LOL - this is getting slightly out of hand!

The class that James is sprinting in is Standard Production. The only mods they allow are as follows:

Uprated dampers (don't think it allows springs, James)
1" wider wheels (must be same diameter as stock)
Race seat
Harnesses
Remove spare wheel & tools

Thats it - no stripping of interior or exterior bits allowed

So, for the purposes of weight saving for Sprinting, you're restricted to a race seat (you can borrow mine if you want to see what its like). You can run with almost no fuel and no water in the washer bottle. Thats it.

Personally, I reckon as soon as you do really well, they'll check your car over and find the decat and the PRV, then they'll find the springs and then they'll argue about the strut brace (they tried to disqualify me when I fitted my strut brace, but I somehow managed to find a printout of a screenshot from the Coupe parts CD in my toolbox - funny, don't know how that happened!)

Good luck - let me know if you want to try the seat

LOL!

Yes, there has to be a limit somwhere.

A huge thank-you to everyone for your useful (and funny ) replies.

I'm not going to go as far as chopping of my legs or driving in my pants but there are some very good things I now will be doing.

1) Investigating methods of changing camber settings! (Look out for separate thread!)

2) Get some practice in when I can. Trouble is I only get about 4 runs per meeting (about 5 meetings a year) and the laps are about 45 seconds long - its a very short (and difficult) track! I will look into getting some instructed sessions at another track.

3) Weight reduction by removing;

Sound insulation from under carpets
Spare wheel / jack etc
Boot lining
Bonnet lining
Water from washer bottle - must be about 5litres (=5kg!) (an intercooler spray would be noticed - not allowed!)
Head unit and CD changer
Floor mats
Rear belts - never used!
....I'm sure a few other things have been mentioned as well but I'm not going to be removing underseal or anything in a hurry.

4) Investigate how to make the suspension setup stiffer. I have only just had the front KONI adjustables fitted so I am not sure how they affect handling. I must admit though they dont feel as solid as I thought they would at the max FIRM setting. I will investigate anti-roll bars but could do with out a £370 bill tbh. I will give Barbz a ring about that front one he does.

5) I will also investigate tyre softener. I have seen the GRIP website and it looks interesting.

A good idea about getting an old cat and bashing out the internals to make it a stealthy decat but it would just make my turbo (standard ) smoke and be too loud (decats are not allowed in my class).

Before anyone suggests moving to a class that allows major mods and weight reduction, there is no way I will stand a chance against modded Nissan Skylines, Mitsubishi Evos and the like.

Cheers Nigel - Looks like I was writing my post when you posted!

Good points well made there Nigel.

Yes please to the offer of the seat. I was wondering if one would be allowed in the std class. Good to hear it will be OK.

The springs I have fitted are AVO units. They are black and look original - just a bit lower. I bought black ones with this in mind.

Cheers for that DoctorFrag. I think I might leave well alone then. Could be a lot of money spent for nothing - thanks for the advice.

and if your thinking of the eibach anti roll bars be prepared to wait along time, think beast gave up with his after 6 months of waiting and took us a year on the group buy to get just the rears!

It took me around two months to get mine, that was direct from Eibach. There doesn't seem to be the delay there was before.

Must get them fitted soon.

I'm not doing it for performance but when you compare the OE front and rear bumpers to any after market fibreglass bumpers Im sure you could save the weight of the rear seats, spare wheel etc no problem.

James - I also have a nearly-full tin of Grip tyre softener - again, I can let you have some to try out if you want.

The seat is a direct bolt-in affair, with some adjustability afforded by buggering about with the mounting holes.

The seat makes a massive difference to cornering, as you'll be able to feel what the car's doing via the steering wheel, rather than using it as a big circular grab handle!

Also, Iceberg has a pair of camber bolts that I've bought - he's considering how to fit them (they need some kind of stepped washer to ocate them securely - maybe we could do a joint project?

Finally, Iceberg also has some Powerflex bushes, that I will eventually get round to having fitted to a pair of wishbones - again, happy to let you have a look to see if they would suit your Sprinting exploits.

I'm guessing the tyre additive isn't strictly allowed though

p.s Nige, you still seem to own a girly coloured Coop

Cheers all.

Yes please Nigel! But by the tin being nearly full still I take it you weren't to impressed by the results it gave you. Still, I would love to have a try

Where did you/iceberg get the camber bolts from? I have gathered from the camber adjustment thread that heavy duty (Hyundai?) items are needed. I would not have a clue where to get these from (Hyundai I know, but what model?) so I would love to be part of the project please. This sounds very interesting.

A mate of mine had a 20VT for a while and he had koni springs and shocks all round and a full set of powerflex bushes. (All fitted at that place you saw my car rolling roaded actually ) His car cornered like it was on rails. Felt very positive and well planted. I had new wishbones on my car about a year ago (by Iceberg) so hopefully they are still Ok - but would love to see yours all the same.

Cheers all

Oh, Dave - you know sprint blue is the best colour!

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU MATEYBOY

Quote:

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Oh, Dave - you know sprint blue is the best colour!

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I know that, but Nigel still has a Portofino Blue avatar.

Ahhh. I see

James - camber bolts are from the rear(?) of a Hyundai Accent - also fits another model (the MPV thingy - Trajet?)

The Grip softener works fine - I only used it on one set of tyres, in preparation for TOTB last summer. It is detectable, on the basis that it REALLY smells - my shed still smells of the stuff, despite the fact that the tyres haven't been in there for six months. It would be far less noticeable in the open air though.

We need to get together (probably at Iceberg's) to see if we can move this mod forwards, together with the Powerflex bushes mod too

You will really like the powerflex bushes when you get them on, just be grateful that Iceburg is going to be doing the hard part in taking the old rubbers off, hydralic press the new ones into place etc...

Also the ride quality doesnt really change, maybe a bit harder but thats about it, didnt bother me in the slightest down country lanes to work

Powerflex bushes detail here
Not too cheap though!