Adventures of a SharkWerks 3.9L 997GT3 @ GTGP: Laguna Seca
#16
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Sorry. I often don't know people from their screennames versus their real names. I'm pretty sure we did a diff for this car a month or two ago while they were building it and I assumed you were the car's owner.
#17
No worries. Just didn't want to take credit for some insane times. And I do know Alex sent that box to you for your LSD, so full credit there.
#19
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Thank you sir and we just need you to pilot our 3.9 motor some time eh
Hehe thanks.. and of course to the ORIGINAL SW Test Pilot:P
Aye he's a great drive... obviously love to take credit but he's a good driver and hopefully the 3.9 helped him some Tony did the alignment last month and the suspension isn't fully tricked out like it could be. A couple of links in the rear really and that's about it. Didn't do the inner monoballs or thrust bushing kit either.
Let's go one weekend at night and move all those darned houses a few miles away so we can do that anytime.. who's in
Roger that
Correct. We added some solid dog bones and a toe-steer/bump steer but nada else.
Yes it is. He's a good driver indeed and brave in those conditions
We might well go deeper into the suspension and add the solid monoballs front and rear and the thrust arm bushings but other than the two links in the rear each side there's not too much going on. Poor thing... he actually has a front shock failure too. He was fighting with movement most of the weekend as the shaft in the front shock is moving around I'm just glad/happy for him since he was in the 1.38s before and now he's shaved a couple more off with the go-fast bits. I remember telling him I wasn't sure if more power=better lap times. I mean you know how that can go
Absolutely... he deserves all the credit in the world. He knows his car and gets the goods out of it and for me... 1.38 in 3.6 form is bloody quick and if the 3.9 engine helped him a bit to get to 1.36 then we're happy. But he still had to drive it
As always man... all of these builds _have_ to have the LSD done. The 997 one is so weak compared to the 996
Mr Hooters... I've seen you in action and you're no Ms. Daisey like me
Hehe thanks.. and of course to the ORIGINAL SW Test Pilot:P
Roger that
Correct. We added some solid dog bones and a toe-steer/bump steer but nada else.
Well, "stock" dampers (PASM) and springs, but a lot of heim joints in those pics -- taking the compliance out of the rear of a 997 is worth a lot of time.
The Hooters are worth a lot of time, too. I didn't realize it had decent rubber on it and Tony would have dialed up enough camber to make them work.
The 3.9 engine would be worth a lot time -- Laguna is a track that rewards horsepower because of the climb and the compounding long straights.
Maybe there's a full second attributable to each of those improvements, but we all know the "math" has a way of never adding up to the sum of the parts.
I think this car has Brembo rotors, but stock calipers.
And a Guard diff -- certainly worth something to be able to get the power down out of the turns and to keep the tail quiet under brakes.
The major thing this car hasn't done yet is lose weight. I'd imagine it's 3300lbs +/- wet with driver, stock seats and the roll bar. There's only so much those front tires can do with that much weight.
All said and done, 36.1 is a blisteringly quick time for a street car at Laguna. I'm curious to see times for all the other 911's there on that GTGP weekend.
The Hooters are worth a lot of time, too. I didn't realize it had decent rubber on it and Tony would have dialed up enough camber to make them work.
The 3.9 engine would be worth a lot time -- Laguna is a track that rewards horsepower because of the climb and the compounding long straights.
Maybe there's a full second attributable to each of those improvements, but we all know the "math" has a way of never adding up to the sum of the parts.
I think this car has Brembo rotors, but stock calipers.
And a Guard diff -- certainly worth something to be able to get the power down out of the turns and to keep the tail quiet under brakes.
The major thing this car hasn't done yet is lose weight. I'd imagine it's 3300lbs +/- wet with driver, stock seats and the roll bar. There's only so much those front tires can do with that much weight.
All said and done, 36.1 is a blisteringly quick time for a street car at Laguna. I'm curious to see times for all the other 911's there on that GTGP weekend.
Jesse is a very good driver, lets not take that away from him.
I have met few people that can do 1:36's at laguna, let alone in a street car with full interior and stock suspension.
The only cars doing close to those times or faster that weekend, were full on modded track cars.... I know because i was running with Jesse the whole weekend.
I have met few people that can do 1:36's at laguna, let alone in a street car with full interior and stock suspension.
The only cars doing close to those times or faster that weekend, were full on modded track cars.... I know because i was running with Jesse the whole weekend.
Mr Hooters... I've seen you in action and you're no Ms. Daisey like me
#20
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You get credit for our Laguna Tips along with Jesse though:P Four of them.. that's right... four of them got picked up today. Is there an event at Laguna or something soon?
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#23
GTGP Laguna Seca
Wow, I'm amazed my ears haven't burned off with so much discussion about my car without me present!
Just found this thread. Very kind comments by all....thank you!!
A big thanks to Sharkwerks, especially Alex & James. Great guys, excellent service. Without their support, getting it all to work perfectly would have been a real challenge. Also Vallaya Racing did a really good job of supporting us that weekend.
