(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best automotive racing books

I'm going to post something different, start learning a martial art. It will help you stay in good shape and get you more comfortable with your body, it will help improve your confidence, and it will give you a tool that can help you defend yourself if you need it. If you're young and you're going out in the world you need to be able to protect yourself from the knuckleheads and even just develop the ability to escape from them. Also hand in hand should be conflict resolution and deescalation skills. Learn how to talk. On the same note, learn how to communicate in your relationships, express your emotions, and most importantly listen. Learn how to really listen to people without judgement and try to understand them. This will open up a lot of doors for you. People love to feel understood and you will love the freedom that comes from learning about other people's perspectives.

Edit: a couple of links.

/r/martialarts

Solo Training 2, this is a good book that covers the essentials of building your core muscle groups for martial arts, gives you some tips for practicing on your own, and has some good tips for the mental side of it as well as conflict resolution.

Geoff Thompson - The Fence pt 1, and pt2 this is a video by Geoff Thompson an experienced martial artist and former bouncer in England who teaches some ways to control situations in a violent street encounter or to notice things beforehand. There's a book too

In the same vein I recommend Defensive Living great book about your personal safety and developing a good system of personal awareness as well as telling you what to look for.

The Best Kept Secrets of Great Communicators a great audiobook series that covers a lot about how to communicate with people.

I also have more recommendations for the relationship/communication stuff if you want to know.

I think I can hook you up with an ebook copy of the Fence book and a rip of the Best Kept Secrets of Great Communicators if you want to hit me up via P.M.

Also I recommend getting into mindfulness meditation, even if you practice listening to your breath for a couple of minutes a day it can be helpful.

Hi OP, here are some links to answer your questions. First of all, don't open Miliken and Miliken yet; with all due respect, it's probably not something you are able to digest yet and it's not going to have the answers in the way that you need it to tackle this project. What you should do first is ask for clarification; I assume he doesn't want you to design suspension components, but look into ways to effectively adjust toe and camber. Caster is usually a designed element that isn't often adjusted.

If I'm understanding correctly, he'd want you to evaluate your current setup that you have to do alignment and then improve it. Perhaps you don't have a method right now, and he'd want you to create one. These improvements can manifest in changes to the design of the suspension to allow for adjustment or changes to your rig that you use to align the car.

The basic elements of an alignment, or a static setup, are:

1. Ensuring your corner weights, or the weight of the car on each tire, is balanced front to rear, side to side, and diagonally. Balance doesn't imply equal weights on all 4 tires, but adjusted based on what you'd want your weight balance to be. For example, a team may want 60% of the car's weight in the rear and 40% in the front. This is the first thing that is done.
   Here is a link about corner weights: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/understanding-corner-weights/
   
   
2. Ensuring your toe settings, front and rear, are appropriate for the track environment (your settings may differ between the acceleration event and skidpad, for example). Toe is usually measured in angles, but if you do some trig and measure distances between the outside of the tires for example, you can set toe. You'd add features to your suspension design to be able to adjust toe, like plates or threaded rods; this is where you'll put your engineer brain to work.
   
   
3. Doing the same thing with camber. Features will need to be added to your suspension design to adjust camber in the same way your toe is adjusted but in a different plane.
   
   
4. Making sure your tire pressures are set correctly. This is technically done before you do corner weights. I just thought of this last, oops.
   
