Will the Ultima ever stop surprising me?
Discussion
Hi guys,
Back from a little PH Ultima sebatical. Refreshed and ready to go. What's occuring?
I shot off to Frankfurt a week ago in a 328 GTS to have a gander at the show. Then on to Monaco to people watch at the Boat Show. Nice break.
Just come back from a day at Snetterton in the Ultima. Finally I took the plunge and hired Sean Edwards (a current FIA GT2 racer in a 997 RSR) to show me what bad habbits I've self taught and to tell me what to do about correcting them.
Well, I'm absolutely gobsmacked. In his hands, the Ultima performed like a different beast, I felt like I was in a video game being wooshed around the circuit. No coasting or gentle breaking, just full power, or full brakes, lap after lap. Trail braking and perfect lines....constant.
We were put out in Group 2 with the big boys. Trailered race cars on slicks, most of them. The car was about the same speed as a 997 Cup Car, which is a little dearer to say the least!
It's left me realising just how much I can learn still in the Ultima, and just how important it is to get shown this early in journey.
Ultimas ROCK!! Nice one Ted!!
Here's a few pics. Vid of all vids to follow next week.
Laters all.
Lucky
Back from a little PH Ultima sebatical. Refreshed and ready to go. What's occuring?
I shot off to Frankfurt a week ago in a 328 GTS to have a gander at the show. Then on to Monaco to people watch at the Boat Show. Nice break.
Just come back from a day at Snetterton in the Ultima. Finally I took the plunge and hired Sean Edwards (a current FIA GT2 racer in a 997 RSR) to show me what bad habbits I've self taught and to tell me what to do about correcting them.
Well, I'm absolutely gobsmacked. In his hands, the Ultima performed like a different beast, I felt like I was in a video game being wooshed around the circuit. No coasting or gentle breaking, just full power, or full brakes, lap after lap. Trail braking and perfect lines....constant.
We were put out in Group 2 with the big boys. Trailered race cars on slicks, most of them. The car was about the same speed as a 997 Cup Car, which is a little dearer to say the least!
It's left me realising just how much I can learn still in the Ultima, and just how important it is to get shown this early in journey.
Ultimas ROCK!! Nice one Ted!!
Here's a few pics. Vid of all vids to follow next week.
Laters all.
Lucky
Edited by LuckyP on Wednesday 3rd October 21:35
LuckyP said:
Steve_D said:
So he impressed you but did the Ult impress him?
Steve
I'll see if we can get hem to anwer that. I bought lunch so the least he can do is give us a pro racer's view on the car..............Steve
I'll just go and shout him up.
First time I have instructed in one and driven one and what a beast it is. Very, very quick on the straight and you can carry a lot of speed into the corners + really good brakes. There was a little bit too much high speed understeer from mid corner to exit and it lacked a little bit of traction on the exit of slow corners, but other then that, the setup felt good. Brake pedal is hard to get used too, as there is not much feel (similar to the RSR, but in a different way) and the gear box reminds me of my FFord days! Really enjoyed driving it though, a very cool experience.
And of course Lucky you did really well, a big improvement from the morning (not hard, wont go into details haha
) and you were getting most of the corners right by the end of the day! Shame we could not do the last session, as I think you would have pieced the whole lap together…I think a day on the Silverstone GP track would do you a lot of good, as there is a serious amount you can learn from me there.
Looking forward to teaching Lou in less then a month, I think she will really enjoy it (I am sure you will do a few laps as well, to get that complete lap!).
What a great thread! Thanks for the pics, now I have a whole new set of desktop pics to gaze at. What a nice report from Sean too.
Would you guys comment on the body roll in the first picture. It seems excessive to me, but I'm no expert. Without a roll bar, the roll doesn't surprise me. I wonder if Sean feels that would help the areas he commented on.
Would you guys comment on the body roll in the first picture. It seems excessive to me, but I'm no expert. Without a roll bar, the roll doesn't surprise me. I wonder if Sean feels that would help the areas he commented on.
"There was a little bit too much high speed understeer from mid corner to exit"
To combat this I had the vents behind the front wheels put in, reduces air pressure build up at the front and helps with brake cooling. (And the icing on the cake - Ted said it would give me 5mph more down the Hanger Straight :-))
To combat this I had the vents behind the front wheels put in, reduces air pressure build up at the front and helps with brake cooling. (And the icing on the cake - Ted said it would give me 5mph more down the Hanger Straight :-))
San Diego GTR said:
What a great thread! Thanks for the pics, now I have a whole new set of desktop pics to gaze at. What a nice report from Sean too.
Would you guys comment on the body roll in the first picture. It seems excessive to me, but I'm no expert. Without a roll bar, the roll doesn't surprise me. I wonder if Sean feels that would help the areas he commented on.
Yes the body roll is quite a lot and I did ask Lucky if it hand anti roll bars, but he said no. Any reason why the Ultima does not have them? It might help stiffening up the suspension a bit, but would then affect the car in other areas.Would you guys comment on the body roll in the first picture. It seems excessive to me, but I'm no expert. Without a roll bar, the roll doesn't surprise me. I wonder if Sean feels that would help the areas he commented on.
mogg said:
"There was a little bit too much high speed understeer from mid corner to exit"
To combat this I had the vents behind the front wheels put in, reduces air pressure build up at the front and helps with brake cooling. (And the icing on the cake - Ted said it would give me 5mph more down the Hanger Straight :-))
Nice, maybe Lucky can try this?To combat this I had the vents behind the front wheels put in, reduces air pressure build up at the front and helps with brake cooling. (And the icing on the cake - Ted said it would give me 5mph more down the Hanger Straight :-))
The vents at the front and front splitter will all help. Problem is I don't think Ultima will sell the vents anymore due to issues with the SVA. However, if the car is defined as track only they may well be able to help. Still working on the front splitter in carbon but a recent purchase has depleted the funds!
You certainly are living life to the full Pete 
I must say, it's a testament to the car (and your build quality) that it's able to stand the punishment a pro throws at it, with the exception of the occasional engine, of course....but the rest of the car, brakes, suspension etc are all holding out perfectly.
Nice one!
I must say, it's a testament to the car (and your build quality) that it's able to stand the punishment a pro throws at it, with the exception of the occasional engine, of course....but the rest of the car, brakes, suspension etc are all holding out perfectly.
Nice one!
kylemrushall said:
What do these vents look like??
You know the recess in the side pod just behind the front wheel.The recess is punched through to the back of the wheel (in a nice GF moulded sort of way you understand). Net result is that some of the air trapped in the wheel arch gets released which would otherwise have been lifting the front of the car.
Guy is saying that the splitter will do more as it not only improves the air flow over the front it also extends back to almost touch the front of the wheels and thereby reduces the amount of air being trapped in the wheel arch.
Steve
gtr-gaz said:
You certainly are living life to the full Pete
I must say, it's a testament to the car (and your build quality) that it's able to stand the punishment a pro throws at it, with the exception of the occasional engine, of course....but the rest of the car, brakes, suspension etc are all holding out perfectly.
Nice one!
Ta Gary,I must say, it's a testament to the car (and your build quality) that it's able to stand the punishment a pro throws at it, with the exception of the occasional engine, of course....but the rest of the car, brakes, suspension etc are all holding out perfectly.
Nice one!
I don't know if I was more nervous at being driven round at speed or at having my toy treated like it had a full team in support to put it back together before the next 'race'.
I fairness to Sean, he had the car on the limit the whole way round one of his '80%' effort laps, but rarely passed it. I tend to wobble between too slow and too fast meaning a lot of sideways action, noise and stress on the car.
At one stage, the corner before the straight, I was heard to say
'you hear that constant buzzing sound?'
'that's the tyre on the wheel arch, that is!'
It didn't make that noise for me.....thank God!
Just timed our videoed laps.
LuckyP 1.21
Sean Edwards 1.15
That's pretty much the length of the start finish straight!!
Hmmmm
Edited by LuckyP on Thursday 4th October 21:16
LuckyP said:
gtr-gaz said:
You certainly are living life to the full Pete
I must say, it's a testament to the car (and your build quality) that it's able to stand the punishment a pro throws at it, with the exception of the occasional engine, of course....but the rest of the car, brakes, suspension etc are all holding out perfectly.
Nice one!
Ta Gary,I must say, it's a testament to the car (and your build quality) that it's able to stand the punishment a pro throws at it, with the exception of the occasional engine, of course....but the rest of the car, brakes, suspension etc are all holding out perfectly.
Nice one!
I don't know if I was more nervous at being driven round at speed or at having my toy treated like it had a full team in support to put it back together before the next 'race'.
I fairness to Sean, he had the car on the limit the whole way round one of his '80%' effort laps, but rarely passed it. I tend to wobble between too slow and too fast meaning a lot of sideways action, noise and stress on the car.
At one stage, the corner before the straight, I was heard to say
'you hear that constant buzzing sound?'
'that's the tyre on the wheel arch, that is!'
It didn't make that noise for me.....thank God!
Just timed our videoed laps.
LuckyP 1.21
Sean Edwards 1.15
That's pretty much the length of the start finish straight!!
Hmmmm
Edited by LuckyP on Thursday 4th October 21:16
You are right Lucky, you will find that good racing drivers treat cars better then normal drivers, especially in GT racing where we need to last 24 hours sometimes! I was easy on the clutch and gear changes, did not slide it around to wear the tyres out and did not brake hugely hard, so as not to over heat the brakes See, I said around 5 seconds didn't I? That is a very respectable gap for our first day Lucky, some of my guys wont get within 10 seconds on their first day. I can normally get someone down to about 2/3 seconds over a few days and then it starts to get harder.
1.15, pretty good for a track day and yes I only push about 85-90% with customers cars, as I do not want to rag the car or put any risk on them of course. I have done a 1.09 in a Porsche 997 cup car there, so the Ultima is very fast! Porsche being a full race car on fully slick tyres.
Nice car to instruct in and drive, look forward to instructing more people in them at a future date (well Lou next month, Women always listen and take in more then men, which is good for instructing).
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