NJ-GT

Not this year. I just have 3 months with this car, and the car is way under developed.

My car class is ASP. The car is bone stock with just the alignment done. My track wheels are the same size and offset than the factory ones. Car is not competitive in ASP in its current setup. I will need to get some more power out of the engine, reduce 100 more lbs under the rules, get wider front and rear wheels/tires, upgrade the suspension, in order to be able to be quite competitive.

Then there is the partially developed Danny Popp's car. Then there is the Danny Poppp driver factor.

If only the SCCA approves the current requirement to move the GT3 to SS then I think I can have a chance. Erik Strrelnieks was just 2 seconds faster than the ASP DC Tour champion over a 2 days event. At a local event the ASP DC Tour champion was running 2 seconds behind my times but he wasn't on Hoosiers and I was on my shot Tire Rack Hoosiers. My stock car is competitive in SS but not in ASP.

But then, the new Lotus Elise is coming to SS. I saw the first one today (yellow, touring package, no LS from Manhattan MotorCars). That car is very light, and I think that will be the car to have in SS.

PedalFaster

Hmm, ok. One piece of advice from personal experience: don't wait until you're "ready" before going to Nationals. Even if you do well at local events and feel that you're ready to step up, the first trip to Topeka is almost always harsh due to the combination of a unique surface (bumpy, crumbling concrete) and competition far more intense than even the biggest Tour event (because of the sheer volume of competitors, and also because people pull out all the stops).

Also, regardless of how badly you get whooped on, it's always a ton of fun.

Steve

J P Stein

>"But then, the new Lotus Elise is coming to SS. I saw the first one today
>(yellow, touring package, no LS from Manhattan MotorCars). That car is very >light, and I think that will be the car to have in SS."

If it is, the SCCA Corvette guys will have it banned.
Status quo is 4-5 Corvette classes and everybody else. Good work, if you can get it.

I think your GT3 falls into the "tooexoticasspecifiedbytheCorvetteguys" rule, one of the many "tough nuggies" rules that SCCA has aginst Porsches in general.

PedalFaster

As a Porschephile but also an SCCA member with a serious long-term interest in Solo 2, I support the continued ban of the GT3 from Stock. Why? Because classing it in Super Stock would risk doubling the cost of entry to one of the most popular Stock classes out there. Why jeopardize the investment of the hundreds (thousands?) of Corvette autocrossers so that maybe, what, a dozen GT3 owners nationwide can come out to play?

This is not a Corvette-specific argument -- the same reasoning applies to any class which has a popular, inexpensive class leader, thus the reluctance to touch ES (MR2) and FS (Camaro / Mustang).

Steve

RJay

Well perhaps my car is camber challenged at 2 degree negative all the way around, but frankly I think the tires are defective. All four tires are corded on the outer edge after roughly 60 runs (205/45/16 & 245/45/16). The fronts other than the cording have virtually no wear, the backs appear half gone (judging by the depth of the groove left.) The car is light (2200lbs), the tires have been check via pyrometer for even temp and air pressures adjusted accordingly at each event, (approx 42 lb all around). Temps have been relatively low 120-130s in front, 180-190 in the rear So aside from wear on the outer edge the tires would be good for at least another 60 runs. Never had a problem with the 03s. Plan is to reverse them this weekend and try to get my money out of them. After that...710s if they make something that will fit.

As to grip, I'd say once I realized they required higher pressures than the 03s, the 04s are at least as good. Always hard to say as we're always make subtle setup changes trying to improve things. But frankly, it really sucks that these tires go away so quickly, at $800+ a set for my miniscule meats, it's ridiculous, but having run ecsta 700s theres no doubt they offer more grip, until they self-destruct.

J P Stein

I think I've figured it out.

We've heard from several rear engined cars and one front engined car. My engine is in the middle where it belongs
Other than my experience, it would appear that Mr. Hoosier isn't doing himself
any favors with the A3SO4.

I ran 30 front & 33 rear this last PCA AX. Mine is a 2 driver car and my
co-driver took TTOD. I haven't a clue as to what's going on.

PedalFaster

Technically, my engine's in the middle too (it's behind the front axle line).

Consensus (here I go using that word again) amongst those I've talked to is that the A3S04s are essentially a lateral move relative to the A3S03s -- they're better in some respects and worse in others. This is arguably a net loss since, by all accounts, the V710 is significantly better than Kumho's earlier offerings, and as fast or faster as either Hoosier, at least on asphalt. If only they made them in more sizes.

