"Flying Dutchman or any of the trained Aero Beetle GT3 boys" vs. FIAT Challenge
#395
Race Director
This post reminds me of people I work with...lack of follow through....however I know these guys so I knew going into it this would be a big bs session among friends....good stuff still.
#398
Rennlist Member
Good thread. Rad says Fiat is slower, double the price and that he is the slower drover than some GT3 DE CUP drovers. Disagreement is durability and that he has not nearly driven enough Sebring miles to prove me wrong. I know I'm right because no one fiat has proven me wrong. Dutch logic.
Back to square 1. He says fiat is a cost effective track weapon? I say not.
I say buy 4.0 dump fiat and stop throwing good money after bad.
How many miles on the fiat now? How many track. Parking lot ballet does not count, any car lastsn30 seconds........
Rad gave it his all, but even with all new brakes, I think he's losing the battle.
Unless money no object street fiats should stay at the valet, doing what they were build for; Look and sound pretty, pretending to be racecars.
It might hold together for 45 mins at Sebring with fresh everything. It might even be faster.
NO way it would hold up to the 30+ annual track days, half of them Sebring in the hands of the GT3 DE Cup riffraff.
Back to square 1. He says fiat is a cost effective track weapon? I say not.
I say buy 4.0 dump fiat and stop throwing good money after bad.
How many miles on the fiat now? How many track. Parking lot ballet does not count, any car lastsn30 seconds........
Rad gave it his all, but even with all new brakes, I think he's losing the battle.
Unless money no object street fiats should stay at the valet, doing what they were build for; Look and sound pretty, pretending to be racecars.
It might hold together for 45 mins at Sebring with fresh everything. It might even be faster.
NO way it would hold up to the 30+ annual track days, half of them Sebring in the hands of the GT3 DE Cup riffraff.
#399
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: 6feet under snow of CANADA
Posts: 3,665
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BOOOOOOOOOM 911SLOW CLOSE THIS THREAD
Rad gave it his all, but even with all new brakes, I think he's losing the battle.
Unless money no object street fiats should stay at the valet, doing what they were build for; Look and sound pretty, pretending to be racecars.
It might hold together for 45 mins at Sebring with fresh everything. It might even be faster.
NO way it would hold up to the 30+ annual track days, half of them Sebring in the hands of the GT3 DE Cup riffraff.
Rad gave it his all, but even with all new brakes, I think he's losing the battle.
Unless money no object street fiats should stay at the valet, doing what they were build for; Look and sound pretty, pretending to be racecars.
It might hold together for 45 mins at Sebring with fresh everything. It might even be faster.
NO way it would hold up to the 30+ annual track days, half of them Sebring in the hands of the GT3 DE Cup riffraff.
#403
GT3 player par excellence
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
"Parking lot ballet does not count...."
i am beginning to like dutch logic.
AX = parking lot ballet...
i am beginning to like dutch logic.
AX = parking lot ballet...
#404
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Fiat is a brake pad hungry car. At Winterfest, the 599 GTB ate the front pads badly, one of the 458 ate 1/2 of the front pads in a few track sessions, another 458 ate the rear pads in 6 track sessions, my Fiat ate one set of brake pads per day. There is zero cooling on these brakes.
Brake Pads for this car are $2,000 an axle (yes $4,000/set), and that makes it cost prohibited. Fix the brakes and it fixes the car.
The engine has proven reliable in Pro racing, Challenge series, and car shows. The transmission is strong too. The F1 shifting system in the Scuderia has been flawless, but I know it is one of the first things that will give up with intensive track usage, the parts are affordable (my source). Clutch is at 27% used after 11,000 miles with 2,800 miles being track miles in 21 track days, plus autoX and ProSolo events. So far, original diff, original clutch, original brake rotors, many many sets of brake pads.
It is cheaper than a 4.0RS, more expensive than a 3.8RS. It is not a twice as expensive car, it was back in 2009, it dropped value drastically in 2009, and now it sits in the middle of the 3.8RS and 4.0RS.
Cooling ducts, caliper studs, floating steel rotors are on the way. I just got 3 sets of Pagid RS19 and RS29 specifically made for the new steel rotors application. This setup will drastically lower the operating costs, and I now have the opportunity to run 18" wheels.
On 18", RA1 here I come. Car needs to lose another 400 lbs, to compensate for the slower tires compared to the A6, otherwise it would not do better than 2:21s at Sebring.
I'm not done yet with the Fiat.
Brake Pads for this car are $2,000 an axle (yes $4,000/set), and that makes it cost prohibited. Fix the brakes and it fixes the car.
The engine has proven reliable in Pro racing, Challenge series, and car shows. The transmission is strong too. The F1 shifting system in the Scuderia has been flawless, but I know it is one of the first things that will give up with intensive track usage, the parts are affordable (my source). Clutch is at 27% used after 11,000 miles with 2,800 miles being track miles in 21 track days, plus autoX and ProSolo events. So far, original diff, original clutch, original brake rotors, many many sets of brake pads.
It is cheaper than a 4.0RS, more expensive than a 3.8RS. It is not a twice as expensive car, it was back in 2009, it dropped value drastically in 2009, and now it sits in the middle of the 3.8RS and 4.0RS.
Cooling ducts, caliper studs, floating steel rotors are on the way. I just got 3 sets of Pagid RS19 and RS29 specifically made for the new steel rotors application. This setup will drastically lower the operating costs, and I now have the opportunity to run 18" wheels.
On 18", RA1 here I come. Car needs to lose another 400 lbs, to compensate for the slower tires compared to the A6, otherwise it would not do better than 2:21s at Sebring.
I'm not done yet with the Fiat.