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GV, no challenge inferred...Just wanted to add some amplifying thoughts/information to Mark’s comments to help should you or anyone else decide to go down a similar path with their cars.
GV, I thought it was a very fair question and to your point, I provided a list of what I intended to do with no explanation as to why. Kind of makes for an incomplete build thread! That’s why I came back and detailed my thought process, so thanks for the questions.
By the way, love the race car. Do you still compete?
My new wheels arrived today and tires are on order. These are 18x11 w/5” bs. Tires will be 315/30-18. Michelin’s PS2 to be exact.
That’s nice and meaty! I’m also sitting just over an inch higher on ride height, so they ought to tuck into the wheel wells nicely. I don’t have the front rotors installed yet, so the wheel will sit 3/4” further out once they are installed. Also, the tire sits another 3/4” outside the rim at the widest section width. The beauty of a new suspension is that I can align the front end before I finish the install. I calibrated the markers so I know parallel, +20 and -20 degrees. The tie rods are not installed and I can easily adjust the upper control arms. To dial in camber and caster, then torque the steering linkage and set the toe. Ride height is just over an inch lower than shown in this picture.
Tread width is 12.5” and the section width 12.6”, so not much of one. Also, right now the camber is +2 degrees. Don’t worry, they will fit perfectly!
This is why I installed the flares first, but didn’t finish them. I could measure for the wheels/tires and then finish the flares ensuring proper clearance.
I see you have gone up to 18s now. So..... if you haven’t ordered the Michelin PS2s yet....get the BFG Rival S, stickier and competitive in SCCA CAM-S which your car is perfect for, as well as Optima and Goodguys autocross. Rival S will be 2 seconds faster per run than PS2s. Much cheaper too.
Hi Mark; seems like a nice choice of tyre; IMHO I think they have an advantage in the wet over the BFG Rival S; better water dispersement - the silicone / carbon ratio will dictate stickiness and wear rates and most importantly grip in the wet; my personal preference leans toward Firestone, whilst the wear rate is high, they have great water dispersal in wet conditions - Best Regards GV
Originally Posted by Factoid
My new wheels arrived today and tires are on order. These are 18x11 w/5” bs. Tires will be 315/30-18. Michelin’s PS2 to be exact.
This is why I installed the flares first, but didn’t finish them. I could measure for the wheels/tires and then finish the flares ensuring proper clearance.
I considered several tires over the last few months. At one point, I was considering a mammoth 345/45-17, but once I got the flares installed realized it wouldn’t fit. That research also drove me to an 18” rim and in matte black won’t look too “wagon wheel” with the black tires. I really like the BFGs that ST recommended and may end up there. I bought the Michelin’s for exactly the points GV made above. I need to break this car in and I will not be kind. Once I’ve sorted it out, I will need at least a new set of rear tires!
Anyway, no work on the car today. Flew up to Chicago this morning for a gig and just got back. I did receive two nice emails. First, my front Wilwood brakes will be here Friday! Second, my Dewitt radiator finally shipped and will be here Monday!
I realize I'm probably jumping the gun by quite a bit, but I'm very interested to see your exhaust system come together. My original system is more rusted than I initially noticed and if I'm going to replace it, I very much want to 1.) use stainless steel 2.) incorporate a cross over somewhere in the system. Obviously space under the car is limited, but your use of the Magnaflow muffler with the internal cross over has me intrigued. I have also removed the spare tire carrier, so there is certainly room for said muffler. I assume this will be a completely custom job?
Given my lack of welding capabilities, my initial thought is to buy long tube headers and one of the "builders kits" and have a reputable shop put it together. Obviously not the cheapest route, but I'm a big fan of doing it right the first time.
Greg, when I built the stainless 2.5” exhaust for my LS powered LR Defender, I bought this kit with all mandrel bends. With a chop saw, angle grinder and welder, I fabricated a dual exhaust with the same Magnaflow muffler and two black oval exhaust tips. That may be the way to go, but it took me about 12 hours to build. Hopefully, a real pro could cut that in half.
For the coupe, I’m using 3” stainless with long tube headers. Round tube until it passes through the crossmember and then oval, tipping up slightly once it passes the diff and leveling back out into the muffler with turn downs just peaking out below the rear valance.
Interesting....do you know, can that Magnaflow muffler with the crossover be oriented either direction? In my application, I would think mounting it laterally in the spare tire area, with the tips coming out the factory locations would be ideal...that being said, I haven't taken any real measurements yet to determine what's feasible with the realestate available. I'll probably stick with 2.5" as I'm retaining the stock 327.
Great question! On the Pelican forum (Porsche), I said that was exactly what I intended to do on my 1975 911 with a 1995 3.6 engine and I got a ton of negative feedback about all the reasons it would t work. Stubborn me did it anyway. It worked flawlessly! That engine revs to 6,000+ rpm easily. There is little drone and it sounds fantastic. Here’s video proof and I say go for it. You can barely see the Magnaflow mounted transversely in the video, but to your question, one bank of cylinders goes into one side of the muffler and the other bank into the same tube on the other side. The two exhaust tips are the remaining two tubes.
Yea, thats odd that the 911 guys said it wouldn't work. If you look at Magnaflow's web site, it doesn't list any specific flow direction so unless there is perforation in the cross over tube, I can't see any reason that direction would matter. Your car sounds mean in that video!
GV, I am another, like Mark and Glenn who am using the Global West/Ridetech combo in front. Mine is like Mark’s with the extended travel lower arm. Now thankfully I found this thread where Mark had a special coilover designed for this combo in the front. I was given the stock coilover they use with their Corvette system and I suspected it was wrong, but couldn’t confirm as it was a bare chassis. Mark gave me a good contact at Ridetech and they will make it right. Did the first body drop two days ago and confirmed it is high in the front. I am using the Ridetech rear as well, with a beefed up differential and 1480 axles. Absolutely have not seen better looking control arms than the Global and my thinking was exactly like Glenn’s as far as brakes go. I am staying with 15 inch wheels. Love both Mark and Glenn’s builds. Check out my chassis build GV.
Mark, these pics are for you. First body drop and confirmed how high it was sitting in the front. Rear was on the low setting and was perfect. Thanks again for your help!
02-05-2019, 05:56 AM
… will be quite interesting to see with the tyres fitted up … Mark; will the tyre sidewalls have a bulge or will they be flat ? - Regards GV
