Donnington Tomorrow - come to meet R500 CP on the day!!

[nigelpugh7]

Hey Guys,

Not sure if anyone from here is going but my new Duratec R500 will be doing its first ever track day tomorrow 10th March at Donington Park.

If you are coming along make sure you stop by and say hi.

I am happy to take any one out for a passenger ride, i will have my spare race helmet with me.

Hope to see some of you guys on the day.

Cheers,

Nige.

Edited by nigelpugh7 on Friday 13th March 15:43

[martin thomas]

How did you get on?


Martin

[rejn]

Hi Nige - sorry I didn't read this before Donington or I'd have come and said hello.

I was there in the scruffy blue racing R400 -racing number 37.

Brilliant track day, I thought - great weather conditions from damp/wet in the morning through to completely dry in the later afternoon; not too many cars; and mostly good use of mirrors - although the Ferrari 308 Dino was a bit of a moving chicane - and one of the Mitsubishi Evos was going surprisingly slowly...

Did you have a good day?

[nigelpugh7]

Hi Martin & Richard,

Thanks for responding to my thread.

Yes I got on OK on the day, although it was very wet in the morning and I just tip toed around, as my car was not set up well from a suspension point of view.

It was better in the afternoon as the track dried and I got more used to my car.

Richard, sorry we did not get to say high to each other, I did try to get around all the other Caterhams in the garages and say Hi, I guess I must have missed you.

The videos taken from my on board point of view camera are here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9Z6h0HtpP4

And the pictures of my car on track on the day are here too:

http://rides.webshots.com/album/570503929iRiGIv?vh...

Thanks,

Nige.

[fergus]

nigelpugh7 said:

Yes I got on OK on the day, although it was very wet in the morning and I just tip toed around, as my car was not set up well from a suspension point of view.

It was better in the afternoon as the track dried and I got more used to my car.

Does your car have adjustable suspension, did you alter things at all?

[nigelpugh7]

Hi Fergus,

Yes mine has the adjustable platforms, but no I did not get time before or during the day to do any adjustments.

After comparing my car to the other Caterham's their on the day, I noticed that mine was siting too high at the back.

I have now adjusted it to the front and rear ride heights as recommended by Caterham.

I hope soon to book it is for a flat floor and corner weight set up too.

Nige.

[James.S]

Hi Nigel,

Great looking car.

Noticed your from Worcester area, If your looking for setup and flat flooring, Stuart Faulds has just relocated his Fauldsport operation to Stafford JN15 on M6. www.fauldsport.co.uk

No one better imho.

again, great car.

J

[rejn]

nigelpugh7 said:

mine was sitting too high at the back.

I wish mine had been!!! - it might have helped it to turn in at Redgate! It just wouldn't do it in the wet despite everything I could try (left-foot braking, unsettling the car, taking off the front anti-roll bar, etc)

[Murph7355]

Hi Nigel. I was there too (it was my torch ).

Clutch let go half way through the day (just as I was starting to get into the groove) hence my exit. Think it's only the second clutch the car has had in something like 60k miles.

Looking at the photos I'd say your car might be too high all round tbh. Nice car mind. Did you get your shift lights fixed?

Really enjoyed the day, despite my clutch hassle (thanks to Jonny for taking the car for me). I witnessed one or two choice overtaking manoeuvres I thought (big tin tops around the back of the circuit in the wet). Very greasy in the wet.

[nigelpugh7]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for your feedback and for the loan of the Torch too of course.

I did not fix my shift lights on the day, but did get them working the next day, I found out it was down to a bad earth that CC wired to the scuttle.

Good to meet you on the day, and hope to meet you again at the next track day too.

Keep having fun.

Nige.

[Murph7355]

Definitely.

Post up on here when you get days booked. I fully intend to be out in the car much more often again in future. Though after a 5am start in the pissing rain I might get HID's Beetle tow bar equipped

[nigelpugh7]

Andy,

Thanks for the feedback on the fact that my car was too high also, I have been adjusting it and sits better at the back now too.

Still needs the geometry setting up right though, I want it to feel and handle as well as my old R400 K Series did.

Probably wont be doing any more track days for a while unless I can squeeze one in in the next two weeks as my wife is due with our second child at the end of the month, so I am sure I wont be allowed out for quite a while after that.

I will post here when I do the next one though.

Cheers,

Nige.

[dsl2]

Nigel,

I am sure you know this but don't just lower the rear without lowering the front or you will increase any understeer the car may suffer from.

[fergus]

nigelpugh7 said:

.... so I am sure I wont be allowed out for quite a while after that.....

There's loads of time left this year and the following ones! No rush! Good luck for impending arrival!

[sfaulds]

dsl2 said:

Nigel,

I am sure you know this but don't just lower the rear without lowering the front or you will increase any understeer the car may suffer from.

That's a bit of a sweeping statement imho.

[dsl2]

Maybe, I should of elaborated a tad & included a reference to power induced understeer then!

[nigelpugh7]

Darren,

Thanks for the feedback so far.

As you are also midlands based where do you recommend I take my R500 for a flat floor and corner weight set up?

Thanks in advance.

Nige.

[dsl2]

I have a set of corner weight scales & a reasonable flat floor at home so do my Caterham's myself. My set up was good enough for a new class record time on my first visit at Prescott on a national hillclimb event last year & new record at Harewood hillclimb.

The more complicated setups required on the Force & Radical get done by Ian over at Force Racing near to Curborough Lichfield. He looks after lots of the top national hillclimb runners & is a great guy for any car related missions you may have, from a simple set up to engineering a reverse system for a Busa 7 to making you a complete carbon fibre 272kg Force PC hillclimb car!

Ian at Force- 07729 078274 (Mention me & I'm sure he will look after you & he's very reasonable charge wise, but always busy!)

P.s. He's not very excitable on the phone & may come over as none too communicative, but that's cause he an old fashioned quiet sort of a guy!

[K800 RUM]

Saw your videos on blatchat Nigel & some great laps. Boy those ultima's? shift

[nigelpugh7]

dsl2 said:

I have a set of corner weight scales & a reasonable flat floor at home so do my Caterham's myself. My set up was good enough for a new class record time on my first visit at Prescott on a national hillclimb event last year & new record at Harewood hillclimb.

The more complicated setups required on the Force & Radical get done by Ian over at Force Racing near to Curborough Lichfield. He looks after lots of the top national hillclimb runners & is a great guy for any car related missions you may have, from a simple set up to engineering a reverse system for a Busa 7 to making you a complete carbon fibre 272kg Force PC hillclimb car!

Ian at Force- 07729 078274 (Mention me & I'm sure he will look after you & he's very reasonable charge wise, but always busy!)

P.s. He's not very excitable on the phone & may come over as none too communicative, but that's cause he an old fashioned quiet sort of a guy!

Darren, thanks I will give Ian a try.

Nige.