T350 as a GT...
Discussion
I've just finished my first long journey in the T350 (Suffolk to Cardiff and back, with SatNav set to 'shortest route' to skip the boring motorways :-) ). Although I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, I couldn't help thinking that if I am going to do this more often, it would be nice to soften one or two of the sharper edges of the car... with a few tweaks I think the 350 could be a great GT car without sacrificing much of the performance and handling that we all enjoy so much.
Main concerns for doing long trips are:
- suspension is a bit harsh which is tiring after a while
- exhaust booms quite a bit between 2-2.5K rpm, which is a common engine speed when cruising
- seat could do with being a bit more comfortable...
The first could probably be sorted with a proper suspension setup and maybe shock upgrade to Nitrons/Ohlins or similar
The second I am not so sure about - does anybody know if any of the aftermarket exhausts are quieter at cruising speed?! - I know it's usually the opposite of this!!
The third - I'm going to try getting a thinner cushion made to see if that helps - but I guess going the Sparco or Recaro route is another option - anybody had any experience of this??
Now, before you guys all slate me for trying to use the car for something it was not designed for, long trips like this can be really good fun, and as far as I'm concerned, the more miles I can do in the 350 the better!! Also, I sometimes consider what a slightly more comfortable alternative might be - M3, 911 etc. - and frankly they leave me pretty cold, in fact I doubt I could even motivate myself to bother to take one for a test drive....
Any thoughts/advice gratefully received :-)
Cheers
Jerry
Main concerns for doing long trips are:
- suspension is a bit harsh which is tiring after a while
- exhaust booms quite a bit between 2-2.5K rpm, which is a common engine speed when cruising
- seat could do with being a bit more comfortable...
The first could probably be sorted with a proper suspension setup and maybe shock upgrade to Nitrons/Ohlins or similar
The second I am not so sure about - does anybody know if any of the aftermarket exhausts are quieter at cruising speed?! - I know it's usually the opposite of this!!
The third - I'm going to try getting a thinner cushion made to see if that helps - but I guess going the Sparco or Recaro route is another option - anybody had any experience of this??
Now, before you guys all slate me for trying to use the car for something it was not designed for, long trips like this can be really good fun, and as far as I'm concerned, the more miles I can do in the 350 the better!! Also, I sometimes consider what a slightly more comfortable alternative might be - M3, 911 etc. - and frankly they leave me pretty cold, in fact I doubt I could even motivate myself to bother to take one for a test drive....
Any thoughts/advice gratefully received :-)
Cheers
Jerry
J_S_G said:
One of the things I'm planning on doing is trimming the targa panels on mine. At the moment they're carbon fibre inside and out. The plan is to put a layer of foam-backed black lamonta on the insides of them to absorb some of the sound reflections.
Excellent idea - keep us posted!
Cheers
Jerry
Thinner cushion actually makes quite a difference. It makes the seat feel noticably more supportive particularly when cornering in a spirited manner. I originally got one for my Chimaera about 10 years ago primarily to make the seats feel more supportive on trackdays. I started off only having it in for trackdays and swapping back to the fatter one for the road. Before long I simply left it in permanently. I did the same when I got a Tuscan (I've still got the original at home if the current owner of a Y reg spiced olive Red Rose Tuscan with a Mulberry? interior wants it.) and with the T350 I never even had a fat one just specced it with the thin one.
The other thing to check in a T350 is how level the seat actually is as many of them cant inwards a fair amount, just stand in front of a few and look through the windscreen t osee the various angles.
The other thing to check in a T350 is how level the seat actually is as many of them cant inwards a fair amount, just stand in front of a few and look through the windscreen t osee the various angles.
shorts! said:
Thinner cushion actually makes quite a difference. It makes the seat feel noticably more supportive particularly when cornering in a spirited manner. I originally got one for my Chimaera about 10 years ago primarily to make the seats feel more supportive on trackdays. I started off only having it in for trackdays and swapping back to the fatter one for the road. Before long I simply left it in permanently. I did the same when I got a Tuscan (I've still got the original at home if the current owner of a Y reg spiced olive Red Rose Tuscan with a Mulberry? interior wants it.) and with the T350 I never even had a fat one just specced it with the thin one.
The other thing to check in a T350 is how level the seat actually is as many of them cant inwards a fair amount, just stand in front of a few and look through the windscreen t osee the various angles.
The other thing to check in a T350 is how level the seat actually is as many of them cant inwards a fair amount, just stand in front of a few and look through the windscreen t osee the various angles.
Where do you get the 'thin' cushions from? I've taken my fat ones out and just use the seats without - MUCH better I agree.
shorts! said:
The other thing to check in a T350 is how level the seat actually is as many of them cant inwards a fair amount, just stand in front of a few and look through the windscreen t osee the various angles.
Thanks for the feedback on the cushion, sounds like something that is definitely worth a try. I didn't realise that it was an option from the factory...
Re. the seats leaning in - I assumed they had to do this, as they rub against the roll cage covering as it is - is there some way of getting rid of the lean, without having to cut a bit of the seat away...? Mine definitely do lean in, and I think that is one of the main reasons the seat is not as comfortable as it could be...
Cheers
Jerry
I had the factory make a thinner drivers' cushion too - makes a big difference if you're tall.
Levelling the seats makes a big difference - you lose that feeling of propping yourself up on the central console. If you look under the seat you will seat that the factory put about 6 spacer washers in on the outside of the seat runners. I took the seats out and removed these (not easy since the runners were GRPed into the seat - had to cut a few things underneath). The seats are nearly level now (rest of cant must be the floor not being level). They are a tighter fit past the roll bar trim, but that gives and I rarely move my seat anyway.
Levelling the seats makes a big difference - you lose that feeling of propping yourself up on the central console. If you look under the seat you will seat that the factory put about 6 spacer washers in on the outside of the seat runners. I took the seats out and removed these (not easy since the runners were GRPed into the seat - had to cut a few things underneath). The seats are nearly level now (rest of cant must be the floor not being level). They are a tighter fit past the roll bar trim, but that gives and I rarely move my seat anyway.
targarama said:
I had the factory make a thinner drivers' cushion too - makes a big difference if you're tall.
Levelling the seats makes a big difference - you lose that feeling of propping yourself up on the central console. If you look under the seat you will seat that the factory put about 6 spacer washers in on the outside of the seat runners. I took the seats out and removed these (not easy since the runners were GRPed into the seat - had to cut a few things underneath). The seats are nearly level now (rest of cant must be the floor not being level). They are a tighter fit past the roll bar trim, but that gives and I rarely move my seat anyway.
Levelling the seats makes a big difference - you lose that feeling of propping yourself up on the central console. If you look under the seat you will seat that the factory put about 6 spacer washers in on the outside of the seat runners. I took the seats out and removed these (not easy since the runners were GRPed into the seat - had to cut a few things underneath). The seats are nearly level now (rest of cant must be the floor not being level). They are a tighter fit past the roll bar trim, but that gives and I rarely move my seat anyway.
thanks for that, i will be removing some of these spacers to try level it out a bit better.
im quite happy with the cusion as it is but on trackdays remove it as there aint enough support otherwise, i know the T350 style seats in the sag wrap round more and support a bit better which could help some more but only really necessary on track.
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