Well initial thoughts of the new set up are very promising.
I thought the old set up was okay and could be worked with to get a good fast blast around the back roads. The limit was quite easily found without ending up at silly speeds etc.
Now with the new set up it feels like a different ball game, corners are dispached 'a good bit' quicker than before with relative ease. The ride is a bit 'worse' because the chassis and subframes are stiffer therefore the shocks have to do more work. These shocks have done 92,000 miles so pretty much on there last legs anyway. I have got a set of 44,000 miles LCR OEM shocks and springs to fit when I get them paid for and shipping sorted out.
I will be buying coilovers and getting the car corner weighted, but for my first few times on the track I want to run the OEM shocks and springs. I have alot to learn on the track about me and the car. I doubt the suspension will be the limiting factor for my first year of track days, its more likely to be my driving.
I will get at least two tuition days under my belt before getting too seriously into track days but the aim is to get down to the Nurburgring probably 2010. At this stage i hope to have another family car, this will allow the LCR to be even more track focussed with hopefully a roll cage, adjustable top mounts and interior stripped out and perhaps an LSD
I still have a knock just now so the outer CV joints will be changed, the inner boots will be changed, the rear top mounts, the ball joints and rear axle bushes. I hope this will cure my outstanding issues with the car and allow me to focus more on the mods.
I had always wanted to freshen up the bushes throughout the car before getting coilovers as I couldn't see the point on fitting very expensive suspension on old bushes.
The brakes I have been trying to bed in but due to me having my winter tyres on there wasn't enough grip and the wheels were just locking up. I have had my summer tyres fitted today so hopefully tomorrow I will get these discs and pads fully bedded in and find the limits of this new braking system.
The initial reaction to these is very very good, have to look in the mirror to make sure these no one too close before braking hard.
Also i got the OEM LCR 323mm Brembo discs weighed, these are 9.2 Kgs, the old worn EBC Ultimax 323mm that I took off were 8.6Kgs and the new 2 piece 330mm discs bolted up to the bells are 6.1 Kgs. This might not sound like alot of weight saving but 3Kgs a side, plus a lighter fly wheel and eventually lighter alloys will all
help on the track with acceleration, handling and braking. This is obviously unsprung weight.
More reactions to follow
give us a shout if you go the ring in 2010 though, it's one of my ambitions and may tag along if the timings right!
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