the perspective is a bit off. Theres no better ego boost than passing a car with literally twice your horsepower.
And FYI: came across a nice quick reference on over/understeer: http://www.nyracer.com/overunder.htm
UPDATE – 2.15.11: Someone suggested the sudden occurrence of oversteer could be attributed to failing clutch packs inside my differential, causing excessive wheel rotation which leads to instability upon corner exit. Certainly would explain why I never noticed it to this degree before, with the same suspension setup. Will start there and see if that’s the cause before investing in any new parts.
UPDATE – 10.6.11: While swapping the motor out, I had the differential checked and indeed the clutch pack shims were broken. They were replaced with upgraded shims and I hope to test them on the track in a few weeks.
Corvette Brake Pads
All of the following pads were used with the OE rotors and calipers. After approximately 8 track days and 40,000 street miles, I finally replaced the front rotors with another OE set. This seemed like a good time to comment on each brake pad I’ve used.
Hawk HPS Brake pads
I started off with Hawk HPS pads since the car was a daily driver and track time was limited to the occasional autocross. These pads showed a mild improvement over OE. They were just as quiet but produced noticeably more dust than the stock pads. They had slightly higher initial bite than stock, but seemed to overheat and fade just as fast. At less than $110 per axle, they are a great entry level alternative to stock.
Hawk HP Plus
With track days becoming more frequent, I needed something to help with the fade that occurred after only 10 hot laps on a road course. Billed by Hawk as “autocross and club race worthy” I went through a single set of Hawk HP Plus pads and found them to be a noticeable improvement over the HPS. They clearly had more friction on initial engagement but something about the torque curve didn’t feel right to me. They would dig in hard for the first few seconds but they seemed to not want to grip any harder with additional pedal pressure. They also succumbed to a fair amount of fade after 15 hot laps. At only $130 per axle, I would recommend that anyone with a daily driver simply skip the HPS and use the HP Plus pads instead. With only a bit more brake dust and only a few squeaks now and then, these represent the best price for performance I can imagine for a street ride that also visits the track once in a while.
Performance Friction 01
When the Corvette was no longer needed as a daily currier, I moved to Performance Friction’s 01 compound. A few laps at Laguna Seca and it was clear these pads are in another league. They had greater initial bite and the high friction seemed to extend deeper and deeper as the brake pedal was asked to keep turn 8 from turning into an off track excursion. Lap after lap these pads proved to be consistent and easy to modulate with little to no fade, even after a 20+ lap session. Noted as one of the most popular club racing pad, it’s easy to see why. They carry a far higher heat operating range than the HP Plus and warm up after only 2 laps, yet don’t seem to be overly brutal on rotors. I have yet to autocross with these pads, so I’m not sure how they’ll perform when cold, but from daily driving my guess is that they will be slow to warm up and wont serve as an ideal pad for cold laps like that of a short autocross. Stopping distance on the street at low speeds is greater than with the Hawks, they simply don’t like to be cold.
Dust is far greater than any other pad I’ve used, my street wheels show significant darkening after only a week of short drives around the block. Noise is also very obvious. These pads talk to you at pretty much any temperature while daily driving, mostly a light squeal when coming to a stop with gentle pedal pressure. Once up to track temperature they are either nearly silent or produce a more distinct metal on metal grinding sound. I’ve used these for two track days, or about 200 hot laps and for several months of spirited street driving on short trips. They are just now sitting at 1.5mm of material and ready for their first replacement set. Amazon currently carries the best price, around $280 for the front pads, manufacture part number 0731.01.15.44. I’m currently running OE Z06 pads in the rear but will likely move to these same 01 pads as well when they are used up.
It’s worth noting that these pads were installed at the same time as a basic duct system was added to my front rotors, so the lack of fade and overall improved track performance is surely a combination of the two items.
Ferrari F430 vs Corvette @ Laguna Seca
It always strikes me as odd that so few people keep record of their lap times at track days. I completely appreciate Hooked On Driving’s philosophy of a non-competitive environment to provide a safe education. Practicing a particular skill or nailing the apex for a series of turns is what you’re there to focus on during a track day, and you can’t do that while fighting off aggressive traffic. But one key way to know if you’re making any improvement is to record your times. That education is even more valuable if you can compare times with someone who has more experience than you who might know a better line.
So, thanks to Kevin for posting his Laguna video and giving a yard stick to measure against. Putting our two in-car laps side by side you can really compare where we gain or loose time against each other.