• From: South Dakota
  • Registered: 2009-11-30
  • Posts: 58

Topic: Virgin "team" hoping to play next year

Hi, I have been following Lemons for quite a while and decided that watching the race on streaming video (sorry, I can't remember right now who did the streaming but thank you) and checking the posts here and on jalopnik. 

So now that I have passed the first step and admitted I have a problem I need to figure out what the rest of the steps are in order to deal with this idiotic addiction.

We have these items worked out (mostly)

*purchased a car, 88 or 89 Olds 98 with a large pile of spare parts.

*good welder who can build a quality cage for me.

*a few idiot friends willing to help drive, cook, play music, go on beer runs, and make ineffective attempts to fix things.

Still need to figure out...

*tires, are two full sets of decent matched tires good enough or would more be required.

*seat, one of my potential drivers is quite large (360lbs, 5'11") and we are trying to locate a seat that will fit him if possible.

*fire suits, we don't have any and want to purchase lower cost suits but would appreciate any suggestions on what to look for in a suit when shopping.

Our goals.

*Finish one lap

*Learn the basics of not sucking completely

*Have fun without being a rolling roadblock or hitting anyone



We are bouncing around a couple theme ideas, "The Ted Kennedy School of Driving" and one based around a bear giving a shark a high five.

Team Merikuh
Omaha '10 wussed out, lost too many drivers sad
"Simplify, then add Awesome"
  • Registered: 2009-05-27
  • Posts: 322

Re: Virgin "team" hoping to play next year

Welcome!

How small is your smallest driver? You may find it tricky to install harnesses so that they have enough range of adjustment. You may have to use some seat pads to shim the smaller drivers, or create a "booster seat" insert that fits inside the race seat. Make sure you have an adjuster on the sub belt unless everyone is big; a loose sub is like no sub at all. The shoulder adjusters should not be near the neck when lengthened (cutting your neck is bad). Having a really good motorsport shop install or check them would be worthwhile (including fittings for both the smallest and biggest drivers). Make sure the shoulder grommet holes aren't too low for the tallest driver.

I'm not an expert on big cars, but two sets of good tires should be plenty. I'd be more concerned about brakes (bring spare pads, maybe other brake parts, maybe install ducts?).

The Lemons website has a link for deals on fire suits. Otherwise, just search. PryoTech seems popular/inexpensive. One of our drivers found a screaming deal on a 3-layer 2-piece, although most people prefer a 1-piece for better protection. He enjoyed being able to take the jacket off. Check the SFI (for FIA) rating. Read the rules for suits and underwear. Cheaper suits are usually hotter.

If the race will be hot, consider some sort of cold drink setup (rather then spending $$$ on a cooler fire suit). We just used a $7 Igloo thermos and some tubing, but sharing drink bottles didn't seem too gross to us. A drink of ice water during a yellow is very refreshing when you're hot. Also, some dryer vent to direct air onto your torso helps a lot if you're hot. We didn't drink when the race was cold.

Ted Kennedy, huh? We're from Boston. Neighbors? Stafford Springs? Good luck.

Near-Orbital Space Monkeys
#528 BMW 528e 121hp Black "Saturn 5" Rocket car with orange foam flames. Sold.
#71 Yellow Fox Mustang. For sale.
  • Troy
  • Troy
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,634

Re: Virgin "team" hoping to play next year

Roadki1,

Welcome aboard.  I remember my Moms old 88 Park Avenue.  Good power for a yacht but handled like rolling jello.

On your fire suits, I strongly suggest getting multi-layer A5 suits that will not require fire proof underwear.  Multi-layer suits are only a little more expensive than the single layers by the time you add the underwear.  If you shop diligently, you may find a good deal on a mulit-layer suit.  I paid about $125-150 for mine new online.  Almost everyone I have raced with has a 1 piece mutli-layer. 

One team member had a single layer with the long underwear and he seemed pretty uncomfortable during the June race.

