Fun on the ice with the E30

Yesterday the Sports Car Club of Vermont held an ice time trial on Mallett's Bay on Lake Champlain, and I took the iX out to have some good fun sliding around on the ice. It had been a couple years since I was last on the ice, and it was great to get back at it. As usual, the iX proved its prowess on a slippery surface.

Here's a video of my fastest run of the day. The audio makes it sound like the car is being rattled apart, but it really wasn't that hard on the car at all. The tires are studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5s.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZNgKsFBMN4[/video]

There was another 2WD E30 there, too, and it did very well. I wish all those people who insist that RWD is suicide on snow and ice could have seen the RWD cars slide around with style while most of the FWD cars understeered helplessly around the corners.

There was also a really nice race-prepped turbo E21 on ice-racing screw tires that just flew out there. It was fun to watch. Here's a clip (not mine) of one of its runs:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dkdXPUBD2I[/video]

BTW, if you're wondering about screw tires, they look like this: http://www.vermontracing.com/projects/project_steve/702/ice_racing_tires/ice_tires_one/building_ice_racing_tires.htm

They're the very definition of special-purpose, but boy are they fun on the ice!

I can't wait to get out and do it again.

__________
Dave
'91 325iX

Making an ice tire might be a good use of a not quite worn out street tire. At least for a single use. I have some "spares" that might work well. Just need a venue locally but that is not likely here as it is not cold enough.

Bob in Lake Havasu

That looks like fun Dave, Ah, Vermont in the winter.... A little disapointed that there's no comintary though. It's always fun hearing voices of the friends you've been working with for so many years

What kind of tires are you using out there, it's hard to imagine anything but studs (of some kind) would work on ice. Down here, on the island we race funny, spindley little boats on the ice, those ones with skates on the bottom!

Thanks for the video Dave

Quote
Dave_G
Yesterday the Sports Car Club of Vermont held an ice time trial on Mallett's Bay on Lake Champlain, and I took the iX out to have some good fun sliding around on the ice. It had been a couple years since I was last on the ice, and it was great to get back at it. As usual, the iX proved its prowess on a slippery surface.

Here's a video of my fastest run of the day. The audio makes it sound like the car is being rattled apart, but it really wasn't that hard on the car at all. The tires are studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5s.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZNgKsFBMN4[/video]

There was another 2WD E30 there, too, and it did very well. I wish all those people who insist that RWD is suicide on snow and ice could have seen the RWD cars slide around with style while most of the FWD cars understeered helplessly around the corners.

There was also a really nice race-prepped turbo E21 on ice-racing screw tires that just flew out there. It was fun to watch. Here's a clip (not mine) of one of its runs:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dkdXPUBD2I[/video]

BTW, if you're wondering about screw tires, they look like this: http://www.vermontracing.com/projects/project_steve/702/ice_racing_tires/ice_tires_one/building_ice_racing_tires.htm

They're the very definition of special-purpose, but boy are they fun on the ice!

I can't wait to get out and do it again.

Quote
rkj
What kind of tires are you using out there, it's hard to imagine anything but studs (of some kind) would work on ice. Down here, on the island we race funny, spindley little boats on the ice, those ones with skates on the bottom!

I'm using studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 tires. They're really great on the ice, but a lot of people were having fun with non-studded tires, too. There's nothing better for learning car control than sliding into a corner on ice.

Since those videos, we've gotten a lot of snow, so the lake looks a lot different now (and now needs a plow to make a course).

I've seen those ice boats before. They're totally amazing. I would so love to ride in one of those!

__________
Dave
'91 325iX

I've been in some pretty fast cars but when a puff hits you in a lightwieght DN class ice boat, the pull is like no other feeling on earth, and there's no noise... spooky fast

Quote
Dave_G

Quote
rkj
What kind of tires are you using out there, it's hard to imagine anything but studs (of some kind) would work on ice. Down here, on the island we race funny, spindley little boats on the ice, those ones with skates on the bottom!

I'm using studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 tires. They're really great on the ice, but a lot of people were having fun with non-studded tires, too. There's nothing better for learning car control than sliding into a corner on ice.

Since those videos, we've gotten a lot of snow, so the lake looks a lot different now (and now needs a plow to make a course).

I've seen those ice boats before. They're totally amazing. I would so love to ride in one of those!