Good Luck to the Z Racers at the Solo Nationals!

[John Coffey]

Wrong impression. We have a full model of the BMW E36 suspension in Mitchell and I'm in the process of building a full model of the S30 suspension using the same software.

[JTZ23]

OK John, Tom Holt and I will have to pick your brain this year. I held my own on power but was out classsed on handling, and Toby drove great. The Boxter will be very very fast next year in the hands of Eric S. Stock motor on the handling course and he put the hurt on Toby and I. I am running only 2 degrees of caster so I am thinking maybe just simply looking at this with shocks but also thinking double a arm front. Also, the temp was really hot this year and maybe the bias ply were not the ticket. Toby, Eric and Tom seem to think it wasn't. Hoosier told me not to jump from the bias tire yet as they made changes to the tire (soften side wall construction) and they seem to think the tire will be better. My initial thought is softer sidwall does not mean faster lap times. SO, clean sheet of paper................

[jmark]

Is JT not running this year?

[conedodger]

This might make a difference if we could get someone to make them for the Z. I have a set of these on my Porsche 914. They come from a company called Elephant Bushings in the San Jose area... There is absolutely no stiction in my suspension. With the shock detached, you can literally lift the control arms with two fingers through their full travel. Pair this with some externally valved shocks and you would have a very 'live' suspension. In the 914, I have 200# rear coilovers paired with the stock front torsion bars. I use a very big adjustable swaybar in the front and a stock bar in the rear. Many don't use any bar at all in the rear of the 914. My car, driving on city streets feels as nimble as a stock suspended 914. The bushings allow the shocks to do their job well...

The inner bushing replaces the rough surface that the stock rubber bushing 'grabs' onto. The inner poly bushing rotates very smoothly and doesn't deflect and change the suspension geometry. As you can see, the assembly can be lubed. The guy who designed them is Chuck Moreland. He is obviously a Porsche guy but he might design them for the Z if there were enough interest.

[cbuczesk]

I'd be interested but they sure are expensive. How long have you been using them? Do you think they were worth the cost? How long should they last?

Chuck

[conedodger]

I have been using mine for about 5 years now. No discernible wear. A friend of mine also makes a product for the 914 that uses roller bearings. He sells them in small quantities so I doubt he would be interested in getting into doing roller bearings for Z cars unless we put together a group buy with 20 people or more...

[John Coffey]

Is JT not running this year?

He was not on the FP entry list when I checked a couple weeks before the event.

[jmark]

He was not on the FP entry list when I checked a couple weeks before the event.

He's not listed now either.....:disappoin There are a couple of other Z cars/members running.

[John Coffey]

FYI... Toby sold the BMW and is now road racing an ex Toyota Long Beach GP Celebrity Celica. He's swapped in a JDM All-Trak 2L Turbo engine. Below is a pic of total joy when he got the engine to finally start after fighting crank position sensor problems:

[jmark]

Looks like members Tom & Rick are carrying the Z car flag pretty well so far.

http://sololive.scca.com/FP.html

Edited September 6, 2012 by jmark

[John Coffey]

91 Henry Bjoin - He's the one that purchased Toby's BMW. Loks like Tom's got a great chance at winning FP!

[tholt29]

Greetings from Lincoln Airpark! John took the year off due to car/time/family balance issues. With Toby moving on to road racing, it was time all of us perennial bridesmaids get to shine! :-)

We drove the harder/ technical course today and move to a much more flowing course tomorrow. Rick and I are hoping it will favor the Z's. Tune in tomorrow to find out. The weather Is looking awesome for tomorrow we shouldn't have any rain to help the evo. But for what its worth, it was 102 and sunny on Tuesday until a small hail storm blew through!

Tom