VCRC - Volvo Estate Wagon Race ... Wednesday 28th anyone?

[watermelon punch]

Vintage Car Race Club

Volvo Estate Wagon Race

Format:
5 sprint races on 5 different tracks

Schedule:

Event duration: Approx. 2 hours

Proposed schedules:

GMT
Wednesday 28th March
12:30pm PDT/ 3:30pm EDT/ 8:30pm BST / 9:30pm CEST

EDT
Wednesday 28th March or Thursday 29th March
6:30pm PDT / 9:30pm EDT / (Fri 2:30am BST) / (Fri 3:30am CEST)

Car:
Volvo 240 GLT Estate '88
comfort medium tires
tuning: prohibited

Race Regulations:
All aids prohibited, except ABS & driving line (driver's choice)
Tire Wear & Fuel: ON
Grip: Real
Damage: light
Penalty: off
Slipstream: Weak
Boost: off
GTP OLR Rules

Who's interested?

Interested:

1. watermelonpunch / wat3rm370n / EDT / (both)
2. carracerptp / carracerptp / EDT
3. Vol Jbolaz / a_garris / EDT
4. chuyler1 / chuyler1 / EDT /
5. turbogeit / turbogeit / CEST
6. Naptown25rs / NCemtB / EDT / (both)
7. PNuTButR / jazza96uk / GMT
8. dabneyd / dabneyd / EDT
9. SuBMWaru / Bugatti1997 / EDT

It's not sporty, kind of old-fashioned, perhaps uncool, very unpopular, an odd choice for a race, and very likely to be voted in the top 10 worst cars in GT5.
And that's exactly why I want to race it.

VCRC - Vintage Car Race Club

Club Thread:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=209408
Club Forum:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/group.php?groupid=350

 

[carracerptp]

What times? This is the type of car I love to race.

 

[watermelon punch]

well, we're going to figure it out... once we get a few people interested...

any suggestions for tracks?

 

[carracerptp]

Trial Mountain?
Autumn ring?

 

[nitrorocks]

You love the vintage stuff.

 

[watermelon punch]

Of course I'm crazy about all vintage...

Yeah, I tried it on Autumn Ring Mini in a practice 1-make race, and that was pretty entertaining.

I was thinking of Trial Mountain... and Autumn Ring.

I think it will be the most fun on that type of track with a bit of slide, and some hinky turns.

I'll have to test on Autumn Ring full though, because it is kind of a heavy load... hills might not be the ideal situation - if you can't get a run on them.

I tried it on a Mt. Aso track and that was a bit worrisome. I was seriously doubting the AI drivers would get it up the hill. hahah

 

[Vol Jbolaz]

I'm interested. Though, someone did say E-Types at one point.

I hate Autumn Ring. It isn't a race track, it is a drifting hang out.

 

[watermelon punch]

lol yes, I thought about putting it in a dual-class 2-speed race at Monte Carlo with the Jag E-type.
That didn't seem like a popular idea when I mentioned it. LOL

I love Autumn Ring!

Though I think the Mini track probably be a better choice for this car.

I do think Trial Mountain is an interesting option.

Of course I'd suggest Eiger Nordwand Short Track (Weather) - in the rain.
With comfort soft tires.

Not sure how popular that would be in a wagon race though. heh-heh

Rome & Cape Ring North might be fun... Maybe. Might.

I'm trying to think of tracks where the length of the vehicle will definitely be pronounced.

 

[turbogeit]

Sign me up.

 

[Cote Dazur]

No interest

 

[ID_racing]

If the next one isn't the Tank Car backwards on London Reverse, I'm going to be so disappointed.

 

[Cote Dazur]

If the next one isn't the Tank Car backwards on London Reverse, I'm going to be so disappointed.

Tank Car. I am in.

 

[watermelon punch]

I'm going to give Cote Dazur & ID_Racing the wet blanket award here!

 

[ID_racing]

I'm going to give Cote Dazur & ID_Racing the wet blanket award here!

Whatever that means..

