Simple Mods for the Nurburgring?

[JamesC_Academy_07]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm looking to take my Academy car to the Nurburgring in the middle of this season and am interested to know what sort of temporary modifications I could make to improve performance.

 

I can't really do anything that would take me too long to change back e.g. Engine/Gearbox etc as I'll have to get it back in spec for the Academy.

 

I was thinking of:

- different tyres - which sort should I go for? Should I get new wheels too?

- removing the headlights to improve visibility and aerodynamics - any tips? Was thinking of adding some sort of QR plug.

- putting the roof on (aerodynamic again) - thoughts?

- adjusting ride height - what's recommended?

 

All ideas/suggestions/tips are most welcome.

 

JC

[Neil_K]

Aeroscreen it instead of hood. CC do some retaining brackets for £30 to make the screen / aero interchangable.

[Sue Dinnim]

JC,

 

if you find posts by Dunsfold Dave or Noddy, they regularly go out to the Ring in their 7's. Admittedly R400's but they haven't taken lights off, etc. If you drop them an email I am sure they will offer any advice. There are nuumerous owners who go over there including Angus who would probably help too.

 

If you can't find any posts drop me a blatmail and I will pass your details on to them.

[Mark Durrant]

I would fit an aeroscreen and a different set of wheels shod with R888's and leave the rest as standard. I would not bother removing the headlights as you will not notice any improvement in performance and it is a 'track day' after all.

 

Have fun, I did last year as featured in this months Lowflying at the ticket barrier.

 

Mark D

Comp Sec

 

[caterhamnut]

Hi JC - as above really.

Swapping the screen off for an aeroscreen or Brooklands will help. You could always get a single race screen if you don't have a passenger.

As Mark says re tyres - something a bit softer woudl be good, liek R888's, Yoko 48's, CR500's etc etc - are you driving out or trailoring? I guess a spare set of wheels with these tyres on will give you more options at any time, rather than swappping tyres backwards and forwards...

As for ride height - depending on what you already have, I would leave it - certainly don't lower it - it is a very bumpy track in some places.

To be honest, the biggest thing that will make you go quicker is track knowledge - knowing what is around the next corner and what that next corner is. Believe me, you really don't need to change anything on your car to get the most out of the day - you won't be setting any records regardless (you need big power and better aerodynamics than a Caterham has for those long back up-hill 'straight')

Just take it easy and enjoy - its a fantastic place, that can bite.

 

www.mycaterham.com

here

Videos

here

100,000 miles car

[MartinWoodham]

aeroscreen, better tyres (assuming you're on cr322s), rear antiroll bar & stiffen the front, might be worth uprating the brake pads if you haven't already gone for mintex 1144s or pagids. If you might move onto Roadsports (or whatever its called this season) or Grads this should influence your choice of tyre, obviously.

 

all are cheapish and easily converted back for racing.

 

In any case, if the intent is (partly) to improve skill sfor the academy, you're better off being in as close a spec to the regs as possible aren't you?

 

have fun... 😬 😬

 

Martin

Aero'd supersported ex-Roadsports B...anyone got a cheap LSD?

[Graeme Smith]

Do you need to go faster than the standard set up??? It's not a race/sprint (I'd say not to time your laps, but you will anyway - at least try not to go for PBs every lap). But if you feel you do need to change stuff...

 

As everyone else says, an aeroscreen will give less drag. A driver's side-only race 'screen is the cheapest option - Rivnut it to the scuttle and the windscreen, when refitted, will hide the the holes if you position it right.

 

But to differ from everyone else, I'd say leave the tyres alone. If it's your first visit, you won't be sliding around - more driving it like a fast country road, so you don't need massive cornering grip. Sticky tyres are likely to be in a lower profile than CR322s, so you'll be lowering the car if you fit them - not good at the 'Ring with those jumps and kaurosels (sp?) where you want good ground clearance. Yoko 21Rs are the only perfermance tyre I can think of in 13 inch and 70 profile, and have the benefit of great wet weather grip, as well as only being £40 a piece.

 

If it's public days, the car has to be road legal (and insured, and taxed...), so removing the headlamps is a no-no (okay, you can technically be road legal without headlamps, but you'll have to argue that one with the staff - how good is your German!? - rather than just drive past). Useful having headlamps anyway to let people know there's a small, low car coming.

[Adrian M]

As Graeme says you need to be road legal for the Ring also they don’t take to kindly to cameras, I’ve seen someone with a rollbar mounted bullet cam turned away even thought it wasn’t connected to anything.

