Tristan wrote:
I think it's Yokohama for that complaint!
@everyone else, Will has the first "drift Corrado" in the country.
Tristan is referring to the tendency of my 8v to step out at the rear which it did, lots!
A bit of background...
I have fitted widetrack front suspension same as VR6 Corrado/MK3 VR but not yet widened the rear track. I prefer the feel of the widetrack front end and my last time around Mondello I was in the VR and was very comfortable chucking it into corners, too hot into the turn and a little understeer was easily counteracted by getting off the gas a bit allowing the rear to follow, on occasion I was able to get the inside rear lifted off the track.
On my first lap this time out I was well out of shape more than once with my passenger (Mrs. willvr) uttering some choice words something along the lines of 'let me out ya d*ickhead'. Part of this I behavior (the car, not the wife) I put down to not remembering the track, cold tyres and lack of talent. I took a break and went out again a little later and had two more 'wobbles' including a minor trip backwards onto the grass with a fiesta and a MKII passing either side of me while I was pointing the wrong way, no better way to get you properly woken up!
After a couple more laps I pitted again and checked tyre pressures with recommendations from Tristan & Newtown Pat they should be mid 20s so I reduced them and got out again. Some improvement but still nowhere near what the VR felt like so I swapped into Tristans MKII and he took mine out for comparison. The MKII was so much more confidence inspiring in the corners it was night and day. I can't remember what Tristans comment was when he got out of mine was but he found the same behavior as me.
A bit of discussion, more dropping pressures and head scratching ensued as to what the reason is and some chat with the real racers that were there led to the conclusion that very simply the wider the front track v's the rear leads to more 'front positive' handling and consequently more tail happy and vice versa. Racers sometimes would setup like this to get a sharper front end but then unlike me they'd have the skill to keep the rear where it should be. I have a VR rear beam which I haven't got around to fitting yet, I only wish I had a set of spacers on the day to make an instant comparison.
Highlights of the day? Loads, a supercharged lotus and a 260bhp IITC championship winning civic on slicks absolutely devouring me out of turn 3, following Pats MK1 for lap after lap and laughing out loud under my helmet watching Tristans MKII like an auld dog cocking it's leg corner after corner.
Can't wait for the next one