Best Mod

[Codshead]

Mine's an unmodified 1996 4.0. What's the most effective mod (or mods) I could do to improve the performance or handling (or both) with a budget of £1000? I'm thinking of shocks but
your comments will be appreciated, tks.

[oggs]

The best mod to get the best out of the car is driver training

[tvrbob]

Suspension, adjustable dampers and stiffer springs. These will be a complete let down though if you don't get your alignment set up too. I would follow that with bigger front brakes to shift the front/rear balance towards 85/15.

[Codshead]

Yes, I can understand that, and it's already on the list!!

oggs said:

The best mod to get the best out of the car is driver training

[neal1980]

Best mod I did was was megasquirt for about £600, the car seems to drive so much better, feels stronger seems to rev better. And the fuel saving alone will pay for itself eventually. And best of all no need to rechip £300?? everytime you make mods.

[CLN1]

I would say of all the stuff I've done the one must do is a full geometry set-up.

Colin.

[d.k.s]

sleeved exhaust gives you a big grin and if you want performance go for the act full decat manifolds
flames

[nia198]

Megasquirt?

[That Daddy]

nia198 said:

Megasquirt?

After market engine managment system(fuel injection/ignition control)in stead of the standard (dated)Lucas equipment.

[E1DJH]

oggs said:

The best mod to get the best out of the car is driver training

it was Ride-Drive for me.

And then some decent shocks

[neal1980]

Have to agree with above actually, although the megasquirt was a good mod only probably needed if you plan to keep and modify you car.

Sleeve the exhaust is the best one for me! then suspension setup. And with all that change put it aside for a new cam

[spend]

If by performance, you mean getting from A to B quicker on normal roads, then I think Bob is on the right lines. I'm not sure you need new shocks, but certainly a full geo, poly-bushes, stiffer springs & a set of R888's is prob what I would do if it was a kind of challenge to 'go faster for a grand'

Dave
ETAremature submission

Edited by spend on Saturday 15th December 17:00

[Codshead]

[quote=spend]If by performance, you mean getting from A to B quicker on normal roads, then I think Bob is on the right lines. I'm not sure you need new shocks, but certainly a full geo, poly-bushes, stiffer springs & a set of R888's is prob what I would do if it was a kind of challenge to 'go faster for a grand'

Dave
ETAremature submission

[

As I live in a maze of B roads and need to travel several miles before I get to a decent dual carriageway I am looking to make this part of my journey more comfortable.Also to generally improve the handling during faster driving, if all this is possible from one set of shocks.I have seen excellent reports on PH on Nitron conversions and how they transform the car and would go this route if it met the points mentioned.

Also,what is covered in a full geo?

Thanks to everybody for your advice so far?

[Zippee]

2 best mods I've done on mine - sleeved exhaust & Gaz shocks.

Edited by Zippee on Saturday 15th December 18:49

[Flintstone]

So we have two schools of thought here. The performance/handling one (suspension, engine mods etc) and the 'pose' (louder exhausts).

Anyone for under car neons?

[poorpeet]

Neons!? You want undercar LED's that can change colour in sequence these days!

[spend]

A set of Nitrons costs over a grand on its own!! I'm not sure any decent dampers are going to help if you have floppy bushes/joints etc - restricting play (harder/tighter with solid bushes, Rose Joints, wishbones.. if you want to goto extremes) in the chassis/steering/suspension is an essential first step. I would add however that Nitrons are well worth the cost IMHO, and I now consider it wasted money on AVO's which I had as an interim

I really think these cars work better with stiffer spring rates, and many are now beginning to adopt rates which a few years ago were thought extreme? Stiffer springs require less damping and by restricting travel of the wishbones can reduce 'flexing'.

A good geometry set up includes getting all 4 wheels pointing the right way (many cars are left crabbing BTW) as well as how much the wheels point in (toe) and lean (camber). There are std settings for geo - but many of us have derived our own personal preferences.

Tyres will still make the most noticeable difference to a 'functional' car above any mod IMHO, a rather unfashionable view in a world of RR queens I think

Dave

[Codshead]

spend said:

A set of Nitrons costs over a grand on its own!! I'm not sure any decent dampers are going to help if you have floppy bushes/joints etc - restricting play (harder/tighter with solid bushes, Rose Joints, wishbones.. if you want to goto extremes) in the chassis/steering/suspension is an essential first step. I would add however that Nitrons are well worth the cost IMHO, and I now consider it wasted money on AVO's which I had as an interim

I really think these cars work better with stiffer spring rates, and many are now beginning to adopt rates which a few years ago were thought extreme? Stiffer springs require less damping and by restricting travel of the wishbones can reduce 'flexing'.

A good geometry set up includes getting all 4 wheels pointing the right way (many cars are left crabbing BTW) as well as how much the wheels point in (toe) and lean (camber). There are std settings for geo - but many of us have derived our own personal preferences.

Tyres will still make the most noticeable difference to a 'functional' car above any mod IMHO, a rather unfashionable view in a world of RR queens I think

Dave

I'm reluctant to change the tyres, an almost new set of SO3's, so I'll probably make sure all the technical bits are spot on and check/replace the bushes and then see if it's made a difference before I go further.

[Flintstone]

poorpeet said:

Neons!? You want undercar LED's that can change colour in sequence these days!

My stereo can do that!!



Though I selected 'white' and there it stays.

[Bomber Denton]

Thousand pounds? Hmmm.

Avo coilover shocks. - £300
ACT Induction kit with K&N - £200
Cosworth front brake conversion with EBC grooved and dimpled 283mm discs. £250
Fresh brake fluid - £10
Goodridge braided brake lines - £40
Modified otter switch to enable the fans to kick in earlier. - £15
Rain X - £5
Remove pre-cats (not required for MOT) - £10 gaskets.
Poly wishbone bushes (Superflex black) - £80
Exhaust sleeving - £100

That leaves £10 for a full english!