Track Nova chassis and Suspension set-up

[dabsy]

Ok here goes, so bare with me. I've gathered together most of the main parts to start putting together my occasional trackday weapon.

Car at the moment is XE redtop running approx. 160-170 horses.
I've already got competition mounts, Koni sports suspension, 256mm drilled brake kit with greenstuffs, and running Gsi rims on 195/45's. It all bolted to a beauty on a 1l life in 'fade' blue engine bay was welded up competently prior to fitment. I had 'fun' in it at the 'Ring' in May this year with this spec. (less mounts), but now the Nova bug is starting to take over and next May is only around the corner

I've got myself an ex rally Gartac bolt in cage which has more points on it than a hedgehog:D I intend to pick up the rear turrets more substantially with the cage as i've just got my Avo coilovers and feel that the extra stresses at the rear turret top could cause cracking of the thin skins. The interior is all going bar the dials, switches and heater for the front screen.

Question to those with coilovers and track experience - Is it worth the agro in welding in another plate on top of the turret shock absorber pick-up point and seam welding around the turret sides? Likewise for the coilover rear beam mount point, does the flimsy metal fail without more substanial strengthening

As for the front, i've got the 'Compbrake' eccentric mounts that look like the front turret hole is too small to take the full range of adjustment. Can I just open up the turret hole

The cage has front turret pick-up bars too, was wondering if the top of the turret needs another skin on it like the Gte has? especially if I widen the hole for the eccentrics

Final question (for now), i bough the Avo coilover kit used and was told it was bought for a Corsa Gsi. Do Avo provide different spec. spring rates dependant on the vehicle ordered for I've seen a few threads mention 300lb. front springs, is that a good starting point, or a tried and tested formula for trackday use

All help and advice greatfully recieved

Dave

[nova ian]

Sorry to be of no help, but Im at a similar stage with my trackday project so will be interested to read the replies of this topic.

I can however say that I too have been advised on using 300lb front springs for the Avos.

Ian

[mikey14sr]

stitch-weld the rear inner arches, that should be as much as needs to be done for the body (if you haven't done this to the whole shell, do it), the beam mounts should be replaced for thicker stuff, as they will bend quite easy.
Top mounts - you can enlarge the hole enough to remove the up-wards pointing lip, but I wouldn't go any further, and get the re-inforcing plates to go on the top whilst you're at it, for what they cost it's piece of mind against seeing the strut come through the bonnet, but I've only ever seen that happen on french wrc cars.

Springs for coilovers can be had from many places, 275lb is a minimum for an xe really, rears can stay as they were.

[craig green]

Ive turreted the rear of my suspension setup to make way for the coilovers & generally increase the strength in the shell. Again the shock mountings on the beam definately needs to be removed & thicker, tougher steel used.

Using the double skin plates on the fr turret, I fail to see how this can help tbh. Its not like they overhang & are tagged onto the chassis leg in anyway. They only add weight & lessen the amount of thread available for a strutbrace.
I think you can get the eccentric top mounts machined down to fit in the turret hole. Its pretty bad that compbrake havent sorted this issue tbh.

[Will F]

I disagree Craig. My Gsi has has the turrets strengthened and seam welded all teh way around. Its stiff as, and makes a considerable difference over a standard effort.

Also rear coilovers are not woth the hassle of turrets etc, if you are going for a track weapon. Its mainly for show imo, and it doesnt offer much (if any) advantage over shocks/springs...

[Chris]

ok here goes....

"Car at the moment is XE redtop running approx. 160-170 horses." - Thats finen, you dont need anymore than that even for the ring.

"Question to those with coilovers and track experience - Is it worth the agro in welding in another plate on top of the turret shock absorber pick-up point and seam welding around the turret sides? Likewise for the coilover rear beam mount point, does the flimsy metal fail without more substanial strengthening " - If you have already got your AVO's? If yes then just stitch-weld the rear, if no then just get some Bilstein cup struts with decent springs.

"As for the front, i've got the 'Compbrake' eccentric mounts that look like the front turret hole is too small to take the full range of adjustment. Can I just open up the turret hole " - "No, dont up the size of turret hole, take the mount off and put it the other way round, i.e nipple down. This allows full adjustment then, people say that it is wrong because the weight of the car is on the circlip but mine has had some real abuse and not bothered.

"The cage has front turret pick-up bars too, was wondering if the top of the turret needs another skin on it like the Gte has? especially if I widen the hole for the eccentrics " - As said dont widen the hole for eccentrics, the strut top plates aint essential but can be picked up pretty cheap so might aswell throw some on if you are welding anyway.

"Final question (for now), i bough the Avo coilover kit used and was told it was bought for a Corsa Gsi. Do Avo provide different spec. spring rates dependant on the vehicle ordered for I've seen a few threads mention 300lb. front springs, is that a good starting point, or a tried and tested formula for trackday use" - www.rallydesign.co.uk sell custom springs you want 2 1/4" for front and 1.9" for rear IIRC. 300lb for fronts and anywhere from 150-200lb for rear, length depends on where your wheels sit.

Hope that is of some help to you matey

Chris

[craig green]

I disagree Craig. My Gsi has has the turrets strengthened and seam welded all teh way around. Its stiff as, and makes a considerable difference over a standard effort.

Also rear coilovers are not woth the hassle of turrets etc, if you are going for a track weapon. Its mainly for show imo, and it doesnt offer much (if any) advantage over shocks/springs...

My comments were regarding the turret top plates as per GTE & GSi shells. How can they make any difference to the stiffness of a shell?

I actually saw a GTE the other day where the turret had snapped off the chassis leg & it was hitting the underside of the bonnet. How would the extra skin have helped here?

Its about as usefull as a 2pence glued to the roof & wont eliminate any flex within the chassis legs or turrets.

Anyone fitting a valver (big block XE) is undoing any handling improvements to a degree anyhow. Awaits a slating

[Will F]

Craig, I was referring to the 'turret sides', ie all around them, not on top.

The top part a la GTE/Gsi is pointless.

Nothing wrong with fitting the XE for track, but the chassis mods, just need to be more dramatic than a small block.

[Lee]

Anyone fitting a valver (big block XE) is undoing any handling improvements to a degree anyhow. Awaits a slating

LOL craig, ill be looking for you next season to prove you wrong, so you wont be getting a slating from me I agree with the comment about the strut top ring though, its just not going to help in anyway shape or form, if the turrets going to fail, it wont be in that area!

As for the rear beam shock mounts, ive had this discussion with Dar and we cant really see the need for them to be up[rated on a tarmac track car, thats not a high stress area from a side to side point of view, all the movement is up and down from the suspension movement. Ive never seen them fail anyway, and Im not bothering on mine (although i do have another beam with this mod already carried out so ill be ok if im proved horribly wrong )

[Mike]

LOL craig, ill be looking for you next season to prove you wrong, so you wont be getting a slating from me I agree with the comment about the strut top ring though, its just not going to help in anyway shape or form, if the turrets going to fail, it wont be in that area!

right, just to clear this up, i got into a huge arguement at work about these stut top plates, regarding what to do with them (pictured below):



we we're prepping up a nova shell for super 1600 rallying, and the whole point of these it to run a bead of weld THE ENTIRE OUTER & INNER DIAMETER as well as seam weld the bay and strut top area. These plates, if fitted correctly will help reduce the shock coming through the shell upon a fresh air drop or harsh jump like this where the front end slammed down into the floor:



Mike