 

[watermelon punch]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wet+blanket

Also see, "Debbie Downer" lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Downer

 

[chuyler1]

If it's on a Sun-Thurs after 9:30 EDT I'm in.

 

[Naptown25rs]

YES!!! I'm in!

Someone send me a Volvo wagon!

 

[watermelon punch]

You have some time yet... this is not this week. It's on the agenda after the mx5/mr2

 

[watermelon punch]

I'm proposing testing the following tracks:

Autumn Ring Mini (0.8 miles)
Madrid (2.11 miles)
Deep Forest Raceway (2.24 miles)
Trial Mountain (2.47 miles)

And any other proposals?

I want to make sure they're not straining up any hills ridiculously. And should be tight enough for the length of the car to come into play even though it's not that fast.

I'm also going to test it on a custom Eifel track made by someone from TCR, called "Hellhole Raceway". lol
The Celica 70 worked really well on that course, so it may be an interesting test.

I'm also proposing multiple sprint-length races, rather than a long race... simply to keep racing closer since this is the sort of car that's likely to attract a diversity of drivers.

Say 5-8 lap races. (ballpark 10 miles or something along those lines)

And I think like an hour long endurance event in an untuned volvo estate would appeal only just slightly more than a shuffle endurance league with 2 hour long shuffle races.
And I think we'd like to get at least 8 of these cars on the track. 👍
So I'm not going to scare anyone off with anything too peculiar.

 

[chuyler1]

Check out the track I have shared. We used it for lemons racing. It's easy to learn and has a good variety of turns without being difficult to memorize.

 

[PNuTButR]

PNuTButR / jazza96uk / GMT

 

[dabneyd]

I'd love to join this. I already did a season of Lemons in the 240, so I'm ready.

 

[watermelon punch]

Check out the track I have shared. We used it for lemons racing. It's easy to learn and has a good variety of turns without being difficult to memorize.

It's not the one I got from you last year is it? LOL That was a dirty trick track. hahaha.
Anyway, yeah, I'll send a FR later. (I think you de-friended me during my flood/wedding/moving hiatus last autumn. )

I'd love to join this. I already did a season of Lemons in the 240, so I'm ready.

I almost forgot about that!!!
But yes, I saw that wagon quite a bit now that I think of it. (From Miata_1's perspective of course).

I thought you were brave.

Especially since I think Damage was set to heavy for the Lemons.

But perhaps you will need to be even braver to drive it with tuning prohibited...

Though, who knows, if you're like me, you might actually find the stock suspension preferable.

There's really nothing that would likely make the car something it's not. But that's part of what makes it an interesting car to give a shot with.

So, I was thinking, 5 sprint race championship event.

@ 15 minutes a piece (approx.) - that would lead to a 2 hour event (ballpark).

We can shorten the breaks in between the races by making it reverse grid order, after race #1.
In which case I would suggest that we start with the tightest track chosen, and move through to 1-5, ending with the most easy-passing track.

I think this could keep racing close, but not hideously traffic nutty with these long cars.

Maybe throw in, at most 1-2 custom tracks - if they're really suitable to the car...
Got to stay away from the hills.
One guy mentioned in the VCRC forum that people should add ballast to simulate a trip to the builders' market... HAHA. I said that isn't necessary with this car. It already feels like it's got 2 big dogs being transported in the boot. haha.

 

[watermelon punch]

SCHEDULE PROPOSAL

GMT
Wednesday 28th March
12:30pm PDT/ 3:30pm EDT/ 8:30pm BST / 9:30pm CEST

EDT
Wednesday 28th March or Thursday 29th March
6:30pm PDT / 9:30pm EDT / (Fri 2:30am BST) / (Fri 3:30am CEST)

 

[Naptown25rs]

Wed 3/28 works for me, can make both times that day. Thurs 3/29 is out, have to work.

 

[dabneyd]

I almost forgot about that!!!
But yes, I saw that wagon quite a bit now that I think of it. (From Miata_1's perspective of course).

I thought you were brave.

Especially since I think Damage was set to heavy for the Lemons.

