The PDA guys run great events-very much on-time, so you get the track time you expect, if not more.

It was a nice day weather-wise, in the 60s for most of the day. We shared the track with a vintage group that brought along about a billion dollars in hardware-ever seen a Bugatti sliding around a racetrack? 2? I saw 3! Not to mention some of the cars that actually ran in some of the PDA run groups.

I followed an authentic '65 Shelby AC Cobra 427 around the track for 4 laps! Sucker was LOUD-so much so that he got black-flagged for noise. IMHO I think he should've been paid for sharing!! He didn't really kill me on the track-clearly he wasn't trying, but then again who really has the stones to throw around a car like that?

I did, however, get killed by a Viper that was track-ready, a Z06 that was questionably roadworthy (musta had 18" brakes-they were HUGE), and a guy in a Mitsu 3000GT FWD non-turbo with slicks and a harness who's a GREAT driver-he even got by a brand-new Porsche Turbo! I followed that turbo for 7-8 laps, and the guy driving it was not horible-we ran pretty even for the time we were running together, although he'd pull me on the main straight (duh).

Brakes held up well, but felt like crapola THE ENTIRE TIME. Pedal was a bit low, and not particularly firm. That did not make me very happy, and I'm sure hurt my times since I had about 50% confidence that the brakes'd be there...I was braking MUCH earlier. They never did change, though, and seem to have held up fine. I believe because I may have pinched one of the front lines that I screwed myself on this-however, I suppose it's possible some air is in there somewhere, what with the new calipers just being mounted. But I power-flushed the system with about 3 litres of fluid, so I'm thinking air's unlikely. I will say that the next time I change brake fluid from Ate Blue to an amber fluid, I'm gonna replace the fluid reservoir too-you will NEVER get all the old stuff out of there, and if you drill a hole in the top of each chamber and suction out the fluid it's a clean & simple job.

Slicks are GOOD! So much grip I never once hit ABS, and ASR was very quiet. I was noisy, though, as I bounced around the interior! Gotta buy a harness next fer sure, 'cuz with the cornering loads you simply can't stay in place unless you're driving too slow.

The factory AMG car never made it, so MBZ was represented by myself, a '57ish 190 SLR racecar (that was as-new) and a surprisingly quick '83 190E Euro 2.3 that was trackked out (stripped, cloth interior, crank windows, no seats but the driver's, etc.).

See one of you guys next time?

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

Just changed out my track pads, breaking my own rule and cracking the bleeder to compress the pistons...I didn't want that fluid pushed back to the reservoir, since the next step was a thorough power bleed anyway.

Did both front calipers this way, then hooked up the bleeder and forced about a litre of fluid thru the front lines. Squishy pedal gone!

So indeed there must have been air in there somewhere...brakes are very powerful now

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

Michael, thank-you for sharing a great story! I could smell the rubber

__________________
Dean Albrecht
"Lead, follow, or better yet, get out of the way!"E500 owners motto

Hi Michael,

I sent in my registration for May 12th at Pocono.

Will you be around?

I am sending the car to the shop next week to mount the S0-3's.

What should I get done to the factory brakes? Anything else that should be looked into?

I have a helmet and gloves on the way. Other than long sleeves and pants, what else do I need?

Thanks,

Dave

Dave,

Many here are better qualified to tell you what to bring to a track day, but here's my list:
* Big, easy to use jack (I haul my 3 ton jack around; worth the effort)
* Tools for brake pad change (Hammer, nail set to drive out pins, EXTRA pins (muy importante), small channel lock pliers (to pull pins, squeeze on pad to push pistons back into bores; optionally, get a set w/ rubberized handles & use the handles to lever the pistons back)
* Torque wrench w/ lug nut socket
* 2 qts oil (many cars use oil on the track; mine for whatever reason doesn't)
* Ltr. brake fluid
* Qt Trans. fluid
* Air for tires
* High-quality air gauge
* Rags
* Paper towels & Windex
* Numbers (I ordered re-usable vinyl ones from Solotime)
* Extra brake pads, front & rear (for fronts, I suggest OE P/N 002 420 37 20, the SL600/E500 pads; rear use OE MBZ too)
* H20, on ice
* Butyl gloves
* Handi-wipes
* Racer's tape
* Stopwatch
* Dry snacks
* Camera


That's all I can think of for now; I suggest pressures (cold) of 30 rear, 40 front.

Good luck, and perhaps I'll see you there. Who's running that event, PDA?

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

Hi Guys,

Yep, PDA is running the Pocono event in May. It is the 11th and 12th.

I can only make the 12th.

The web page had "all skill levels", so I guess that includes a newbie with a new toy!

http://www.imp-auto.com/pda/pages/schedules.htm

Hope to see you there.

Dave

Dave-

You must not have kids-the 12th is Mother's Day amigo! In that I'd like to maintain my current "married" status, I will only consider the 11th...if I went on the 12th, it'd probably be my last event for a LONG time

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

Michael,

Do I need numbers?

I found this web site:

http://www.soloperformance.com/catalog_graphics.htm

What do I need? 8", 10"?

Also, where do I get tape and what do I need it for?

Thanks,

Dave

Yup, you need numbers, although event organizers will assuredly have white shoe polish with them. I hate that stuff, sometimes a real hassle to get off. I think 8s are what you need; it's what I bought.

Those numbers are sorta expensive-I purchased re-usable vinyl adhesive numbers from Solotime in Kansas: 316.683.3803.

I use Racer's Tape to try to keep as much paint on the car as I can; some tracks are loaded with debris. Beyond this, it serves no other useful purpose

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

How do the SL600/E500 pads fit the different(?) 500E Caliper/Rotors??

__________________
Regards,

Albert
aldedmon@yahoo.com

500E, E500, 500SL, SL500 & SL600 all had the same-shaped, same material pads in front; only difference is that sometime in 93 MBZ decreased the amount of friction material of the front pads, but added noise-reducing shims.

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

that are diff. on the E500 / SL600?
Larger on both counts?

__________________
Regards,

Albert
aldedmon@yahoo.com

Yup, as well as diff. caliper bolts & pins to hold pads

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo