It does sound like an Auto test!
John, sorry to hear about car probs, especially mid season, and your wife must be getting very close to the 'drop' about now.
My daughter's 21 tomorrow (!) and started a temp job today at Wyko Motorsport Bearings (no discount Terry!), that means I'll be rich soon as I become a Dad again and not a Sponsor....

Mark: I think you are right, sometimes it all seems to gell and I've had 3 first in classes in a row; watch-out John Stevenson (only kidding as i'm an old fart)

Just have to say that Fuzz is so right, these AST's are dogs bo!!ocks.
Got some 24mm ARB's coming over the next few weeks, that will be interesting.

Thanks to all for the kind words.

Graham

 

graham, to install the 24 mm arbs don't you need to modify some stuff?

 

No, all done.
The real change is to brace the rear roll bar brackets which i did a long time ago.
When the front one arrives I'll do a small install/hillclimb comparison of 22mm verses the 24mm. Should be interesting as i will have changed nothing else on the car, and the track i know really well, though it is very frightening to drive hard, and i usually get scared .
A few years ago i crashed my 911 there big-time so I drive the hill with respect.

I was a fool of a driver then as well!

Graham

 

Bit bored to be honest, so I thought a snippet for today while it is raining...

Some snaps of the nice new 24mm rollbar from Whiteline (who else?)

Pic of the new against the old and the welded mounting I did years ago:

Mounting in close-up:


The bar is much thicker than it seems though only 2mm, but fed into the chassis once I had taken the n/side mounting off to allow access around the silencer.

The bar uses all the stock fittings so the yellow poly bush is thinner wall which adds a bit more stiffness.
I've used coppa slip in the past 'services' and this has stayed in place well, but used the Whiteline white grease supplied, and it is so much more free in comparison. Wonder what it is?


Such a simple job!



Simply brilliant AST coil-overs:

Nearly a sexy shot of the rear end!


This kind of job always makes me think how simple a mod this is and the posative effect on the car.

When it stops raining I will see how it drives compared to the 22mm.
I'm starting off on the middle hole, but fancy I will end up on the soft setting until the 24mm front arrives (I hope) and then back to the middle.
Whiteline sent me some of their new heavy duty drop links for the front which will go on at the same time.

Finally, thankyou to Job at Whiteline UK for the support!

Graham.

 

over here is really hot... ( sorry for the off-topic )

I'm sorry for repeating this question but, you used the stock fittings olny the poly bushes are thinner? does that came with the bar already ( if you buy the bar I mean... )?

looks good graham, waiting for your "report"

 

Yes Carlos: The new bar comes with Whiteline's yellow hardness poly bushes and the stock clamp cover is used.
Still bloody raining here!
Graham

 

your inner arches are too clean

 

That's because I had cleaned them just for the pics! (sad ot what?)
I do clean the arches by hand, and the suspension etc just to make sure nothing is loose/cracked/leaking etc, thats why I wont drive it in thr rain afterwards.
Must admit I'd be happier with the 24mm front bar on to match the 24 rear.

Big race this weekend coming, Shelsley Walsh. Scarey hill and very very fast in places (for me).
Graham.

 

So are you going to get the 24mm front bar in time for the weekend Graham??

 

I hope so. I feel a bit unsettled at 22mm front 24mm rear, but it's stopped raining here so might go for a blast.
I'm taking the 22mm bar with me to change if i need to.
If you know Shelsley Walsh you will appreciate the entry to the bottom Esse, the snap after and the top esse.
I have buried my 911 into a 200 year old tree there, so Respect

Graham

 

Graham

is shelsley this weekend, I thought i missed it ... if it it i will keep a good viewing distance from the tree

 

Yep, this weekend coming up.
Car feels great!
I can't obviously lean on it too much on public roads, so it will have to be the toe-in-the-water on the first practice run up this most very famous of hills, the oldest in the world!

Hold tight, here we come!

Graham. ( )

 

Good luck this w/e Graham, was hoping to get back for the w/e but no go..

John

 

I'm waiting for the day I see this stonking big engined, ppg trans Impreza, dripping with Powerstation/lateral bits in the entry list!
Thanks for the luck John, I'm up for it!

Looking to get close to the front on Sunday, competition is stiff and the EVO is there but so what? Going for a PB!

Graham

 

Closing date for 'June Doune' is Friday.... go on, you know you want to !!!

 

No time John. Doing 2 events in June and both Leaders/Midland champs so key. The EVO is already almost in an unbeatable position. The 'John Stevenson' of the Midlands!

Thanks for the thought though.

Graham

 

Graham,

A few of the boys are coming up from S.wales to take a look, its there frist time told them to drop in in and say hello, looks like you may have a fan club in the making,

John

 

Don't you have to pay MONEY to join the 'fan-club'?
Got to get a ppg and slick somehow, can't keep up with the rich Welsh Boys now....
Be glad to meet them!

Graham

 

good luck seems like it should be a nice day..

 

Some kind of practice day!

first time at Shelsley for 2006, so this hill was taken with some caution, it really can bite back as I know from the past in the 911.

However....I'm older and wiser now, so i drove the Sti ***** -out instead

Killer results.