   You can go relatively low tech (measuring string and using plates) to high tech (digital read outs, etc) based on your budget. You probably have scales to put under each tire, so you'll need to see what kind of scales you have, if you have a way to level them, and what he would like to improve. All these adjustments listed above are done when the car is on scales. Here are a couple of links to online stores where you can see categories of products. Bare minimum, I'd get scales, toe plates, a tape measure, and a camber gauge.
   https://www.racerpartswholesale.com/category/Chassis_Setup_Tools
   http://eastcoastspeed.com/c-701015-pit-tools-equipment-chassis-set-up-tools.html
   
   When I joined the FSAE team I read "Hands-On Race Car Engineer" to understand this topic in particular. We have a copy that floats in the shop. It's written in plain language and it has a lot of great diagrams for this setup. It also goes into other topics like effective testing. Our copy is well worn with sticky notes and scribbles all through it. I sincerely recommend shelling out the money for it out of your team's budget. http://books.sae.org/r-323/
   https://www.amazon.com/Hands-Race-Engineer-Premiere-Books/dp/0768008980
   
   I hope others chime in and add on to my comment. I imagine I'm missing things.
   
   Edit: https://www.reddit.com/r/FSAE/comments/5g7rsg/how_does_your_team_do_setup_cambertoealignment/
   Here is another thread discussing this \^

> I want to see if the mustang will go faster if all 4 tires are spinning at the same time, with the right tires and coilovers.

It won't. Spinning tires due to too much power is slower than not overwhelming the tires. It looks better, sure, but the spinning tire has less grip than the tire that's not broken its traction (mild slip > grip > spinning or lockup). Thus it will be slower. This is for grippy surfaces like asphalt and concrete, and it's a matter of physics.

The right balance of sliding and not can be beneficial for extremely tight turns or loose surfaces, but canyon carving isn't done on loose surfaces. That's rally, rallycross, and the like.

Before you try to take on a project like this, I strongly recommend performance driving classes and reading books on performance driving theory. Speed Secrets is a good book that's well known. Think Fast goes a bit more into building and setting up the car.

Building the car will be a lot of money and time. If your goal is just to have fun, great, build something unique and different! But if your goal is to see what's faster, start with the knowledge that's already out there. Get yourself a good background, both theoretical and practical, and then figure out what to build based on what's already known.

Do you remember the name? I love Jackie and would love to read it.

Was it:

• Racing Stewart - The Birth of a Grand Prix Team
  
  Or
  
  
• Stewart Formula 1 Racing Team
  
  Thanks!

Ultimate Encyclopedia of Formula One Illustrated is a truly great overall view of the sport from the beginning to now. it covers the major changes in engines, chassis, winners and loser, from the very first race until now.

It's about the sport and doesn't contain any biases other than being slightly English, but so is F1. It was so good in the 90s when I got it, I assume it is even better today.

It does a good job of sectioning things like "The Rise, fall, and return to power of Formula 1 engines", and "The Ground Effect Era" and what have you.

For a season I've watched with my own eyes, it would be 2007. Spygate alone could be enough to place itself in history for all time but I also still remember the flashpoint in Hungary qualifying, Kubicas car disintegratring, those heavy favourites for the title buckling in their own way towards the end of the season. Its something I kept in my memory for being so volatile. From the third race in I can tell, it getting closer; that clash between the established champion Alonso, who locked in his seat more than a year before, and the rookie, this kid who had been eyed by Ron Dennis for a long time.

Some recommended reading if 2007 was a favourite would be Chequered Conflict by Maurice Hamilton. In it he describes the story of both the 2007 and 1986 seasons and elegantly splices them together to highlight contrasts and similarities between them. To remind you, 1986 had two Williams drivers (Mansell and Piquet) were the favourites for the title come the final round, but they faltered Ferrari driver (Prost) swooped in to take the title from under them.

Bikebuilds is a new site that catalogs custom bike builds. There are some similar builds indexed there.

As for reference, my experience was a little different because I was altering bikes for my own use in racing, so it's all really focused on handling, but still, you might find it useful: go-to books have been Bradley and Tony Foale.

That said, if you're really into understanding the implications of swing-arm lengths and rake angles, I have heard high praise for Cossalter's Motorcycle Dynamics, though I have not read it myself.

No prob, I was gonna make a little post about it anyway.

On a side note, if you love F1s as much as I do, definitely pick up that R&T, it has like a 12 page article of stories and facts about the F1. It's kind of an added chapter of the book (which I can hook up a PDF if you need).

