My AMV8 at Phillip Island....and the aftermarth
As some of you know, I took the AMV8 to the track at Phillip Island 2 hrs from Melbourne Australia.
Was having a blast keeping infront of the Evo 5's (Stripped out track cars with slick tyes etc.) Was doing about 1:55s. Car could go way faster, but I didn't want to push the car etc.
Anyway, I started to feel the brakes go away from me. Just wasn't pulling up (after about 12 laps). So i backed off for about 3/4 of a lap, and let them cool down again. Then went into a safe corner and braked hard, and it pulled up fine, so i accelerated hard out of that corner into the next corner and everything was fine, then came into the Lukey Heights section of the track at about 170km/h, went to brake, and there was virtually no retardation, so i tried to start the corner by tuning, and it just under-steered, the electroncis were buzzing everywhere, but there was nothing it could do against raw physics. Any way, had to make the decision to point it into the gravel trap. I wanted it to go straight in, so that it would not make stone chips....or so i thought!
So i am then in the gravel trap....and i realise that I am not slowing down (still travelling at about 150km/h and heading to the wall!....So i had to turn to allow the car to dig in, and slow it down (kind of like a snowboard). It made the worst most expensive sound you have ever heard!!!
Anyway, i missed the wall by about 4 meters, so lucky i didn't write the car off. Lots of stone chips but getting fixed now. Thought I would show you the pics of the AMV8 stripped down. Most of the cost was in the dismantling of the panels!
So i am now keen to get a track only car! I have been tracking an old Mx5 for years, and can pedel it quite fast (came 2nd at the Winton 6hr event this year). But it is not worth pushing a road car that hard. The AM mechanic reckons it was the pads that went over there operating temperature.
It was a relatively cheap lesson....if you going to use a road car on the track, be extra careful, and its not worth pushing it too hard!
Was having a blast keeping infront of the Evo 5's (Stripped out track cars with slick tyes etc.) Was doing about 1:55s. Car could go way faster, but I didn't want to push the car etc.
Anyway, I started to feel the brakes go away from me. Just wasn't pulling up (after about 12 laps). So i backed off for about 3/4 of a lap, and let them cool down again. Then went into a safe corner and braked hard, and it pulled up fine, so i accelerated hard out of that corner into the next corner and everything was fine, then came into the Lukey Heights section of the track at about 170km/h, went to brake, and there was virtually no retardation, so i tried to start the corner by tuning, and it just under-steered, the electroncis were buzzing everywhere, but there was nothing it could do against raw physics. Any way, had to make the decision to point it into the gravel trap. I wanted it to go straight in, so that it would not make stone chips....or so i thought!
So i am then in the gravel trap....and i realise that I am not slowing down (still travelling at about 150km/h and heading to the wall!....So i had to turn to allow the car to dig in, and slow it down (kind of like a snowboard). It made the worst most expensive sound you have ever heard!!!
Anyway, i missed the wall by about 4 meters, so lucky i didn't write the car off. Lots of stone chips but getting fixed now. Thought I would show you the pics of the AMV8 stripped down. Most of the cost was in the dismantling of the panels!
So i am now keen to get a track only car! I have been tracking an old Mx5 for years, and can pedel it quite fast (came 2nd at the Winton 6hr event this year). But it is not worth pushing a road car that hard. The AM mechanic reckons it was the pads that went over there operating temperature.
It was a relatively cheap lesson....if you going to use a road car on the track, be extra careful, and its not worth pushing it too hard!
its the type of pad you use. The pad that is standard on all V8s, according to the head AM Mechanic in melbourne, is mainly a road pad. ie operating temp not that high. Race pads operate at much higher temps.....but are crap until they have warmed up. In the Formula Ford the first few corners felt like it was never going to stop (plus the tyres were cold). 
I think sticking with the MX-5 would not be a bad idea.
