Today was test day #1. I would call it successful. Nothing broke, everything ran like it should, the brakes worked, the suspension was fantastic(!!!) and there were no crashes. All in all, it was pretty drama-free.
In the past three years, the pavement has deteriorated quite a bit, so on pass #1 I ended up with a pinch flat when the L front went into a hole and smacked the lip of its exit at ~50 MPH. Pulling and patching the tube went well, and this time Bill and I walked the hill before climbing back in to tow back to the start. We were able to identify a fairly hazard-free line to miss all the bumps, but it wasn't ideal from a racing/top speed perspective.
This next run went well, much more smoothly, but following the specific hazard-free line vs the ideal "free-fall" line yielded a significantly lower top speed. This was despite the wheel well covers we fitted to the front wheels.
After a few tweaks to the bodywork and hauling back up the mountain, we had another good clean pass. We had a spectator show up who took some pics as we did our fourth run, so I am looking forward to seeing how those may have come out.
Where the rubber hits the road, all but the one weird pass was over 50 MPH, including a new top speed of 53.9 (
SO close to 54...). Obviously, the data isn't quite statistically valid, but it certainly is encouraging. I think with spoke covers, better wheel well covers, a rear wheel fairing, and some additional massaging of the bodywork, this should be a record-contending car. I am also thinking about just a little bit more weight.
Sorry no action shots, I was busy and Bill was focused on me. Hopefully some will show up in a bit from the new friend we met today.
Prepping for run 1:
In the shade, waiting for tow back: