Racing by post - Round 32 track is up. Andreas W is taking us to Vålerbanen!

[c64orinoco 646]

Excellent. I must buy some chalk to draw the circuit on the street. It looks complex enough that I will need some lines to guide me around my traffic cones.

[Andreas W 474]

Made a couple of trips to Mugello in winter conditions on Thursday and Friday. Gotta say this track is complex. I had for the first time to paint up the lines. Not to run the ideal line (on these conditions the line is random and the question is more to go on the correct side of the marker) but more to have the slightest chance to remember where to go. I have painted the track up on a remote spot which had the snow cleared off on Thursday. That day we had 0C,  so it was wet and just frustrating. I drove the Thunder Dragon and thought I should try fitting the 380 into the Grasshornet again. On Friday we had -6C so the track was hard and partially icy. I had also changed the TZ-motor for a Torque Tuned. Because of the ice the whole thing is controlled chaos. I drove three stints with each car and got some sort of rythm. The Grasshornet finished only one lap short of the Thunder Dragon. The latter is extremely hard to get around the tightest bends. I drive more over marker 5 with it than around it. 

 

For Monday I will change for a normal Silver can in the Grasshornet and fit the Scorpion rear wheels. The course is bumpy because of tire tracks from machines with the Hornet rear tires. The Scorpion ones are softer and make the ride smoother. But we'll see. This is going to be the bottom of the board anyway. 

[SlideWRX 517]

My January has been wet so far.  Rain, then a cloudy day where the ground doesn't dry up, then rain, etc.  Usually it is below freezing most of the time and it comes as snow, and things are dryer generally. Not this year!  I'm glad this one is extended out a bit - hopefully I'll catch good enough conditions.

[Tamiyastef 1029]

This circuit is a real challenge! At least for me it is. I want to get on the throttle right after cone 5 forgetting I have a sharp right turn right after cone 6 which is actually really close... This is the first time I restarted so many times, resetting the timer and abandoning the previous attempt. But great fun. A bit cold at 0°C.

XV-01 and M-05

 

These were taken at the same spot but at an uncleaned part 

SLOMO 

[media]

 

[BuggyDad 1617]

I had a little go today. I learned a few things:

1. I can't drive

2. I can't count

3. My cones get knocked miles out of place with the slightest touch (may get some of those flat rubber disks) 

4. I'd really like to have a good go at an easier track

5. My XV-01 noses in to tight corners quite well.  But let's get that M-08 built! 

[Tamiyastef 1029]

42 minutes ago, BuggyDad said:

I can't drive

Sounds familiar 😁

[Andreas W 474]

11 hours ago, BuggyDad said:

I had a little go today. I learned a few things:

1. I can't drive

2. I can't count

3. My cones get knocked miles out of place with the slightest touch (may get some of those flat rubber disks) 

4. I'd really like to have a good go at an easier track

5. My XV-01 noses in to tight corners quite well.  But let's get that M-08 built! 

Hehe. This course is hefty and by far the most intricate we have had so far. It is hard just to remember where to go, but I have only done 6 stints so far. It is just to take it as learning and enjoy the time. 

 

Two things contributed to massive improvement for me in 2022. I bought flat markers and I got the M-05 that I bought already in 2013 built and ready (today I would probably have got an M-07 though). With flat markers it was no more cones flying around in the wind, no flipping of the car when you missed the line and if I drove over a marker I could just keep on in the rythm. With 210 mm wheelbase the car is super nimble and could approuch  the corners in a different way than I was used to with buggys. So there is a bright future with the M-08R finished .

[Re-Bugged 8235]

13 hours ago, BuggyDad said:

I had a little go today. I learned a few things:

1. I can't drive

2. I can't count

3. My cones get knocked miles out of place with the slightest touch (may get some of those flat rubber disks) 

You are definitely not alone here 😂

My rubber circle markers work well out of a cheap door mat from a hardware store. But I only have 7 or 8. The last circuit I just cut some more circles out of a cereal box with a bit of duct tape underneath to make up the extra markers needed. Worked well and stayed put for long enough.

[BuggyDad 1617]

I think I'll get some rubber disks and chalk (could never remember whether to turn right after 3 or 4!) off amazon. Cheap enough and if they're nice and heavy they shouldn't move. Unfortunately, though, I might not get a good daylight tarmac opportunity for a while. 

When I do, I might search back through this thread for an easier track. Although thinking about it, a hard course can't be bad for practice and this one does fit into my long narrow space. 

 

[Andreas W 474]

I got to make a few more stints yesterday. The receiver in the Grasshornet was playing me games, so I took the Tomahawk out instead. Already on the first attempt it was on par with the Thunder Dragon. After one pack it had improved with 3 laps. There is room for more, as even the best /less worst stint was way off clean. 

 

The Thunder Dragon did not work good at all. It simply does not have enough steering lock for this track and with the TT it lacks the power to spin around the markers with a blip on the throtle. 

 

Yesterday it was only -2C (on Friday it was -10C), but today it will be over 0C, which is not good. The ice will still not melt more than slightly. This means the surface first will be wet and when the temperature goes down again in the coming weekend the surface will be polished. I hope for more hoar frost on top, so there is some grip to be found. 

 

I ran the Hopper body on the Thunder Dragon, because I like having a proper buggy from the planet Earth next to my dear Tomahawk. 

[SlideWRX 517]

On 1/24/2023 at 12:40 AM, Andreas W said:

Yesterday it was only -2C (on Friday it was -10C), but today it will be over 0C, which is not good. The ice will still not melt more than slightly. This means the surface first will be wet and when the temperature goes down again in the coming weekend the surface will be polished. I hope for more hoar frost on top, so there is some grip to be found.

Sounds like you need metal spikes!   I don't see anything in the rules against it...   Does anyone make scale snow spike rally tires?

As for me, it was finally Warm! 45F(7C), the driveway was dry after all the snow melted.  It's been a blend of snow/rain/ blegh for over a month.  A replacement gear diff for the broken ball diff worked, and I found a set of wheels that would fit my Lamborghini GT-01, which is just small enough that M-chassis wheels/tires don't fit.  They felt stickier in the hand and I was excited to use them.  I got on to the course, and they felt like... Ice.  fishtailing, spinouts...  I couldn't get many clean laps in.  I went back to the original wheels/tires, which I don't want to run much because they are impossible to find/replace, but those had a LOT more traction.  I literally added 5 laps to my count switching tires, and there aren't a lot of laps on this track!  This was all on my asphalt driveway that has a lot of surface cracks.

Anyway, I have another gear diff that I think I have made slightly stiffer for less one-wheel-peel and also a 280 sized sport tuned motor to swap in.

[Andreas W 474]

@SlideWRX. I have been thinking about spikes for buggy tires since my teens. Have never seen any, but have thought that cut down nails for roofing felt may do .

 

In the last weeks i have had many attempts an variable conditions. On two occations I have had wet tarmac and dry with patches of wet and/or ice. Last week I have only ran the Lancia, since I got fed up by the understeer of the Tomahawk and I think I have reached the maximum on gravel with the Grasshornet. The brushes in the BZ in the Lancia wore down, so the last week I ran the 17t YR in the Lancia. No surprice it ran too hot for my taste, but the somewhat lower perfomance did good, so now I have soldered up a Torque Tuned with 5mm bullets for this week. 

 

I 'm starting to get a sort of rythm here, but this is a tricky course for a resurposed, half old basher. At least I know where to go on the course by now.

[Tamiyastef 1029]

I made some spike tires BITD from worn down Falcon rear tires. Pushing pushpins through and glueing them from the inside. They kept up nice and made my Falcon wheelie on grass 🙂

[Andreas W 474]

In the last couple of weeks I have focused on running the Lancia. I have run on tarmac under different conditions from dry tarmac with increasing snow, damp with patches of snow and ice, wet and this week I finally got two days with dry conditions and could max out my lapcount. I gotta say this has been a tricky one, but I finally found some sort of rythm and is satisfied with the result. 

 

Today is my last chance and I do'nt think the surface has dried up since yesterdays rain. The Lancia stays fresh and cleaned on the workbench and the Thunder Dragon gets it's chance to improve its until now rather miserable lapcount. 

