Ok, I think I’ve got this worked out now. We should be able to update the blog via Twitter during the race so that all you TARP-heads out there can keep track of what we’re doing. The 10 most recent twitters will show up on the sidebar over to the right. I’m not setting it to create a new blog post from each tweet (I hate that word) because it looks absurd as a blog post since they’re so short (140 characters). So we’ll just see how this works out…
Twitter Race Updates
Author: Pat
The stickers that our great sponsor DoozyWraps printed up for us were delivered to Mr. Cope today and he just brought them over for me to see. At the risk of setting your expectations too high, I think they look really good. We’ll have a sticker party either Thursday night in Houston or at the track on Friday before inspection and judging. I can’t show them all to you, but here’s what the main hood sticker looks like:
Those of you who are particularly fond of crapcan mid-80’s mid-engine cars might recognize that bird as the MR-2 Screaming Chicken.
Parts, Race Prep
Author: Pat
I’ve been gathering information about the camping facilities at MSR-Houston. Here’s what I’ve learned: there is running water, but it’s non-potable. There are permanent bathrooms, including showers (but only 3) as well as a bunch of porta-cans. There are somewhere between no and very limited electrical hookups, but there is a ton of paved space for camping out.
The paddock/pit area has a canopy (although I’m still not sure if we are allowed to sleep there or not), but it’s just shade netting so it’s not waterproof. In other words, we’ll probably want to bring tents for those of you who will not be sleeping in the back of my Suburban. Which, given my snoring, means everybody who’s not me. 
So in addition to all of our foodstuffs, we will need to plan to carry in all of our beverages, too. Just FYI.
Logistics, Race Prep
Author: Pat
I just registered and paid for the TARP team’s testing day at MSR-Houston the day before the big LeMons race. So we should be ready to go for that.
There are still a few things to do with the car, but it’s getting awfully close to ready. I’ve got to finish repairing the rear engine mount (using this instead of pricey urethane bushings) and then it’s a bunch of little stuff like hard wiring the fans to the switches, installing the fire extinguisher, installing some electrics to run the cameras and data acquisition system (thanks again to ChaseCam and TraqMate for loaning those to us for the race), etc.
What we really need to do at this point is figure out what trailer’s going on which tow vehicle and some logistics planning on food and beverages.
Logistics, Race Prep
Author: Pat
We had our break-and-tune testing session on Sunday out at the Motorsport Ranch complex in Cresson, Texas. Big thanks to Jack Pharr for letting us use his track for about an hour to shake down the TARP Special and get in some seat time for all the drivers who were able to make it. Another thanks to Shannon and the guys at Motorsport Enterprise Racing for letting us borrow a Miata for the track time too; between the MR-2, the Miata, and Jack’s Mustang, we all got in many turns of high-speed practice. Who knows if it will translate to success at MSR-Houston in a couple weekends.
One of the mechanics at MER is an MR-2 fanatic and pointed out a few free things to do to the car to make it handle better. Primary among those was to cut the coils. So we’ve taken a coil-and-a-half off the front and a full coil off the rears. Did it with a cut-off wheel on a die grinder so as to not heat-temper the springs, which are soft enough as they are. It definitely lowered the ride height; we had taken so much weight out of the car that it looked like it was ready to go rallying!
We put the car on the scales: 2007 lbs. Not too bad for a car that was at 1050kg (~2315 lbs) from the factory!
Grayson is doing some welding work on the front engine mount today, then Jesse’s going to flatbed it back to my garage. And I’m sure that what little work I have left to do on the car, I’ll be working on tonight
Logistics, MR2, Race Prep
Author: Pat
Brad and Dave joined me in the garage last night to throw some man hours at the TARP Special in preparation for our track testing day (a/k/a Break and Tune) this Sunday. Although I took some photos, those didn’t make it into the office with me this morning, so all you’ll have is my stirring narrative. Lucky you! More after the jump:
Read more…
MR2, Race Prep
Author: Pat
…I humbly suggest this one. Might blow our budget, but this 1986 Ford from England, which was really just a converted Escort, would be totally worth it. 0-60 in 2.1 sec. And if you look at the photos just right, you can almost see some MR2 flavor in this car too:
Brand new condition car which was purchased directly from Ford in Europe by the current owner. Ford RS 200 Evolution. #084 car. 2.1 liter Cosworth single turbo. 600+ hp. one of 24 ever made. This car is factory original and has been driven very little since new. The RS 200 was banned from rally competition in Europe in the late eighties because they were too fast and consequently believed to be too dangerous. Recently the FIA has lifted the ban on these cars to compete in the “Vintage” rallies before all of the events on this season’s european rally schedule because of their popularity throughout the world. Europeans are franticly trying to find these cars and this is an unmolested example of the real thing. Two point one seconds, that’s 2.1 seconds, a little over two seconds. less than three seconds. In the time it’s taken you to read this, a Ford Rs 200 Evo can reach 60mph! Four wheel drive and 650bhp from a mere 2.1 litre engine made ford’s rally car an instant legend which few cars have come close to catching.
More photos after the jump:
Read more…
Tomfoolery
Author: Pat
The good people at TraqMate have agreed to let us borrow their complete TraqMate video and data acquisition system for the race. We’ll be able to record the entire thing via our ChaseCams. It should also make writing the story a lot easier. The stuff will arrive in about a week.
Logistics, MR2, Race Prep, Videos
Author: Brad
We’ve got an extra car for Sunday. I don’t know the make and model, but it’ll have a stick. It comes to us from the wonderful people at Motorsport Enterprises. So we’ll have the junker and this other car. Pat and I will work out how to get both there.
Now, about Sunday: We’ll start at 3:30 at the Ranch. Jack Pharr, the manager of the track, will be there, as will a professional driver. We’ll also have a couple of designers/photographers from Spirit there, Brody Price and Lauren Chesnutt. Look your best!
See you soon.
Driving Tips, MR2, Team Strategy
Author: Brad
It is a day of great rejoicing here at TARP HQ! Gentlemen, I just now (11:46pm) started and ran the engine on the car. Woo Hoo!!!
I would have taken it out for a spin but (a) my truck was parking it in and (b) it has no headlights. There were several things that were probably contributing to the problem, including crappy wiring in the engine compartment, a blown fuse on the AFM header, and crappy work by prior ownership on underdash wiring. And the ignition switch is still mega-crappy. We can now wire in the switch panel and kill switch with confidence.
Grayson, the exhaust sounds loud. And fantastic! Click on the play icon below and give it a listen for yourself. You might want to turn down your speakers at first. And then turn them up really loud so that your co-workers wonder who has moved a loud car into their cubicle!
And be patient, I haven’t edited it for length yet so you don’t hear the car start until the countdown timer is at about -0:43 or so:
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Audio, Engine Trouble, MR2, Race Prep
Author: Pat
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