Mods needed for taking a Chimaera 500 on track?

[JonRB]

I've pretty much taken the Corrado as far as I want to go with regards to track day mods - adjustable coilover suspension, brake upgrade, engine mods, oil cooler, cut slicks, removable harnesses, etc. and I quite fancy taking my Chimaera out on track one in a while.

What sort of mods (if any) would be advisable on track? Will an oil cooler be a good idea? And/or replacing the oil pressure gauge with a combined oil pressure and oil temperature gauge?
Does the rad need uprating? My Chimaera is pretty good with regards to overheating these days (I've had problems in the past) due to a lower temperature otter switch and thermostat, but I am concerned with it overheating on track.

My gut feeling is that, although my Chimaera has been very reliable on road, I might be asking for trouble taking it on track "as is".

[M3ax]

I wouldn't take any of the mods to the track. They have enough on their hands montitoring the forum.

Sorry - Its been a long day

[JonRB]

M3ax said:

I wouldn't take any of the mods to the track. They have enough on their hands montitoring the forum.

[Vixpy1]

Try it, and whatever breaks, falls off, does'nt work.. replace it for the next time

[JonRB]

Vixpy1 said:

Try it, and whatever breaks, falls off, does'nt work.. replace it for the next time

That is so "you", Charlie.

However, I prefer to be a bit pro-active and also not exit events on a low loader in full view of everyone. Have you lived that down yet?

Edited by JonRB on Friday 21st September 17:16

[Vixpy1]

'Data' is the best thing to have on track, so proper oil temp, pressure and water temp gauges would be helpfull, ie ones that actually give a true reading, not just base their reading on some mythical Blackpool measurement.

[Zumbruk]

Vixpy1 said:

'Data' is the best thing to have on track, so proper oil temp, pressure and water temp gauges would be helpfull, ie ones that actually give a true reading, not just base their reading on some mythical Blackpool measurement.

I'd go along with that. Especially after glancing down at 145mph at Bruntingthorpe to see that my oil pressure gauge read "0". Nil. Nada. Rien.

Thankfully, it lied.

[Don]

Jon. I reckon you should be able to run your car on track with no modifications.

Just don't stay out for half an hour at a time!

As you know I drive a Chim and, to be honest, it really isn't a track machine. Your Corrado will do you better service in that regard. I know you'll want to take it out for the sheer hell of it but it really isn't what it's for.

If I was going going to track our Chimaera I'd be looking at a fairly substantial brakes upgrade. Whilst the brakes are good I am suspicious about how long they'll stay that way with track punishment. Like as not you'll cook them and experience fade...unless you keep your sessions short.

You'll also need to consider track day silencers. Most Chims are simply too loud for circuit regs these days.

If you were going to track the Chim regularly and actually start trying hard I'd want some roll-over protection fitted too. That windscreen isn't going to do a thing...in later Tivvers its part of the chassis but not in Chims.

Anyway - for a day blasting about and having fun I'd say don't bother with any of the above. But if you're going to start trying? Fit the rollover protection. Seriously.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Pump the tyres up a bit and remove mirrors, should about do it methinks

[JonRB]

Don said:

Just don't stay out for half an hour at a time!

You've got to admit though, both the Corrado and I took that in our stride again and again. I did shag my tyres a bit though and 140degC was a little hot on the oil temperature.

Have cured the former with R888 cut slicks and the latter with an oil cooler. Roll on Silverstone GP in 6 days time.

[Andy JB]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Pump the tyres up a bit and remove mirrors, should about do it methinks

Remove mirrors - is this a joke or an aerodynamic efficiency?

FWIW the Chim isn't too bad on track, although anything can be uprated specifically shocks, springs, brakes, cooling - i drove a Corrado storm on track several times and it wasn't the best tool but again could easily be improved.

[900T-R]

Yep, can stay out for whole 40-45 mins sessions in the bonkers Saab mid-summer without any problems too (and metal wings, doors etc. are so much cheaper than fibreglass ). Will probably take the Tivver out some time, but will be a lot less 'committed' on the track - the engine that's being built for it will take all in its stride and then some - it's the rest of the car I'm not so sure about; apart from that I'm setting it up to be a bit safer and more predictable in the wet which would surely work against me when searching for the last few tenths...

