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Author Topic: FCT 1954 Mercedes 300SL - D400  (Read 719 times)

Hoplee

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FCT 1954 Mercedes 300SL - D400
« on: August 15, 2009, 01:34:51 PM »
I built this car for one reason: To beat the 1970 Dodge Charger my Dad was bragging about around Road Atlanta!

Honestly, I never expected it to do very well. I threw it together in about 5 or ten minutes and lifted most of the settings from Dad's Charger. I'll post the rest of the details later, since I finally fell victim to the RROD last night, but here's what I recall from memory:

1954 300SL - D400 - 413hp / 428 lb-ft
Stock Tires
M113 Engine Swap
sport intake, exhaust, fuel
race ignition
Race Platform & Handling EXCEPT FOR: stock driveline, stock flywheel, stock WR
Largest rim size (Dubs! woot!)
Stock tire width & compound (does this mean they're bias ply? )

I've been racing it in open rooms on Motegi, Road Atl, Sebring, Road America etc. AND IT REFUSES TO LOSE! In a full room last night, I went undefeated in the sucker all night long! 8)
« Last Edit: August 16, 2009, 04:57:17 PM by Hoplee »
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Spiny Anteater

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Re: FCT 1954 Mercedes 300SL - D400
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2009, 02:24:43 AM »
Nice work on the 300SL. I've come across a few of those online and they seem to make great sleeper missiles but if you're winning at Motegi it sounds like you've got it handling better than most. Shame about the RROD - I think it comes to all 360's eventually. But, at least it did it now and not in 10 weeks just as FM3 comes out.
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Drift2XL

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Re: FCT 1954 Mercedes 300SL - D400
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2009, 12:27:56 PM »
To say its stable is an understatement.

I was so moved, I built one for C Class,  but with sport tires. Gives away a bit of the missle. But still accerates like the wind.  :D
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Hoplee

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Re: FCT 1954 Mercedes 300SL - D400
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2009, 04:55:47 PM »
I built one for C Class too... after I realized that my other C-Class cars couldn't beat my D-Class times! :P

The stupid thing is that I checked the suspension telemetry once on the back straight @ Road ATL, and the front completely bottoms out just from BRAKING. Funny thing is, it doesn't upset the car's balance or feel at all. I find myself wondering if the old school chassis is providing extra 'flex' and acting as a damping agent, but that's all hypothetical.

~from memory~
Camber -0.8/-0.8
Caster 7.0
Toe 0/-0.5
Springs [ approximately 50% of default values at final weight ] 213 lbs / 208 lbs ]
ARB 40/28
dampers 14reb /2 bump f&r?
F.D. pretty sure it's default
diff 5/3
aero NA
brakes default

The settings are pretty ludicrous, and since I race with assists on, I'm pretty sure that ABS, TCS and STM are covering up some serious mistakes, but it's so much fun to drive that I've just left it alone. I tried one race back at default settings all around, but my corner exits suffered immensely. Other than that, I've just been racing it with the 'silly spring' setup... and winning! ;D
« Last Edit: August 16, 2009, 04:57:52 PM by Hoplee »
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Hoplee

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Re: FCT 1954 Mercedes 300SL - D400
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2009, 02:52:47 AM »
I had to use someone else's computer to check my times because flash v10 and Xandros Linux don't get along. After checking a few, I must report that it's sorta embarassing to be reminded that I'm a fairly slow driver! My best time on Motegi currently is 134 seconds and some change. However, I gave a copy of the car to my friend Eric Ross and he's currently a full second or more faster at 133 seconds and change.

It's not earth shattering, and nowhere near top 100, but there's still a lot of time to be had even without revising the haphazard 10 minute tune/build, which is very encouraging.  :)

I ran a pretty high quality room last night on someone else's xbox and did about a third of the races in the Gull-wing Benz. Once again, it pretty much ran away from competition. The 2nd place driver on Road America in one race was a full 4 seconds off my lap time. In an earlier session against a new friend, BBQ Pete and Bimmer, the Benz positively embarassed a brace of three Poncho Trans-Ams. (BBQPete put up a damned good fight though! WTG Smokey! )

I'll try and get some more accurate times posted, which means that everyone's invited to try and beat them. I think this old Benz has more in it, and it makes me happy to finally find something that it's good at!

In other news, the Challenger continues to be completely unspectacular no matter what I do with it. In one race on Road Atlanta, bimmer completely spun me out using nothing more frightening than a LOTUS ELAN WITH 130HP! I guess that's what I deserve for the unapologetic thrashing I gave his T/A...  ;)

PS: Built for max power in B-Class, the Benz can muster a little over 700HP with the top engine swap and still upgrade the tire width to one below maximum. Interesting...  ;D
« Last Edit: August 21, 2009, 03:09:18 AM by Hoplee »
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bimmerlovere39

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Re: FCT 1954 Mercedes 300SL - D400
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2009, 08:17:39 AM »
Quote from: Hoplee on August 21, 2009, 02:52:47 AM
In one race on Road Atlanta, bimmer completely spun me out using nothing more frightening than a LOTUS ELAN WITH 130HP! I guess that's what I deserve for the unapologetic thrashing I gave his T/A...  ;) trying to run him off the road

Fixed  ;)
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Hoplee

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Re: FCT 1954 Mercedes 300SL - D400
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2009, 02:25:41 PM »
the worst accident I can recall from last night happened when my twelve year old cousin decided to show me a handstand right when we went three wide into a corner. I was basically blind for 2 or 3 seconds, which is PLENTY long enough to cause mayhem. I can't remember who got the worst of it, but I know that I spun at least once before finishing the race with my nose in the wall on the exit of the last corner at motegi thanks to VENOMsomethingorother. Racing happens! ;)

Still, good times!   ;D A bad day racing is better than a good day working! 8)
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