OT: Another Defection
04-23-2018, 08:51 AM
#46
Race Car
Thread Starter
^^^^A lot of the same reasons I did it. Particularly the issues around tracking a $200K car. I'm unconcerned about damage to the Radical while on the track (other than the stater motor thing) - just concerned about my safety (and speed)!! I will say this - now that I've driven the Radical the $200K issue isn't why I wouldn't want to track a street car at this point 
.
Question: Are you running the 1500 cc engine? I ask because the recommended rebuild interval on the 1340 cc is 90 hours now if you are using as a track toy.
.Question: Are you running the 1500 cc engine? I ask because the recommended rebuild interval on the 1340 cc is 90 hours now if you are using as a track toy.
04-23-2018, 09:27 AM
#47
Rennlist Member
I have the 1340. What about you?
I did not know about the 90 hours... Good news!
Just installed my AIM kit, will try get good footage of Mosport next WE. Very fast track.
This year is a "Test/Try" to see how I like it. I pretty know the outcome...
I'll probably swap mine for a new one next season.
I did not know about the 90 hours... Good news!
Just installed my AIM kit, will try get good footage of Mosport next WE. Very fast track.
This year is a "Test/Try" to see how I like it. I pretty know the outcome...
I'll probably swap mine for a new one next season.
04-23-2018, 10:09 AM
#48
I have the 1340. What about you?
I did not know about the 90 hours... Good news!
Just installed my AIM kit, will try get good footage of Mosport next WE. Very fast track.
This year is a "Test/Try" to see how I like it. I pretty know the outcome...
I'll probably swap mine for a new one next season.
I did not know about the 90 hours... Good news!
Just installed my AIM kit, will try get good footage of Mosport next WE. Very fast track.
This year is a "Test/Try" to see how I like it. I pretty know the outcome...
I'll probably swap mine for a new one next season.
Mosport being a very fast track is an understatement - you're full throttle for probably 95% of the lap. Here's an onboard from a test day I did at the end of the 2016 season. Will be interesting to see if the Hankook's are faster than the Dunlops....
04-23-2018, 10:28 AM
#49
Those of you driving Radicals at an HPDE: I’m sure the solitary rush of driving the car on track is fantastic, especially as you gain more experience, BUT since it is so much quicker than a street car, do you tend to miss the give/take of passing?
Bish
Bish
04-23-2018, 10:37 AM
#50
Race Car
Thread Starter
I have the 1340. What about you?
I did not know about the 90 hours... Good news!
Just installed my AIM kit, will try get good footage of Mosport next WE. Very fast track.
This year is a "Test/Try" to see how I like it. I pretty know the outcome...
I'll probably swap mine for a new one next season.
I did not know about the 90 hours... Good news!
Just installed my AIM kit, will try get good footage of Mosport next WE. Very fast track.
This year is a "Test/Try" to see how I like it. I pretty know the outcome...
I'll probably swap mine for a new one next season.
AIM - awesome. You'll love it. I like the auto start/stop - zero hassle.
04-23-2018, 10:48 AM
#51
Rennlist Member
Oh, boy. I should stop reading this thread. This is one slippery slope.
1. Eh, I don't use my GT car on the street that much, I've got a trailer already anyway, time to get a Radical.
2. Eh, 1300 CC doesn't seem like much. The Radical has so much downforce, need to get a bigger engine to justify it.
3. Eh, DE doesn't really challenge the Radical, need to do some races.
4. Eh, need to upgrade for races. Time tho sell the house, the wife, the children..........
I REALLY have to stop reading this thread!!!
1. Eh, I don't use my GT car on the street that much, I've got a trailer already anyway, time to get a Radical.
2. Eh, 1300 CC doesn't seem like much. The Radical has so much downforce, need to get a bigger engine to justify it.
3. Eh, DE doesn't really challenge the Radical, need to do some races.
4. Eh, need to upgrade for races. Time tho sell the house, the wife, the children..........
I REALLY have to stop reading this thread!!!
