Akina's build

[largeorangefont]

Yea. My thought would be to not mess with the rear bar unless you have to. I am very happy without it. Is the car rolling over more in the corner?

Is this the first time you've had Hoosiers on the car?

It has a lot more roll than the old suspension for sure. This is the second time out I have had Hoosiers on the car, first time with hoosiers was the last event and I couldn't get any real heat in them as the car was horrible but I also didn't get much time in the car due to other problems   So I would say this is the first time haha

Ok, makes sense why you have some understeer then.

[cholmes]

If you think it'll need 4 to 4.5 degrees camber to get front tire temps correct, it really does sound like you're just rolling too much. It makes sense, you've got softer springs; so increasing front bar stiffness seems like the logical next step. If it then understeers too much, then it might be worth trying a rear bar to get the balance right.

I understand the reluctance to add the rear bar, but even really big horsepower cars in the pre-ground effect era usually had rear bars. I think it's useful to look at professional road racing cars from the '60's and early 70's for ideas about our cars; the level of chassis development and downforce is very similar. For what it's worth, Carroll Smith wrote in Tune to Win that he generally ran the softest springs he could, and achieved the roll stiffness and balance he needed with front and rear bars.

At any rate, I'm enjoying watching your progress!

[largeorangefont]

From everything I have seen Hoosiers like more camber than a DOT R tire, I have never run them though. I think stiffening the front will resolve the understeer, but it looks like it is not quite stiff enough.

My concern with the rear bar is that at the power levels we are running with the semi trailing arm setup, limiting rear grip does not seem like a good idea for the roadcourse. The car seems to like to "drive" from the front and let the rear tires follow independently... If that makes sense. My car was very edgy without enough rear grip, I had to wait for the car too long when exiting a corner.

I've found I actually need less camber as my latest set of tires are worn more on the inside. I'm at -2.8 now and will probably take out a couple tenths of a degree in the front.

[AKINA FC]

If you think it'll need 4 to 4.5 degrees camber to get front tire temps correct, it really does sound like you're just rolling too much. It makes sense, you've got softer springs; so increasing front bar stiffness seems like the logical next step. If it then understeers too much, then it might be worth trying a rear bar to get the balance right.

I understand the reluctance to add the rear bar, but even really big horsepower cars in the pre-ground effect era usually had rear bars. I think it's useful to look at professional road racing cars from the '60's and early 70's for ideas about our cars; the level of chassis development and downforce is very similar. For what it's worth, Carroll Smith wrote in Tune to Win that he generally ran the softest springs he could, and achieved the roll stiffness and balance he needed with front and rear bars.

At any rate, I'm enjoying watching your progress!

I do agree. I have and still refer to a lot of the older cars for those same reasons but its really hard to directly compare as the tires of those years were junk compared to what we run now plus most had double wishbones vs macpherson. I will definitely add the rear bar if its needed but will try other options first, the bar is still bolted on and all I have to do is connect a end link As LOF mentioned Hoosiers seem to want a lot of camber and for reference most of the vette's I see around here run about 3* static and achieve about 4.5* dynamic due to the beautiful camber curve. Maybe one day I'll pull a kartermb and build one for the front.

[AKINA FC]

Here are some shots from Hastings, you can see the car is rolling over pretty good but damn does it feel nice, feel even better with the front dialed in.





Did find some free camber up front which was nice. I ground down the edges of the spindles smooth where the strut ears mount to them which allowed me to use the entire upper slot on the coil over ear netting -4.2* on each side with the upper plates maxed along with 6mm clearance from the tire to the spring perch We will see what that does, hopefully its close to what it needs. Also found the left front tie rod was bad so I got that swapped out. So off to High Plains Raceway this weekend 

[Supe]

Is your rear fender cut along the radius to let you lower ride height, or did you leave it in tact?

Also - lexan windshield.  Prefab, or did you cut it yourself? Was wondering if anyone made a prefab with mar-guard, because buying a 4x8 sheet of the good stuff that won't net me two full windows out of is sucky and expensive!

[frijolee]

Love the windshield decal.   



But I'm sure you knew that already.

[AKINA FC]

Is your rear fender cut along the radius to let you lower ride height, or did you leave it in tact?

Also - lexan windshield.  Prefab, or did you cut it yourself? Was wondering if anyone made a prefab with mar-guard, because buying a 4x8 sheet of the good stuff that won't net me two full windows out of is sucky and expensive!

I have shaved a little on the inside edges of the fenders but other than that its the way they come from Ronin. I did use bed liner on the rear edges of the quarters and will do so on the front fenders as well to protect the body work, it just makes the back of the wheel wells look a little larger in photos.
I cut the windshield myself and yeah I feel your pain, fun to waste a large sheet to do it. Since this was my first one I have ever done I did it in plain polycarbonate and learned a lot in the process, edges aren't perfectly straight but surprisingly the plain poly is very scratch resistant, especially if you wax it. I figure when I need to change it out in a year i'll get the mylogard coated version now that I have a good template.
I will be getting a rear window from optic armor, they make windshields as well for these. http://opticarmorwindows.com/   I thought about doing one myself but the rears don't really wear out and I want it to be optically correct, not all funhouse mirror looking.

