my new nova

[Toymex]

Re: my new nova

I have got ATE blue fluid Graham ,its never been an issue before so as Nick says i think its a combination of low pads and the new splitter ,i guess the brake ducts just couldnt cool them enough ,was a real shame as i could have joined in the battle with you Nick and Woody .
Cheers Nick i will wait to hear from you

[Pushrod King]

Re: my new nova

I think that part of the problem with the brakes is that the pads have hardly any meat left on them so the heat transfers into the pistons. I'm on the tyre supply chase

[Graham]

Re: my new nova

yes it does look like you need some brake cooling ducts in that bumper/spoiler, incidentally what fluid you running? after issues with boiling fluid years ago i switched to AP600 with that stuff you can make the discs red hot and set the pads and caliper seals on fire before it boils

[Toymex]

Re: my new nova

Cheers Dave ,we have some ideas on the brake front ,worse case scenario we go back to the old bumper without the splitter , the tyres are the main issue ,but im hoping Nick is going to get some for me

[david_white]

Re: my new nova

Well done mate, getting up to 15th was some going. Hope you get the brakes and tyres sorted quickly.

[Toymex]

Re: my new nova

Another QMN race day ,Brands GP circuit this time ,i have never driven the GP circuit but was keen to see if the new bumper and splitter was going to make any difference to the feel and handling of the car .
It was a massive 43 car grid so was going to busy ,i had purchased some new tyres earlier in the year but hadnt had an opportunity to use them so i thought i would put them on for qualy .I had bought the same compound that i have been racing on but it has only recently been bought to my attention that the compound has been changed and was probably going to be to soft ,so i planned to do a couple of slow laps then try to put a couple of quick laps in then come back in ,as it happened on my quick laps my brake pedal dissapeared but i thought i had got a reasonable time in .
Back in the paddock we removed the wheels to find that the rear cylinder 1 side was seized and that as my pads were wearing down ,the metal part of the pad was hitting the disc bell on the front .
The times came in and i had qualified 15th ,not too bad but both Nick and Graham had qualified quicker and most importanatly the other 2 cars in my class were in front ,but i was pretty happy that i could go a fair bit quicker if i could follow someone round the rear of the circuit as i knew i was quick enough round the familiar bit .

Race 1
I lined up on the grid behind Jordan Batts in his leon cupra and alongside Ian Butlers (tintop) Focus RS ,got a reasonable enough start and went round paddock on the inside ,then on the run upto Druids the Focus Rs was along side and trying to squeeze me i had no where to go other than on the grass so stayed where i was then we had a small coming together wheel to wheel ,i slotted in behind him then as we went round the rest of the lap the car was not right and was pulling badly to the left so i exited the circuit at Clearways with a left front flat race over .

Back in the paddock we swapped wheels to my new tyres ready for the race hoping they would last , thinking worse case senario was they would go off and i would need to slow down ,as i didnt finish the first race i had to start towards the back in 39th place .

I got a reasonable start and started to pick off the slower cars ,and i was getting quicker allthough i was not that quick on the GP part ,but was pushing as hard as i could then my long brake pedal started again but i could slow ok but was losing a bit of confidence as i was having to pump the brakes and the pedal was getting longer ,but was still managing to pass cars i seemed to have good straight line speed and even managed to pass a cossie along the straight ,out the back of the circuit and i could see Nick in his escort and more impotantly for me Andy Woods Dean in his Megane as he was leading my class ,so head down and push as hard as i could .
I managed to get up behind Nick ,then as we went around the Gp Loop they pulled away a bit but i managed to claw the gap back and by Druids i was tucked up behind Nick i tryed to pass around the outside coming out of druids but Nick shut the door ,the car was feeling a bit strange and wasnt really going where i was pointing it and i was getting a bad vibration from the steering wheel , but i was on a mission so i tucked up behind him along the Cooper straight knowing i had good straight line speed,i followed him through Surtees as best i could as the car was feeling really bad now and as i thought i managed to out drag Nick on the run upto Hawthorns and had the inside line so managed the pass ,but soon realised i had no grip aswell as no brakes now ,so i tried to get out of Nicks way as soon as i could so he could resume his battle with Woody .In hindsight i never should have overtaken Nick as the car was finished i was having to pump the brakes to get the pedal of the floor and the car was vibrating and just handling badly so i backed right off ,this let Tony Skelton through in his Clio ,but i think that was the only person to pass and i managed to take the chequered flag in 15th place i think.

I drove back to the padddock jumped out for my mate Andy to say what happen the tyres go off i said yes and the brakes ,we looked at the tyres and they had massive holes in them where they had overheated and blistered ,so it was a bad weekend for tyres 2 brand new ones fcuk,d and 1 old one mullered where i drove off the circuit on a puncture ,but i managed to inprove my quali time to a 144.4 and got quickest lap in class .

A big well done to Nick who did really well in both races beating many cars from the higher classes including mine and getting driver of the day .i have got some video from race 2 that i will edit and post at some point ,it was pretty busy for overtaking as i went fron 39th to 15th

[PIG]

Re: my new nova

Fcuking cheating now son lol

[Toymex]

Re: my new nova

splitter looks great jezz, it looks very close to the ground, it might be the camera angle but it doesnt look blue book compliant, circuit racing has a 4cm min ground clearance rule

The back is on axle stands Graham it should be above 40mm on a level surface

[Graham]

Re: my new nova

splitter looks great jezz, it looks very close to the ground, it might be the camera angle but it doesnt look blue book compliant, circuit racing has a 4cm min ground clearance rule

[Toymex]

Re: my new nova

Bumper looks much better, should make a real difference.
I like that pedal box, what make is it?

Not sure what make Dave i got it off ebay an absolute bargain ,came complete with cylinders reserviors pipes and bias adjuster for half of the cost of the Tilton in my escort

[david_white]

Re: my new nova

Bumper looks much better, should make a real difference.
I like that pedal box, what make is it?

[Toymex]

Re: my new nova

Well as i didnt race at Lydden or Snetterton i thought i would try to make a new bumper with a splitter ,after reading Track driver magazine it seems a good idea to take it as far back as possible ,with my record of visiting gravel traps i have tried to seal everthing off other than cooling vents and it goes back past the belt for the drysump pump and bottom crank pulley so i hope will offer it some protection and enable me if i happen to frequent a gravel trap to get out and carry on .
I have found the driving position of the nova not the best as the steering is at a real angle ,so in the winter i want to straighten it and part of doing this will enable me to floor mount the pedals so a quick search and i managed to source one at a very good price including cylinders ,reserviors etc

[Toymex]

Re: my new nova

:d

no jezz, if i want to go around a car park i have tescos round the corner.

[lee76]

Re: my new nova

No Jezz, If I want to go around a car park I have Tescos round the corner.

[Toymex]

Re: my new nova

That sounds like a good idea mate ,i really thought you were there testing on Friday, 2 years without racing and taking the car to bits you are always going to get little problems ,i have got to say your car is spot on mate lots of work and thought gone into the prep

Well done for yesterday Jezz. I'm going to spend a day at brands testing to sort the little niggles I have on mine