Mark_BT52

It's an '06 and first time I have taken it on track to see how it compares with the Exige.

Speed is stunning. Our car has about 380bhp and pulled a good 15 mph over the Exige down the main straight. But at the end? Well the Exige has big AP grooved disks with Pagid RS15 pads. The Scoob has whatever it came with. And it can't cope.

First thing. It boiled its brake fluid when a session was red-flagged and I was unable to do a cooling lap. Any brake fluid recommendations? I suspect I will be after Pagid pads. Anyone have suggestions. RS15s in the Exige are great.

At the end of the straight it was doing well over 120 into a headwind. The scoop looked like it was trying to lift the bonnet up! Was a bit worrying. Am I worrying unnecessarily or have people had it fly up?

It turns incredibly well with a bit of power when the diffs twist the car round, but turning whilst coasting off the banking into a chicane resulted in a bit of scary understeer and tyre squeal. Any suggestions? It was fine everywhere else.

Was a great day. 911 GT3s were easy prey!

dynamix

iTrader: (3)

Have a look at Performance Friction pads - really good. If you want to uprade discs aswell then the PF discs are awesome.

Braided hoses (goodridge) and Motul RBF600 or Millers brake fluid are both good and cope with track action easily.

Some good geometry set up will reward you with turn in - the best pennies you could spend on the car IMO.

bluenosewrx

iTrader: (2)

I have the performance friction set up on mine as well, also braided hoses and good fluid, have never been on the track yet but the stopping is unbeleivable

Only downside is that their is a lot of brake dust with the carbon pads, but i am sure they do a track specific pad which is a lot better.

Mac

Mark_BT52

White wheels are a disaster with ANY pad so I'm not too bothered about the dust, but from what I can gather Pagids will last longer.

badgersport

On the Group N rally car (based on the 07 Spec C) we use DS3000 pads and Castrol SRF fluid as recommended by Prodrive in the otherwise standard system. Works very well but it does wear the disks out - it's usually disks and pads changed together.

dynamix

iTrader: (3)

My PF pads lasted 20,000 miles including around 6 track days and 3 ring trips.

Granby

iTrader: (5)

Remember the Subaru is a heavier car so what works on the Exige might not work on the Scooby, i don't have them but i have heard nothing but praise for the PF pads & disc setup

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

You don't drive it hard enough then

I use ds2500s, very good but dusty as hell, not for the **** polishers among you!

Pete

Mark, may i ask and what mods you have to get your 380bhp??

So overall you,re really pleased with how the car goes,handles, just a brake issue really.

I,ve just bought my 06 Spec C and have to say it,s the best car i,ve owned, but i,m with you on the brakes, after having AP 6pots on my Evo the Brembos seem to do not such a good job, yes they,re ok, but i find breaking from higher speeds is where they,re not great etc..

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

My Pagids Blacks lasted under 5km and 2 Trackdays and simulary boilt the Brake fluid a lot of "grease" in the resevoir.

I've tried EBC Reds, EBC Yellows, DS2500 and Pagid Blacks on my STD brembo's set up. All the pads have there good and bad points and unless your prepared to run a "Trackday" setup and a "Road" setup it's hard to get the right compromise.

TBH from recomendations on trackdays I will either get Peformance Friction Pads and Disks or CarboTech Pads. Money no object then a AP setup

IMHO with the heat genrated by the P/F Brakes, Carbotech or DS3000 pads etc it is essential that a good fluid is used and preferably S/S brake lines.(I also changed the clutch fluid at same time)

Tony

Mark_BT52

Yep you have the other Toshi Arai one don't you.

Richard Bulmer remapped with Hydra ECU after full decatted exhaust change and other bits. They reckoned it would easily make 360 to 380, but on the rolling road it gave 380. It's a great mapping. No lag at all, lovely smooth delivery and insane top end scream. Revs so fast. Oh and big flames from the exhaust.

If the Evo IX FQ at Rockingham was supposed to have 406bhp then some of them must have escaped because the Scoob was massively faster.

I'm not going to bother with bigger calipers, they are plenty big enough that I can't see that being necessary. I'm sure that better pads/disks/hoses will do the job.

I was surprised at the body roll. It feels SO firm on road, but was quite soft on track. Might be looking at Litchfield's AST set up later in order to improve it on track and give us some comfort on road.
Apart from the roll and lack of front end bite turning off the banking it was amazing. The way it accelerates out from an apex is just incredible.

Shame the roof vent is noisy at 120mph.

Mark_BT52

Have AP disks on the Exige. They were not cheap...
I'll get braided hoses, good fluid and decent pads first and see how the disks cope.

Pete

That,s great power if it,s still on the original turbo too with just a de-cat..bet it,s a great road car too with that power/torque..

Evo 9 is considerably hwavier too remember though Mark..

Mark_BT52

As a road car it makes the Exige look silly (except for the ride, where the Exige is much much better).