[Andreas W 474]

Finally it was possible to get the Thunder Dragon around the corners. It improved by a massive 9 laps, only 2 laps short of the Lancia. Not bad for a buggy with such a soft setup. No wonder that Ferruz is doing so well with the more high end version.

 

The phone just would turn itself off,  so no pick of the Thunder Dragon wearing the Grasshornet body and doing donuts on tarmac.

[TurnipJF 7814]

If anyone completed any attempts before cutoff but hasn't submitted their lap counts yet, please try to do so ASAP as I will be collating and posting the results later tonight!

[nicksincrc 105]

sorry guys not been the weather for me lately ,too cold and wet for me in my wheelchair . Hopefully better weather on the way 

[Tamiyastef 1029]

I'm gonna look if I can find my results from my first and only attempt.  Live and health issues got in the way as usual.

[Tamiyastef 1029]

Found the results and submitted and sorry for the delay.

[BuggyDad 1617]

Sadly never managed to get a run in. Only had a few mins, my cones all tried to run away and I needed satnav to remember the route! Kudos to anyone who got the hang of this one. 

However, I will get a march entry in - I've now got at least one suitable car, some heavy rubber mat markers and after work daylight will be along shortly!

[TurnipJF 7814]

Position	Username	Lap count	Car	Motor	Battery	Running surface	Surface modifiers	(Optional) Running weight	(Optional) Best lap
1	Andreas W	28	XV-01 Lancia Delta HF Integrale	YR 23T	2S LiPo	Tarmac	No - the track surface was clear and dry., Some typical spring debris: Some sand and small gravel.
2	Andreas W	26	Thunder Dragon	Tamiya TT 25T	2S LiPo	Tarmac	No - the track surface was clear and dry., Typical spring debris: Some sand and small gravel here and there.
3	MontyMole	23	XV-01 Lancia Delta Integrale	13.5T HobbyWing Justock	2S LiPo	Tarmac	No - the track surface was clear and dry.		12.08s
4	Tamiyastef	22	M-05 Pick-up	540 silver can	2S LiPo	Tarmac	It was damp.	1400g
5	Andreas W	20	Grasshornet	Silvercan 27T	7.2V NiMH	Frozen surface	There was snow., It was icy.
6	Tamiyastef	20	XV-01 Citroën	540 silver can	2S LiPo	Tarmac	It was damp.	1520g
7	TurnipJF	20	DT-01 Rookie Rabbit	23t Sport Tuned	2S LiPo	Tarmac	No - the track surface was clear and dry.
8	Andreas W	19	Kyosho Tomahawk	YR 23T	2S LiPo	Frozen surface	There was snow., It was icy.
9	TurnipJF	16	Grasshopper II	25t Torque Tuned	2S LiPo	Tarmac	No - the track surface was clear and dry.
10	droidy	14	Holiday Buggy	380 silvercan	2S LiPo	Concrete	No - the track surface was clear and dry.	1360g	20.55s

[Andreas W 474]

Happy with this result. I love the XV-01 even more now. I have driven this course a lot now. Every workday 1-2 packs on the way home from work. I have run other rounds a lot before,  but this time I have run more than ever. I have also used 3 different motors in the XV, ending up with the 23T from the Tomahawk in the end. 

 

The weather improved last week and I got the first chance to run on dry surface. Then it really loosened. 

 

I can draw the next track. This time I am making it less intricate .

 

[Tamiyastef 1029]

Congrats! Really impressive lap counts. As with many things in live, practice and persistence pays off. 

[BuggyDad 1617]

Impressive!

1 hour ago, Andreas W said:

I can draw the next track. This time I am making it less intricate .

❤️ 😁

[SlideWRX 517]

Totally forgot to post results!  22 Laps, GT-01.  That was on original tires.  The set I thought would be good & sticky, only 16 laps.   I finally got some standard 55D M-chassis tires and they *barely* fit.  I tried them out but didn't have the track up.  They felt better, might've got a couple more laps out of it.  Not 28 though!  Daaaang!    Time to order some slicks, I guess...