04-23-2018, 10:49 AM
#52
Burning Brakes
I'm following this thread closely! My brother was just in town and we took my .2GT3 to the track last weekend. It was an absolute blast! But pretty quickly we began discussing the possibility of a dedicated track car instead of regularly tracking our expensive toys (.2GT3 or in his case an F430). We still want to drive these at the track but would also like a more raw dedicated track car that would cost less to run. The idea of going in together on a Radical came up. He lives in Austin Texas and I live in Colorado. Each taking the car for 6 months of the year would work out pretty evenly. It won't happen for another year or two, but it's definitely on our radar.
How is the learning curve? It was intimidating enough (for me at least) to take my GT3 to the track as it is much more capable than anything I've driven. With a Radical being in a different league and so much more capable, it gives me even more hesitation. I'm not an overly aggressive driver, I play it smart when I'm on the track and can keep my ego in check. Did you guys feel like you've mastered more forgiving cars like the GT3 first before stepping up to a Radical? How much of a leap was the Radical?
How is the learning curve? It was intimidating enough (for me at least) to take my GT3 to the track as it is much more capable than anything I've driven. With a Radical being in a different league and so much more capable, it gives me even more hesitation. I'm not an overly aggressive driver, I play it smart when I'm on the track and can keep my ego in check. Did you guys feel like you've mastered more forgiving cars like the GT3 first before stepping up to a Radical? How much of a leap was the Radical?
04-23-2018, 10:56 AM
#53
Advanced
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PierreTT: There’s a few reasons for the break from the SR8.
1. New/different challenge: I would guess I’ve done about 250 days (trackdays and comp) in a Radical. It took me a long time to get my times to be relatively close to a pro driver. Now that I’m there time-wise, I find myself taking more and more risks in order to beat my PB’s. Now with the GT3, I’m enjoying taking a whole different animal and trying to extract the best out of it.
2. Convenience. There are some days where I would use track support but most of the time I would trailer car myself. The amount of gear I used to lug around was getting ridiculous. Tools, gas bottle, engine heaters (water and oil), power cords, Tyre warmers, 3 extra sets of wheels, etc. Took me 2 hours to set up in the morning and 1 hr in the afternoon to pack up. Granted if you were just using the car for Trackday fun, you probably won’t need some of that stuff. Now it’s so quick and convenient.
3. Cost. This is my experience with the SR8 where the wear and tear is a lot more than SR3’s. I have a couple of friends who had SR3 1500 and they were almost bulletproof. Not including the purchase costs of the cars, I averaged about $60k/year running the Radical. It needed ALOT of maintenance and despite that things still broke. The big ticket items were obviously the engine and gearbox of which I’ve had multiple rebuilds and brand new ones.
At the end of the day despite some negatives I would do it all over again. You’ll have years of fun ahead.
1. New/different challenge: I would guess I’ve done about 250 days (trackdays and comp) in a Radical. It took me a long time to get my times to be relatively close to a pro driver. Now that I’m there time-wise, I find myself taking more and more risks in order to beat my PB’s. Now with the GT3, I’m enjoying taking a whole different animal and trying to extract the best out of it.
2. Convenience. There are some days where I would use track support but most of the time I would trailer car myself. The amount of gear I used to lug around was getting ridiculous. Tools, gas bottle, engine heaters (water and oil), power cords, Tyre warmers, 3 extra sets of wheels, etc. Took me 2 hours to set up in the morning and 1 hr in the afternoon to pack up. Granted if you were just using the car for Trackday fun, you probably won’t need some of that stuff. Now it’s so quick and convenient.
3. Cost. This is my experience with the SR8 where the wear and tear is a lot more than SR3’s. I have a couple of friends who had SR3 1500 and they were almost bulletproof. Not including the purchase costs of the cars, I averaged about $60k/year running the Radical. It needed ALOT of maintenance and despite that things still broke. The big ticket items were obviously the engine and gearbox of which I’ve had multiple rebuilds and brand new ones.
At the end of the day despite some negatives I would do it all over again. You’ll have years of fun ahead.
04-23-2018, 01:39 PM
#55
Race Car
Thread Starter
How is the learning curve? It was intimidating enough (for me at least) to take my GT3 to the track as it is much more capable than anything I've driven. With a Radical being in a different league and so much more capable, it gives me even more hesitation. I'm not an overly aggressive driver, I play it smart when I'm on the track and can keep my ego in check. Did you guys feel like you've mastered more forgiving cars like the GT3 first before stepping up to a Radical? How much of a leap was the Radical?
