Project Scope Creep

[moca2cv]

Well the bracket didn't really fit 😂 I think I need to get a 3D scanner on it so as to get the model spot on. Nothing a dremel couldn't fix though!

Once the bracket was fettled, the rest of it was fairly plain sailing. We started by threading the lines through the bulkhead and connecting them to the hydro, then removed the MC to ABS line for the rear brakes (it's the forward one). To minimise the amount of air going through the ABS unit, we only connected the 'in' line to the MC, then bled the lines only, with the 'out' line going to a bottle. Once that was full, we connected the 'out' line to the ABS block and continued bleeding.

With that done, we did a little test to make sure it was locking. The brakes could definitely be firmer, and I'll need to take the car out and cycle the ABS a few times to work some air out, then bleed again. But it works!

[moca2cv]

Well I'm sure everyone's gagging to find out how the first event using a hydro went!

My first time going gymkhana was going to be the Learn to Gymkhana! day. It's a super simple course with lots of space, perfect for beginners. They also put the stop box at the other end to the start box so there's less risk of taking out the timing gear 😂

The day before I loaded up the car and did some last minute prep, including an extra bleed of the rears. It's not motorsport if it's not last minute!

I drove up that day to help with setting up and get a good nights sleep, they'd opened a Popeyes at Rushden Lakes so very happy

Brakes still weren't great, but they worked so it'll have to do. In case I needed to remove the hydro, I brought the old pipe just in case... Glad I did! But more on that later...

The morning started with the usual briefing and track walk to learn the route. I decided I'd start by going out solo to get a feel for the car and the course, thinking I'd clutch kick the first couple of runs, but quickly decided that was not the best idea and just got cracking on learning to use a hydro. My good friend and expert drifter/gymkhana driver Max sat in with me all morning to help me get the hang of things and give me pointers - invaluable! I also received some tuition from Pro drivers Mantas and Ryan, each helping me to level up every run. I was getting confident and comfortable, but I was exhausted by lunchtime! I had underestimated how much food and drink I'd need and was running on sugar for the afternoon! Not the best idea.

Fellow MR2 driver Stuart had been struggling with his new hydro install (stealth using stock handbrake lever) and couldn't get it to work more than a couple of times before jamming - so as I had to old pipe with me, it was very easy to disable it. Phew!

[A quick note on that - we both used a pre-ABS setup, with the hydro sitting between master and ABS. This is to allow us to retain the ABS in normal driving, as teeing post ABS like most systems means losing independent rear ABS - not ideal. However, we can't brake and hydro at the same time due to the master cylinder, so there's some driving around it needed. I also struggled with the hydro jamming, so will be looking at a twin caliper setup for the future.]

After lunch it was a little bit of solo practice, then quali and battles. I managed to (somehow) qualify third! But was still struggling to piece it all together, especially back to back runs, which would become all too apparent in the battles!

I drew Drift Smurf's (a Pro driver) mum in the battles (!) and she obliterated me after I spun out on one of the 360s, needed to reverse out to avoid a penalty, but pulled the hydro instead. Lol. Out I go!

After the battles, we had some time left over so did some free practice before packing up to go back to the hotel - it was the Championship practice day on the Sunday, and I was marshalling, plus it was the awards dinner that evening! Quick shower, chuck a shirt on, and out I went

All in all, I felt like I had progressed loads - from never having done a donut in the 2 before, or ever using a hydro, to pulling 180s, drifting, and donutting fairly respectably in one day! The car was working well aside from the hydro issues, and the diff really needs upgrading too... but all in all great to drive. My friends got engaged too! Yay!

Very happy. Which is good, because I'd also entered Rounds 1 & 2 a couple of weeks later 😂 Write up on that coming later, if you'd like to see any video head over to my IG @moca2cv.


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