GT visits SEBRING


HOOKED ON GT

GT Owner
Oct 26, 2006
468
Orlando & Australia
After some updates to the GT (Ohlins, SPEC organic clutch, trans Cooler, new rubber, Pagid Yellow pads, SRF fluid, some suspension bushings) it was time to enjoy a bang around my old friend Sebring.

Was worried about the clutch as I didn't have time to do the recommended 500 mile break in, so I had to do it in 150 miles. I spoke to David who built the clutch and told him of my Sebring visit and he was happy for the many hundreds ion gear changes I was to make every 5 seconds around town to bed it in.
Clutch went well and a great improvement over OEM.

Went out in the shakedown session and knew that it was going to be a long day.

Im a short legged long backed tall head freak show and with a BELL helmet couldn't fit without putting my A hole on the under thigh seat section (6' 1/2" tall)
I had some towels to fill the void in my back and that sort of helped, but felt like a banana laying down.
What I lacked was any connection to the cars motions. This is what it must have been like in GT racing 75 years ago.
Also had to reach too much for the wheel, would have been nice to have to telescope in the design process.

Ok....push on.

I spent most of the day letting people past (wave by rules any place on track)
Didn't want to get in the way and get the GT up close with anyone else and had to learn the track again and just enjoy what im doing.

Bought the Harrys Lap Timer app (Grand Prix) but couldn't get the pip function to work with phones data footage when I got home.
I'll see if I can just do the phone data and post footage.

The poor seating position made at times gear changes harder.
I only needed 2nd, 3rd, 4th gears the whole day. This covered probably 2nd at 30-40mph uptown 4th at 140mph.
Could have maybe used 2nd onto back straight but the torque and felt like it was getting me wide anyways could have helped times.

I did a coolant change and weaker anti freeze mix and some water wetter but still saw 230-235 in water temps (never went in limp mode)

Power felt well off from cool days, but track work and the GT lack of liking to run closer to 200 probably lost 50+ hp.

I started out at 28 lb on pressures in about 75-80 ambient
Wasn't really pushing at all as I need to see how the car felt for a dozen so laps, but pressure got into mid 30's and felt slow, new rubber wasn't ideal and by end of day had a blue sheen on side walls.
Every session I had to let the air down and by the end of the day I felt like 32-33 was a good spot.

The ducts for the brakes worked great and to be honest didn't use the really hard at speeds above 100mph as the big ass would let you know.

I had the driver rear caliber change color from silver to a bronze, the other rear changed a little, fronts didn't change at all.

So 125 miles on the track and 25 gallons later and it was time to head home.

If I get out there again, id need to find a better seat/position.

Heres a couple laps earlier in the day...

 

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HOOKED ON GT

GT Owner
Oct 26, 2006
468
Orlando & Australia
.....
 

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GT@50

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 14, 2019
852
Issaquah
Awesome! I'm going to run mine around The Ridge in Shelton this Saturday. I've never done anything like it.
 

HOOKED ON GT

GT Owner
Oct 26, 2006
468
Orlando & Australia
Great to hear a GT will gets it's voice this weekend.

You just going stock in prep?

Hope you're short, it will be an advantage for seating.

Take gas with you if you can. (chase vehicle)
I ran sessions at 1/2 full starting and was at about the start of empty after 20-25min.

Sebring gas (93) is about $7 gallon, so 25 gallons of what I used was a tap in v's their up yours $$..
FYI I got 5mpg at say 85mph average lap speed.

Stuart
 

partssmann

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 1, 2013
755
Scottsdale, Arizona
Thanks for posting and good to see you pass those P cars(y).
 
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GT@50

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 14, 2019
852
Issaquah
Great to hear a GT will gets it's voice this weekend.

You just going stock in prep?

Hope you're short, it will be an advantage for seating.

Take gas with you if you can. (chase vehicle)
I ran sessions at 1/2 full starting and was at about the start of empty after 20-25min.

Sebring gas (93) is about $7 gallon, so 25 gallons of what I used was a tap in v's their up yours $$..
FYI I got 5mpg at say 85mph average lap speed.

Stuart
Gonna run what I brung, stocker w/Bridestones and trans cooler.
I get 7, 20 minute sessions. There's a gas station around the corner.
Height isn't an issue, 5'5"
I doubt I'll push it hard, 1st time, don't want to hurt anything, it's not a race, it's not a race, it is not a race.
 

PeteK

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 18, 2014
2,267
Kalama, Free part of WA State
I look forward to your report on The Ridge. I’d like to get up there sometime soon.
 