Actually, I also really need to call Tony who did the alignment and tell him how superb it feels (thanks Tony!). When I got the car back with the new settings, 3.9 and tweaks, the car was a little scary to drive. Fantastically sharp, but unforgiving. After 3 days of practice, it all came into focus. It's like driving a scalpel. Bloody brilliant.
I think Alex has already answered most of the questions. But I'll confirm a few items:
Stock brakes, but 2 piece Brembo rotors & endurance RS29 pads.
Stock PASM suspension, but a few bushings removed at rear.
Totally stock body work & aero.
The guard rebuild of the LSD definitely helped considerably in turn 2.
Weight of car is 3400lbs with a half of a tank and driver. 3200lbs with quarter of tank and no driver.
Quick correction: The 1:36.1 lap in quali was turned on dry ground with a half tank. It rained a lot that weekend, but the conditions were pretty good for that session. The 1:37.7 in the TT was in the partial wet.
At the end of the day, most cars are capable of much more than the driver. There's no doubt that a true street car (e.g. BMW 330i) needs lots of upgrades to make it track focused. However, on the GT3 the car works very well from the factory. I've put all of my energy in the 3.5 years I've been driving this car into learning to drive it, and to use what it already has. It took 2 years to start turning quality times. I'm finally now doing some upgrades as I think I'm close to eeking out most of what it can do. But I'm still intrigued by the sense that upgrades are the key. I think setup and practice will yield better times than upgrades. Not what tuner shops want to sell, but that's my honest opinion. That said, I wouldn't have had a hope in hell to beat that 691BHP Viper ACR Hardcore Edition if it weren't for the Sharkwerks 3.9!
Just found this thread. Very kind comments by all....thank you!!
A big thanks to Sharkwerks, especially Alex & James. Great guys, excellent service. Without their support, getting it all to work perfectly would have been a real challenge. Also Vallaya Racing did a really good job of supporting us that weekend.
Actually, I also really need to call Tony who did the alignment and tell him how superb it feels (thanks Tony!). When I got the car back with the new settings, 3.9 and tweaks, the car was a little scary to drive. Fantastically sharp, but unforgiving. After 3 days of practice, it all came into focus. It's like driving a scalpel. Bloody brilliant.
I think Alex has already answered most of the questions. But I'll confirm a few items:
Stock brakes, but 2 piece Brembo rotors & endurance RS29 pads.
Stock PASM suspension, but a few bushings removed at rear.
Totally stock body work & aero.
The guard rebuild of the LSD definitely helped considerably in turn 2.
Weight of car is 3400lbs with a half of a tank and driver. 3200lbs with quarter of tank and no driver.
Quick correction: The 1:36.1 lap in quali was turned on dry ground with a half tank. It rained a lot that weekend, but the conditions were pretty good for that session. The 1:37.7 in the TT was in the partial wet.
At the end of the day, most cars are capable of much more than the driver. There's no doubt that a true street car (e.g. BMW 330i) needs lots of upgrades to make it track focused. However, on the GT3 the car works very well from the factory. I've put all of my energy in the 3.5 years I've been driving this car into learning to drive it, and to use what it already has. It took 2 years to start turning quality times. I'm finally now doing some upgrades as I think I'm close to eeking out most of what it can do. But I'm still intrigued by the sense that upgrades are the key. I think setup and practice will yield better times than upgrades. Not what tuner shops want to sell, but that's my honest opinion. That said, I wouldn't have had a hope in hell to beat that 691BHP Viper ACR Hardcore Edition if it weren't for the Sharkwerks 3.9!
#24
Other 911 times
The major thing this car hasn't done yet is lose weight. I'd imagine it's 3300lbs +/- wet with driver, stock seats and the roll bar.
All said and done, 36.1 is a blisteringly quick time for a street car at Laguna. I'm curious to see times for all the other 911's there on that GTGP weekend.
The fastest 911 time there after me and the second best time of my class was a 996 GT2 prepared by GMG which turned a 1:36.8 with an extra 150ftlbs of torque and he was running on Hoosier A6s, which some say can give you an extra second over the R6 in the first 3 laps. Don't know if this is true or not. The best driver in another 911 was Mobonic (997S, but with GT3 Aero and gutted, so power to weight is probably similar to a 3.9). I think he was in the 1:37s.
#25
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The fact that a heavy GT3 could run even with a Viper ACR at Laguna Seca says a lot about the car preparation and the driver's skills. Good job with the 3.9!!
This 997 GT3 3.9 beat a modified 996 GT2 with all sort of good parts, and well driven. Viper ACR is one tough car to beat, especially when they touch the exhaust/ecu and gain another 80Hp.
Bummer for the Novitec Rosso guys and the F430 (was that a Scuderia?).
This 997 GT3 3.9 beat a modified 996 GT2 with all sort of good parts, and well driven. Viper ACR is one tough car to beat, especially when they touch the exhaust/ecu and gain another 80Hp.
Bummer for the Novitec Rosso guys and the F430 (was that a Scuderia?).
#26
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