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TeamW116, Sandown Cup Day Sprint

Started by oscar, 05 November 2009, 08:08 AM

oscar

On Tuesday 3rd November, whilst everyone's attention turned to Melbourne Cup Day and the "race that stops a nation", horse racing fans flock to Flemington Racecourse leaving Sandown deserted.  Perfect day to make a racket and race cars.  (Sandown is a dual purpose venue with a motor racing circuit surrounding a horse racing track).

Two of us rocked up to participate in the full field of 98 cars, 13B in "Whitey" a 450SE and me in "POVO" the 280S, whilst SELfor50 unfortunately couldn't make the trip. 

Preparation for POVO was to sort a few of the issues raised by scrutineers at the last meet I attended at Winton in August.  Namely supplementary bonnet pins, an oel catch can and a metal plate to cover the exposed fuel tank where the first aid kit once lived.  In an attempt to shed some more weight and slightly further increase the power to weight ratio, with some trepidation I also removed the front and rear bumpers as well.  With them gone they take some of what makes a w116 a w116 away.  But what the hell, we're after speed so off they came and to be honest, for a track car it didn't take all that long to get used to the new look.  The car also got a cold air intake and along with the catch can I'll throw details up in another thread.

Only issue for the day for POVO was I noticed in the 2nd and 3rd session, there was a lack of power after attempting a hotlap.  Thinking it was carb or fuel related I only found out after the last session that the cause was binding brakes.  A few times I wasn't able to redline 3rd gear on the straights and changing to 4th gear sometimes bled speed off even though I was at WOT all the time.  Apart from steel lines and the booster, everything else has been replaced and calipers resealed.  I'm thinking the cause was the NOS OEM pads I was using may have expanded during more agressive laps but I wont know for sure until I inspect them.  Once cooled down the brakes don't seem to be an issue, so they're good for normal driving but the curent setup is unsuitable for racing.

Anyway, to the photos and vids:  The 280S has gotten faster and small improvements each time out are helping but there's still a lot to do before the times improve by a greater margin.  Top time for me was 1.52.77 and I think 13B's 450 was around 10 seconds quicker.  The faster cars were around the 1.30 mark.  It was the first time for me on this track and I was happy to come under 2 min.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjyUcan2pms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4CcxaWw7b4

View behind the pits, overlooking cars being unloaded


Overlooking home straight and pit exit from above the pits.


Fueled, serviced and ready to race



Lining up on the dummy grid


Some other cars







1973 350SE, my first & fave

oscar

#1
A few more pics on the track





1973 350SE, my first & fave

s class

I hadn't seen this thread before.  That looks like awesome fun. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

oscar

It is and addictive too.  It's hard coming back from a race and then the next day, trying to take it easy in the 350 around town. 
There should be more improvements in the new year, including ditching the egg head helmet .  I can't speak for 13B though but they look like Herbie props. 
1973 350SE, my first & fave

s class

haha - egg-head helmets - haven't heard that one.  They do look the same vintage as the cars though.  If it were me, I'd be considering that the amount one spends on a helmet is indicative of how much you think your head is worth.   ;)


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

oscar

heh, they're only around $55  :D  but being surrounded in German steel kind of makes up the shortfall.  ;D
1973 350SE, my first & fave

Big_Richard

some very serious driving from a man with a very serious moustache.  8)

Yesmar

#7
thats awesome Oscar.

makes me grin seeing a 280s track worthy

Quote from: oscar on 05 November 2009, 08:08 AM
  The car also got a cold air intake and along with the catch can I'll throw details up in another thread.



i will be looking foward to this thread!  ... maybe a list of all the mods... ;D
- Ramsey

oscar

Quote from: Patrick Bateman on 02 December 2009, 09:12 AM
some very serious driving from a man with a very serious moustache.  8)
Haha, not quite Magnum style though...driving or the mo.  Just not quick enough or as cool.

Quote from: Yesmar on 02 December 2009, 09:40 AM
i will be looking foward to this thread!  ... maybe a list of all the mods... ;D

I put it up, though doing a search, that thread's fallen to the 3rd page in Mechanicals.  Or click below.
http://forum.w116.org/mechanicals/cai-oel-catch-can-for-a-280s/
I'll have to make up a mods list.  Though most of the improvements have been handling and saftey orientated (except helmet :D), fixing and replacing things plus improving braking and suspension.  The mods that will give it more top end oomph are still to come.
1973 350SE, my first & fave

s class

Here you go.  This is what you need - Link - I suspect its more than $55 though.....

Of course you could have the REAL deal : Link : Sebastian Loeb's 2009 season helmet up on ebay, proceeds to charity. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

oscar

Wow! 7500€ for Loeb's helmet.......... and it's second hand! :D  I like the Stilo one.   I like some of the open faced rally styles.  Above all I have to find something that's comfortable and fits my big head.  That el cheapo one is heavy and uncomfortable as hell.
1973 350SE, my first & fave

SELfor50

These pics came out real well dude.  I wish that biyatch was on a good corner at Winton.  Corner pics are way sexier!! :)

Some really nice snaps there of you overtaking some fast cars, i'm guessing under brakes you dived up the inside?? ;)

They come out real nice man..  Mav's, good shot chasing down Povo.

On the open face helmet part, my 2c..  I'm a fan of the full face helmet.  1. It makes me feel that bit more comfortable..(probably cause i've been through a motorbike acco and a few 'offs') 2. If I wear a tinted visor and white helmet, I kinda feel like the stig....  :-[

Cam. :)

Big_Richard

Quote from: oscar on 01 December 2009, 09:21 PM




I saw these very VACC signs today on that very corner watching the commodore cup - I knew i'd seen them somewhere before ;)

oscar

Quote from: SELfor50 on 06 December 2009, 04:50 AM
Some really nice snaps there of you overtaking some fast cars, i'm guessing under brakes you dived up the inside?? ;)

There's been comment on the last two pics as if they're sequential.  ie me looking at the looming mustang and a few seconds later it's around me and long gone whilst I've made 5 metres progress.  Funny bastards.  Have to laugh.
But yeah, more impressed with these pics and those corners allow an infield photographer to get very close and unlike Winton, at least this time I stayed on the track longer for her to get good shots. 8)

PB, you can keep quoting that pic all you like, it's my fave ;D
And here's something else I meant to post up the other day.  There's no VACC signs but 1970 footage of Sandown and you might recognise the Dunlop bridge at 0:12s which is I think Dunlop again now and the familiar grandstand at 0:14s.  Plus whatever the race car is the driver has one of those period helmets on.  8) Oh and did I forget to mention the W108/9 at the beginning and end. 
It's a BP ad from 1970 but I'm surprised they're talking MPH when I thought 1966 Aus went to km/h. Anyway.
http://www.youtube.com/v/glBanvSMMpk&hl=en_US&fs=1&
1973 350SE, my first & fave

13B

QuoteIt's a BP ad from 1970 but I'm surprised they're talking MPH when I thought 1966 Aus went to km/h.

I think 1973 is the year you are thinking of Oscar, it was either 73 or 74 that aus went km/h for speedos.

I've owned mazdas RX2 from 72, 73 and 74... the 72 was MPH, the 73 had one of those awkward mph/km/h speedos, and the 74 had km/h only... thats the way I memorise it - I've never owned an MB old enough to have a MPH speedo.

I.
450SEL 6.9 #5440 = V MB 690 , 450SE # 43094 = 02010 H , 190E/turbo # 31548 = AOH 68K