[Fot] Fwd: racing the GT6.... tires or suspension?

[Bill Babcock]

I Don't know much about GT6's but the things I'd try all have to do  
with increasing the compliance of your rear end, which means softening  
the springs, going a little softer on tire pressure, ditching the  
rollbar, and perhaps revalving the shocks to increase rebound damping.  
Of course you do these things one at a time. I'd ditch the rollbar  
first. Or at least set it as soft as possible. the only cars that need  
rear rollbars are ones with super-stiff chassis. that doesn't describe  
any triumph I know (except Peyote)

find a place where you can set up a skid pad--a circle about 200-300  
feet in diameter that you drive around at max speed. It lets you set  
suspension up by tire temperature and shows you exactly where every  
nasty flaw is originating.  A big abandoned parking lot and a bag of  
lime to mark the circle works fine until the cops come.  the current  
economic woes may work well for freeing up lots of skid pads.

Buy Carrol Smith's "Engineer in a pocket" which I've found invaluable  
for car setup. Buy everything Kas has written (I have multiple copies  
so I can always find them). those books will save you huge amounts of  
time, frustration and money.

On Oct 13, 2008, at 12:09 PM, Bobby Whitehead wrote:

>> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 8:17:07 -0700
>> From: Bobby Whitehead <igofaster at charter.net>
>> To: fot at autox.team.net
>> Subject: racing the GT6.... tires or suspension?
>> Cc: fot-request at autox.team.net
>>
>> Hey Guys and Gals!
>> Just got back from Hallett OK. The FoT was in strong force with me  
>> and Gary Fuqua... TEAM TWO... we did have another guy show up with  
>> a fast Spitfire... engineers... whadda ya gonna do with them.
>>
>> My GT6 seems to run fairly well on the short course. I was  
>> consistently slow... running ... I ran a few laps in the 1:44 -  
>> 1:43 range.
>>
>> I'm running Yokohama Advan 032R 175/60 R13 77H... I have been  
>> starting out  20 psi before each session.
>>
>> My problem seems to be a happy rear end... no comments on my butt  
>> please...
>> The GT wants to come around in the rear. I had two off course  
>> incidents, but I've really got to be sharp as the rear end wants to  
>> come around. My reaction time is not as quick as reality time.
>>
>> I've got what seems to be mostly stock rear leaf spring, and Koni's  
>> on the rear, plus a rear sway bar.
>>
>> I've purchased a shock relocation conversion from Rimmer Bros that  
>> relocates the upper shock mount to the frame versus inside the  
>> wheel well with and adjustable English made shock. I've not  
>> installed the system yet but will probably do so this week.
>>
>> I'm I running the right tire and pressure? Some of the Bugeyes and  
>> Spridgets are running Hoosiers which I believe is not a radial...  
>> Is there a way that I can plan on keeping the rear end down on the  
>> road more, maybe stiffer road spring?
>>
>> I'm just a little over a year in my racing, so still very green at  
>> all of this. However, I am getting an off course at least once  
>> every weekend I go out.
>>
>> George Curl (my original instructor) did everything but say I'm  
>> driving like a little girl. He did say however that there is no  
>> coasting in racing.. I'm not on the gas on the brake all the time,  
>> there are turns where I'm feathering the throttle or off the gas on  
>> the brake to keep the car on the road...
>>
>> Comments or pointers appreciated...
>>
>> Bobby Whitehead
>> #53 CVAR Triumph GT6+
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Bill Babcock
Babcock & Jenkins
Billb at bnj.com
503.936.7660
www.bnj.com

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