All the cool kids are doing it..., Low budget progress thread (Slow Race prep.) |
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All the cool kids are doing it..., Low budget progress thread (Slow Race prep.) |
BMXerror |
Sep 17 2007, 09:42 PM
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#1
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,705 Joined: 8-April 06 From: Hesperia Ca Member No.: 5,842 |
Well, with all the work that I'm doing to my car lately, I might as well start my own progress thread.
Backstory I bought 4702912742 from my pops about a year and a half ago for $600 dollars, but it wasn't a steal. It had been sitting for about five years and needed a lot of work. He A couple years later he had been looking for a teener for a little while and picked this one up cheap at a dealership in Pomona Ca. He drove it for a while, but it had tons of problems, and soon he decided to sell it. However, the person who test drove it blew first gear, and out to the back yard it was sent. Fast forward five years to when I was financially ready to get a car to start racing. Long story short, after deciding that I wanted the 914 instead of an older Miata, I told him I was interested. He said that if I bought him a set of mufflers for his bike, we'd call it even. After that I spent about another 4K just getting it drivable. I replace all four rotors, rebuilt all four calipers, replace the brake lines with braided steel, replaced the hard lines that I broke, replaced the master cylinder, resealed the motor (after my socket and extension locked the motor up), bought two trannies for it (the first one was no good), put a new clutch and pilot bearing in it, put new rubber on the ground (Khumos), fixed and lubed all kinds of latches and hinges to be able to get into all the various compartments, replaced most of the vacuum lines and fuel lines.... the list goes on. These were all just stock replacements to get it running well. I further had to fight with the injection system for a few months until I figured out that I had it hooked up wrong. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Of course, this is the very abbreviated version of the story. As anyone with one of these things knows, the words it takes to describe what parts you changed don't even come close to showing the blood, sweat, and yes, sometimes tears that you put into your work. But anyways, it is running decent now (the motor is still a little tired) so it's time to do some improvements. After all, racing is what I bought the thing for. So I'll try to bring anyone who cares up to date on some of the things I've been working on. Mark D. |
BMXerror |
Mar 29 2009, 10:28 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,705 Joined: 8-April 06 From: Hesperia Ca Member No.: 5,842 |
Well, no pictures on this post because it's nothing really creative. More of an 'open your wallet real wide and bolt the dollars to your car' kinda things. I got my Koni yellows for the rear, and was finally able to mount my coilover kit that I bought last JULY!
Previously I had KYB rears that were on the car when I got it, and they were rather worn out. Also, I think they were close to stock ride height, because the car was kinda 'stinkbug' before. If you were driving on a strait road and gave the wheel a wiggle, it would wag it's tail at you for a little bit after you straitened the wheel out. It took time for it to settle out. I'm pretty sure this was mostly a high roll center problem. When I added the front swaybar, it drastically improved the overall handling of the car by eliminating body roll, but it made the thing very tail happy even with the sways at their softest setting. I figured this would be the case, as I built the swaybar with the rear coilovers and 200 lb springs in mind. I just couldn't afford to do both at once. So anyways, my tax return came just in time for Paragon Products to have a 15% off sale on all Koni products ('till July, if anybody is interested). It was a match made in heaven! So I ordered those, as well as a pistol type pyrometer last week, and left work early to mount the shocks on Friday. I lowered the rear by 5/8" from where it was before, giving me about 5-3/8" at the rear doughnuts. Lowering the roll center did a LOT! It actually sits like a Porsche now, instead of a mid '60s hot rod! I set the shocks right in the middle of their dampening adjustment as a place to work from, but it really ended up being about perfect! I also stiffened my swaybar a full two inches on the arm to balance it out. I was acting as pit crew for an overheating Lister at the speedway yesterday, so I didn't get to really test the 914 till today, and BOY what a difference. The front end is right where you point it, and the back end stays in the back! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I brought out my new temp gun and sorted out tire pressures in a way I've never done before. I found a tad bit of understeer in the canyons which was easily alleviated with a 1/4" swaybar adjustment on the side of the road, and now it seems just right. Of course, I won't know for sure until I can really cut loose on an autocross course, but I think today's little shakedown session got me pretty close to dialed in! I'm very happy that the front and rear projects came together as well as they did. This was something I planned about a year and a half ago, and the results are awesome! Incidentally, you get really funny looks from people when you stop at a turn out and break out the pyrometer, a pressure gauge and a clipboard and do a full write-up on the side of the road! haha... And the cop didn't even want to ask what I was doing! I wish I had a picture of the look on her face when she walked up to my window and saw the aluminum dash, no passenger seat, and me tightening my 5-points! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) Priceless! I'm gettin' close to ready for May 3rd! Have a (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) ! Mark D. |
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