I could see some advantages to a two piece since we basically spend the whole day suited up due to fueling and hot pit requirements.  If I was actually in a fire, I'd want a single layer.

As EvergreenDan pointed out, harnesses can be a challenge with various sized drivers.  Our seat is on sliders which helps accommodate the various driver sizes as well as the harness adjustments.  As you move the seat back, you get more shoulder and lap belt thorough the seat. 

If you use wrap around harness belts, you will have two areas of adjustment for length.  I don't know if you have to have a wrap around to adjustments on both ends of the shoulder harnesses but that is a good feature to have.  I consider the adjustment at the mounting bar a course adjustment.  I consider the front adjustment the fine adjustment.  So far we have been able to adjust the rear (course adjustment) of the shoulder straps to work with each driver without having to change it during the race.  The sub belt has not always worked that way though.

We do have an additional seat pad for a smaller driver.  We needed it more for the harness to work right than visibility.

You're best bet for a seat is to try and find a place you can go and see how you guys fit in them.  This is way easier said than done.  Most manufacturers make some form of "big boy" seat.  We use a 16" Kirkey Pro Drag but I don't think we have ever had a driver over 300 lbs.

Good Luck!

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • From: Portland
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 568

Re: Virgin "team" hoping to play next year

roadki1 wrote:

*fire suits, we don't have any and want to purchase lower cost suits but would appreciate any suggestions on what to look for in a suit when shopping.

Not sure what size you guys wear, but I suggest calling these guys.

http://www.ultrashieldrace.com/prod.php?id=43

I got a full one-piece A5 suit for $100 and my dad got a 2 piece A5 for $100 as well

Matt
Free Range Racing
  • From: South Dakota
  • Registered: 2009-11-30
  • Posts: 58

Re: Virgin "team" hoping to play next year

Our smallest guy is about 220 and 5'8" and we were planning on building seat inserts to make it work as long as it can be done safely. 

Can a second sub belt be installed to accommodate the varying sizes of folks or would we have to build in adjustment on a single belt.

And on location, we are from South Dakota and latched on to the Ted Kennedy Driving School as an idea since we ended up with an Olds.  I figured we would paint water upside down on the car starting with the roof and put Mary Jo's name on the passenger side of the roof.

Team Merikuh
Omaha '10 wussed out, lost too many drivers sad
"Simplify, then add Awesome"
  • Troy
  • Troy
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,634

Re: Virgin "team" hoping to play next year

Sub belts are adjustable but it's a pain in the ass with it under the seat. 

If you have clip-ins, you could have two different one's.  That could be pricey and is still a bit difficult since you have to pin the clip-ins.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • From: Asheville, NC
  • Registered: 2009-09-02
  • Posts: 30

Re: Virgin "team" hoping to play next year

roadki1 wrote:

*fire suits, we don't have any and want to purchase lower cost suits but would appreciate any suggestions on what to look for in a suit when shopping.

Try this site for used driver and crew suits.  Sometimes they have fun as well.  Like a Crown Royal sponsor drivers suit.

http://www.raceimage.com/store.asp

Burning Rubber and Grinding Gears
  • Registered: 2009-05-27
  • Posts: 322

Re: Virgin "team" hoping to play next year

Troy wrote:

Sub belts are adjustable but it's a pain in the ass with it under the seat.

Just to clarify, all sub belts can be adjusted at installation time by where you weave the webbing to the anchor buckle. Some subs in addition have pull-up adjusters. If the sub hole in the seat is big enough, you may even be able to loosen it, but more likely someone is going to have to stick their hand under the seat to loosen it.

Be sure to get a sub belt with an adjuster.

Read the instructions that come with the belts. It's incredibly easy to install them incorrectly, rendering them useless (worse than a stock 3-point).

Near-Orbital Space Monkeys
#528 BMW 528e 121hp Black "Saturn 5" Rocket car with orange foam flames. Sold.
#71 Yellow Fox Mustang. For sale.