Car to Run The Silver State Classic?
11-16-03, 08:18 PM
#27
Ozone Depleter
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911GT2, im sure someone could do it, but ive never seen it done because its all about ground clearance at that point. Mazda made the car as low as they thought they could, and im sure almost every1 on the forum has dropped the height at least an inch with different springs. To fabricate a smooth underbody with deep enough channels to sweep air out and create downforce, you could possibly be looking at an inch or two of ground clearance. Id love to see someone give it a shot and succeed tho! 
-Zach
-Zach
11-16-03, 09:24 PM
#30
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
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Racing Beat has a white third gen that they use at Bonneville salt flats. It has a smooth underbody and it lifted into the air and flipped a couple of times at around 215 mph!!! There is a video out on the web somewhere. Maybe call them and see who or how much it is to do.( get the underpan.)
11-17-03, 03:26 PM
#35
dear baby jesus...
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Here's an article on the crash...
One of the cars drawing the most attention from the crowd was a 2002 Nissan 350Z, which was specially built for ultra, high-speed competition. It was piloted by Daijiro Inada, publisher of OPTION magazine - a popular automotive publication in Japan. Inada has driven in the Silver State Classic Challenge before and on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
The Japanese top-speed driver has set a goal.
He plans to break the current top speed for a motor vehicle on a public highway listed in the Guiness Book of World Records. Inada has set a five-year program to improve his performance and eventually break the Guiness record. He plans to do that during a running of the Silver State Classic Challenge on State Route 318.
Race promoter Phil Henry told the Ely Times, Inada's first try at the record came close to being his last. Inada rolled the Nissan and didn't finish the race.
Henry said, after the accident, the driver told him he was traveling at 200 mph when he heard something go pop. Inada backed off the gas fearing something had broken. As the car slowed to about 150 mph, one of the tires suddenly shredded. That forced the speeding car off the paved highway. The car over-turned seven times.
Amazingly, Inada didn't appear to receive any serious injuries in the rollover - to compete, vehicles must be equipped with high-endurance tires, safety webs, seat belts and roll bars and the drivers wear fire-resistant body suits and crash helmets.
Nonetheless, race officials insisted Inada get a check up. His helicopter flew him to William Bee Ririe Hospital in Ely. Henry said the last time he saw the disappointed driver, he had left the hospital in a wheelchair and was shaking his fist at the heavens, vowing to return for next September's race.
Here's the pics I have from a friend that was there. Not too good, there are some better ones floating around the net.
One of the cars drawing the most attention from the crowd was a 2002 Nissan 350Z, which was specially built for ultra, high-speed competition. It was piloted by Daijiro Inada, publisher of OPTION magazine - a popular automotive publication in Japan. Inada has driven in the Silver State Classic Challenge before and on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
The Japanese top-speed driver has set a goal.
He plans to break the current top speed for a motor vehicle on a public highway listed in the Guiness Book of World Records. Inada has set a five-year program to improve his performance and eventually break the Guiness record. He plans to do that during a running of the Silver State Classic Challenge on State Route 318.
Race promoter Phil Henry told the Ely Times, Inada's first try at the record came close to being his last. Inada rolled the Nissan and didn't finish the race.
Henry said, after the accident, the driver told him he was traveling at 200 mph when he heard something go pop. Inada backed off the gas fearing something had broken. As the car slowed to about 150 mph, one of the tires suddenly shredded. That forced the speeding car off the paved highway. The car over-turned seven times.
Amazingly, Inada didn't appear to receive any serious injuries in the rollover - to compete, vehicles must be equipped with high-endurance tires, safety webs, seat belts and roll bars and the drivers wear fire-resistant body suits and crash helmets.
Nonetheless, race officials insisted Inada get a check up. His helicopter flew him to William Bee Ririe Hospital in Ely. Henry said the last time he saw the disappointed driver, he had left the hospital in a wheelchair and was shaking his fist at the heavens, vowing to return for next September's race.
Here's the pics I have from a friend that was there. Not too good, there are some better ones floating around the net.
Last edited by Brad; 11-17-03 at 03:29 PM.
11-17-03, 08:38 PM
#40
Super Snuggles
The nice thing about the Silver State is that they won't let you go out and kill yourself until you're fully qualified.
Your first year of competition, you're limited to a 135 mph top speed. After that, you can run in the unlimited class, but you have to have a valid competition license, I believe. I briefly looked into this when I started my build up, so requirements may have changed since that time.
