Asteroids are my favorite Jag wheel...and kind of a play off of the classic minilite look. Brilliant choice.

As for the Blue Coup...Taking a break from the 2017 Blue Coupe to focus on some home projects and to complete the XJC GT for the summer driving season. It's almost here and the XJC GT needs to tear up the track and shoot for the 11's in the 1/4 this year.

 

I signed up for a track day at Limerock with my Local Jaguar club and I got a call back saying Sorry, you car is too slow for Limerock and someone ran an XJ6 Series 3 on the track and they wouldn't let that happen again. I said I appreciate the call but my coupe is highly modified, I detailed a few aspects and was told call back in a few days and perhaps instructor was available. I did and was told nope, no instructors. I said how can this be? I sent in my application months in advance and paid in full. As the track day approached... I asked a friend who knows me and my car to interceded. He knew the tech inspector and three days before the event I got a call saying an Instructor was available.

With just a few days to prepare... On Friday morning at 5AM I made the 3 hour drive to Limerock. When I got there I was sent over to Tech inspection.
The tech inspector was eager to see the car he'd heard about. He looked it over and said he was "impressed," "really cool car" he added. Next he said...said hop in... and we golf carted over to the track day organizer. The tech inspector said to him... "The car's good". Since I got through tech inspection and everything else was in order... I was track bound.

Limerock track days are Serious stuff. Many semi's and trailers packed with spares, tools, purpose built race cars and tires. I was certainly Green and at the bottom of the pyramid.

Session 1. With no on track experience my first session was in the passenger seat of my Instructor's 4 door Honda Accord Sport. With only track pads, slotted rotors and Z rated tires we hit the track at the back of the pack. Wow..that was illuminating. My instructor was a pro. As we reeled in almost everyone else on the track including a Porsche Cayman and C5 Corvette I thought to myself...is this real? The 165 LB weight penalty sitting in the passenger seat didnt seem to matter.

Sesson 2 was in the XJC 1/2 GT. I'm calling it the 1/2 GT right now becasue I didn't finish all the changes I wanted to make becasue I thought this track day wasn't going to happen for me this time around. It didnt go well. I didn't understand the lingo and what the instructor was trying to tell me to do and I didnt follow a good line. This was clearly frustrating for such an experience instructor. I was just happy the car made it though. Clearly hot and taxed it was no worse for ware.

Session 3... My instructor had another idea. Lead Follow. I followed him in his car and was able follow his ideal line. I got the hang of if and at the debreif-ing My instructor was high five'ing me saying "yeah...you got it." And I did start to understand the track and I'm hooked

For me... The funnest part of Lime Rock is the 2nd Straight where at the end..its on the brakes and dive to the corner.

The Jag did great and nothing failed. It was very composed and predicable. However...a few deficiencies were exposed. I need more power for the straight...simply becasue I have the brakes to use it. I was able to hit 130 on the Straight but If I make it to 140 I'd be at the top of the Group. My near stock cam is getting replaced with a larger one and 3:73 gears are going in. I also need to drop some more weight. That's gonna be challenging.

It was a great experience and I cant wait to do it again. There were so many cool cars there and they were all very capable and not just eye candy. I met so many great people. Prep for the next track day started today. Lower, lighter, more power, but very streetable.
http://limerock.com

 

Very exciting and impressive! How were the side window seals at 130 - or did you have a helmet on and couldn't hear wind noise?

 

Road racing is windows down... There are safety and other signals you do with your arm out the Window. You also need to see the other drivers clearly since passing is generally on the inside and the glare of a window wouldn't be helpful.

Most cars have open or modified exhaust so Wind noise isn't very noticeable especially with the helmut on and tires screaming in the turns.

 

I used to do that when I had a highly modified TR4, heavy into the gymkhana circuit. Limerock track day was great fun. It really test both your car and you. Good work!

 

As to pictures on this forum. At times, my machine just does not load them. I back up and reload and voila, great pictures.


Alas, all my ancient digital cameras have a flaw. they either do not work I can't find a card to fit!!!


And my old tech flip phone isn't quite smart enough.


I'll work on the array on a hot afternoon.


Although it will be hot today, I'll do errands in a bit in the Jaguar. The Jeep will complain, though and remind me it's functioning AC,


As to a stable frame. I am a neophyte. But, I think of the front bay as a cube. The suspension is attached to it, Stabilize the cube and the suspension will respond the same, each and every motion.


Domestic critters have been improved for racing. A hoop as part of the roll cage at the fire wall. Tubes run forward from it and bend down to a strong frame channel. The front cross member in a frame car is more than sturdy. The only missing member is up front and high side to side.


Gotta get busy and prepare my ballot for our primary election.
Oh, and a bill or two to pay !!!


Carl

 

Makes sense. I was visualizing the xjc v12 race car which has side windows when I read your post.