Turning on the A/C at the track

For $300.00 I will sweat
$300 is the least of my worries; I'd need a trailer to haul that thing around. :rolleyes:

Seriously, they do have a freon can you can connect to the suit; you just have to push a button on the can when you want some cooling to circulate. Sounded good to me til I got the Cool Vest. And worse, the can would have to sit in my cup holder and god knows where I'd have to put my ice cold Schlitz then.
 
Re: Cooling where you need it most

Mr. Gaylord is wearing the newly designed FLAMER suit. I'm afraid to even see what the back looks like.
Not enough cooling in the crotch area, I'd say. :eek:
 
Re: Keeping cool with minimal gear

Cool suits are great for gutted sedan type race cars. For guys who don't want to tear up their nice interior to mount the cool suit icewater chest, you might want to try the Cool Vest. http://www.glaciertek.com/

The system takes up virtually no space, keeps your core temp under control with 59F "ice" next to your body for 30+ minutes and refreezes in 20 minutes in ice water. What I do is buy the gel packs, not the vest, and make my own vest from an old tank top. I position the packs where they are out of the way of my belts; one under each arm pit extending to the waist and 2 in the small of the back. Used them this weekend at T-Hill, an event that Hrant wisely avoided.

I love it a do-it yourself cool suit.I'm going to put those frozen gel packs in my armpits and in my nether regions:wink: :eek:
 
No, this is the SHIT...cool as the other side of the pillow. Group buy anyone?
 
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Ted,

You said it there, having to sit in pregrid is murder. Hopefully your support crew is handing you ice cold waters while you wait and then the next problem. No time to let it out:biggrin:

Steve

Here's your solution Steve! In fact, I'll bring a whole bag for Hrant, Ted, and Don as well. No need to whip it out anymore = faster lap times (all day)

"Straps are more comfortable with extra plush material against the body, and fit hip sizes up to 65 inches."
 
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Re: Doc, you're a genius

and in my nether regions
I hadn't thought of that. :eek: But hey, when it's over 100 on the Thunderhill grid with no breeze, a guy's gotta do whatever it takes. :wink:
 
Re:Trivia-meisters, where art thou?

Will I lose horsepower output? resulting in slower lap times?
The owner's manual (or is it just old NSX folklore? :rolleyes: ) says that running AC uses more gas, but does not cost HP. Don't quote me, but I think the computer boosts the fuel injection when the AC compressor is on.........or some such thing. :confused: You trivia fanatics can clarify the minutia.
 
Here's your solution Steve! In fact, I'll bring a whole bag for Hrant, Ted, and Don as well. No need to whip it out anymore = faster lap times (all day)

"Straps are more comfortable with extra plush material against the body, and fit hip sizes up to 65 inches."

Larry,

Thats COLD..!! I bet the Nascar guys use them and don't tell anyone:biggrin:

Steve
 
$300 is the least of my worries; I'd need a trailer to haul that thing around. :rolleyes:

Seriously, they do have a freon can you can connect to the suit; you just have to push a button on the can when you want some cooling to circulate. Sounded good to me til I got the Cool Vest. And worse, the can would have to sit in my cup holder and god knows where I'd have to put my ice cold Schlitz then.

I'm on another car alias and they were holding the same discussion about driving in the heat. Here is an excerpt.

"I used those until I bought a coolsuit. The gel pack thingies are nice but I never liked the added bulk and somewhat uncomfortableness (I think I just made up a word) of them when you first strap in."

"I wished I hadn’t wasted the $100 on the gel pack gizmos and had gone straight to a cool suit."
 
I have borrowed Ted's gel gizmo and home made haute couture wife beater, and I can vouch that it works - albeit it might need some adjustment or getting used to - just like any new underwear :biggrin:
 
Re: Understanding Hrant

needs some adjustment......just like any new underwear :biggrin:
Huh? :confused: Oh, I get it, as I kid you probably developed an anti-wedgie way of wearing your underpants, right? :wink:

Ya know Hrant, I've never understood why you can't take the heat. You came from Lebannon and good heat tolerant stock, right? Did those few years up in Michigan permanently nullify all that? :rolleyes:
 
I have borrowed Ted's gel gizmo and home made haute couture wife beater, and I can vouch that it works - albeit it might need some adjustment or getting used to - just like any new underwear :biggrin:

Hrant- we should collaborate on a new fashion line for us track guys (which we can donate the profits to our chapter). An NSX wife beater and form fitting absorbant undies are sure to be a hit. I'll start making some calls...

"See a need, fill a need!"
 
I know of at least one HPDE school that encouraged drivers to roll up their windows, turn on the AC, and take it a lot easier on hot days.

Heat exhaustion is real and I would rather take laps at 75% safely then be having heat stroke or delusions from heat on the track. Of course there are tracks that are brutal to our cars and it might not be appropriate but at speed you should be averaging 60 mph plus and can short shift a little to save your car.