[AKINA FC]

Love the windshield decal.   



But I'm sure you knew that already.

Haha I actually had a hard time making up my mind on what colors I wanted to use, red with black or black with red. I will might try the other just for the hell of it.

[cholmes]

Two things:

1) I think the methodical approach you're taking is spot on. That's good info about the camber the 'vettes are running with hoosiers, you may well find that 4+ degrees of camber is truly what the car needs.

2) Damn, but that is one tough-looking, beautiful car!

[Supe]

Is your rear fender cut along the radius to let you lower ride height, or did you leave it in tact?

Also - lexan windshield.  Prefab, or did you cut it yourself? Was wondering if anyone made a prefab with mar-guard, because buying a 4x8 sheet of the good stuff that won't net me two full windows out of is sucky and expensive!

I have shaved a little on the inside edges of the fenders but other than that its the way they come from Ronin. I did use bed liner on the rear edges of the quarters and will do so on the front fenders as well to protect the body work, it just makes the back of the wheel wells look a little larger in photos.
I cut the windshield myself and yeah I feel your pain, fun to waste a large sheet to do it. Since this was my first one I have ever done I did it in plain polycarbonate and learned a lot in the process, edges aren't perfectly straight but surprisingly the plain poly is very scratch resistant, especially if you wax it. I figure when I need to change it out in a year i'll get the mylogard coated version now that I have a good template.
I will be getting a rear window from optic armor, they make windshields as well for these. http://opticarmorwindows.com/   I thought about doing one myself but the rears don't really wear out and I want it to be optically correct, not all funhouse mirror looking.

Sorry, when I mentioned rear quarters, I meant the factory rear quarters.  Mine are in tact, my flares just keep the airflow off the back tires.

Part of my hesitation on the windshield is the fact that I'm required to keep my wipers and use them on occasion, which is why I'd have to go with the coated option if I go that path.  The rear glass I am using the cheap stuff, and I have the original glass to make the template from.  I will just clamp the sheet to the old glass and trace.  When I've made those in the past, I find that making an interior strap with a truss on it that follows the contour of the factory glass is the best way to keep the rear window from distorting/oil canning.

[AKINA FC]

Is your rear fender cut along the radius to let you lower ride height, or did you leave it in tact?

Also - lexan windshield.  Prefab, or did you cut it yourself? Was wondering if anyone made a prefab with mar-guard, because buying a 4x8 sheet of the good stuff that won't net me two full windows out of is sucky and expensive!

I have shaved a little on the inside edges of the fenders but other than that its the way they come from Ronin. I did use bed liner on the rear edges of the quarters and will do so on the front fenders as well to protect the body work, it just makes the back of the wheel wells look a little larger in photos.
I cut the windshield myself and yeah I feel your pain, fun to waste a large sheet to do it. Since this was my first one I have ever done I did it in plain polycarbonate and learned a lot in the process, edges aren't perfectly straight but surprisingly the plain poly is very scratch resistant, especially if you wax it. I figure when I need to change it out in a year i'll get the mylogard coated version now that I have a good template.
I will be getting a rear window from optic armor, they make windshields as well for these. http://opticarmorwindows.com/   I thought about doing one myself but the rears don't really wear out and I want it to be optically correct, not all funhouse mirror looking.

Sorry, when I mentioned rear quarters, I meant the factory rear quarters.  Mine are in tact, my flares just keep the airflow off the back tires.

Part of my hesitation on the windshield is the fact that I'm required to keep my wipers and use them on occasion, which is why I'd have to go with the coated option if I go that path.  The rear glass I am using the cheap stuff, and I have the original glass to make the template from.  I will just clamp the sheet to the old glass and trace.  When I've made those in the past, I find that making an interior strap with a truss on it that follows the contour of the factory glass is the best way to keep the rear window from distorting/oil canning.

Oh! Sorry, yeah I cut the factory quarters to the top of the wheel well then extended that out to the quarter extension, tried to make it look factory.

For some reason I don't have any pics of the sheet metal I welded to extend the tub.

I understand the wiper issue, I tried mine and it doesn't seem to hurt it but I imagine if you did it dry it would scratch the hell out of it but when used wet and after waxing you cant tell I ran the wipers. Granted I only ran it for a few minutes just to test it out as I was curious as well.
I was going to do the rear until I found those pre-molded coated units with tint. The windshield I plan on replacing every year so I wanted to go the cheapest and easiest route possible, end of the year they look like a sand blaster hit them Its only 89.00 for a 1/4" sheet of mylar brand at cope plastics, how much is a sheet for you?
 

[Supe]

Thanks.  That trim may be in my future, but for now, I run a relatively tall ride height and haven't had any issues. 

I want to say GE Marguard in 3/16" was in the $350+ range per sheet.  I think I paid about $80 for 1/8" uncoated for the back!  I like glass windshields, but with so much going on above and behind my dash, I would really like to have a windshield that is removable for service with countersunk stainless screws.

[freeskier7791]

This may be too pricey, but there is a company that custom makes polycarb replacements, they have the marguard and what not.

http://www.plastics4performance.com/

[zbrown]

I haven't been on in awhile, looks fantastic man! Great as always in all aspects