914R build thread revisited, Latest transformation has commenced Options

[campbellcj]

Some of you may have seen my earlier build thread on the 914club site. In a nutshell I have a 73 2.0 that I converted to a six in 2003. It's now heavily modified and race-prepped, powered by a stout 2.7 twin-plug engine.

The car currently weighs 1988lbs without fuel or driver; my POC minimum class weight with gas and driver is 2209lbs. It's still narrow-bodied and I am running 16x7 Fuchs with 205/45 Hoosiers. As you might guess, the car is significantly grip-limited and traction-limited in the rear especially. It basically tears the tread off R6's within 6 run sessions or so.

Here is its current state:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/farm6.static.flickr.com-21-1309645382.1.jpg)
914R at Streets of Willow by cjcam, on Flickr

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/farm6.static.flickr.com-21-1309645383.2.jpg)
914R at Willow Springs by cjcam, on Flickr

I just dropped it off at a local shop, about to dive into:

- Tangerine Racing steel flares, front/rear
- Sheridan 6" f/g rear spoiler
- Rollcage triangulation to suspension pickups
- Possibly other chassis bracing
- GT headlight lifts or remove lights completely
- Repaint car (TBD how extensively)
- RSR finish Fuchs 16x8's up front, 9's in rear
- New graphics/decals


One upcoming decision is whether to keep the sail vinyl or go body color without vinyl. I've always liked the factory vinyl and bright trim look but could go either way on this.

The work could start as soon as Tuesday and I'll post updates and pics as I get them. This is not going to be a CW rotisserie sort of project since it's a race car, so progress should happen quickly and I plan to run the POC Laguna Seca event towards the end of August.

Cheers,

[J P Stein]

The sad fact is that we must base our decisions on available tire sizes.
Width vs diameter of the available rubber is pretty well set across the range regardless of manufacture.

So, one needs to set up a car for tires.....not an ideal situation but everyone is in the same boat. Since you are now gonna have an excess of HP ( aren't light cars grand)
you need big sticky buns out back. Hoosier makes a 275 X 35 X 15 fits that bill nicely with a 23 inch diameter. But, whata' you gonna do up front? One would think a square set-up would be the cat's ass and this is where the weirdness sets in.
The proper wheel width for the above tire is 10 inches. Do that and scrub radius will have your ass (BTDT).......not enough backspace and no way to get the wheels inboard far enough. This may not be too bad on the track (other than heavy steering) but it's a killer for the tight corners in AX. An 8 inch wide wheel (a one inch improvement is scrub) cured that for me (with canti slicks) and someone is telling me that a 9 incher works for him with the 275s......this may even be true. At any rate, the 914 font end has it's limitations and this can be an expensive problem to work out.