Auto-X!
-The Stig-
03-15-2009, 09:25 PM
So my buddy was in the Good Guys Classic car show this weekend. Along with having all types of classic American cars there they had an auto-x track set up for the 'G'-Machines and anybody else who wanted to thrash their pride'n'joy.
I came late Saturday to watch my friend auto-x his '72 Nova. Those of you who've been around here for a while may know that his Nova is my old Nova. Sold it to him almost 2 years ago. It has a 383 stroker motor and a 3-speed auto.
After buying it from me, he got it all fixed up and running. Running pretty damn well to be honest. He switched out most of the suspension and threw on some bigger wheels and low pro cheapy tires to make a budget pro-touring car/G-machine.
I rode with him for about 6 runs on Saturday and found out the show wasn't for just old cars, there were new cars there too. And that I could register for the Sunday events. So I did and the next morning we met up and got the G8 signed up to be flogged around cones.
My first run, was as to be expected horrible. I wasn't sure how the fat-ass G8 was going to react around such a tight course and well it was all over the place. Even with Traction control ON it was sliding all over the place throwing me off. I took out two cones and had a horrid run.
Here's a few photos... videos will follow soon as I have time to upload/edit them and get them onto youtube.
Hard around a corner..
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb68/Matty40000/g8autox.jpg
A little drifty action. One of my best runs actually...
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb68/Matty40000/g8drifty.jpg
Friends car, waiting for the next run..
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb68/Matty40000/nova.jpg
Photo taken by a professional duder, notice the cone... and my hand holding onto the door frame for dear life! WOO!
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb68/Matty40000/nova2.jpg
My best time for the day was 31.4xx
My buddy's best time for the day was 32.4xx
Fastest run on the course was done by a Caterham Super 7 with a mid 28 second pass, he was trying to beat a 2004 Corvette Z06 (stock) with a wicked driver who was putting down 28's and 29's. 30's were common for all the really fixed up cars.
If you put our times in with these guys with fixed up cars and probably a hell of a lot more seat time auto-x'ing. We didn't do too bad for our first time killing cones!
http://www.good-guys.com/news/newsStory.aspx?newsid=1245
We got roughly 10 or 11 runs in just today. Saturday my buddy got in an additional 9 runs in. 6 of which I was there for to learn the track.
Was a good day... no, good weekend. :biggrin:
I came late Saturday to watch my friend auto-x his '72 Nova. Those of you who've been around here for a while may know that his Nova is my old Nova. Sold it to him almost 2 years ago. It has a 383 stroker motor and a 3-speed auto.
After buying it from me, he got it all fixed up and running. Running pretty damn well to be honest. He switched out most of the suspension and threw on some bigger wheels and low pro cheapy tires to make a budget pro-touring car/G-machine.
I rode with him for about 6 runs on Saturday and found out the show wasn't for just old cars, there were new cars there too. And that I could register for the Sunday events. So I did and the next morning we met up and got the G8 signed up to be flogged around cones.
My first run, was as to be expected horrible. I wasn't sure how the fat-ass G8 was going to react around such a tight course and well it was all over the place. Even with Traction control ON it was sliding all over the place throwing me off. I took out two cones and had a horrid run.
Here's a few photos... videos will follow soon as I have time to upload/edit them and get them onto youtube.
Hard around a corner..
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb68/Matty40000/g8autox.jpg
A little drifty action. One of my best runs actually...
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb68/Matty40000/g8drifty.jpg
Friends car, waiting for the next run..
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb68/Matty40000/nova.jpg
Photo taken by a professional duder, notice the cone... and my hand holding onto the door frame for dear life! WOO!
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb68/Matty40000/nova2.jpg
My best time for the day was 31.4xx
My buddy's best time for the day was 32.4xx
Fastest run on the course was done by a Caterham Super 7 with a mid 28 second pass, he was trying to beat a 2004 Corvette Z06 (stock) with a wicked driver who was putting down 28's and 29's. 30's were common for all the really fixed up cars.
If you put our times in with these guys with fixed up cars and probably a hell of a lot more seat time auto-x'ing. We didn't do too bad for our first time killing cones!
http://www.good-guys.com/news/newsStory.aspx?newsid=1245
We got roughly 10 or 11 runs in just today. Saturday my buddy got in an additional 9 runs in. 6 of which I was there for to learn the track.
Was a good day... no, good weekend. :biggrin:
CivRacer95
03-15-2009, 10:31 PM
Looks like it was a blast, Matty. I'm not much of an Auto-Xer. I've seen a few of them, but they always looked like a ton of fun.
