Team Powell Class 10 Testing Video

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Doug_Powell

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After a year off due to debt payoff, fund raising, suspension redesign, Team Powell is back to racing this summer. We plan on racing all three VORRA desert races this summer before going all the way south and racing SCORE again. We went testing last month to see how our latest changes to the car would work. We drove out 4 hours to Richland Washington to find a spot rough enough and where we could run along side the car and film the suspension. We took with a bunch of valving and springs to try out during a two day session. In this run you will notice we were a bit stiff up front on the compression valving using only 11 of the 22 inches of travel. We believe we should use around 16 inches on this type of terrain. In the rear you will notice we are packing up a bit as there was too much rebound dampening such that the rear wheels were not dropping quick enough making the rear bounce a bit. Again we were only using 13 inches of travel and we believe we should be utilizing 16 of the 22 inches, saving the last part for really big whoops and jumps.

After several revalving jobs we got it near perfect, but it was pretty dark and the video didn't turn out. Anyway, I thought some people might just enjoy this footage. Its formatted for Windows Media Player. Team Powell is going out in 3 weeks to test again, as our engine just went from a 1915cc Type 1 with 10 to 1 compression and a mild cam, to now a 2.0 liter Type 1 (3mm longer stroke) with 11 to 1 compression and a WebCAM 121/125 which has more lift and duration. Should be a real improvement, but with the added power we are betting we will have to revalve the shocks again, but we have to wait and see (thats why we are testing). Hopefully we just have to dial the bypass adjusters in or out on the rear. Enjoy......

The file is too large to attach, so here is the link:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.race-dezert.com/wwwthreads/files/powel1.wmv>http://www.race-dezert.com/wwwthreads/files/powel1.wmv</A>

Doug Powell
 
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BSchlimme

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Doug,
Great video and location.

There is a location in the El Centro Valley out here that lets you do the same thing. Can learn a lot from a video.

Look forward to seeing you in Baja - which event are you planning on attending - the 500 or the Baja 1000.

BTW the 500 is a PRO-10 race.

Ben Schlimme
 
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Doug_Powell

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Hi Ben,

Yeah I sure wished I lived in So Cal. Going testing up here is hit or miss with the weather and always a pain to have to drive so far to find a good place. We plan on being at the Baja 500, but not to race. We will be chasing for my friend Ty Godde as he is teaming up with Steve Greinke'a class 12 car team. I am running the 3 VORRA desert races (Yerington, Fallon, Lovelock) this summer to get my car and team working smoothly. Also Reno is only a 12 hour tow for us rather than a 24 hour tow. But next year, Team Powell will come race SCORE again. Finishing the Baja 500 and 1000 has been my dream since I started racing. We tried the Baja 500 in 2000, but the car just wasn't sorted out yet and my team was inexperienced. In due time.... How was racing Terrible Town with Danny and the new V6?

Hi Terrie,

We are anxious too to go racing and get this car several finishes this summer and hopefully a podium. We just prepped the car down to the frame. It should be a reliable contender this summer. See you soon,

DOUG
 
pjc

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Hi Doug,

My initial thoughts.

Rear, initial compression damping is too soft.
Front compression damping too harsh.

PJCinLV
 
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Doug_Powell

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Thanks for your thoughts Patrick. Video footage definitely shows a lot. I should have some more footage after the improvements/tuning we made after our next test session on May 4 and 5. Cant wait to get the car working right.
 
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BSchlimme

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Doug,
I definitely admire your dedication to tow that many miles for an off-road race - and I thought I had an addiction!!!! I don't think I'll ever complain about a 5-6 hour drive to get to a race again.

I'm trying to get down to at least watch the 500 but it might be a last minute deal - if you see a big red GMC crew cab running around with a PRO-10 number panel on the back window look me up.

As far as Terrible Town - couldn't get Danny out of the car - he was too excited with all the new found power!!! Actually the plan all along was for him to stay in the car if he was doing well since it was such a short event. And since he was running up on the front of Class 1 he stayed in the car and I was regulated to chase truck driver.

For the event we had a little "issue" with the plug wires which resulted in loosing a spark plug early on and having a bit of a flutter in the motor all day long but all and all it was a good day for what was really a "new" car.

The added HP is just what this vehicle needed. Now it takes the great handling and suspension of when it was a 10 car and puts it with the power to get it up on top of the bumps that much more quickly.

A total blast to drive and I can't wait to get behind the wheel in a race. In do time though.

See you at the 500!!!

Ben
 
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Doug_Powell

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Ben,

We will keep an eye for you at the 500. Bet your anxious to drive with Danny again. I assume you refer to the car as "new" because Im thinking besides the engine there was a lot of upgrading such as the 930CV and hubs to the 934.5CVs and corresponding full floating hubs. Output shafts on the Fortin had to be changed, or did you need a whole new Fortin transmission? Did the Jimco 2000 need any beefing up on the front to run the larger tires 33s instead of the 16x700s, I know Sourapas said he beefed up the a-arms when they went to 35s.

Yeah you really have to have an addiction to race from up here. Driving 24 hours over two days to the 500, then prerunning 500 more miles over a couple days, then racing 500 miles, then turning around and driving 1300 miles home to Portland takes some dedication. Thats why this year I am flying down and chasing. Next year we will race it though. See you down there.

DOUG
 
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