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Another milestone in my 944 build


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Posted

This weekend was another great test of my 944 Spec car. Since my last post, I've picked up a co-driver and we had it at a local DE. We spent every night last week working until 4am to get the car ready. It was still on stock suspension, but all of the safety item final were fixed or completed.

 

We abused the car for 16 sessions, many of which were back to back. I normally drive my M Coupe which according to BMW has 315hp at the flywheel. Thus, driving a 150hp car was a new experience. Driving on the stock suspension was like driving a cloud around the track. I didn't even have R Compounds on. We ran on a all season tire from Falken, the Falken Zeix ZE-329. First of all, I think I've found my rain tire for non-competitive events. These tires are almost unknown in the US, but they are inexpensive and sticky. I know half of the people reading this thread just rolled their eyes, but it is true--a sticky all season tire does exist. Racers that we took for ride alongs were amazed by these little $75 tires.

 

One oddity--even though my car doesn't have a rear swaybar, I was picking up a rear tire during hard cornering. This makes me think I need the get big torsen bars when I do the suspension. It also makes me think that the LSD is a must have option.

 

The best part was getting point bys from Mustangs and M3's in my little 1983 944 with 165k miles on the clock.

 

I'll be racing soon!

-bj

Posted
One oddity--even though my car doesn't have a rear swaybar, I was picking up a rear tire during hard cornering. This makes me think I need the get big torsen bars when I do the suspension. It also makes me think that the LSD is a must have option.

 

I'll be racing soon!

 

-bj

 

Most of that happens due to the soft stock suspension. Stiffen the car and it wil help with that quite a bit. I have an open diff and I have run quite successfully. Sure an LSD is better, but you can still run very good lap times with an open diff. Proper suspension tuning minimize wheelspin to a large degree.

Posted

Well at least it sounds like the brake pads held up! Ive been on stock suspension since I started trackign the car. There is a lot of roll, but once you get used to it, the car handles great! I cant wait to see what a set of torsion bars and springs will do!

Posted
Well at least it sounds like the brake pads held up!

 

Amazingly they did! It's hard to believe we got 16 sessions out of those pads. I liked the PCF97 fairly well. I've been using HT-10s on the M Coupe and I had become accustom to a fairly aggressive initial bite. The PFC97 had a soft bite, but had a really consistent torque curve. They also didn't require much heat to operate. Overall, I really liked them.

 

-bj

Posted

From what the shop told me the PFC 01 has more bite, but still maintains the consistent torque curve. Ill probably try the 01s up front with the 97s in the back next time I need new pads which hopefully wont be anytime soon!

Posted

The best part was getting point bys from Mustangs and M3's in my little 1983 944 with 165k miles on the clock.

 

I'll be racing soon!

-bj

 

Looking forward to it - going to MAM or Road America?

 

I have run (and since raced against) my old 924S on the stock suspension. Big swaybars are a good idea, but the LSD less urgent and MUCH more $$. I have video of me chasing down my old car on Google here: http://video.google.com/url?docid=8378650012312894128&esrc=sr1&ev=v&q=944+iowa+speedway&vidurl=http://video.google.com/videoplay%3Fdocid%3D8378650012312894128%26q%3D944%2Biowa%2Bspeedway%26hl%3Den&usg=AL29H21RX39LJjHPAvmlFW_Ufk3NP65F1A

Posted
Looking forward to it - going to MAM or Road America?

 

 

I might make RA, but I better find the short 5th, first. There's no way I can make MAM because my wife and I will be in the middle of a move.

 

-bj

Posted
Looking forward to it - going to MAM or Road America?

 

 

I might make RA, but I better find the short 5th, first. There's no way I can make MAM because my wife and I will be in the middle of a move.

 

-bj

 

Ah, been there - good luck - you'll need it!

 

Don't miss R.A. though, NASA putting on a big event, and R.A. is *always* awesome. A short 5th would be nice there, but don't let that keep you from coming out. Seat time is far more important than that last little bit of top end!

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