In the vids you have, do you actually get some in-car footage? It'd be fun to hear you scream and holler like a little girl driving with the Nova...:biggrin:
In the vids you have, do you actually get some in-car footage? It'd be fun to hear you scream and holler like a little girl driving with the Nova...:biggrin:
-The Stig-
03-15-2009, 11:07 PM
I'll admit that my first experience auto-x'ing was a bunch of years ago when Mazda was sponsoring some events around the country. You drove a Mazda3 automatic 4-door crapola around a track and whoever had the best lap in the country won a Mazda3 automatic 4-door crapola. I tried it... hated the car, and my times sucked cause of it. I didn't find the autocross fun.
Today... today was fun. After making a few runs with my buddy on Sat. I was having a good time. So I knew I had to see how the G8 would do.
There's another Good Guys show coming up the first weekend in April. But I'm not sure if my car will be eligible to enter the show, let alone the autocross.
Today... today was fun. After making a few runs with my buddy on Sat. I was having a good time. So I knew I had to see how the G8 would do.
There's another Good Guys show coming up the first weekend in April. But I'm not sure if my car will be eligible to enter the show, let alone the autocross.
VR43000GT
03-16-2009, 02:01 AM
That looks like a blast. That's pretty cool they have an event for older cars to which at heart really aren't auto-x cars...doesn't matter, it's still a blast! I know of some people with VR4's who have done auto-x with light weight reduction (removed the AWS, spare, jack, lighter wheels, carbon fiber driveshaft, etc) who have actually done pretty damn good. Time to gut the G8 and throw on some suspension! :icon16:
+1 rep for running the saloon!
+1 rep for running the saloon!
CassiesMan
03-16-2009, 11:32 AM
Damn...that G8 has some serious roll. I thought it was tighter than that. Other wise looks good.
Its weird seeing a Nova like that all out and pushing the turns, and hardly looking like its rolling over.
Its weird seeing a Nova like that all out and pushing the turns, and hardly looking like its rolling over.
Chiquae07
03-16-2009, 12:25 PM
looks like a lot of fun!!! cant wait for the auto-x season to start by me, so i can too start killing cones one by one.
all my snow just melted, and i took off the winter tires and slips on for the week and im throwing the car around like crazy since i dont slide around as much on the slips compared to the winter tires.
all my snow just melted, and i took off the winter tires and slips on for the week and im throwing the car around like crazy since i dont slide around as much on the slips compared to the winter tires.
-The Stig-
03-16-2009, 06:42 PM
That Nova has some stiff suspension. Only thing holding it back right now is cheap tires and an Open diff along with a low rear gear. It's like a 3.08 or some shit. Once he fixes those few things it'll be a solid little cone killer.
Yeah, each time I came to the line the announcer was like "And the G8 is back... coolest family car you can get. Honey, if you're watching, we need one of these."
People loved it, I was the only one there sporting a 4-door. I got a lot of 'props' and a cheering section for when I'd step it out sideways a bit. Lots of fun. I was hoping to impress the guys at the Hotchkis booth and get some freebie stuff for being brave/stupid enough for bringing a 4,000lb car out onto such a TIGHT track.
As for the Videos, my camera is giving me issues uploading the footage. It keeps coming up as unreadable files... I'm afraid that all the footage I do have could be worthless. I think I may of broken something on the camera last time I went out dirtbike riding. May of been vibrated to death... < lol...
Yeah, each time I came to the line the announcer was like "And the G8 is back... coolest family car you can get. Honey, if you're watching, we need one of these."
People loved it, I was the only one there sporting a 4-door. I got a lot of 'props' and a cheering section for when I'd step it out sideways a bit. Lots of fun. I was hoping to impress the guys at the Hotchkis booth and get some freebie stuff for being brave/stupid enough for bringing a 4,000lb car out onto such a TIGHT track.
As for the Videos, my camera is giving me issues uploading the footage. It keeps coming up as unreadable files... I'm afraid that all the footage I do have could be worthless. I think I may of broken something on the camera last time I went out dirtbike riding. May of been vibrated to death... < lol...
VR43000GT
03-17-2009, 03:03 AM
That is something I have always wanted to do! I need to strap some sort of video cam to my CRF450R when I go through the enduro trail. Honestly, with a camera on my bike I would feel the need to earn syle points which would probably end in another dislocated shouler from a tree that won't get the fuck out of my way...maybe for the best I don't do so.
CivRacer95
03-17-2009, 03:53 AM
May of been vibrated to death... < lol...
...resisting...can't hold back...lame sex-related joke...
...resisting...can't hold back...lame sex-related joke...
Polygon
03-19-2009, 12:05 AM
Very cool pics man. Can't wait to see the videos. I'm really getting excited for auto-x season. Now I just need to get my damn car back so I can get the suspension and brakes on.
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