Steve

FlyYellow

ok - i'll chime in here as i'm running the new 04's.

background: i have a 993 that weigh 2950lbs +195 lbs (driver)

experience: they seem to be lasting well, although i'm paranoid about cording the outer edge. I'm still playing with tire pressures. here is what i've found. definetly run them high. for me on a short course i use 40f / 44 r on a long course i use 38f / 42r.

turnin: excellent 9/10
latteral grip: excellent 10/10
predicatability: excellent 9/10

thus far i'm happy with the life i'm getting out of them. i've had 40 runs on the front and 16 on the rear. i'm planning to reverse the front to extend their life. i'll also reverse the rear after the next autox.

so far very happy. i never ran the 03's but used v700 and mpsc's on my car. mpsc's don't work for autox (just can't heat them up) - although i use them for the track. v700's great tire, but not even close to hoosier for autox or mpsc for track. good compromise if you want one tire for both.

just posting my experience...

cheers,
boris

nile13

Boris, what pressures did you use for V700? I will have to co-drive a 993 coupe with PSS9s and V700s at our 2-day Zone 1 event and have no idea how to set it up.

FlyYellow

i recall using 29/32 as the best.

PedalFaster

I'm going to completely reverse myself for the second time on this thread. After 26 more runs on a concrete surface known to be viciously abrasive (Castle Airport in Atwater), my A3S04s are still going strong -- the strip of missing rubber didn't get any worse than it was when I last posted. That's a total of 70 runs, and the tires still have usable rubber on them. Pretty impressive.

Steve

JESSE COMBS

NJ-GT I'm a devoted autocrosser and have been autocrossing a 04-GT3 since last December. I currently run the AS04's and yes the rears are only good for about 40 runs. I find that the fronts are only about 1/2 worn out when the rears are shot. I'm currently running 38 psi front and 40 rear. 2.7 degrees neg. camber up front and 3.0 in the rear and the sway bars are set to the factory specifications. Every other aspect of the car is stock except I have some BBS racing wheels on the way but ordered them in the stock size. I see that you are running 9" wide wheels upfront, do your front ties rub the wheel wells on the inside? I must tell you that as far as comparing AS04 to the stock MPC I believe there is atleast a 4.5 % difference. For example on a 50 sec. course you should be 47.75 on the AS04's vs. 50 sec on the Hoosiers.

BTW- I'm registered in ASP at Nationals and know that theres a 99% chance both Danny Popp and Gary Thomason would beat me even if they had to drive my car. I agree with Pedal Faster I think that you should go to Nationals. Its the only venue that will show you where you really fall in terms of your autocross skills.

NJ-GT

Jesse:

I'm selling my BBS Racing Wheels on the GT3 stock sizes. I'm running 8.5" front and not 9". I bought them brand new 3 months ago and they are in perfect conditions. I can cut you a deal on them. There is a thread with pictures of them on this forum. By the way, the need different bolts, I have them as well.

You're right comparing the MPSC and the A3S04. However when the MPSC are cold they have less grip than a street tire. That 4.5% difference applies to hot MPSC vs. hot Hoosiers A3S04, and yes that's quite right. I've been using the MPSC as my street tire for 3 years so far. They are really bad when cold, really bad on the rain, but on spirited driving they heat up in about 2 minutes and then you can enjoy them on those back roads.

I noticed you're in the Topeka ASP entry list. Stock for Stock the GT3 can eat the Z06 at any autocross. With the right mods the same can be done in ASP.

I'm still working on my car. A new suspension is on the way, new wheels, new lightweight rotors, etc. When I feel the car is ready, I will show up at Topeka.

Send me a PM. There are a lot of adjustments you need to do before going to Topeka. With your current setup you will be lucky if you get a 6th or 7th place.

I'm heading to Watkins Glen for a 2 days event this weekend. If you send me a PM before noon EST tomorrow, I will reply as soon as possible. Otherwise, next Monday.

RJay

Actually I've recalculated and my guesstimate of 60 runs was actually only
34 (forgot exactly when I put them on orginally). Have a call into hoosier... we'll see what they say.

Anyone used Corsas at an AX? I suspect I know the answer...they ain't no good, but tire racks having a sale and they'll real cheap at the moment. (need 'em for the 996)

=RJay=

NJ-GT

RJay:

Go with the ECSTA V700. They are the 3rd best autocross tires. 1st and 2nd are the Hoosiers and V710, but they don't last as long.

Corsa is not as bad as the MPSc, but it is really bad for autocross use.

Those Tire Rack prices are way expensive even with the discount.