If you are interested in learning more about the history of how F1 came to be what it is I recommend the following books:

• Bernie's Game : Inside the Formula One World of Bernie Ecclestone
  
• The Piranha Club: Power and Influence in Formula One
  
• The Powerbrokers: The Inside Battle for F1's Billions
  
• No Angel: The Secret Life of Bernie Ecclestone
  
• Formula One and Beyond: The Autobiography
  
  
  Everything should not be take as gospel, Max's autobiography definitely needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.
  
  If you don't want to spend any money this very interesting 8-part article is although worth a read:
  
  
• Poachers turned gamekeepers: how the FOCA became the new FIA
  
  

The frontal area and drag coefficient of your vehicle can be used to help find how much power is needed to maintain a certain speed. Check out this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Solar-Car-Design-Guide/dp/0768011310/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499525857&sr=8-1&keywords=the+winning+solar+car+design

The second chapter is very helpful in answering your question.

that's why i kinda love this sport, from a geeky perspective! if the technical angle of the sport takes your fancy, you can never stop learning about it as it's always progressing.

• a good web resource is here:
  http://www.f1technical.net/
  
  
• and the piola books are wonderful, even just to look at without taking in the technical side of things:
  http://www.amazon.com/Formula-1-Technical-Analysis-2008-2009/dp/8879114662/ref=pd_sim_b_3
  
  
• this book is a bible, however: http://www.amazon.com/Formula-Technology-Peter-G-Wright/dp/0768002346
  very in depth (i won't even pretend to understand most of it), but absolutely fascinating.
  
  EDIT: crappy formatted fixed somewhat

I remember borrowing a copy of the Renault Formula One Motor Racing Book from the library as a kid. Great book, even despite it being almost ten years out of date by the time I read it. Anyways, I mention the book because I remember it mentioned how race lengths had steadily decreased over the years.

According to it, pressure from TV broadcasters was the primary driving force behind it, which makes sense even today. Theoretically, you get a show that's more exciting while having more time for other programming. Look at all the plaudits that series like Global and FIA World Rallycross are getting these days.

Plus, you avoid the mess that endurance racing broadcasts can have: watch three hours here on this channel, another hour on this other channel that you probably don't have, and the rest of the race on our app, because we want to show people playing cards instead.

I guess I must be getting older, because I also remember being quite annoyed that races were getting shorter back when I read the book, while nowadays I think current race lengths are quite alright.

There's a fantastic book about the development process of the McLaren F1.

Driving Ambition: The Official Inside Story of the McLaren F1 .

I happened upon a copy at Foyles in London in the early 2000s and was blown away by the level of detail, I had to buy it and bring it back home.

Probably the only book I've bought that's worth more now than it was when I bought it.

I thought it was a good idea to learn how to ride a motorcycle by riding from US to Panama and back. What can I say, I am not the brightest bulb out there. I cracked two ribs, clocked 4K miles across 7 countries, and endangered my life in ways I couldn't have imagined. I even wrote a book about the ordeal. I put it here
It's a sordid tale :)

If you're interested in ride/handling or chassis design:

Race Car Vehicle Dynamics

The Science of Vehicle Dynamics

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics

Chassis Design: Principles and Analysis

No surprise that the McLaren F1 is my number one ultimate dream car going back almost 25 years. I've had dreams about driving one, waking up with actual tears on my face. I've got a cabinet full of McLaren F1 die cast models and toys and two copies of the F1 book Driving Ambition. I spent my time in the UK looking for one. I long for one each and every day of my life. Like an unrequited or lost love.

I did some research and you are mostly correct, but the Focus to Rally car is a bit of a stretch. I mean, I don't think people write 40 page books illustrating how to turn a Ford into a Rally car.

Oh shit, they do. Ok, you win.

