Project Update

SVRA Member

February 13, 2009 in 2009 One Lap of America, Project Update

 I received my SVRA membership card this week.  We mailed in our membership applications and medical information a few weeks ago, after making the commitment to enter the event.

I realize the SVRA provides the insurance and coverage for the event.  However the amount of medical information that we had to provide to get this little membership card was nothing short of excessive.  While they now know more about my medical history than my own doctor, I find little comfort in knowing that none of the medical history we were asked to provide makes people safer on the track.   For now, it is a milestone that we needed to overcome and one more check box in the “need to get this done” list.

The Donor Car

February 5, 2009 in 2009 One Lap of America, Project Update

There are two reason we chose the Galant VR4 for the trip. First, we are bringing three drivers and my Eclipse has no back seats. Even if it did, Steve is a big guy and his head hits the roof of the Eclipse when he wears a helmet. So the Eclipse is out. Steve also just so happens to have purchased a new EVOX so he had plans to part out and sell the VR4 this Spring. After a few beers I convinced him let me work some of my magic on it and give it one last “going out with style” adventure. 

Now I’ve got a butt load of time and effort into my Eclipse to turn it into a track monster. I’ve been posting my “Watkins Glen trip reports” for years now so we all know its a car that battles it out with

 likes of GT3′s and ZO6′s. So the plan is to stip the VR4 of the parts he can sell now and then strip the parts off the Eclipse to build the VR4 into a track machine. Specifically the Eclipse is going to give up its front and rear suspension so we can have newish wheel bearings, urethane bushings, and 5

 lug hubs. The 5 lug hubs allows us to use my 17×9 wheels and 255/40 tires. Also making its way over is the AGP L1R turbo, FP manifold, and my O2 housing. Although not a big turbo by todays standards its in the 20G size which is perfect for road racing. Here is what my poor Eclipse looked 

like before it went under the knife.