Personally, brakes and roll over protection would be first on my list.

[Andy JB]

900T-R said:

Personally, brakes and roll over protection would be first on my list.

The rollover is subjective, I had iton my last sports car & if you use it on road i came to the firm conclusion a roll bar (not cage) is more of a liability than a benefit - think chances of rear shunt versus rollover ! hence i avoided this route on the TIV.

BTW love the 900 - I enjoyed mine for 4 years classic 900, not any track days though but took it to most countries in Europe - fab tourer - much missed

[900T-R]

Andy JB said:

The rollover is subjective, I had iton my last sports car & if you use it on road i came to the firm conclusion a roll bar (not cage) is more of a liability than a benefit - think chances of rear shunt versus rollover ! hence i avoided this route on the TIV.

Hmm, food for thought there, thanks. I don't suppose anyone can engineer (and validate) a sodding big rollover tube going from the outriggers (if they're still solid ) through the windscreen surround and back?

[JonRB]

The Rollcentre bar designed by Martin Short has been specifically designed with this danger in mind. It's narrower than the usual bar so that the headrests protect you from the verical part of the bar and the horizontal part is well back from your head.

[spend]

If someone managed to rear end me hard enough to go through the boot & start deforming the main chassis rails (@3ft of bodywork to ends of chassis) to start the roll bar moving (@18" in from end of chassis) - I think the rollbar hitting my head would be a minor worry whilst GKNs finest was about to penetrate me

Dave

[Zumbruk]

Don said:

If I was going going to track our Chimaera I'd be looking at a fairly substantial brakes upgrade.

Agreed. Four laps of Bedford and my brakes were more ornament than use. The Wilwood 300mm conversion appears to have sorted that - no sign of fade on the Brands Hatch track evening a few weeks ago.

Don said:

You'll also need to consider track day silencers. Most Chims are simply too loud for circuit regs these days.

Disagree. Mine's never failed a noise check in four years of track days and sprinting. It usually comes in about 98dB (apaprt from one bonkers reading of 102dB at North Weald.)

Don said:

If you were going to track the Chim regularly and actually start trying hard I'd want some roll-over protection fitted too.

Again, agreed. I have the Rollcenter bar, with extra padding, which you can see here, from Prescott last weekend (the white bits are scrutineering stickers);

[900T-R]

spend said:

If someone managed to rear end me hard enough to go through the boot & start deforming the main chassis rails (@3ft of bodywork to ends of chassis) to start the roll bar moving (@18" in from end of chassis) - I think the rollbar hitting my head would be a minor worry whilst GKNs finest was about to penetrate me

Dave

I think the problem would not be the rollbar moving forward - which would indeed take a fairly monumental rear end impact in which case I'd be more concerned about the fuel tank - but your head flopping around... Indeed, if the upright part of the bar is right behind the headrest rather than next to it, I'd assume that you'd be alright in that respect...

[trackcar]

Don said:

Jon.

If I was going going to track our Chimaera I'd be looking at a fairly substantial brakes upgrade. Whilst the brakes are good I am suspicious about how long they'll stay that way with track punishment. Like as not you'll cook them and experience fade...unless you keep your sessions short.

You might struggle on the early 240mm front disc .. but on the later 260mm discs if you have fade you've got a fault that needs curing .. the brakes are good enough for track use .. just have good quality pads in there (i use mintex 1144) and a good high grade brake fluid and change it regularly say every 4th track day.

I run a V8S which is effectively for this comparison like a low geared chimaera 4 litre .. on Dunlop Formula R tyres so I can generate a bit of grip for braking ..

I have the std solid rear discs and the 260mm front discs ..

At the recent brands evening track event I was out for 1 hour and 5 mins solid (the track reopened after a griff has knocked itself out on the barriers, it was only a 2 hour track evening and we'd already lost half an our to the griff incident, so i stayed out until the flag after that) .. no fade at all. So if you have brake probs, investigate the problem

[900T-R]

How easy/difficult is the 260 mm set up to retrofit to a '93 Chim 4.3? Pad footprint different or the same between the 260 and 240? Ta.