 

Ade

[simonbell]

Think about fitting a baro sensor if you don't already have one

 

I know people who have had no problem filming with bullet cams, if asked they just say they are not connected.......and that they have been filming on the way down to the Ring.......if you really want to film just place it somewhere discreet.

 

 

Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R

I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here

[h_____]

Keep it standard, unless you know your way around it wont make much difference to your enjoyment, and certainly not your lap times. you will still get passed by some MKII golf, with a local lad behind the wheel.

 

Also, dont bother filming if you get caught you just give the rest of us a bad name. I think the reason they banned cameras was due to the negative publicity of people posting crashes on the net (is that right?).

[JamesC_Academy_07]

Thanks for the tips guys.

 

I was never intending running a camera - not sure how that got into the thread of discussion.

 

Anyway, the reasons I was considering making changes are two fold:

1. Not that happy with the existing Avon economy tyres.

2. I'm going to the Nurburgring with a work colleague in a RS4 and wanted to improve my top speed a little. His banter is incessant :)

 

I have been, and will be, glued to Gran Turismo 4 and am expecting to drive the car to the track rather than trailer it.

 

So far, I'm quite keen on the Aero screen idea. I'll keep the headlights on and leave the ride height alone. I'll have a think about the brake pads and tyres.

 

Happy to hear more suggestions...

[noddy]

Keep your car as you know it and drive to your ability. Take your time to learn the circuit and yes your car needs to be road legal for public days. If it looks shabby they will noise test it and find a reason not to let you on.

 

If you think it's going to be like GT4 think again, some of the kerbs are massive and NOT to be touched and the gradients will blow your mind

 

When are you going 🤔

 

R400 BYEeeeeeeee .......... I love it

[captain chaos]

I would say my car does not look shabby and they still wouldn't let me on this weekend as I was over 100db 😔

 

A friend happened to have a 'super trap' with him which we modded at Ring Racing to fit (of a fashion) got it re-tested and passed. Took it off for the rest of the trip and had no problems. They only want std looking production cars there now. Anything that looks a bit different gets scrutinised. I get no problems with the Porsche which is over 100db and alot of the other cars exceed the noise limits aswell. The 'PC' world has even got to the Ring

[Graeme Smith]

Stating the bleedy obvious, it's not like GT4, though I guess it's a useful learning tool. For instance, Flugplatz might be easily flat on the computer but I usually have a little lift, as you never know if there's a crashed car other side of the blind brow...

 

A well-driven standard Academy is likely to quicker than an RS4 - I've overtaken plenty of Porsches, Evos, etc 'round there in my (slower) Grads car; conversely, I've been overtaken by plenty of beige Opel Kaddetts... 😳

[MartinWoodham]

Graeme, sorry to disagree, an RS4 will struggle to keep up on the twisty bits but you won't see which way it went on the straights. Both the original 2.6 twin turbo and curent v8 are 4.8s 0-60 in standard unmodified form, top speed limited to 155 in 6th gear, unlimited in 5th, and reputedly north of 180. The only chance an academy car has got is if the RS cooks his brakes...which is fairly likely if it's a twin turbo.

 

If anyone has a spare RS4 lying around, I'll bet I can get one round the Ring quicker than the Stig in an academy car...... 😬

 

The point is, JC, don't try to compete. (sorry, statement of the bl33ding obvious!)

Whoever is quicker, just drive the circuit on your own (car's) terms and you'll have a ball. You won't match the RS for top speed, but take your mate out in your car and scare him senseless with your cornering speed and late braking! 😬 😬

 

Martin

Aero'd supersported ex-Roadsports B...anyone got a cheap LSD?

[Graeme Smith]

But there's not (m)any straights at the 'Ring. Most drivers of fancy saloons are frighten of damaging their car, so don't get anywhere near the limit and, dare I say it, aren't actually very good drivers. So, yes, me in someone else's RS4 'round the 'Ring would be quicker than me in my 100bhp Caterham, but an Academy racer vs someone in their pride-and-joy everyday car...

[MartinWoodham]

fair point Graeme, average RS driver vs academy racer = 1-nil to Caterham. Given drivers of equal ability the RS would walk it IMHO. And of course in my bet I would be driving someone else's car.... *tongue*

 

BTW some nice footage of Sabine (ring taxi) Schmidt in a GT2 racing a CSR260 at the Ring here Don't know who's pedalling the CSR.

Even if your german is as ropey as mine, you'll still get the engine/ tyre noise and the sense of what's going on.

 

Who won?.....watch and see! 😬 😬

 

 

Martin

Aero'd supersported ex-Roadsports B...anyone got a cheap LSD?

 

Edited by - mwoodham on 18 Apr 2007 11:50:01