Slicks.......

Author
Discussion

Melv

Original Poster:

4,708 posts

266 months

Tuesday 8th July 2003
quotequote all
First, the bad news, poss big end failure -engine rebuild time....

And the good news? I HAD to share this -drove the Cup Car at Combe on Pirelli slicks last week for the first time and oh wow! Should have done this a long, long time ago. Instead of hanging in and waiting for one end or the other to go, I could steer the car around the corner and feel the slicks ripping in to the tarmac as the car went over the Combe bumps. Braking went from yards from the turn in to the turn in -bang the brakes, turn and go. This has been a revelation!

Pirelli were spot on with recomended tyre pressures (1.75/1.65 bar cold, 2.2bar hot)

Big grin -now I'm just waiting for the rebuild estimate......

Melv

jeremyc

23,512 posts

285 months

Tuesday 8th July 2003
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Melv - good to hear of your experiences, but are you sure that the use of slicks didn't have an impact on the engine?

Everyone should be aware that the higher cornering and braking forces that slicks enable put much greater strain on both the suspension and chassis as well as the engine lubrication system.

Melv

Original Poster:

4,708 posts

266 months

Tuesday 8th July 2003
quotequote all
Who knows? The car was built to run slicks......

Melv

iguana

7,044 posts

261 months

Wednesday 9th July 2003
quotequote all
JC very fair point, but the lube issue shouldnt really be the case given a 911's dry sumped engine.

Trust my luck to turn up just as Melv was pulling out for the last session before it all got a bit noisy in the engine dept & thus not get to have a ride still when she is sorted I've just got to feel the grip of the slicks Melv

Melv

Original Poster:

4,708 posts

266 months

Wednesday 9th July 2003
quotequote all
[quote=iguana]JC very fair point, but the lube issue shouldnt really be the case given a 911's dry sumped engine. quote]

My thoughts too -will keep u posted. Engine out and split this week.

Melv

oldtimer

300 posts

257 months

Thursday 10th July 2003
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Hi Melv....when u say Pirelli slicks I assume u mean P Zero Corsas ? Or are we talking trailer to track ?

Melv

Original Poster:

4,708 posts

266 months

Thursday 10th July 2003
quotequote all
oldtimer said:
Or are we talking trailer to track ?


In one, slicks........no tread, no grooves a la F1, smooth as a babies bottom (until I melted the rubber!!!)

Mind you, have you ever SEEN a babies bottom? Not very smooth at all.......

Melv
Father-of-two.....

tony.t

927 posts

257 months

Thursday 10th July 2003
quotequote all
I have considered slicks as a cheaper alternative to the MSPC but it appears that they require a diffrent wheel alignment/geometry to get the best out of them which would not be suitable for road tyres making swapping between slicks and road tyres impractical for me.
Melv - did you alter your alignment to run slicks ( or was the cupcar set up OK anyway) ?

shpub

8,507 posts

273 months

Thursday 10th July 2003
quotequote all
tony.t said:
I have considered slicks as a cheaper alternative to the MSPC but it appears that they require a diffrent wheel alignment/geometry to get the best out of them which would not be suitable for road tyres making swapping between slicks and road tyres impractical for me.
Melv - did you alter your alignment to run slicks ( or was the cupcar set up OK anyway) ?


Just moved sprint class to run slicks and yes the suspension work was back to square one with different springs, geometry etc. Even had to move some suspension points. I drive the car to events on road tyres (slicks and wets on a small trailer) and the road behaviour is still pretty good running the road tyres on essentially a slick set up.

Car's a TVR Wedge with a 400 bhp V8 in it BTW

Melv

Original Poster:

4,708 posts

266 months

Thursday 10th July 2003
quotequote all
tony.t said:

Melv - did you alter your alignment to run slicks ( or was the cupcar set up OK anyway) ?


Long debate about this until some slick running pals just said 'go for it!'. I'm glad I did, it was like a different car. Felt absolutely bl**dy fantastic -the ability to change one's line mid corner without risking losing traction was quite novel!! My neck was aching with the G's by lunchtime until I remembered Jackie Stewart's words about leaning one's head into the corner, after that, no probs!! Was nudging 240kph upto Avon Rise/Quarry -oh wow!! Have no intention of changing the set up at the moment.

The car is set up to basic RS spec running almost -2 camber front and rear, bearing in mind I was running road tyres and driving (occassionally) on the road.

When I bought it, it was running -3 front, -4 rear!! But I assume that this was not changed from when it last raced in '99.

Melv