5-6" Drop with VW KYB's Converted to Coilovers?

[theastronaut]

Ran my first autocross yesterday, took the Festiva and the Miata. I ran a best of 47.1 in the Festiva and a 49.5 in the Miata. To be fair the Miata has older all season tires and couldn't figure out which end wanted to lose grip first so I never felt confident approaching a corner. It still did decent in the stock Miata class, I ran a full second faster than some of the others. The Festiva just stuck and rolled through the corners with ease. It would ever so slightly hang the tail out under hard trail-braking but never even hinted of swapping ends. The back inside wheel was coming off the ground a little so the shorter MK1 shocks are working. The class I was in had a fast time of 46.9 so I was only two-tenths off the leader. I only got two timed runs in each car, where everybody else had four runs. Had I used my other two runs in the Festiva I could have cut a little more time off and picked up a class win. The fastest guys of the day were running 43.xx seconds... going to need more than 58 horsepower and 400 treadwear tires to get anywhere near that!

One of my fun runs after it was over, not a timed run.

[TominMO]

^^ :-)

[Advancedynamix]

[theastronaut]

Well, it's been fun but the itch to get back into something rear wheel drive is strong. I bought a '92 Miata a couple weeks ago so I'm going to sell the Festiva. Full details are in the classified section. I really appreciate all the help the forum has been through the build process!

[theastronaut]

The car looks great. The fall always makes for good car pictures. It sounds like you quickly got addicted to the Lateral Gs.

Thanks! Yeah it's been extremely fun, would love to see what one would do with more power and sticky tires.

[blake4591]

The other rear beam is swapped in so now I'm running camber all the way around, and the e-brake works finally. I don't think I'm going to go any lower since its way to much fun as is and I don't want to compromise grip. I need to finalize the alignment next, and pick up some taller bump stops. Already thinking about picking up a set of lighter 13" wheels to mount sticky tires, and I've found a schedule for the local sports car club's autocross dates.

The car looks great. The fall always makes for good car pictures. It sounds like you quickly got addicted to the Lateral Gs.

[jdobbs86]

sounds like he's buying a motorcycle to me lol

[bhazard]

The next one will have an 11000 rpm redline, traction control and a sequential dog box.

Wait wut?

[theastronaut]

The other rear beam is swapped in so now I'm running camber all the way around, and the e-brake works finally. I don't think I'm going to go any lower since its way to much fun as is and I don't want to compromise grip. I need to finalize the alignment next, and pick up some taller bump stops. Already thinking about picking up a set of lighter 13" wheels to mount sticky tires, and I've found a schedule for the local sports car club's autocross dates.

[theastronaut]

That was with all four in but no negative camber in the rear. The fronts have been on for a few weeks now but I hadn't had it on the interstate til last week. The last of the parts came in (was waiting on axle nuts) so now I can get the other rear beam swapped in, hopefully tonight.

[Advancedynamix]

Took it out on the interstate today for the first time since swapping in the coilovers. Felt very planted and stable up to its top speed (speedo was pegged out). Took a sweeping off ramp at 80 mph and there was easily enough grip for another 20 mph. Needs more power!

Did you do the fronts too, or is that just with the rears? Wait till you feel one with the engine moved forward, negative camber and zero toe on all 4 wheels. You'll wonder why anyone ever bought a sports car. Lol

[MiltonHavoc]

You guys need to make a coilover kit!
Advanceddynamics just killed the game in the looks department.
My gosh I need to step it up..

[theastronaut]

Took it out on the interstate today for the first time since swapping in the coilovers. Felt very planted and stable up to its top speed (speedo was pegged out). Took a sweeping off ramp at 80 mph and there was easily enough grip for another 20 mph. Needs more power!

[theastronaut]

... an 11000 rpm redline, traction control and a sequential dog box.

You have my attention, I'll be waiting anxiously to see this!

Going to work on getting the rear beam swapped in today. Already rebuilt the drums, just need to make camber spacers.

[Advancedynamix]

Bad thing is, it's still going to be slower than a prepped Festiva around a tight track... hmmmmmm Have you thought of going to any of the Optima/USCA events with a Festiva?

Believe it or not, a well prepped festiva will even dominate on a fast track. These cars are extremely stable at speed. My Cayman S won't hold a line like the festy will. Moving the engine weight forward is like waiving a magic wand and turning the Festiva into a real GT car.
This winter I'll start building a proper track prepped festiva. My B6T build was just a street car expirament that went better than planned. The next one will have an 11000 rpm redline, traction control and a sequential dog box. It'll be a time trials car, but I may enter in a few race groups from time to time.