Sportsman Award questions

[Terry M.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

An additional complication MAY be if there is a Fire Department requirement for minimum gasoline in the tank and a requirement for that level to be inspected by a fire marshal.

[George W.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

Good information here on the Sportsman award. I SAY GO FOR IT!!! I did my Sportsman Award this calander year...wow, was I busy. I did the Kissemmee and Rochester Regionals for 3 points each and 7 Chapter meets in a total of nine different states. Seven Chapter Meets at 2 points each =14 points plus the two Regionals at 3 points each = 6 points. 14+6 points = 20 points earned between Jan. and August of 2012. I had alot of fun and and did it with three different vetts. Read the rules; plan the meets you want to drive your vett to and go do it. You will have a wonderful time.

[Michael J.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

An additional complication MAY be if there is a Fire Department requirement for minimum gasoline in the ttank and a requirement for that level to be inspected by a fire marshal.

I
After having been involved with many indoor shows in Texas over the years, the gas level is always a requirement by fire depts., but a real problem would be a requirement for a battery shutoff, new 'Vettes would be impossible to reset all the electronics after a shutdown without a dealer technician on site.

[Gary C.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

Michael,

Battery cutoff switches with by-pass for onboard electronics exist. Fire Marshal in San Antonio 2006 Convention made NCRS use those. The Fire Marshal spot checked all cars including the new ones.

Frisco Fire Marshal for the 2011 Regional said NCRS had to use battery cut offs on all cars parked inside. Sportsman were outside in 2011, but will be inside if member requests for 2012 Regional.

Gary
....

[Terry M.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

I
After having been involved with many indoor shows in Texas over the years, the gas level is always a requirement by fire depts., but a real problem would be a requirement for a battery shutoff, new 'Vettes would be impossible to reset all the electronics after a shutdown without a dealer technician on site.

Mike, that depends on your definition of "new cars." I understand disconnecting the battery on C5s is an issue, but I know C6s are not. All that one has to reset on C6s is the side windows. I think the engineering folks listened to the complaints of the earlier car owners. The C4 folks seem to do OK at indoor events. Are the C5s really so bad you need a trained tech, or does the owner just have to read the owner's manual?

[Michael J.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

I don't know the details, I am just going by the lengthy orientation during NCM delivery last year when the host told me never to let the battery go dead as it would require a tow to the dealer for replacement and resetting of the security, navigation,
and radio systems as well as magnetic ride control functions and launch feature. Gary, where do you buy a battery shutoff that doesn't depower the whole system, never heard of such
a thing before and can you install it yourself?

[Gary C.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

Michael,

The battery cut off with memory keeper was a standard cut off with a fused jumper between the posts.

Found my owner instructions for the Convention which said they were "Available from Mid America (100-516 & 100-517), Ecklers (49324) and other vendors".

Gary
....

Battery Disconnect with By-Pass Memory Keeper.jpg

[Carl N.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

Terry,

C5's are not that bad after you go through thr drill a couple of times. I think many of us that turned our first wrenches on C1's and 2's are intimidated by the technology on the C5's - I was at first - but after 10 years of working on them many tasks are easier to diagnose and fix than the finicky old FI systems for example.

[Terry M.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

I don't know the details, I am just going by the lengthy orientation during NCM delivery last year when the host told me never to let the battery go dead as it would require a tow to the dealer for replacement and resetting of the security, navigation,
and radio systems as well as magnetic ride control functions and launch feature. Gary, where do you buy a battery shutoff that doesn't depower the whole system, never heard of such
a thing before and can you install it yourself?

A little bit of Google found this one, but there are others from the usual big box Corvette suppliers.

http://www.performanceplusconnection.com/item--Top-Mount-Compact-Battery-Disconnect-Cut-Off-Switch-w-Fused-Bypass--WC20309.html

20309_fused.jpg

Gary, you beat me by 8 minutes.

[Michael J.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

Thanks, that looks exactly like the ones I have on all my old cars, and seems like some came with that wire too, I didn't know what it was for since it seemed to defeat the purpose of a total battery disconnect, sat it aside on my work bench and didn't use them, guess I could try using it. Sure beats losing all the presets and address book, etc.

[Michael J.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

In thinking about this kind of battery disconnect, why would the fire dept. think the one with the by pass wire is OK? It can't be used on all my old cars for display at shows where you leave the doors open for judging since it will drain the battery if the door lights are on all day, and thus you can't use the jumper wired version. Are the fire people afraid of starting the engine indoors? If so just leave the keys in your pocket, no problem then. I don't get it.

[Gary C.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

Michael,

Fire Department's OK with the memory saver because the car can't be started with it. Fuse should blow when the starter's engaged.

Gary
....

[Michael J.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

Right, but why don't they take your keys, you can still turn the knob on the disconnect and start the car. If they really wanted to keep the car from being started that disconnect, bypass wire or not, will not do it. Sounds like typical government stupidity to me.

[Gary C.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

Michael,

San Antonio Fire Marshal required a key for each car. Owners provided a key. The keys were inventory by space number, car owner's name kept in a key lock box. The key lock box was locked up every night in a secured location designated by the Fire Marshal.

One creative owner provided a dummy key and never picked it up.

So far Frisco, Waco and none of the other Texas Cities we've had Regional and Chapter meets in since 1993 have required keys available. Most are now following the U.S. Fire Code requirements on how much gas, tape gas cap, battery disconnect, etc.

Gary
....

[Michael J.]

Re: Sportsman Award questions

That makes sense to take keys, I would much rather do that than have to mess with cheapy battery disconnnects and bypass wires on a new cat with so many electronics issues linked to battery disconnnect. The old cars are fine with this old solution, new cars are not mechanical anymore,
all electronics with big problems
when disconnected.