September 2009 - Dan

[Jack]

Forum Username
Dan

PNG Region
Western

Car
Widearch track car

Engine & Transmission
2.0 16v, Quaife sccr, 3.9 final drive, gripper plate diff

Suspension & Brakes
avo coilovers, adjustable top mounts, XE front & rear brakes

Wheels & Tyres
15x8 Compomotive TH’s, 225/45/15 Dunlop Inters

Exterior
Wide arch, blah blah

Interior
What interior?

ICE
Fcuk off

[Jack]

So about the car, its clearly been fettled with muchly?
Standard XE apart from rod bolts and limiter removed/chipped and my own limiter fitted at 7k rpm, Quaiffe SCCR, 3.9 final drive, gripper plate diff. The car weighs circa 700kg, interior is self explanatory, compomotive th's 8x15 running 225.45.15 rally tarmac inters, xe brakes front and back, fibreglass boot bonnet arches blah blah polycarbs blah blah.

How does it drive compared to your old 1600?
Well it had been just over 2 years since I last drove a Nova in anger; due to the chassis being far more developed than the engine, i was bored by the second half of the first lap , but....... A lot of that is due to what the chassis can take - a corner in the 8v was point perfect and on the limit, this thing has no limit yet. So even at a faster speed it was a steady drive as no panic or need to correct, the buzz wasnt the same as it was so sedate. To find the limit is the next thing, as we dont know if it will just break or gradually indicate when traction is lost, but the speed required for that needs that little part of the brain racers have to switch off and really find it. Kind of mad tbh as the chassis needs +200bhp to really push the boundaries - I was a gear up around most of combe compared to the old one and still had more speed to find.

So there's the possibility of more power in future?
So-so, we will see. I still like the idea of getting an engine say from my Vectra and placing it into a nova, 150bhp/235lbft. But i dare say in time tb's will happen unless I build another for the diesel factor. All of my builds are based around grip and handling rather than balls out power
Derv track weapon?
Maybe, but the issues surrounding it could be far greater than the hassle.

Thanks & Shouts:
Limpy Lee, CP