If you are a real race car driver then buck up for equipment but I would have no problem running at or organizing a driver's education school with blinker signaling and windows up/AC on or windows down (driver choice).

BTW - windows up may very well be safer then windows down in may types of accidents. It is windows 1/2 way up that are most dangerous.
 
Hrant- we should collaborate on a new fashion line for us track guys (which we can donate the profits to our chapter). An NSX wife beater and form fitting absorbant undies are sure to be a hit. I'll start making some calls...

"See a need, fill a need!"


I think you have something in here Larry ....... I have an extra cooler, and my apparel shop is ready ...... now we need to fashion a design for image is everything ........ I can see a group buy developing already :tongue:
 
I know of at least one HPDE school that encouraged drivers to roll up their windows, turn on the AC, and take it a lot easier on hot days.

Heat exhaustion is real and I would rather take laps at 75% safely then be having heat stroke or delusions from heat on the track. Of course there are tracks that are brutal to our cars and it might not be appropriate but at speed you should be averaging 60 mph plus and can short shift a little to save your car.

If you are a real race car driver then buck up for equipment but I would have no problem running at or organizing a driver's education school with blinker signaling and windows up/AC on or windows down (driver choice).

BTW - windows up may very well be safer then windows down in may types of accidents. It is windows 1/2 way up that are most dangerous.

Agree...but with windows up it's difficult to give someone the point-by or signal to track workers something's wrong with your car.
 
Re: Understanding Hrant

Huh? :confused: Oh, I get it, as I kid you probably developed an anti-wedgie way of wearing your underpants, right? :wink:

Ya know Hrant, I've never understood why you can't take the heat. You came from Lebannon and good heat tolerant stock, right? Did those few years up in Michigan permanently nullify all that? :rolleyes:


Ted, you forgot that I also spent a year in Washington, DC walking 5 blocks everyday in the humid and hot summer with a suit to the World Bank :cool:

It's not that I can't tolerate heat, I believe I paid my dues with heat and humidity and now I am a spoiled geriatric in California - especially when we have younger "buddies" with trailers and all the A/C, fridge, couch amenities to follow. And have you seen my hairdo after a 30 minute session on a hot day at the track :eek: :biggrin:
 
At full throttle, the A/C shuts off (I'm fairly certain). That should be most of your lap.

With windows down, it won't make much difference.

I assume the A/C compressor isn't designed to run at 7k rpm, but that is a hunch. I don't know if it would hurt or not.

I've driven tracks in Texas for years. Short DE sessions should not be a big concern. I mean, you can take the heat for 20 minutes, right?
 
at vir a week or two ago i rode with my instructor in his e46 m3. he ran the a/c (with the windows down) the entire time. i thought it was pretty unusual as the ambient temps were warm but not blistering, and with the windows down it made virtually zero difference except when sitting on the grid. if it was brutally hot then adding thermal load to the engine/cooling system was probably a bad idea anyway.
 
Re: Cool shirt for the garage queen

I see where Pegasus now has a smaller version of the cool suit cooler box. Soft sided to fit into a tighter spot; like maybe behind the seat in the NSX or under the legs of a passenger.

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=6429&y=b44

Prolly still have room for a couple of cold ones for those black flag all waits. :rolleyes:

Hrant, this may be just the ticket for you on summer dawn patrols? (I'm assuming your dawn patrol time is still 11 AM? :biggrin:)
 
Re: Trivia-meisters, where art thou?

The owner's manual (or is it just old NSX folklore? :rolleyes: ) says that running AC uses more gas, but does not cost HP. Don't quote me, but I think the computer boosts the fuel injection when the AC compressor is on.........or some such thing. :confused: You trivia fanatics can clarify the minutia.

Yes, the A/C costs horsepower. Do a simple test by driving at WOT with the A/C on, then switch it off. You'll feel the difference.

Secondly, have you ever driven on the freeway with windows down and the A/C on? If you can't feel the A/C cooling the interior like that on the freeway, you can bet you won't feel it on the track.

Like others have said, buck up and sweat it out. Hell, you'll be so amped on the track that you won't even think about it until the session's over anyhow.
 
For whatever worth....

Hydration: Water and other liquids are temp solution, which might work. However, fruitup few days before track and esp on the day. Fruits keep hydration better than any in a natural way. Believe me I came from 3 digit most of time weather.

Color of car/clothes: These are real devils and you won't realize it including you interior of the car. Lighter shade the better.

Aerodynamics: Windows down is worse than a/c running windows up. The DRAG is a big issue unless you got something else protecting the track.

Gasoline in car. Boost it to have better behavior.

Cool air intake if you can improvise.

Coors light....if you want to just have fun!
 
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