II MUCH ,John Parsons on You Tube

[c.schulz]

Dont know if anyone has seen this but it look good to me. Looks like the car drove smooth John.
qAZPVNMh1SU


Chris

[J2SpeedandCustom]

Sweet! Too bad you have to follow and not pass. I'd like to see it rung out alot more...:thumbsup:

[L8ONBRAKE]

Really smooth driving. Looks like he was being towed around by an instructor at a nice and slow steady speed trying to learn the track and lines. Way to go at getting that car out there! Screw the car shows!

[JayR]

I'd say it's divine intervention that you missed Columbus this year because they announced that next year's SMOY candidates will have to auto-x their cars. There won't be many cars with your combination of engineering, visual impact, track time, and proven performance.

Even without the new requirement, you definitely would have shaken up the Top 5 last weekend if not taken the title but next year, look out!

[parsonsj]

Thanks guys! (and thanks to Larry Callahan for producing this video)

I was sure digging the track time. I only got to run one session: I was black-flagged due to so-called exhaust noise. They have a noise ordinance on Sunday mornings. I think I took the fall for the silver 2nd gen Camaro that ran behind me in our group.

But ... while we were on the track, we passed three other groups, making us the fastest of the B cars. The best laps were when I got to follow the pace car (which is what you see in the video). I think he was skeptical that a Chevy II could keep up with him. No problem. And, David Sloan (my passenger) claims I got to 140 mph on the backstretch (we were passing another group and I was at the end of ours). It felt fine at speed.

I was a little weak in the S-curves because I wasn't sure of the line, but otherwise the car didn't use the whole track, and I felt like I was at about 80% of the car's capability. That's with it on the street suspension settings.

Since then I've fixed a bad wheel bearing (you can hear it on right turns if you listen carefully). That led to some brake knockback. The power steering boiled over when I came into the pits, so I've swapped the ps pump for a TurnOne setup.

I've also switched the suspension over to the track settings (my upper control arms have two geometries) which gives me more camber gain, and changed springs (200 to 250 in back, 475 to 550 in front). My next track day is at Sebring in August. Can't wait!

jp

[BANKO]

John-

That is pretty sweet to finally see your ride in action! Congrats on getting it to the track. Do you have any recent pics of the car or are those being reserved for your debut in PHR? I can't wait to see more of your car. One last thing, did your total build cost end up close to the amount you wanted to avoid giving Troy? I saw this on your website:

"I want a Trepanier-level supercar but can't afford to give Troy $150K, so I'm building one myself."

I'm only asking not to be rude, but to understand if a car built to this caliber requires a six figure budget.

Regards,

-Josh

[parsonsj]

Hi Josh,

Yeah, I'm holding off publishing more pics until the PHR story (September, I'm told). That and the fact that I left my camera over at Prodigy Customs for the last two months (sorry Anthony!).

PHR is also running a cost total and timeline, so I'll leave that to them as well.

jp

[ironworks]

Hay John, the Chevy II is looking good, next year in Columbus I guess will be flooded with novas. I really like the stance on your car. I gonna start looking for the PHR story.

[parsonsj]

Like John's (Mr. NNC) Nova, the car looks low, but really isn't. I have 4.5" of ground clearance with the car at that ride height.

It did occasionally drag the fuel filter (at the extreme back end of the car) when I put it on a trailer. I fixed that this weekend by re-routing the main supply line with 5/8" hardline. You better have a manly tubing bender and eat your Wheaties if you want to bend tube that big!

I've always had a small nagging problem that voltage would drop while the car idled, which ironically, is more of a problem at the track than on the street.

On Saturday, I installed a Jones Racing 6" pulley at the crank (replacing the 5 inch pulley). Now the car makes 12.5V at idle, and 14 just off idle. That should make the car more fun to drive, and easy to deal with in the pits, waiting in line for a turn on the autoX, and getting it on and off the trailer.

jp

[Mick Mc]

John

Audi called and they wanted to say 'Thank you' for making their Audi TT Coupe look 'so fast' on the track.

Mick