[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by DBasher

Fixed it for ya buddy!

Lots of talk about what works best for the individual, different driving styles and what not. What about the guy building a car with zero experience on a road course?

Greg you've got three track cars and I'm sure they're all set up different. The mustang with Ron's secret sauce, the Lotus I'm guessing is stiffer and lighter with more aero and then the Miata....which is, um...a Miata. Which do you feel the most confident in?

Great question Basher!! Not really relevant to this particular thread but here goes it:

Let's discuss before and after....

The Mustang was a complete disaster for handling... it was outdated... worn out... had cracked suspension parts - bushings that were frozen... shocks that were the worst worn out crap many people had ever seen. It's a track car... it's a few years old... stuff wasn't up to snuff. I didn't know any better. I only knew that I couldn't keep up with similar cars.

Enter the forensic teardown and measurements of what was... and a fresh sheet of paper and calcs by Ron Sutton...

The car is now a pure joy to drive -- videos of before and after confirm that the car works and works really well. Everybody used to pass me.... now - about the only people that pass me are guys with way fatter tires (Big Mikes Cup Car for instance). He used to pass me and I'd never see him again... now I can hang with him and do so without driving hard. I have the Sutton Low Roll High Travel design on my Mustang. The car is amazing. I have complete confidence in the car off line or any line... It's allowed me to work on driving skills rather than my life saving skills... with a series of linked recoveries. It's just flat planted.

I bought the Lotus 2 11 as a back up car... driving it is what tipped me off to how BAD the Mustang was. I USED TO describe the Mustang as "the pissed off bull"... and the Lotus as an adult GoKart.... That description would NOW be - the Mustang is WAY MORE FUN than the Lotus. I drive both with almost the same lap times. The Lotus used to be WAY faster. I may now sell the Lotus - because it's just too much fun to wheel the Mustang. I used to "get thru" the Mustang -- and happily stepped "up" to the Lotus... Now I drive it (the Lotus 2 11) because I have it and it should be driven...

The Lotus has double adjustable Ohlins.... weighs nothing... has plenty of power... steering is quick and light - and it's surgical.... the set up is exactly what the factory specs say to run it at.... the only big changes for handling are the mono ball bushings that replaced the rubber bushings.... and the Camber - and ride height and rake for downforce. The Ohlins are set to factory recommendations. It's an IRS... It runs grippy Yokohama A001 Softs (similar to Hoosier A7's).

The Miata was set up by Hobaugh for his daughter -- and he has auto crossed it and tracked it. With 100 more HP it would be a hoot... it's a "momentum car"... don't lift or you loose any momentum you had. It has some Falkens on it I think... It has adjustable shocks - different springs -- a roll bar... And the only guys that make fun of it are the ones that haven't had a chance to drive it. It's a hoot - sticks like glue - and a guy can really get after "the lines" with this car! YES -- the other cars can pass it... it lacks HP and TQ.... it does not lack FUN or confidence. You can toss it around in the corner - evoke mild oversteer and then just point it where it needs to go and ZOOM ZOOM... like I said - a total hoot! The cheapest, most fun, track car ever. Put some sticky Yoko's or Hoosiers on the little brat and it would be faster... but then I couldn't drive it to the grocery store after tracking it all day.

The Lotus 2 11 is by far the most dangerous to drive... huge rear weight bias (63%).... needs speed to get the aero working... snap oversteers.... and I mean SNAP. I've learned to drive it and catch the oversteer - but it will bite you big time! It's every fast - and is not a beginners car. You go into a corner and lift, or touch the brakes - you're history. It too is a momentum car -- but the momentum is far higher because it's fast. Don't make any mistakes in this car. It needs to be well driven at speed. Over correct as I did from T8 up to T9 at Thunderhill and you have a "tank slapper" on your hands. There's a series of "S" black marks up in that section - just before I spun it. LOL I simply missed the apex at 8 and then tried to correct my line.... and it was Katy bar the door! Bring on your fat tired 600+hp ZR1 and I'll drive by you like you're standing still. It's really well engineered and light as a feather.


I'll take the Mustang any day. NOW! I wouldn't have said that pre "Sutton". That's the answer to "which do you feel most confident in". It's the most neutral handling - glued to the track - predictable - no fuss - just "punch it! I know the road" of all three cars.