WoooHooo Delta Vee Shocks

Nice! Looks like Hyperco coils and good stop bumper. What are the pieces in the ?saran wrap?. Looks like extra adjusters but just wondering if you went with Hyperco hydraulic spring perches? Also, what rating are those springs front and rear? Just curious as i am switching springs to Hyperco 400 lbs front and 350 lbs rear. Thanks!

 

Quite observant, my dear Watson.

The OE bump rubber on all 348 is the ‘real deal’ cellasto. Ferrari in their wisdom of cost savings switched to plain old rubber for F355.

Yes, Hyperco springs, but you’ll have to buy a system from me to find out rates (hehe). The Hyperco/ICP lower perch is a good piece, though one can use a simple bearing too; but this is fine tuning for a system with spherical bearings everywhere. Basically it’s diminishing returns:
1. Tires
2. Alignment
3. Spring
4. Damper
5. ARB
6. Bushing
Roughly in that order of magnatude.

Parts in wrap are old lower spring perches.

Best,
Rob

 

Oops, sorry, did not mean to interfere as i felt this was a nice project, not a business thing you were posting.

(Said in good humor) Oh, so NOW YOU GUYS tell me about this!?!? Where were you over two years ago when i decided to turn a mere Euro spec 308 into a track rat? Why, oh G-d why did not warm me about the costs? And worse, why is there pretty much NOTHING really 'cheap off the shelf' we can do? And how about the brakes and because we want the better Brembo fronts that means the pedal goes too deep, the bias gets wack until you play with front/rear pads... and then there is that pesky stock brake MC system that needs to be trashed for something better...


Sorry for the sorta humorous but truth rant. You see, am awaiting the next bill from the mechanics for this round of tweaks...
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Excellent question. You're having the 'wake-up-call' all racers go through as they discover the cost of engineering components/systems.

Countless hours and millions$$ go into an engineered sytem like a car. Begin modifying beyond OE specifications and now you are the engineer. For example, I had a small involvement with the launch of VW's Touareg. An engineer said VW's investment in that platform was over $2billion USD, so that's why it's shared with Porsche and Audi; for return on investment.

The joke in the shop back when I was preping Trans-Am cars (a "Mustang" and "Camaro") was the cheap stuff was always touted to be "universal fit" (and cost $40) which means it fits nothing until you rub on it for about 40 hours, at which point it now costs $4,000.00.

I had a client switch from Ferrari F355 to GT1/Trans-Am partly out of need for more speed, but partly out of thoughts it will cost less as it was a "Chevy, with Chevy cost parts". Not true due to increased time to maintain and the cars are not mass produced with large spares inventories that one can just pick the part at the time it's needed and fit perfectly. Running the F355 was less expensive bottom line.

Best,
Rob

 

An old friend of the family, a charter member of SCCA along with my father, once advised me that there are sports cars and there are race cars and to never mix the two. I, of course, did not take his advise, but have come to acknowledge the wisdom and truth of his words....

 

Amen.

He is a very wide man indeed. Imagine, for the cost of various upgrades to a 308 you could buy a COMPLETE used Formula Atlantic car and race in SCCA...

 

Amen.

(Said in good humor) Polishing??? Is that some type of newfangled thing from Poland? All those black lines on the car from clag look good to me and they offer a barrier of protection for the paint residing underneath it

 

Most people polish their Ferraris. So having a trackrat my $/mile are probably less and the Smiles/mile are probably more. The Delta Vee set-up is awesome. It made a huge difference for me. My oem set-up was dead so a stick and a rubber bnad would have helpped but I really think Rob's set-up is very good. One day I'll get Rob some data so I can get to the next level since I totally screwed up his engineering by my own added engineering. Becareful how far you go otherwise you be looking for trailers next.

 

Not sure if this was directed to me... but am already look at trailers. problem is, the truck is a 2005 Ford Ranger and can tow only 5,700 lbs. Would prefer an enclosed unit, yet they seem to be around 2,750 lbs. Need to find something around 1,500 lbs with built-in brakes so open trailer it may be. You guys probably have $$$ for dedicated track cars, the lowly 308 here is a track plus daily driver. That means i'd love a proper roll cage and to remove a few more things off the car, but that is not DOT legal

 

When you are ready for the open trailer let me know and I'll tell you what direction you will ultimately go with the open unit. Do you have storage or a 3 car garage? Can you weld? You are going to need a tire rack for extras. No you say? First time you cord a tire and can't play you will say never again and be at the welding shop! It never ends! My advice is don't start. But if you have to buy a better truck that has tow package and auto load leveling and tow what you want. You can get an aluminium trailer that is very light.

 

Amen. i am travelling down the slippery slope... fast!

Too late

From ??? All i know is Trailex and their price seems INSANE HIGH!!!

 

That is just the price of entry my friend. My advice is to stop sell everything fast and get out. The longer you stay in the worse it gets. I'm in the process of pulling Plugzit (348TS) back onto the track. He resisted well but then bought a helmet just incase he needs one on short notice. Guess what...he is at the track today. He done...just like smoking crack...your hooked.

 

Hmmm, speaking only for myself as a guy who is over 17 years clean and sober... perhaps THIS now explains it all. Wish i could sell it all and move on, but it is too late, i'm hooked. That first 'taste' from 3-days at Skip Barber school (B-day present from my lovely wife) and two days thereafter during an FCA event at Lime Rock last year hooked me good.

Color me a lost cause.
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Agreed, and also would like to bring tools, r-compound and rain tires, etc. So trailer makes sense.

Thank you. Took about 18 months of slight modding, changing ALL oil and gal lines, major fine-tooth comb servicing, etc until she was where i felt she was 'good to go' for the track. Now we are fine-tuning her as i have seat time and a feel for what could be improved (which as you probably know never stops, development is forever... as are the dollar costs).

 

Re:trailers. I don't think there is much of a weight penalty going to an enclosed over an open trailer. Most of the open trailers are made extremely heavy, yet when I have compared weights the enclosed dont seem much heavier. I think they use the walls to carry some of the load. The enclosed is probably more aero than an open trailer with a car, and your stuffs out of prying eyes. But the single biggest reason I am going to get an enclosed is simply for weather protection. I brought my car home on the open trailer and ran into severe weather. I missed going through hail several times.