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Oh, How I Obsess
Aug. 16th, 2010 01:58 amRace cars, again.
Saw a recap of the Mid-Ohio Le Mans racing overday, and was wondering whether there were any differences in the competition classes compared to the past. There were, but mainly it was changes in terminology and the need to include alternative fuels and other new technologies.
I wondered why there weren't more American cars in the GT classes...but then I compared the specs for the new Dodge Challenger to the Porsche 911 in the GTC class. American performance cars in general are too big and too heavy to be very competitive against foreign GTs. Just the way it is these days.
Meanwhile, my research addiction sent me to look up This Catalog PDF and This PDF Rulebook because of my longtime interest in NASCAR-variety "late models" and their hardware. The Approved Body Configuration was codified in 2002 and has been the standard for a great number of late model circuits in recent years. As said with the Car Of Tomorrow layout, it's gotten to the point in race car evolution that the only differences between the Marques bodywise in the ABC system are the nosepiece shapes and the shapes of the rear quarter windows--and maybe not even that.
My Dr. Frankenstein side wants to build a street-legal hot rod that an ABC body can be wrapped around, just to see if it could be done.
But for a different family of circuits, the ASA, bodies based on the new Challenger, Camaro, and Mustang cars are being built that are very faithful to the manufacturers' designs and styling.
--Which would make a hot rod project "easier" but not as weird.
Saw a recap of the Mid-Ohio Le Mans racing overday, and was wondering whether there were any differences in the competition classes compared to the past. There were, but mainly it was changes in terminology and the need to include alternative fuels and other new technologies.
I wondered why there weren't more American cars in the GT classes...but then I compared the specs for the new Dodge Challenger to the Porsche 911 in the GTC class. American performance cars in general are too big and too heavy to be very competitive against foreign GTs. Just the way it is these days.
Meanwhile, my research addiction sent me to look up This Catalog PDF and This PDF Rulebook because of my longtime interest in NASCAR-variety "late models" and their hardware. The Approved Body Configuration was codified in 2002 and has been the standard for a great number of late model circuits in recent years. As said with the Car Of Tomorrow layout, it's gotten to the point in race car evolution that the only differences between the Marques bodywise in the ABC system are the nosepiece shapes and the shapes of the rear quarter windows--and maybe not even that.
My Dr. Frankenstein side wants to build a street-legal hot rod that an ABC body can be wrapped around, just to see if it could be done.
But for a different family of circuits, the ASA, bodies based on the new Challenger, Camaro, and Mustang cars are being built that are very faithful to the manufacturers' designs and styling.
--Which would make a hot rod project "easier" but not as weird.
A Little On The Passing of Paul Newman
Sep. 28th, 2008 01:13 amMy favorite movie of Paul Newman's is Winning...perhaps not the first one that comes to mind of many Newman fans, I'm sure. The Sting is probably #2, then Butch Cassidy..., Slapshot, The Color of Money, Road To Perdition and so on.
I've only seen Winning once, in the method I usually saw movies back in adolescence--the TV late late show. In it, Paul starred as a race car driver whose ambition was to qualify for Indy. Making this movie sparked the creation of the real-life Newman Haas team which has been a force to be reckoned with at Indy over the years.
My research addiction led me to one of the cars he drove in the movie...the Holman Moody "Honker II":
It was proposed as the next generation Ford GT (after the GT 40, which was being retired at the time) but it wasn't very successful, so it was free for movie use.
Now I'm having this vision of a track in the next world, where Paul is suiting up by his car and Steve McQueen is awaiting him beside a Porsche 917.
The forecast calls for thunder.
FP
I've only seen Winning once, in the method I usually saw movies back in adolescence--the TV late late show. In it, Paul starred as a race car driver whose ambition was to qualify for Indy. Making this movie sparked the creation of the real-life Newman Haas team which has been a force to be reckoned with at Indy over the years.
My research addiction led me to one of the cars he drove in the movie...the Holman Moody "Honker II":
It was proposed as the next generation Ford GT (after the GT 40, which was being retired at the time) but it wasn't very successful, so it was free for movie use.
Now I'm having this vision of a track in the next world, where Paul is suiting up by his car and Steve McQueen is awaiting him beside a Porsche 917.
The forecast calls for thunder.
FP
Rev It Up Little Boy and Ride
Jul. 18th, 2005 12:01 amHey.
Current research fodder: GT race cars. I saw the American LeMans Series race from Sears Point on TV this afternoon, and so I've been digging into the subject. The matter, while appealing, is very confusing as there are at least four or five circuits in America alone that run GTs and they all run by differing rules.
Some rules authorities are nice enough to have the regulations downloadable on their official websites...but others aren't so technical. And of course the cars themselves change from year to year. I still haven't figured out how the ALMS boys figure what cars are GT1s and what are GT2s. Is there a horsepower cut off? Engine displacement looks the same...but I could be wrong.
There may be a story in this somewhere.
FP
Current research fodder: GT race cars. I saw the American LeMans Series race from Sears Point on TV this afternoon, and so I've been digging into the subject. The matter, while appealing, is very confusing as there are at least four or five circuits in America alone that run GTs and they all run by differing rules.
Some rules authorities are nice enough to have the regulations downloadable on their official websites...but others aren't so technical. And of course the cars themselves change from year to year. I still haven't figured out how the ALMS boys figure what cars are GT1s and what are GT2s. Is there a horsepower cut off? Engine displacement looks the same...but I could be wrong.
There may be a story in this somewhere.
FP
