looking forward to that!

Montecarloman, I'm sure it would help,although with a softer front bar in my case I might run into tire rub issues. If I had more time and money to play with it I would love to experiment with an LS front bar as well as a an eibach front bar + PRS XXX rear.

 

I'd guess that is a double edged sword. Since we don't have a good camber curve, we need to keep an appropriate amount of front roll resistance, and due to limited spring options, we need to keep a decent sized bar in there. I think the stock bar off the LNF pairs well with John's bigger rear sway bars. I wouldn't drop the front bar w/o some pretty serious springs.

 

Exactly why I would love to experiment with the eibach front xxx rear bars. If we could keep the front tire right at the peek of the camber curve it would prevent the mid corner push you think you might have with increased front stifness.

 

I am runing 285s in front and 255s rear, 10 in wheels both front and rear. 45lbs front, 65lbs rear. Johns XXX rear bar.
Car is working very well. When the tires are cold the back will come around if you are not smooth. However if you are smooth and left foot brake the car does great.

I would say my car is within 10% of being neutral. I have not changed shocks like Jboogie has I am still on stock. I will either do the rear shocks or wait until John tries them. I know Jboogie says Koni's all the way around are the way to go, but I have to say, the car as it sits is incredible.

I can tell you the current setup puts me in play with the fastest guys in the club. I cannot compare the setup to national level yet since I have not done a national tour or pro this year. I have won both in my corvette and RX7, but have yet to win in the balt.

I would say short comings on the car are
a. Could be a little stiffer.
b. Could have faster steering.
c. Could have less lean.
d. Could use more rubber up front to help put the power down, but I do not think I can put more rubber in front without issues. Next step would be 295 or 305.

I have worked with John for all my parts and have been very pleased with every part I receive. If you ask anyone in my club about my car they will all tell you in is incredible.

I look foward to each new part John comes out with. As long as I can use it in SP class, I will utilize each part he makes for our car.

John, I like your idea about the hypercoils, I have them on my RX7 and Corvette. Love to have a good setup on my car that I could say for a fact works.

In builing all my cars I am very careful to only change something if it will make the car better.

 

wow spank good summary your tire size/pressures are in line with what I would think would work....I am thinking out of the box a bit, modifying the rear motor mount pedestal and running a speedway straight front bar with splined ends for lever actuation... the lever would mimic the stock bar toget around the tie rod.

if I am right and we need more front stiffness.

maybe not.

do need stiffer front springs.

do need to settle the rear twisting beam and I have the parts prepped and powdercoated, just gotta get around to finishing them so busy with other things. at the track all day today. piktars next for pruf...



I drove the SLS for lead/ follow ; of course the race vette we built is faster...but the SLS has the new Continental tire and they are treadwear 280 and they grip very very well...

 

Great pics John. You know I wait for your next parts.

 

John, that SLS must have been a BLAST to drive! I'm really loving everything Continental tire is doing right now. The DW and DWS are just amazing, I can only hope they have an extreme performance tire in the works.

Spank, 285fr/255r on stock shocks so, stock springs as well? You were the one of the first Cobalts I heard of being competitive in DS back when I first got mine. Really glad to have some of your input around here.

 

I don't normally post much, due to some times people wanting to argue about what does and does not work. And usually it is coming from people who do not know.

Yes I am running pedders. The car is working incredible right now. I can tell you for a fact this is currently the best handling FWD car I have ever been in. I am at the point where changes have to be slight due to how well it works. When I watch Scott Brown blace a course in his C6 ZO6 and do a 27.433 and think that is hauling then go out in our 4 banger and do a 27.453 I cannot but be impressed how well this car can do when set up correctly. When I can take a little 4 banger and be in the top 2-6 in top time of the day, not counting karts or forumla cars you have to be impressed on how the little balt can do.

Scott has done a great job developing his car and I have not had the chance to compete against him yet. However I do look foward to it so we can compare builds. I do not think I will be doing nationals this year, however with Johns help I will see how it will do next year.

I ran it a few times nationally the last couple of years but I never placed better than 2nd or 3rd so I figure it was time to develop before I came back. I have put a link on here so you can see how well our little balt can do. It does not show the other region I have driven in but you can see from our local club how it has done.

I can say with John's help by the end of this season, I should have a car that can compete with the 330i's in 2012.

Season Results | Snake River Region SCCA

 

You don't understand these guys have been to one track day in there life and spend 8 hours a day on car forums they know what they're talking about. Looking forward to more posts from you.

So, how much camber is everyone running? I was looking through old issues of grassroots motorsports the other day and stumbled across one where they were setting camber on a new mini (also macpherson struts) and it wound up 3* was the magic number. That's serious camber, I'm not sure if we could put any power down with that much.

 

I can tell you with 2.5 I am using more of the inside, but the tire still rolls at 45 psi. Still learning how to drive FWD. I think running hoosiers and softer sidwall you have to run enought to not cord the outside of the fronts even if that makes you wear more on the inside. I know Scott runs three and he likes it, but I think the would wear too much on the inside and also not allow us to put power down.

Hope that helps.

When I come back from Canada I will be running 275's in back instead of 255's. I will see how that helps. Also I know John has some more goodies coming for me.

Slowbalt