ODD question, Drag strip light reader? Auto launch?
01-19-2009, 02:53 AM
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'12 E350 Coupe (3rd Benz)
ODD question, Drag strip light reader? Auto launch?
Is there currently such a thing that can read the drag strip Christmas tree and auto launch you, so that you have instant reaction time? in ANY car?
I have considered making something, that I can calibrate to the tree (assuming some might be different, especially if we are talking milliseconds) as well as calibrate to the car, so you would have 3 pieces, one device that would read the tree w/o sitting at it, to calibrate it, you could possibly do this from the spectator stands. A piece that you would setup, that would be a beam to break, so you could calibrate your car, so it would makeup for anytime lost anywhere in the process of getting your car going. Finally, the most important piece, something that would sit just inside the windshield, drivers side, that would read the actual drag tree and launch the car, it would theoreticlystart to engage things even before the last light turned green, so that the car would break the line exactly at that point. All launch systems would have multi-conformation engagement systems, so as not to flip the switch before its your turn and crash into someone or something like that.
I have never even been to the drag strip, tough I intend to go sometime soon... So I have this question, how much is this going to make up on the quarter mile? (or even 8th mile)
Thoughts? Any holes in my idea? seeing as how I haven't been drag racing before.
I have considered making something, that I can calibrate to the tree (assuming some might be different, especially if we are talking milliseconds) as well as calibrate to the car, so you would have 3 pieces, one device that would read the tree w/o sitting at it, to calibrate it, you could possibly do this from the spectator stands. A piece that you would setup, that would be a beam to break, so you could calibrate your car, so it would makeup for anytime lost anywhere in the process of getting your car going. Finally, the most important piece, something that would sit just inside the windshield, drivers side, that would read the actual drag tree and launch the car, it would theoreticlystart to engage things even before the last light turned green, so that the car would break the line exactly at that point. All launch systems would have multi-conformation engagement systems, so as not to flip the switch before its your turn and crash into someone or something like that.
I have never even been to the drag strip, tough I intend to go sometime soon... So I have this question, how much is this going to make up on the quarter mile? (or even 8th mile)
Thoughts? Any holes in my idea? seeing as how I haven't been drag racing before.
01-19-2009, 03:18 PM
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2003 E55 & 2014 GL550
LOL, I have thought of that a few times. Sure would be a cool idea.
Okay, just to play with the idea for a sec.
Biggest obstacle you would have is that each car has a different throttle response time. When at the strip, noone really is supposed to "go on green". Example is the E55. The man, myth and legend DerekFSU figured out for us that if you punch your E55 as the last yellow light goes on, you will cut a near perfect light every time. That's all thanks to the monster throttle lag we have in our cars. Try that in the 63 and you will red light every time.
Yes, would be easy to put a "delay" knob on the setup that allows racers to program delay faster or slower once it senses the last yellow light but racers would have to redlight a few times to figure it out.
Just my 2 drachmas worth.
Okay, just to play with the idea for a sec.
Biggest obstacle you would have is that each car has a different throttle response time. When at the strip, noone really is supposed to "go on green". Example is the E55. The man, myth and legend DerekFSU figured out for us that if you punch your E55 as the last yellow light goes on, you will cut a near perfect light every time. That's all thanks to the monster throttle lag we have in our cars. Try that in the 63 and you will red light every time.
Yes, would be easy to put a "delay" knob on the setup that allows racers to program delay faster or slower once it senses the last yellow light but racers would have to redlight a few times to figure it out.
Just my 2 drachmas worth.
01-19-2009, 03:43 PM
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'12 E350 Coupe (3rd Benz)
Read above
I would make something that would just self tune the car, it would have a line to cross and it would run the info through the car and time how fast it took to break the beam you setup, so you could do this in the road out front of your house, if you wanted to, so it will get the EXACT time. Also, you don't want people at the track knowing what you are doing, or to waste runs.
So there is a thing to calibrate the light, so you know exactly when what is going to happen, make the computer assure its sync'd with the lights, but checking its self each flash, so it will be aligned to the millisecond, the car is already calibrated, so the device knows it takes you 730milliseconds to get the car moving, it will send that signal at 730milliseconds before the green hits.
I think the biggest problem would be to get this to hook into each car's throttle and stuff like that. I also like the idea of using my Distronic (which is a rare option) to see if there is a car in front of me, for safety =] and to probably disengage the run if something comes up on that sonar. I have also considered making the car do the whole run its self, including stopping, all of these functions is already hooked up with Distronic. After I put some more thought into it, I will develop the system w/o the car, something that just mimic's the lights once calibrated and such, to ensure I have the whole light reading / calibrating stuff down pat. Then I will approach someone like RENNTech and hook it to a car with a moded ECU already, go from there. This would be good because its not about mashing the gas either, you want to roll onto it with these cars, so you would almost need a unique program that is for your cars launch. I have considered making something else that would help people figure out the best launch and program that into the device...
No one else commented or read this?!
So there is a thing to calibrate the light, so you know exactly when what is going to happen, make the computer assure its sync'd with the lights, but checking its self each flash, so it will be aligned to the millisecond, the car is already calibrated, so the device knows it takes you 730milliseconds to get the car moving, it will send that signal at 730milliseconds before the green hits.
I think the biggest problem would be to get this to hook into each car's throttle and stuff like that. I also like the idea of using my Distronic (which is a rare option) to see if there is a car in front of me, for safety =] and to probably disengage the run if something comes up on that sonar. I have also considered making the car do the whole run its self, including stopping, all of these functions is already hooked up with Distronic. After I put some more thought into it, I will develop the system w/o the car, something that just mimic's the lights once calibrated and such, to ensure I have the whole light reading / calibrating stuff down pat. Then I will approach someone like RENNTech and hook it to a car with a moded ECU already, go from there. This would be good because its not about mashing the gas either, you want to roll onto it with these cars, so you would almost need a unique program that is for your cars launch. I have considered making something else that would help people figure out the best launch and program that into the device...
No one else commented or read this?!
