Betty's spring fling

[Howard Jones]

I took the ol girl out for a ride a couple of weeks ago. The clubs I run with most offen has a "spring fling at thunderhill here isn N calif about 2 hours away. Good group of guys and a really nice track. It's the N.cal SCCA home track.

I had her going about as fast as she will go on street tires and remain within my personal limmits. I will need to finish the SLC if I want to go much faster. This old GTD is really a fun car to take to the track. She has become completely predictable and has just enough power to run with some really fast cars.

Here's some pictures.

 

[Mark Clapp]

Howard, Betty always has a great look. It sounds like the extra fun comes from her go stuff. Great pictures.

 

[Dalton Veitch]

I agree with Mark. Betty looks really the business out there.

 

[Howard Jones]

Thanks guys. These cars really attract lots of interest wherever they go. It goes on all day long at the track. People dropping by in the padoc and asking to take pictures and wanting to know more about the car.

Not too many asking the "is it real question" at the track. I think those people kinda know that it would be very unusual for it to be a original car. But just having it at the track is really welcome by everybody.

On the track itself everybody NEEDS to pass me. I give em a go for awhile but just about everybody in the run group I am in are on slicks. Lots of track cars and less so street cars and it's hard to outrun a track only engine and slicks. What is interesting is once they are by they nearly always slow down and I can stay with them for quite a while sometimes. I take this as a compliment.

Everybody loves these cars. It's going to be interesting to see the difference when the SLC replaces Betty at the track. I think she will be missed.

Now I've gone and made myself sad...

 

[Mike Christian]

That is awesome Howard. I hope to make it to Thunderhill sometime this year.

 

[Mike Drew]

What is interesting is once they are by they nearly always slow down and I can stay with them for quite a while sometimes. I take this as a compliment.

I doubt that's what's really happening. I suspect that after you get passed, you speed up and run with them for awhile at their pace! :thumbsup:

It's often easier to gain an extra bit of speed following behind somebody who can subtly reveal a faster line, a later braking point etc.

Of course, that's also a good way for two cars to go into the fence! :laugh:

BTW the second GT40 in one of those pics is the CAV of Randy Grubb, who is a bit of a lurker here. Randy is famous as one of the Blastolene Brothers, who among other things designed and built The Tank Car that Jay Leno now owns....:thumbsup:

 

[Howard Jones]

He, the black GT40, is a really nice guy. That car is very fast, at least a couple of sec a lap faster that I can go. He was on slicks and has about another 100hp. He was not one of the cars I can stay with.

Who knows how quick cars really are. Most people are running at a pace that is in their comfort zone. I run these track days at a lap time that would be something like the pace that I would run the car if it was a enduro with a bit trimmed off for old age and wisdom. I like to get on a good line and just tick off a half dozen laps that are pretty much the same. That in itself is hard to do. It makes no since to run it flat out and break the car or worse.

You can indead learn a lot from following a driver that is faster. The danger is in these mixed class events the car you try to keep pace with just might be quite a lot faster that you car CAN go. Chasing a
really quick car that can stop a lot better and has a great deal more grip will put you off every time. So you need to be careful doing it.

I have from time to time asked someone to set a pace for me to follow and learn from. This is a good way to improve, but the guy needs to be included in such a plan. Just trying to haul in a much better performing car isn't a very smart thing to do. It very seldom works either.

Randy, if you are reading this, drop me a PM. I'll put you on the GT40 party invite list for this fall.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Hi Howard, your car looks really terrific. Do you think the winglets on the front improve the handling much?

 

[Jimmy P]

Pete, good question mate. I too have wondered about the winglets and what they do under real racing circumstances. They certainly look the part and of course the archives are dotted with photos of cars with them and without. I would have to believe they have some impact. Howard, over to you ...

 

[Howard Jones]

In a word no. The front to rear ride height difference as it effects the overall angle of attack is much more effective in producing aero grip. The front must be lower than the rear or you will have quite a lot of high speed push.

The rear spoiler does however increase down force enough to improve grip quite a lot at high speeds. I think the rear spoiler is adding downforce to the rear and thus ballances the front grip that results from the nose down attitude.

I really am not good enough of a driver or drive the car close enough to it's limmits to have done enough back to back testing to present data on their effeciveness.

My guess is the carnards must do something but whatever effect they do have is easly masked by ride height and rollbars settings.

They do however look good IMHO.

 

[Jimmy P]

Your car just looks great Howard. Iv'e always been an admirer of the cars overall stance and look. And I'm sure Betty really appreciates you taking her out and letting her lift up her skirt so she can run. BTW if you have spare set of those canards sitting around let me know a price. I'm interested.

 

[Howard Jones]

They were given to me by another GT40 buddy. The nose of most GT40s are pretty similar in profile at least in that area in front of the wheel arch. You might be able to fit one from RCR or CAV. I believe that I have seen both makes with factory made carnards on them. There may be others. Torando?

 

[Ron Earp]

Can't believe I missed this when it went up. The title made me think it was in the paddock and I don't read there often since my mama taught me not to discuss politics and religion in mixed company.

Very cool outing and way to get it done! More driving, less waxing/posing/showing - nice work!