Also, if I were planning on running 180+ mph for extended periods of time, I'd also consider running Nitrogen in the tires in place of air. Nitrogen will not expand nearly as much as air when heated and is used in airplane tires for that reason. Tires inflated with Nitrogen run about 20% cooler than tires inflated with air, from what I've read.
Your first year of competition, you're limited to a 135 mph top speed. After that, you can run in the unlimited class, but you have to have a valid competition license, I believe. I briefly looked into this when I started my build up, so requirements may have changed since that time.
Also, if I were planning on running 180+ mph for extended periods of time, I'd also consider running Nitrogen in the tires in place of air. Nitrogen will not expand nearly as much as air when heated and is used in airplane tires for that reason. Tires inflated with Nitrogen run about 20% cooler than tires inflated with air, from what I've read.
11-17-03, 09:20 PM
#42
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huheuhuehuheueh
that Z dont look like its supposed to run more than 175 mph
he got lucky
a while ago his friend crashed in a turbo civic made by top fuel in japan
i think he was travelling less than what the z went.
i have a feeling that the wheel is 19 inch.
if i want to go that fast, i'll stick with wide 17s with thick tires.
he got lucky
a while ago his friend crashed in a turbo civic made by top fuel in japan
i think he was travelling less than what the z went.
i have a feeling that the wheel is 19 inch.
if i want to go that fast, i'll stick with wide 17s with thick tires.
11-17-03, 09:24 PM
#43
Super Snuggles
Originally posted by JeffShoots
Jim,
Did you look into the aerodynamics of the 3rd Gen?
I know in Japan they run the Rx fast but what aero mods do they use?
Jim,
Did you look into the aerodynamics of the 3rd Gen?
I know in Japan they run the Rx fast but what aero mods do they use?
I wouldn't (and don't) assume that the body parts and spoilers of Japanese tuners like RE Amemiya, FEED, and others see wind tunnel testing at all. Although they are "track tested", the speeds are considerably different. Averaging 200+ mph for 200 miles is a lot different than occasionally seeing 150-160 mph on a straight with a lot of lower speed corners thrown in, obviously. I wouldn't trust any combination of bolt-on parts you could readily buy from Japanese tuners for extended use at 180+ mph without testing in a wind tunnel.
Your best bet is probably to talk to competitors in the unlimited class, if possible, to see what tips and hints they can give you. The Bonneville/Muroc crowd is another good option, especially since they wouldn't be in direct competition and would be more likely to share "trade secrets".
I am friends with a fabricator for a 400+ mph Bonneville/Muroc streamliner, and planned to use that contact to possibly get wind tunnel time at reduced cost and pick up some knowledge to make the car safer at high speed. At this point, however, I have no business going 200+ mph, even if the car has the power to, and don't plan to modify it externally at all. I don't know that I can keep myself from an occasional shot to 150-160 once the car is finished, but going faster than that even on an empty highway is just stupid, and I no longer have any plans for formal competition.
11-17-03, 09:55 PM
#44
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
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Wasnt that car flipping due to suspension issues?
I said this just as a possible place to go and look for a underpan.(sealed undercarrage) I never saw a write-up on what happened. I thought a tire blew or something. Thanks forthe info. It looked like a fun ride!!!!!
Originally posted by teamstealth
thats what i thought. it spun sideways before going airborne, where as a car that has a sudden loss of downforce will raise the nose up.
thats what i thought. it spun sideways before going airborne, where as a car that has a sudden loss of downforce will raise the nose up.
It looked like a fun ride!!!!!
11-18-03, 05:39 AM
#45
Lives on the Forum
Anyone know what tires the Option 350Z was running? I'm reminded of the Ferrari Maranello that ran on a set of Michelin Pilot Sports for an extended time @ 190 mph on a banked 7-mile test oval. Car and Driver did the test...the Ferrari set a record, I think? The Michs held up (did not blowout), but were a mess after the long test! Anyhow, if I were doing the Silver State, full roll cage, 5-point belts, 3-layer fire suit, and a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Comps (255/40-17s on 9.5 x 17 Fike Profil 13s) would be about all I'd need...oh...don't forget a really good navigator equipped with a laptop, because you can't win, if you finish faster than you say you will (kind of like bracket drags...)
Last edited by SleepR1; 11-18-03 at 05:44 AM.
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