Quote:
Originally Posted by maytag
I'ma add this to my signature line, hahaha. Thanks, Steved0x, for feeding the ego. hehe :-)
So:
Would y'all agree with my choices if I were to make the winter mods look something like this:
- new Coilovers
- LCA & a Proper alignment / setup
- Sway bars.
- Diet and Exercise. (!!)
- Tires
IF you DO agree, then here's the next points of discussion, as I see them:
Regarding Coilovers:
We mentioned Ohlins R&T, because I'm familiar with them. I know they're expensive. Is there somethung out there that will give me a better COST:BENEFIT ratio? Maybe provide 90% of what the Ohlins will do, for 50% of the cost? I know that sometimes that last 10% is the most expensive....
Regarding LCA's & Alignment / Setup:
Is it possible to setup the car for the track, mark it, then set it up for the street and mark it again, so that I don't have to live with a setup that sucks at both things? Something I can wrench back to street-settings before leaving the track, maybe? Or have y'all found a happy-medium that's competent and capable at both?
Regarding Sway Bars:
GT#? Tarrett? Talk to me, goose!(s)
Diet:
I'm serious! But also, weight-loss was mentioned as an alternative to adding HP. I know I can shed some lb's from the exhaust. Everywhere else I look, it seems to be 2 or 3 lbs, max. I know those add-up, but dropping 20lbs off my BUTT would be more effective, hahaha. What's another good weight-loss program for a still-street-car?
Tires:
Here's where I'm getting some conflicting opinions. Help me reach a consensus? I'm already running a set of wheels dedicated to track tires only. they are just a cheap / ugly set of twists, or whatever they're called. They are staggered, not square. I thought square was considered "the ticket", but now I'm hearing other opinions? What are the pros / cons here? what's the trade-off?
Thanks again to all of you. this is helpful.
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On the Ohlins R+T's. Call Performance Shock in Sonoma, ask for Beau. I know the price just went up - but they are around $2600 or so. Call. The other thing you need to consider is if you plan on moving on to a race series with the car later. If you are, you probably should only put parts on it that meet that requirement or can be upgraded. If you don't plan on racing - you have a lot more options. The option here would be to buy Bilsteins with Spec/Boxster springs. They aren't any cheaper than the Ohlins though - maybe a couple hundred. Beau can help walk you through the alternatives - they service and sell most of the top major race brands. If you aren't going the spend the money on Ohlins or Bilsteins, just keep your struts and puts some stiffer springs on it, don't waste money on cheap coilovers.
The same goes with the Elephant Racing LCA's - can't use em in Spec, but I can in my cars class. Either way - getting adjustable LCA's is pretty much necessary, even for a street car. Track alignment set ups are dependent on tire temps and pressures as well as well as wear. What I've found is about one-half degree less camber in the rear than the front. Always zero or toe out at the front and toe in at the rear.
I'd leave the sway bars stock for now. Then as you learn what the car is doing with the coilovers, you can see if you even need bars, a front and/or rear. You can plan with shock settings to vary stiffness at this point.
As with Tires - Spec Boxster has a specific tire and size. If you may go that route probably best to use those now. Otherwise NT01's are the alternative.
Lastly - if you start modifying the car to be like a spec boxster - you have a lot of data on track times etc. for that class, if that matters to you.