The book on the entire 1979 season is well worth the read too. It’s called He Crashed Me So I Crashed Him Back

Anyone considering performance modifications should read this book before they do anything other than simple, proven bolt-ons from a reputable specialized tuning shop. Even THEN the knowledge in that boom will help you know what to do FIRST.

Read this together with him!

https://www.amazon.com/Supercar-Book-Boys-Complete-Machines-ebook/dp/B00J1XVS44

I picked up NASCAR: A Fast History at a yard sale. I used to read it out loud to my kid when he was an infant.

As most people have already mentioned, these are replicas from the NASCAR Vault Book.

There are also similar pieces of replica memorabilia in the NASCAR Family Album

I own the Family Album book btw.

>I think it would work on an untrained drunk jerk in a bar

Actually, probably not for several reasons. First off, a move like this requires a lot of open space to execute. Bars are not known for having those. This would likely send you crashing into all manner of tables, chairs, bar stools, or other patrons. Secodnly, this move requires a compliant partner. If the persons ducked or pulled back or did pretty much anything other than just stand there, this move would just turn into a shitty kick to the head and the person falling on the ground. Thirdly, the ground is just about the last place you want to be in a bar fight. You don’t know if this drunk jerk has a half dozen drunk jerk friends and don't want to be laying on the ground where they can come up and stomp the shit out of you.

As a general principle, more complicated = terrible plan in real world fights. Your adrenaline drops, fine motor control goes out the window, complicated moves like this are pretty much guaranteed to get totally flubbed. You know what works great against a drunk jerk in a bar? A solid, well practiced right straight to the jaw line.

Only a fool would try something like this against anyone that wasn't a compliant "dance" partner.

Hey dude, you need to pick up the following books:

http://www.tonyfoale.com/book.htm

http://www.amazon.com/The-Racing-Motorcycle-Technical-Constructors/dp/0951292927

http://www.amazon.com/The-Racing-Motorcycle-Technical-Constructors/dp/0951292935

These are the bibles to understanding the engineering behind motorcycle design. The second volume Racing Motorcycle book covers the fabrication methods to building frames, exhausts, front ends, etc. It even tells you how you can build a 2 stroke expansion chamber using a powerwasher!

I cheated I own this [book] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Driving-Ambition-Official-Inside-McLaren/dp/1852278412)

if you don't want BS stop wing chun. it is the art for skinny beanpole nerds as well chubby neckbeards who want to play kung fu. I shit on wing chun because i was one of those nerds who trained WC for years with one of the best sifus in the art, Kenneth Cheung in Cali. it is LARPing with even less of a workout and any real sparring.

just google wing chun fights, they all look like shitty kickboxing or two morons in a slap fest.

if you want to really punch, learn to box. if you want to be a bodyguard, get a gun. if you want to bounce, get some books from Geoff Thompson.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fence-Art-Protection-Geoff-Thompson/dp/1840240849

I don't really think there is one place online.

I've been reading about this car in magazines and online for over a decade now. You'll have to Google around.

If you really, really, really like this car, purchase https://www.amazon.com/Driving-Ambition-Official-Inside-McLaren/dp/1852278412.

Here's another fun fact for you. They have a 56K modem on-board so owners can plug them in and McLaren can diagnose problems remotely.

Alright one more fun fact: They can only communicate with a Compaq LTE 5280. McLaren keeps several very well maintained versions.

Ok fine more fun facts not mentioned in the video: the reason for the chosen tail lights? Someone was sent out to weigh all available safetied tail lights; the ones they got were the lightest.


There is no radio in the F1. The CD player was specially developed by Kenwood, and is very very light. One of the upgrades McLaren offers is to take it out and replace with a modern MP3 system.

McLaren had very stringent weight, etc. requirements from manufacturers for the parts for the F1. BMW went over the weight limit by a tad, but got a hell of a lot more power. Still, Gordon Murray was upset they went overweight.

Here's a video of the owners manual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUfRNAuPSbw