[plowy]

So..today was the first time on track for the Track rat at Cadwell Park, wasnt sure what to expect to be honest was just looking to enjoy the track time and hope the car came through in one peice.

gotta say it was terrific on track, the most pleasing thing was the brakes, consistant strong and not a hint of fade all day, god it like to drink fuel on track !!, full to light on in 89 miles...LOL!!!, tyres are a big issue that need sorting, i think a set of 888's will go along way to brining out the best in this little car, i shall be investing in some before the next outing in june.

As for the cut springs...the car handled very well and i aint gonna change a thing, just as i knew it would..

[Xmax]

I have tryed a bunch of diffrent tyres om my puma. I´ve come to the conclusion that 888s in 15" and 195 or 205 is the best in terms of tracktion and acceleration for a resonable price. Since your car is built for trackuse i think it´s going to be the best thing.

I say again, i reely like your cool car!

[plowy]

Not posted on here for along time and track rat has changed a bit...done a few track days and is now back to everyday transport as the M3 is in its winter bed, most changes have been cosmetic and tidying up, it still runs superb and is terrific fun on track...pictures will explain it all











even managed a little magazine feature along the way..


so after the summer fun ive had started to get a bit bored of the matt black and it was time for a quick make over..................

[volcomstone411]

looks tidy. Why not try and get some slicks. I think they would set you back a fair bit but they are on a par with r888.

I have to say i really liked hankooks dry tarmac rally tyre. I've found the medium compound to be best, stick like glue when they are warm, be very cautious on the outlap.

[volcomstone411]

i'd also look at getting some stiffer springs, there looks to be a little more roll in the car. My personal view if you were to get some coilovers is that you could fit stiffer springs and level the car out, the higher tail end makes the car a little oversteer'y imo. The puma is an awesome handling chassis.

With brakes also, as your doing track days, the small holes allow gas to flow out the disk so you don't get a microscopic film of gas ont he disk. Because i have to use solid disks, what i do is get 40 grit paper and flat the face of the disk so the gas can escape down the channels, it will only last about 20 laps, but really helps the brakes stay firm.

If you want to get some good coilovers we supply GAZ stuff from our workplace for decent prices. We could also sort you out some stiffer springs. I know for a fact that gaz supply springs that go coilbound for a puma for some reason...

[plowy]

volcomstone411, on 25 November 2010 - 03:06 PM, said:

looks tidy. Why not try and get some slicks. I think they would set you back a fair bit but they are on a par with r888.

I have to say i really liked hankooks dry tarmac rally tyre. I've found the medium compound to be best, stick like glue when they are warm, be very cautious on the outlap.

must say ive done all track days on normal road rubber as i find the progressive break away to be terrific fun and really controlable, i shyed away from the track day rubber for the liking of this character in the way the car behaves.....Rightly or wrongly i felt that sticky rubber may compromise this and yes ultimately the car would corner quicker with more grip but does it take away the progression and does the car snap oversteer ???...your feedback would be appreciated and a linky to where you get them..Thanks..

[volcomstone411]

no no, myth, infact he opposite, slick tyres allow progression even more so, you have about 15% in the car where you can slide or keep the car straight for quicker times.

If you think that a slick competition tyre when warmed up is far softer than any compound of road tyre it allows you to form a molecular bond with the tarmac better so you can full on slide sideways far more safely. They don't snap out of control. They do loose you time though. If you watch f1 cars and any other competition car on a track you'll see that round a bend they almost glide on four wheels round the bend. It's harder to drive on a road tyre because they are so hard in compound. I'd love to take you out in my car and demonstrate but your a bit far away. But it feels like your driving on a marsh mallow when they are warm.

Also competition tyres have a slightly higher profile and harder sidewalls, so you can mess with tyre pressures more and keep the sidewalls inflated, whereas road tyres just melt. Genereal rule is that if the tyres start to squell, they are too harder compound and over there grip level. Road tyres will always squell.

This is an intermediate. This will give you grip in the wet, but will melt very easily on a hot day.



but for dry track days then these are awesome tyres. You could get second hand ones if you want, i know a supplier that i coudl get some second hand ones for you that would be more than ideal



you can use these in the wet if you can keep them warm, which should be ok in your car cos it's not got a full cage and there is still a fair bit of roll. But id take standing water slowly.

[plowy]

Thats interesting stuff thanks. apart from the brake upgrade this is just a standar car, the whole ethos of this for me was to have cheap fun and have winter transport which it all is currently..its been fab fun on the track days ive done this year too..i fully appreciate the advantages to be had by fitting coilovers etc it maybe that next year i decide to invest more money into it to focus it more on the track days....more info adds more weight to it being the thing to do..

what do you mean by ''should be ok as your car dosent have a full cage ''??

This post has been edited by plowy: 25 November 2010 - 03:41 PM

[volcomstone411]

plowy, on 25 November 2010 - 03:40 PM, said:

Thats interesting stuff thanks. apart from the brake upgrade this is just a standar car, the whole ethos of this for me was to have cheap fun and have winter transport which it all is currently..its been fab fun on the track days ive done this year too..i fully appreciate the advantages to be had by fitting coilovers etc it maybe that next year i decide to invest more money into it to focus it more on the track days....more info adds more weight to it being the thing to do..

what do you mean by ''should be ok as your car dosent have a full cage ''??

a full cage that links all the struts especially the front struts stops all flex in the car, and it puts more stress on the wheels, so may need a harder compound to stop tyres being melted too fast. I think you have a good car there. There will be a point where you want more power. a 2l duratec in the front is the ideal motor, light, and powerful.

You would be better, using standard springs and dampers then, uncut. Cos they are designed to all work together. If you start fiddling with your car's ride height on the front you can get into all sorts of mess, and actually make the car worse.

[plowy]

volcomstone411, on 25 November 2010 - 04:02 PM, said:

a full cage that links all the struts especially the front struts stops all flex in the car, and it puts more stress on the wheels, so may need a harder compound to stop tyres being melted too fast. I think you have a good car there. There will be a point where you want more power. a 2l duratec in the front is the ideal motor, light, and powerful.

You would be better, using standard springs and dampers then, uncut. Cos they are designed to all work together. If you start fiddling with your car's ride height on the front you can get into all sorts of mess, and actually make the car worse.

get you on that with the cage....as for suspension..its all back to standard, all bushes and the drop links have been renewed in the summer too..

[volcomstone411]

yea nice one, car should work well then.