JayG wrote:Uh, maybe I am very wrong here, but how are you going to corner balance a car without adjustable springs?
I know a stock 986S does not have adjustable springs, nor were any available as a US factory option. I am petty sure the same is true with a 987 as well, at least a base model
Jay you are indeed incorrect.
Every street legal US version Porsche sports car ever built is capable of being corner balanced if you know what you are doing.
Porsche made them this way because there are just too many variables in building a car and there must be a way of compensating for it.
Yes, a car with adjustable coil over shocks is the easiest car to corner balance; but far from the only one.
Everything 986 and later has a compensating shim in either 3.0mm or 6.5mm thickness that sits between the spring and spring perch.
Moving these different thicknesses around to different corners allows you to perfectly corner balance the car.
I am doing a 997S right now that came from the factory out of balance causing a slight pull.
It is only a shim change away from being perfect.
All stock torsion bar 911's adjust easily from the front and from the rear spring plate angle in the rear.
356's and water cooled 4 cylinders adjust from the rear spring plate like an early 911.
914's adjust from the front like an early 911.
All 964/993 have adjustable front spring plates.
928's have adjustable spring plates.
Some of these models have optional suspension that gives even more (easier) adjustments.
So yes, every Porsche sports car has adjustable suspension as far as corner balance is concerned.
But back to theme at hand.
You can't compare CC to SS classes and this is why.
To compare a CC to CC class the cars must both be maxed out on points; on this I think we can all agree.
A car with 502 and 549 points are in the same class but do not have the same performance potential.
There are SS01 and SS02 cars in CC04
There are CC05 cars in SS01 and SS02 and SS03!!
Check it out here
http://zone8.pca.org/CarClass/Default.aspxThe SS classes are intended for new drivers with stock untouched cars.
This is really giving them a place to play and have fun, not a measure of real competition.
If you want real competition...go to the CC classes where it is 100% based on car performance.
Also if you have less than 20 autocross days you are not driving your car to its full potential anyway; don't expect to win.
I have over 200 and will still get schooled by EK if he is driving anything close to what I am driving, he is just more talented than I am.
And as far as the BF 914 is concerned. remember this is all that car is designed to do. It is not street legal and cant even time trial because of it narrow purpose.
It is for AX only and is modified to within a few points to class. 98% of the other cars can take people to work in relative comfort the next day unchanged.
And I watch what a lot of people are doing at AX.
In my opinion If you really want to win you must:
Constantly monitor tire temp, pressure and wear including heat cycles.
Have a track map in hand and make notes as to what you and others are doing.
Watch the other fast guys.
Be first to the corner workers truck so you can get the corner that gives you fits and watch who does what.
Watch other parts of the track from your station.
And study AX techniques. Talk to the best guys and read a book, it will help more than you can imagine.
And always spend your money on the freshest stickiest tires.
Or- show up and drive, catch up with friends, have a ball and get a free beer or soda at the end of the day to top it all of.
See you all at he next Ax where I will be doing the later.