Project Black Golfball-plans for 2008 Options

[black92_tsi_awd]

Got my Tial BOV today. It's in really good shape.

Got in a little email discussion about AL intercooler piping with Darryl and a couple of his friends. Got some interesting food for thought out of it on whether the additional cost of the AL piping is worth it for the weight reduction. Another consideration is I can't weld Al so there etra cost to get it welded

Comparison of mild steel to 6061 aluminum tubing. Approximately 3 feet for the total weight numbers
16ga (0.065") mild steel 1.69 lb/ft 5.1lbs
18ga (0.049") mild steel 1.28 lb/ft 3.8lbs 1.3lb reduction
16ga (0.065") aluminum 0.585 lb/ft 1.8lbs 3.3lb reduction

Just thought I'd share because I didn't realize the way the numbers came out. I'm going to price out the option and see if I can even find some 18g piping.


I did scale the Talon today on my dirt modified buddie's race scales. The number might not add up, but the scale are sensitive and 1 lb or 2 won't make a diff.

Set up to race with a little less than a 1/4 tank of gas.
Without driver
LF 982 875RF
LR 542 599RR
Total weight 3000lb
Front/Back Split 62/38%
Left/Right Split 51/49%

With Driver
LF 1051 910RF
LR 636 615RR
Total weight 3214lb
Front/Back Split 61/39%
Left/Right Split 52.5/48.9%

Looks like I need to remove some weight off the nose.

So using a HP calc and 3200lb (I'll take off some weight for the extra couple gal in the tank ) on a 12.37@ 109.7 run, it come out to about 332hp at the flywheel.
I guess that's not too bad for something 210 stock and a 14b.

[black92_tsi_awd]

I actually got out and drove the Talon last week and beat the piss out of it. Had some fun on the back roads and some in town Trans definitely needs to be opened up and worked on, but should be limited to new syncros.

This is the first year in a while I've gotten to drive it in the winter (knock on wood) without having it in pieces for one reason (catastophic failures) or another. And that's kind of nice!

I've still got some new parts to throw on it: Tial BOV, stack of pipe for fabricating a new UICP, some new silicone connectors and t-bolt to eliminate some leaks, used twin disk clutch to try....but no energy to work on her. I finally got the garage cleaned out last week so I can at least get the car in to work on it.

The economy killed a little sponsorship I had going that was going to allow me to do a ton more bracket racing, so that kind of took the wind out of my sails.

Leaves me wondering what to concentrate on this year:
-just leave it alone and drive on the street "for fun"
-bracket race it as-is on a limited basis
-throw whatever money I can scrape up at getting it in the 11's and not run a series
-try something different, autocross or open track it

I guess time and cash flow will tell.

[black92_tsi_awd]

I took the Talon out to have some fun in the snow.. but it's .smoking like crazy under boost.

been sitting for a month...can't believe it would just start smoking though.

guess i'll drop the downpipe and see if the turbo is losing a seal.