Now I have a GTR on order I wanted to try the Spec-C and Exige together to see if the Exige could justify itself. To be fair, I think it did. At the end of the day the Scoob still feels a bit of a barge with zero steering feel and the Lotus is a much purer driving experience. I have no doubt that the Spec-C is faster round the track, but not necessarily better to drive.

Tell you what though. Both of them were massively more fun than the GTR was at Silverstone...

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

Cetainly improved my track handling and comfort over STD Jap suspension.

Handling, comfort and coilovers are nearly always a compromise especially on the rears of scoobs the latest T25 setup was much better than mine. IIRC they also do a Tapered rear spring using the original top mounts and different jetting on.

It might be worth speaking to Curtis @ Powerstation and he can tailor make a setup to suit your needs

Tony

Mark_BT52

Before getting the Spec-C I tried a black 400bhp STi with the AST setup and thought it was fantastic. So comfortable on 'soft' that I nearly fell asleep in the back on the test drive, yet presumably firmer on 'firm'.

(I also tried a white Spec-C with a Tein onboard adjustable setup which seemed to only vary between extremely hard and unbelievably hard....)

Shaun

Somebody else with a Hydra worked by Mr Bulmer I see. Ask him about quite a fast Spec C on Hydra he is currently mapping. It may make you ditch the Exige.

@ the EVO comment. Don't worry, they do use some strange way of calculating flywheel figures.

As regards to the bonnet..... don't worry about it. I have been a tad faster than you and mine has never flipped the bonnet.

If you are bothered about body roll, get the front and rear ARB's changed and also get an anti-lift kit fitted. Obviously well suited suspension will also help. I have the three way competition struts fitted to mine. Discuss your requirements with PowerStation and ask for user feedback from Litchfield Imports.

Have fun!

Mark_BT52

I don't need any more power. It's enough of a monster already. I was little worried on Saturday when I was only able to gently pull away from a mere E-class Merc , until he pulled alongside and I saw the E55 AMG badge... I swear it is faster than my old Tuscan.

Besides, the Lotus guys will be quick to point at the Audi converted Exiges with power approaching 400bhp

Actually I think the lack of harnesses may have made it feel like it was rolling more than it actually was. Any way of fitting harnesses without messing up the rear? Still need a couple of child seats to go there.

Shaun

Yes... harnesses are no problem. Mount off existing points used for rear and front seatbelts. You can still have the standard belts fitted, as eye'd bolts will replace the existing bolts.

Mark_BT52

BaT pics here for anyone who is interested.
My BaT Pics - BookaTrack.com

Pete

So Mark, you never answered my question..

Are you still on the factory turbo???


I,m only asking cus the Spec C is new to me also and i,ve read on here the standard turbo will die @ 370-380..

Probably hear-say, i don,t know....

Mark_BT52

I think so, but all the work was done before I got it and paperwork was not the previous owner's forte, so who knows... I assumed it was, but never really wondered.
I had to phone up all the people who had worked on the car that I could find to confirm what they had done. Who fitted the exhaust, who did the mapping etc, who did the RR tests etc...

So I'm not sure. But it hasn't died yet . I know the cat-fitted white Spec-C at Castle earlier this year had over 350bhp on the standard turbo though, and I know that the one we bought is noticeably faster, (otherwise we wouldn't have bought it...)

Pete

Fantastic mate, that,s good going too 350 with the cat still on..

Mine is being mapped very soon too, looking forward to feeling how it responds, not really fussed about RR NUMBERS, just a nice quick, drivable car...

May take Shauns advice and change the ARB`s etc, but map is first on my list..

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

Think that people said 380bhp is max for running with original turbo & to get more power it should be changed ...

TX.

scoobytyson

There is no way they can get 380bhp on the original turbo, more like 350-360bhp max

Pete

Rob,

I thought it,d be struggling myself too mate @ 380..

evo north

No a chance on earth you can get 380bhp out of those diesel turbos
Going past an evo 9 at 400bhp is not right either,,
The spec c turbo;s are not the best past 6000rpm,,
I agree the brakes on both cars are shocking,
I boil the fluid after 5 good hits, with pf discs,
Just bought some of those k sport brake kits

The Chief

Yes they can.....

Check about 5th one down - all on a standard turbo.

.:: i-Gallery 4.1 - Photo Viewer ::.

rickya

iTrader: (18)

Agree once again!!

Performance friction excellent choice & Motul RBF600 never boils for me on all cars Iv used on track.

As Shaun has already said Litchfields/Powerstation do loads of suspension options, all tried & tested by experts.

I suppose with the exige caosting into a chicane with no braking is quite easliy dealt with by the exiges chasis & great natural handling capabilities. But I suppose the Spec C might be better with no coasting & then some last minute hard braking

Shaun

I was hanging off the back of Exiges and a couple of Lotus 11's, when I was up at Snetterton last. But then tbh, they would also hang off the back of me as well around the twisty bits. Any form of straighter tarmac and it was good night vienna to the Lotus boys.

The way they change direction is awesome to view..... not sure I looked quite so elequant.