HOOKED ON GT

GT Owner
Oct 26, 2006
468
Orlando & Australia
Thanks for posting and good to see you pass those P cars(y).

They passed me way more then I got past them..... maybe my vid was a bit fake then:sneaky:
Their gear shifts per lap would be x 4 on mine for speed and amount.
 

HOOKED ON GT

GT Owner
Oct 26, 2006
468
Orlando & Australia
Gonna run what I brung, stocker w/Bridestones and trans cooler.
I get 7, 20 minute sessions. There's a gas station around the corner.
Height isn't an issue, 5'5"
I doubt I'll push it hard, 1st time, don't want to hurt anything, it's not a race, it's not a race, it is not a race.

Thats perfect....And 5' 5"....thats perfect GT height... jealous you fit that good.
If you can rev match well then you'll be fine on clutch and car poise.. The cars strong.
If it gets real hot do couple cool down laps or like I did drove around paddock for a couple mins (if you can) after coming in hot to tire check temps/pressures
 

HOOKED ON GT

GT Owner
Oct 26, 2006
468
Orlando & Australia
This was a nice addition at Sebring and think it’s staying on
Less stress knowing what’s around me.
 

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Kpgarage

GT Owner
Mar 17, 2019
86
Thanks for the posts. Bouncing around Sebring gives you a good idea of how tough road racing really is. I’ve had my GT there twice and I feel like a rookie jockey on the back of a triple crown thoroughbred. It is fun to pass the P cars though. Good job. KO
 

GT@50

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 14, 2019
852
Issaquah
I look forward to your report on The Ridge. I’d like to get up there sometime soon.
Well, I did it, and it was the star car of the day. Everybody came to look. Everybody was friendly. Sun was out. It was a great day.
I can only imagine everyone's enthusiasm to see the car perform and disappointment when Jar Jar Binks drove. This is totally new to me. I probably should have remembered that I didn't learn how to ride a dirt bike on a CR500. I progressed up to that and figured it was insane so I put the engine in a 3 wheeler, much safer.
The car would do anything I wanted it to but it wasn't smooth so I had to learn how to use the track, all of it. Once I did that things went better.
The instructor kept saying brake, brake, brake. I told him the car doesn't need to for the turn. He just kept saying it because he wanted me to know where to brake when I did need them. He wasn't going to say speed up, I can understand. Once I figured that out, sped up a lot, the braking commands were reasonable.
Next step would be to memorize the track, something I'm not good at, and necessary because of a lot of blind corners. The one I did remember and got decent at was the scariest of them. 90+, brakes, turn wheel 90* to left, wait a few seconds and the track reappears when you're pointed down hill. Miss that turn and airborne over the edge.
Release the death grip on the wheel, it's not a dirt bike. Got it
Don't use blinker entering track. Getting better.
Use curbs. Getting better
Smooth out steering and brakes. Getting better
I intentionally gave the ABS a try from 80 or so. It clicked a couple times but did nothing bad.
One of the neatest things I was able to feel and understand was in a sweeping turn. I could feel how the car would turn sharper with less throttle and visa a versa all from weight transfer.
A few more times out and I'll probably remember the track which will help significantly. I may do it but I hate to beat the car. It can and did handle it fine but I feel guilty, I'd CRY if I put it into the dirt, and my wife would kill me if I put a dent in it.
I have no experience at other tracks but this one was fun. It felt fairly safe with the absence of walls and trees, mostly just flat run off areas. Helivac is 6 minutes away. Fresh blacktop end of last year. No bumps or seams, no uncomfortable off camber areas. It was full sun but I never felt like it was a problem, I didn't wear shades. They had braking cones, enter, apex and exit cones, and 3 passing areas. I let A LOT of people pass at the beginning of the day, towards the end of the day one or two let me pass.
I have a whole new respect/understanding for the pros. Now add rain and night. NFW!
I wanted to learn about the car and I did, a lot.
I highly recommend everyone to do this once or twice.
I've cleaned the bugs off, now for the rubber. "Get a white car, black is too hard to keep clean".....whatever!
 

HOOKED ON GT

GT Owner
Oct 26, 2006
468
Orlando & Australia
The worlds a better place when a GT gets to get its hustle on.
Well done. If you had stock suspension, you had a nice time in the car, if you had Scotts V2 you would've popped your senses by the end of the day..
The Gulf colour is probably one of the best for hiding a dirty car as it doesn't have the shine like the darker cars. Ive got 2 black cars....hard work

Im tempted to put the Pagid yellows back in the car as their dust is real low. After Sebring they looked real good.
Was advised they really like a bit of heat (work best hot), but seemed to do fine on the street for response.