The learning curve scared me too, but I'm on the curve now and moving upward. Just getting the toe in the water was scary but I can manage the car on and off the track. The off the track part is what worried me most - starting it, warming it up, putting fuel in it, etc. but it's just a car. I'm enjoying learning new things.
Last edited by tstafford; 04-23-2018 at 05:38 PM.
04-23-2018, 01:51 PM
#56
I'm currently in the transition from Radical RXC to 2RS. The radical is amazing racecar and is one of the most rewarding cars I've ever owned or driven, I know your going to love it. If you have the extra time to take advantage of radical I highly recommend it to anyone..... having the time was the issue for me.
04-23-2018, 04:47 PM
#57
How is the learning curve? It was intimidating enough (for me at least) to take my GT3 to the track as it is much more capable than anything I've driven. With a Radical being in a different league and so much more capable, it gives me even more hesitation. I'm not an overly aggressive driver, I play it smart when I'm on the track and can keep my ego in check. Did you guys feel like you've mastered more forgiving cars like the GT3 first before stepping up to a Radical? How much of a leap was the Radical?
High speed corners require a leap of faith until you trust the aero. Braking technique is probably the biggest difference vs. a GT as it requires very high initial brake pressure (up to 80 bar) followed by a smooth release as the downforce bleeds off.
Try one sometime
04-23-2018, 04:55 PM
#58
Race Director
Oh, boy. I should stop reading this thread. This is one slippery slope.
1. Eh, I don't use my GT car on the street that much, I've got a trailer already anyway, time to get a Radical.
2. Eh, 1300 CC doesn't seem like much. The Radical has so much downforce, need to get a bigger engine to justify it.
3. Eh, DE doesn't really challenge the Radical, need to do some races.
4. Eh, need to upgrade for races. Time tho sell the house, the wife, the children..........
I REALLY have to stop reading this thread!!!
1. Eh, I don't use my GT car on the street that much, I've got a trailer already anyway, time to get a Radical.
2. Eh, 1300 CC doesn't seem like much. The Radical has so much downforce, need to get a bigger engine to justify it.
3. Eh, DE doesn't really challenge the Radical, need to do some races.
4. Eh, need to upgrade for races. Time tho sell the house, the wife, the children..........
I REALLY have to stop reading this thread!!!
04-24-2018, 08:59 AM
#59
Rennlist Member
You'll love the Radical and the series. Will you do the Canada Cup? The summer classic at Tremblant is a must-do event.
Mosport being a very fast track is an understatement - you're full throttle for probably 95% of the lap. Here's an onboard from a test day I did at the end of the 2016 season. Will be interesting to see if the Hankook's are faster than the Dunlops....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I90nIf0NCs4
Mosport being a very fast track is an understatement - you're full throttle for probably 95% of the lap. Here's an onboard from a test day I did at the end of the 2016 season. Will be interesting to see if the Hankook's are faster than the Dunlops....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I90nIf0NCs4
You helped me alot BTW. :-)
New car, new track... learning curve was steep! Thanks for sharing that stuff
I'm not expecting to be that fast but at least, I know where I'm supposed to be flat out
04-24-2018, 09:12 AM
#60
Rennlist Member
DRE168, Thanks for replying. I guess you were much deeper into it that I'm planning to do...
Bish, As for running with regular cars in DE, it is manageable and some very fast street/track cars will be almost as fast but not at the same place on the circuit. This is what I found a little challenging.
I'll be faster in corners but slower on straights... Needs attention sometime.
I did a DE day at Mosport back in october. We were 4 Radicals running together... Tons of fun and great for me to learn the car.
We need more Radicals on the track!
Bish, As for running with regular cars in DE, it is manageable and some very fast street/track cars will be almost as fast but not at the same place on the circuit. This is what I found a little challenging.
I'll be faster in corners but slower on straights... Needs attention sometime.
I did a DE day at Mosport back in october. We were 4 Radicals running together... Tons of fun and great for me to learn the car.
We need more Radicals on the track!