Sexy Red Rexy

[Ben]

- nice upgrade

[Stuart]

Thought you'd like them John Glad that they worked out for you.

[john B]

Cheers chaps......

Stu
It was a pleasure dealing with those guys good honest and true to their word.....looking forward to seeing them at Snetterton.
One thing though Stu if you have it could you send me the contact details of the guy (max) who put the package together.....
Just want some tech spec

[Stuart]

Hi John
I've contacted Max via Facebook and asked him for spec and an email address mate

[john B]

Hi John
I've contacted Max via Facebook and asked him for spec and an email address mate

Thanks Stu

Appriciated..

[RX7]

Yeah sorry mate I didnt see you were trying to get in touch with him otherwise I'd have sent him something.

They look very good......you should get the Re-Amemiya front end that has the Porsche lights.....that would really surprise people !

[Stuart]

I happen to think the Greddy 7 (Re-Amemiya) is one sexual predator of a car but I appreciate that it's not everyone's cup of horlicks

[RX7]

I happen to think the Greddy 7 (Re-Amemiya) is one sexual predator of a car but I appreciate that it's not everyone's cup of horlicks

Good shout mate, I actually meant the AC037 bodykit but forgot about the Greddy 7 one.

[john B]

Yeah I do actually quite like the look of those kits.....but I think I will stick with how it is for now at least..

[john B]

So after many months of not having time to do much with the Rex due to work commitments where possible I did a little bit here and there in my limited spare time, one of the things that I loved to hate was the BGW it really suited the car but it wasn't for me personally so it has been changed for a Mazdaspeed wing with carbon blade.
I also fitted a new under tray to help with cooling and keeping the airflow in the front to cool things properly and not allow it to escape !
I had also fitted to harnesses as I had intended to try and get some track time in at some point this year, Federal RSR tyres were fitted some camber dialed into the front, oil change completed so needed to get it out on track.
Then Eddy (Fast Eddy) was doing a trader day at Snetterton and I thought why not support one of our fellow BPer's and I had attended one previously and we all had a good time thanks to Eddy's hospitality.
So yesterday was the day Chris B and myself set off for Snetterton at about 07:00 under grey skies wasn't looking to promising but hey we will see....on arrival at Snetterton we park up at the Archie Scott Brown suite and sign in, Eddy was already setting out some goodies for us !
Noise test was always going to be a worry for me but thankfully 99db @ 5500rpm saw me gat a sticker to play.....just needed to remember to keep away from the mic on the pit lane later though.
During this time it had started raining and was looking quite horrible but we lined up for sighting laps and OMG it was horrible standing water in several places really not nice.

Anyway track opened for laps at about 09:30 so thought I would leave it a while and let other peoples over enthusiasm get the better of them.....

I noticed there wasn't many people out on track so thought it was time to venture out Chris had gone out first while I was getting ready I had set my suspension damping to full soft to try and help to get the tyres to bite and get some grip through the corners but it was awful I was tip toeing round front was understeering then back was trying to oversteer....it was really taking some concentration just to get some laps in.....slowly but surely I could pick up pace but it really was a struggle.....

Also when I fitted the big brakes last year when I had used them in anger I had noticed that there was a wobble on the discs so I had got them skimmed but had not really used them in full anger until now, but that was easier said than done trying to find the bite point in horrible conditions was difficult and I was getting front end lock up.

Got a few laps in and started gaining on Chris quite quickly by now in his little pocket rocket by the end of the Senna straight I was getting close he had a racing mini in front of him as he went through Riches corner on the exit of the 2nd apex I was on him

Heading into Montreal hairpin Mini braked and then braked a bit harder....so did Chris but let’s face it when the brake lights are on you don't get a brighter red light to say the person is braking even harder than you expected I touched my brakes and fronts locked (shit) that’s worrying as I was now heading straight towards the back of Chris's car with locked fronts and not slowing down oh how I hate the rain !!!!

So avoiding action was needed off the brakes and look for a flat piece of grass which is what I did exit left to avoid running into the back of him and hope the car stays in a straight line...thankfully it did I managed to slow down gently and cut some grass for Mr Palmer at the same time so when you watch the British Superbike race at Snetterton on TV next week the nice grass cutting at the hairpin was all down to me !

Slowly drove back to the pits to check for damage.....thankfully nothing more than a load of grass in the front end

Cleaned out the grass had the piss taken out of me by Chris and went for a cuppa.....

A few more sessions in the morning were completed without drama but in very difficult conditions and constantly changing conditions too......there was dry sections damp sections and standing water sections so the slightest devation offline could spell potential disaster....there was a couple of red flags due to cars crashing although the irony of this was it was only racing cars that were crashing not road cars ! Perhaps they needed some lessons from us ?

A few of Chris's mates turned up and were taken out for some laps but I was still struggling with the front brakes and confidence to push hard as I just couldn't get the heat into the tyres and the car was still moving around too much for my liking, but the good news was the track was now drying quickly.

I took a gamble of firming up the damping and set the damping to full hard at least now it would reduce body roll and create some lateral g to generate heat into the tyres just needed to ensure I stayed on the dry line though.

11:45 and a good friend came to ride shotgun with me he had already been out in the wet so was aware of what it had been like....so we did a couple of slowish laps building up speed then we hit the sweet spot the it was like a different car the tyres were warm the brakes had almost stopped locking up apart from on one section of track but were were flying my friend couldn't believe the difference even from the passenger seat he said it felt so much better.

Brilliant was really pleased now we just needed it to stay dry.....

After lunch still dry so could really go for it and judging by the popping and loud banging and a few funny looks I can only guess I was doing my bit for global warming and giving a good flame show Full afterburner mode I think.....Glad I fitted a down turned tailpipe.

Mid afternoon I said to Chris "Here you go just bring it back in one piece" and gave him my keys he almost ripped my arm off LOL one of his mates asked if he could go out too which wasn't an issue.... and off he went ! I walked round to one of the viewing banks and watched him in my car it's weird when someone else is thrashing round a racetrack in your pride and joy but I know it was in safe hands as he is a good driver....don't anyone tell him I said so though !

When he came back his first words were " I want and RX7" It’s like a drug addiction he was grinning from ear to ear as was his mate.

It wasn't all good though as I went out again and on the Senna straight and Bentley Straight as soon as I hit about 120mph the whole car started shaking violently the bonnet looked like it was trying to get off the car it was horrible WTF was going on !?

Finished the lap slowly and it felt fine only at high speed was the problem apparent.....as I got to the end of the pit lane a marshall stopped me and said they were about to black flag me as it looked like something was loose under the car I said yes I had felt it hence the reason I had come in.

Problem was found very quickly I guess possibly due to my earlier excursion onto the grass it might have weakened the fixings on my new under tray and with the air pressure at high speed it was pushing down at the front causing huge air pressure under the bonnet hence the bonnet jumping about.

That was it for the day sadly but it was about 4pm so it had been good a temporary repair with gaffer tape to get the car home was made.....

The under tray at the front is a right mess I had fitted it so as to create a venturi effect into the radiator but obviously hadn't calculated the full effect of the air pressure at over 120mph, Its repairable and I will add extra strength and supports to this area now especially as by fitting the under tray helped massively with cooling throughout the day.

Oil temps between 100 - 110 maximum water temp 103 maximum and that was when it was really being driven hard.

Cars are home and washed to get all the brake dust and crap off them and I am fully in love with my sexy red rexy again as I had been losing interest but after yesterday I have more plans to enjoy it even more.

I would upload some pictures but since the upgrade of BP I can't and I still don't know if its just me being stupid or if there is a problem