In retrospect, it was the wrong choice.

 

[chuyler1]

It's not the one I got from you last year is it? LOL That was a dirty trick track. hahaha.
Anyway, yeah, I'll send a FR later. (I think you de-friended me during my flood/wedding/moving hiatus last autumn. )

No, it's not "High Range Road", aka the road to my home in New Hampshire that has a blind death trap turn that all the teenagers wreck their Mustangs on. I still enjoy that one though, with the high banks that catch people off guard with their tunes.

The one shared is called "Lemons Country Circuit" and has very clear brake zones and a few full speed (hold on for dear life) kinks and no blind turns (something you rarely get in a generated track).

I think I removed you and anyone else that hadn't signed on for 15+ days in a mid winter purge. I needed to make room for some tuning contest test drivers.

 

[Naptown25rs]

I have a sweet Beige Volvo Estate ready to go!

As far as tracks, I'll second Trial Mountain and Deep Forest. I'd also like to see some street circuits like Rome, Madrid, London or even Monaco... Or a pretty insane custom track!

 

[watermelon punch]

Okay, so I tested some tracks...

Trial Mountain 👎
Not that great. The hills made this wagon feel a bit like I was driving a very long & heavy Honda Z Act. LOL
(That's not a good thing.)
Perhaps I will try Reverse, the uphills are a tad less steep on reverse, I believe.

Deep Forest 👍 👍
This was actually pretty interesting, and not at all a problem for the car. Bit boaty through some of the turns obviously, but there's enough room there to move, and no steep inclines.

Cape Ring North 👍
Very stable on the circle. The hairpins are pretty boaty, but they are very wide areas, so even with a bunch of traffic going in there, there's plenty of room for 2 wide-ing it around them. The incline was not a problem, and I think if you get a good run up the hill or are drafting another car, it's actually not a strain at all.

Madrid Mini 👍 👍
I actually enjoyed the 1-make race in practice on this course. It's just the right portions of tight & narrow, but straights to move on.
It's tight enough to know you're in a long wagon... but with the straights being so straight, and the car not that fast, it's a good fit I think.

Autumn Ring Mini 👍
I like this one. It's a tiny track, with long cars... but the cars fit, and I think this could be interesting. It's certainly maneuverable on this track. With the comfort mediums & awkward turning, you can't just buzz around. But on the other hand, there's plenty of room to move.

Avanti Angolo 👍

This is the track we had the Historic Mini Cooper Mini Endurance.
Like the Mini Cooper, the track seems pretty good with this car.
It's somewhat exciting, but pretty short, and the banking keeps the speed up, & there's not a lot of elevation.
(I currently have this shared on my acct PSN: wat3rm370n)

ANYTHING Mt. Aso... 👎 👎 👎 👎
I love Mt. Aso tracks above all other custom tracks.
But no one's going to want to lug this car up the kind of incline hills that always seem to be on Mt. Aso tracks.
So unless someone has one that's ridiculously non-hilly terrain... I'd say it's out.

Chuyler1 has yet to accept my friend request... but I intend to test the "Lemons Country Circuit"
(If for no other reason than I'm a custom course junkie. lol)
So will have to report back on that, & how the Volvo reacts on it.
(Not even sure what environment that is... I'm assuming Eifel Circuit...)
If anyone else tries the Volvo Estate on that track, let me know.


Oh, and I almost forgot... Jackargent & I did a little test race in the volvos at Laguna Seca...

Laguna Seca
Surprisingly, the corkscrew was not a problem at all.
The incline before the corkscrew... tad sluggish.


Note: Tomorrow I'm going to test London, Rome, Rome Reverse, Monte Carlo, and (hopefully) the Lemons Circuit.
I will not be testing London Reverse... I hate that thing that juts out before the corridor south of the S/F line.
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?p=6804868#post6804868

So far I'm leaning heavily toward Deep Forest & Madrid Mini, but otherwise undecided.

 

[SuBMWaru]

Well, I know for sure if I'm doing my time
Change correctly I will only be able to make the Thursday event.