hen among the foxes at BMW CCA school

**Andrew** · #1 (**permalink**) 08-11-2008, 06:29 PM

I went to the Golden Gate Region BMW CCA driver's school over the weekend at Thunderhill. I do have a BMW (328i), so I'm legitimately in the club, and my schedule just wasn't working out to get me to an AROSC time trial this year, which is where I regularly run my GTV. So I went to this school to get some track time at a track I've only driven at once before.

Here's my GTV among the enemy BMWs at Thunderhill. I was in class C, intermediate, and like all classes, it was about 90 percent M3s. Plus a Corvette, a couple 911s, and a 500-HP new M5, just to dust everyone. My 120-HP GTV was out of its league on Thunderhill's numerous straights, but was able to pull ahead reasonably well on some of the twistier parts. My cousin brought his 318i in D class, and there was one 318i in C class with me, which was about my equal. I could pull him in the corner, but he had me on the straights.

This is a 74 GTV with Rugh springs, Konis, adjustable upper arms, stock sway bars, Hankook Ventus on Bosch Spider wheels (which AROSC racer Jorge Mazmulium famously painted yellow), Norman Racing big-valve head, Euro cams. I have a six-point harness required by AROSC for time trials, which really hold you in place in the less-than-optimal stock seat. With 100,000 miles on the bottom end, it's burning a moderate amount of oil, but still has good compression and can run pretty well.

All in all a great school. BMW CCA is a much bigger operation than AROSC, which has both good points and bad points, and everyone was kinda charmed by my 100-HP car in a field of cars that mostly have over 200 HP, some a lot over. Three 2002s and a very serious Bavaria were the only cars as old as mine, and they were all serious track cars, much faster. So I kept out of the way on the straights and had fun in the corners.

In these pics, there's me behind the GTV in the Munich-heavy pit, a new Boss 302 Mustang from one of the instructors, and the GTV's stance on Rugh springs at MacDonalds in Willows. I want to shim the front up just a hair.

If you get a chance to drive Thunderhill, take it. A 15-corner three-mile track in its full configuration, with lots of runoff and almost nothing to hit. All kinds of corners, and a couple elevation changes, and other than in the summer and early fall, very green and pretty.

Andrew

**Andrew** · #2 (**permalink**) 08-11-2008, 06:31 PM

Woops; all Watrys look alike in thumbnails. That's my cousin, not me.

Andrew

**dan farmer** · #3 (**permalink**) 08-11-2008, 10:07 PM

Lookin' good,Andrew. How was the new pavement? How about the berms/curbs?

-df

**Andrew** · #4 (**permalink**) 08-12-2008, 06:38 AM

I hadn't driven this track in about four years, and then only about five laps, so I don't have much memory of how the pavement used to be.

This pavement seems of very high quality, quite smooth, and no bumps anywhere really. The run-off curbs on exits are mainly flat concrete, but the apex berms are angled concrete with a flat top that are not friendly at all. The BMW instructors mostly told us to stay off them, especially with old and/or very low cars, which I meet on both counts. Plus BMWs are known for very soft "sacrificial" mag wheels, which ding if you even look at them wrong (AMHIK).

Unclear whether these unfriendly berms are what the track ordered, or if the contractor got it wrong. Time will tell, and my guess is it's what the SCCA wanted, else they wouldn't have opened up the track yet. There was a bike event the next day after the BMW event, and I'll bet those berms would be real tough for bikes.

Andrew

gtv27 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 03:24 AM

its good to stick it up those german buggers every now and again!

nice car and yes, the front could come up half an inch - wheels would look good in a metallic grey too (not that there is anything wrong with yellow...)

**Andrew** · #6 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 06:50 AM

I have sets of 7 and 10 mm spring shims, which I'll decide on and insert when I pull the upper A arms out to replace the dying rubber bushings with lower A-arm bushings.

Andrew

**1750GT** · #7 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 07:11 AM

Kudos for showing up to that event Andrew! Most of us would have shyed away from such a field of German muscle....afraid we'd get too many sarcastic wannabe comments. How'd they treat you overall?

**Andrew** · #8 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 07:19 AM

It was fine. I'm in the BMW club, and have had five BMWs, so I know the cars and speak the language.

Some had a nice time commenting on my cute "vintage" car. And as I say, I was totally outclassed in terms of straight-line speed. BMW track events are largely composed of new, fast cars. Not like Alfa events. But many instructors came up and quietly admired my car, and several commented on its agility. There is a lot of cross-admiration, I find, between older BMW lovers and Alfa lovers. The cars are meant to be used for the same purpose and in many cases appeal to the same people.

I personally love the yellow wheels. Evocative of the Dino (196, 206) race cars of the late 60s. It's an easy way for me to tell whether I have my track (yellow) or street (silver) wheels/tires on.

Andrew

BlpltGTV · #9 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 12:25 PM

How do you like those tires? I just bought a set and I'm thinking the sidewall is way soft. I've only driven from home to work with them so I dont' really know. What tire pressure are you running with them?

Nice car.

Will

**Andrew** · #10 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 12:29 PM

I like them OK, but don't have a lot to compare to. When I bought these wheels, they had worn Victoracers on them, which were a lot better, but cost more, and cost me 10 points in my time trial category, moving me up with much faster cars. So I needed a tire with a treadwear rating > 100. These are 200.

I run 32ish cold, resulting in about 38 hot, which seems to work pretty well. Again, I don't have a lot of experience to compare, so I may be all wet. But I was keeping up in the corners, and they're very predictable and break away smoothly. Somewhat noisy though.

Andrew

Mound Dawg · #11 (**permalink**) 08-17-2008, 04:33 AM

BMW driver's school eh? Is that where they teach the owners to run an inch or so off your rear bumper whilst furiously flashing their headlights?

fluffy · #12 (**permalink**) 08-17-2008, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mound Dawg

BMW driver's school eh? Is that where they teach the owners to run an inch or so off your rear bumper whilst furiously flashing their headlights?

Pat Braden · #13 (**permalink**) 08-17-2008, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew

It was fine. I'm in the BMW club, and have had five BMWs, so I know the cars and speak the language.

Some had a nice time commenting on my cute "vintage" car. And as I say, I was totally outclassed in terms of straight-line speed. BMW track events are largely composed of new, fast cars. Not like Alfa events. But many instructors came up and quietly admired my car, and several commented on its agility. There is a lot of cross-admiration, I find, between older BMW lovers and Alfa lovers. The cars are meant to be used for the same purpose and in many cases appeal to the same people....

Andrew