3 runs over the day resulted in my first sub 2 second start to 64 feet and a personal best at just inside the 32 secs @ 32.95 x 1.99 start.
The chassis is sublime, just so so good and impecable/clever enough now to make the fool I am at the wheel look even good!
Several racers commented about the 'grunt' it has and how 'sure footed' it is.

Vids not too good, but hope you are entertained by them. Someone took the '1.99' start so will post that later.

So pleased with this cookin' Sti.

As to the others in the full class:

The EVO (yes, him) delivered a 1.97 and 2 x 2.02 starts (full launch control.Anti-lag), but ran nearly a full 2 seconds faster, those 100 extra bhp are showing on this steep power sapping hillclimb (it is a magic place...), where's the 2,5 I need?

http://www.dropshots.com/daymainfram...0030113&cimg=0
http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?use...3&ctime=184800

Ok, enough of the ego trip.

I installed the new 24mm Whiteline rear bar while I'm waiting on the front to arrive.

I took my faithful 22mm bar along just in case.
The drive to the hill this morning takes in some great roads, so I 'flexed' the chassis a bit ( ) on the way to see how things were.
It all seemed...unchanged!

All 3 runs were made with the 24mm in place (middle setting) but the car seemed that bit more planted when negotiating Kennel bend.
Those who might have traveled Kennel will know it is not easy. At all.
The car was flat and has lost it's tendancy to a touch of roll-oversteer feeling.
It will be facinating to fit the 24 front, especially if it is a 2 position adjustable one!
Job: hope you are reading this!

As to the fab AST's...oh lordy arn't they just. Just so smooth and under control, a real march-on from last year.
All i need now is the nerve to dive deep knowing the car is with me.
I feel some brakes calling.

I should add that the Pagid Blue pads from AS Performance are all Alyn said they would be. Clean hard controlable from cold and a solid pedal feel that makes it dead easy to get it about right; wish they did them for the rears as my Green Stuff pads are close to dead (thank god).

I realy cannot say just how sweet this chassis is, and I really feel ready for the bigger motor/box/slicks.

The EVO has seen sense and come onto Kumho V70's but he is not too sure about them yet.

We will see what tomorrow brings, but if I can bag another 32, another sub 2.0sec start I will be so pleased.....but a win would be better.

How to find 2 seconds on a 32 sec hill overnight?

Dream on.

Graham.

 

you were looking good from the s'es

 

Graham,

Looking good from here, wieght loss could be your next challenge, fingers crossed for tomorrow, its hell down here.. trying to find one of the french hills to take a look at,

John

 

Nice to hear, hope it's good news today..

 

Like the well spoken commentator says "Looking good"

Large crowd and nice weather best of luck

 

Just back from a hard day's Hillclimbing in almost perfect weather.

Managed a convincing 2nd in class, ran another but faster 32 .85 sec run with a 2.05 start, but the EVO was there yet again!
Managed to match him in the start to the 1/100, but I cannot make that up in the curves.
He also set a new class record at 31.11....

Sti was magic all weekend and we have just burbled home as if nothing had happened!

The second run was a tease as the rain fell om me and the EVO while we were on the start line, and even 2 x speed wiperes didn't clear the screen, but I was only 0.65 sec slower in the rain!

I have 3 vids for you, the Legacy, me and the EVO all in the same place in the dry run.
http://www.dropshots.com/daymainfram...0030101&cimg=0
http://www.dropshots.com/daymainfram...0030101&cimg=1
http://www.dropshots.com/daymainfram...0030101&cimg=2

Loton next week and a Pig Roast on the Sat night too.

Touch of tech:

Really pushed the car hard, and got some slight understeer in one curve, but you do have to push harder to slice a 1/10 or two off .

 

congratulations graham. that evo looks really good

 

Watched you today and had a great informative chat about modding my v3 type ra to run the hills later this year which i really appreciate (cheques in the post ) The car looked great, so composed and pulled well up the steep gradients from my several viewing positions. don't beat yourself up about the evo, it's a different beast, stupidly quick for a mod' prod' car. See you next week i'm coming up with my dad for a bit of a pig roast.

Rob.

 

Graham,

Congrat`s on the PB, understeer as well must be pushing hard, need to put your car on a diet, (100kgs), need to get back so i can run the car, have tracked a rollcage down over in Belgium so alls looking good again, did you have the 24mm ARB on the front..

John

 

No, 22 still on the front.
Not sure if it was understeer or 4 wheel drift! Crossing is a murder bend due to the extreem adverse camber just at the worst point....

Looks like Loton will be a wet one so just might put the 22mm back on or set the 24mm to 'soft hole'

Found out the EVO is looking to fit slicks soon....but they are only available in 16's or smaller (wheew)

Think first place possibilities are over now for me in the Championships, but should catch 2nd's unless the EVO breaks big time and doesn't race.(for the resr of the year!)

Graham
Graham.

 

My learned advisors have suggested strongly that adding a 24mm to the front will bring back the understeer...not a good thing as we all know.

I'll head off to Loton for another battle with the EVO etc this weekend.
Sometimes I can get much closer to him as there are few fast straight bits.

try: www.hdlcc.com

Might see some of you there?

Graham.