OK so iRacing was HOT the beginning of 2020 when COVID caused a lot of WFH and quarantine. I started doing some research and I knew I did not want to go down the Logitech or Thrustmaster road. I also did not want to spend 5 figures. Some of this stuff is crazy expensive!
So i found Fanatec it their system allowed me to step into a really nice setup! I got the base package that they do not seem to have anymore. It included the ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5, CSL Elite Pedals (two pedals) and the CSL Elite Steering Wheel for around $500.
I planned on adding the ClubSport Shifter SQ V 1.5 and CSL Elite Pedals Loadcell Kit. This way I make the load cell pedal the brake and move one of the other pedals over for the clutch pedal.
The next bit i needed to source was a seat. So my son and i went to the junkyard and they let us go walk the yard looking for a seat. This was not as easy as i thought it would be. We wanted something sporty, clean and did not have airbags! I did not think about airbags until we got into the yard and started looking around. Also i was suprised how many cars where chopped and allowed to let the weather in the interior. So we walked around and found a new intake vehical that blew a transmission. It was a late 90’s Honda CRV. It was not the sportyiest, but it was clean and in great shape. Some cheap covers were purchased from Amazon.com to spruce them up. We picked the passenger seat and came back the next day when they pulled it out for us. $50!
Now that i had a seat I bought the cockpit plans from Ricmotech and started cutting MDF! The plans were very well made and they were 1:1 real life scale so you can just lay the paper templates right on your sheet goods and trace or cut right through the paper.
It took about an afternoon to get everything cut and assembled. We could not wait for paint. We had to put the Fanatech gear on it and the seat and go racing! We started with XBox games becuase we had an XBox. Then i peiced together a PC with parts i had around and added a good video card. The TV is a 46″ TV that was an older non Smart TV.
This PC allowed us to get into iRacing!
So about two months in I ordered the shifter and load cell brake pedal. When those parts arrived we tore apart the cockpit and painted it black with green stripes to match the seat covers we got.
I picked up a USB arcade button kit this allowed us to start adding buttons to control more parts of the games. I also found a cheap ignition setup that i was able to wire in safety switches and a starter button from ebay.com.
Heck what would a race car be without numbers! So i ordered some vinyl numbers from TrackDecals.com.
So now we are into October and i start working from home full time and i convert a room to an office and move the racing chassis into my office. That means time for a few more upgrades!
I had a XK60 from P.I. Engineering that i used for some work R&D and reporposed it for key commands in iRacing.
I also added two Dayton Audio 50watt bass shakers to the bottom of the cockpit powered by an old subwoofer amplifier that I scrapped.
One last tweak was to upgraded the steering wheel to the Fanatec Clubsport Formula v2. This steering wheel was an amazing upgrade. The vibration in the wheel gave better feedback on tire scrubbing and traction. Also the bass shakers helped in that department.
So that is our journey in the work of iRacing and building our Racing Simulator Rig! It was a ton of fun!
