Tailwagger

You're welcome. Not surprisingly you've said nothing about anything to make things more survivable if something goes wrong. Road cars are, well, designed for the road. Its an alternate view to yours, but I simply don't buy into the premise that you can have a serious and SAFE track car that is street-able, particularly so as showroom stock street cars generically are approaching raw performance levels that pro series driven race cars from not all that long ago are incapable of matching. Upping the performance envelope only serves to raise the stakes even further. It's a very slippery slope you're on. Ask me how I know.

Just as its no joke to smack your naked skull on a roll cage in a street accident, its no laugh having an airbag go off in your face with a helmet on if you have the misfortune to go into a tire wall. Regarding the latter, my previous comment references the fact that when control is lost, mass takes over. That means that a car with 60% of the weight up front is more likely to nose rather than back in hence there is an elevated risk with a TT for deployment. Like it or not, airbags where never designed to accommodate drivers wearing helmets and the combination has the potential to exacerbate rather than mitigate. Personally, I'd rather be in something closer to 40/60, going in rear first, not to mention being securely strapped into a 75G capable single piece seat. No race series in the world allows a car on track with an airbag. Even the 24 hours of LeMons insists they be disarmed and removed. Sanctioning rules may vary from org to org, but in general safety rules mandate 6 pt belts, seats, hans, welded cages, etc. All items that are largely incompatible with the notion of a safe, street-able road car. Considering survival issues for street cars on track presents an annoying conundrum, certainly not what anyone wants to hear given the realities, but it absolutely should be part of a every driver's calculations when contemplating going onto a race track and courting speeds that can have serious consequences. And in particular for those with more experience considering how to mod a road car in search of greater satisfaction through faster lap times.

It bears mentioning that no matter how skilled you might happen to be, all its takes to become a passenger while sitting in the driver seat is someone laying down fluid and you being the first one to discover that fact. The faster you get, the more folks you pass or lap, the more likely you are going to be the one that wins the misery lottery. Fluid on track is not all that uncommon an occurrence. Sometimes its obvious, but I've seen many times and experienced one or two as well where the situation wasn't recognized until one or more folks went flying off track. So as you're interested in positive contributions, the one mod I'd advise, TT or otherwise, is wearing some form of polarized lenses. Gives you a fighting chance to see the fluids before you actually have the pleasure of experiencing their charms.

Best of luck, shiny side up.

mossback

Your more than welcome to start your own thread on the deadliness of HPDE events, but don't high jack my thread with your personal vendetta against running a street car on the track here.

This thread was started to talk about MBQ TTS cars and ways to make them both a daily driver and a better track car.

Tailwagger

And what I told you, is that making it a better track car starts with making it safer. You don't agree, or like fine but in a forum which is based on a free exchange of ideas you don't get to dictate anything. Enjoy the red mist.

mossback

Thank you.

Gbob

I wish the moderators would step in.
The hostility of Mossback isn't what this forum should accept. IMHO.

There are plenty of forums that are geared for what mossback is looking for.
If he/she isn't finding it here, then please move on.

Oh yes, mossback, I have owned TTS's for 12 years. I just don't throw away money trying to make them something they aren't.

If you want a track car, fine. But, don't expect to make it a daily driver. You will just be fooling yourself.

B

Huey52

btw: most of us frequent Audiworld, Fourtitude and Audizine on a regular basis, so multiple threads are not really necessary. Save yourself some effort and pick just one.

f1point0

The hostility from mossback was uncalled for. Nothing that Tailwagger wrote warranted it. It's a "discussion" thread...

Gbob

+1 F1.
Seems like mossback has left the room.
Nuff said.

Tailwagger

Before we close, permit me a few sentences to set my side of the record straight. I'd never discourage any and everyone from doing DE. Its called driver education because its about learning line, vision, car control, thinking ahead, butt sensitivity, etc... all worthy skills to cultivate and possess. None of them, however, require a particularly well setup car to acquire. Back when I was an AX chair just to hammer home this very point, every now and again I'd do a flat out run or two in my tow vehicle. Was always pretty amusing for all concerned.

The day you wake up and realize your fully hooked on motorsports, you're at a faithful decision point whether you're aware of it or not. Many, perhaps most, Frankenstein their ride to go faster. But again, just for the record, there is another path. At race season's end, for right around the price and installation costs of the parts detailed in the initial post, you can probably find a package deal on a banged up but serviceable spec Miata or 325, a crusty steel trailer, a data logger and a 10 year old Tacoma to drag it all around. If you're just too much of an Audi or VW fan, for sure somewhere out there is a race legal, stripped and caged 4000CS or Mk IV GTI with your name on it. Even if its initially a bit more dough, over the long term it will far be cheaper. Theres little to no depreciation, fewer worries about what happens if you total it, the on track running costs, fuel, tires, rotors, pads, etc will be far lower, your safety level higher, your skill set developed faster. If in the end, you do decide to race, you're all set to try you hand without having to go to the time, expense and confusion of building a rules conforming car. Sure driving a crap box might not be as sexy and at a long track your left arm is likely to be a little tired by the end of the day. Just run short tracks instead. After you learn how to carry 2, 5, 10 MPH more speed in the corners, you'll be kicking butt on numerous cars with double the horsepower. And when their owners drop by in the pits trying to figure what mods you did to make your crap box so fast, trust me, theres no better feeling than opening the hood and showing 'em its a tired old stock motor.

Gbob

A super +1 for tailwagger!
That was the most pleasant, intelligent and well thought out post I have read in years.