mjg

Did you buy that directly from FVD in Germany? I've been trying to get info about their GT3 exhausts out of them but haven't had a lot of luck so far.

ChrisB_NZ

No, I bought it on Trade Me last week, second hand, nearly new.

996tnz

Lap details updated thanks. Saw that exhaust auction myself but have just recently gone with a REMUS sports exhaust (just awesome - track staff thought it was naturally aspirated) and there's no point putting two on. Great buy. It'll help counter those squealing Pagids too

Macca

Those lap times look fine but IMHO not startling.

That black car is an ex USA Red LHD 996TT which has been stripped made 2WD and pumps out nearly 600 bhp in max tune - so its a total track machine, so not very good for comparison.

If my 295 bhp old girl isn't good for late 1.16s at HD Id eat my hat! Naturally Im not suggesting I can do 1.16s in (Ill be targeting some 1.18s and maybe a 1.17 next time I go to HD) but I think if I could actually get more than the one day I have at HD I could close in on Sean's best time in his 964 (day dream LOL!).

I think the 996TT is great value for sure. Properly tuned and driven I dont see why it cant be doing 1.15s at HD but it will be heavy on consumables and maintenance at that limit.

I think what we are seeing is there is a 5s span between good and poor drivers and a 5s span between 420 bhp and 250 bhp hardware out there. If you are a very good/experienced driver in a 964C2 you will be in the 1.18/19s and if you not as good in the 996TT you may also be in the 1.18s. As John has both to play with hes better becoming a 1.20 driver in the C4 as I suspect that will make him a 1.17 in the 996TT...

Macca

Matt. Try FVD USA may be quicker. I would poll the UK guys on Pistonheads for 996.2 GT3 exhaust. Maybe the USA guys on RL too....it definitely could do with a little more sound but the trick is not to introduce resonance on the street. I find the UK guys have a closer approximation to us both car, driving habit, road surface and quality of roads than the USA guys...

ChrisB_NZ

The other factor of course is tip v's manual. While the tip is okay, sometimes it doesn't seem to be fast enough changing coming out of a corner, so the manual would make a difference there and with gear changes in general.

I still think I will be pushing it to get the 996tt as fast as the 220hp 944S2 though. I did a 1:17:00 at HD last week and its definitely got more in it and the tyres are over 60% worn now, so pushing harder and new tyres would see low 1:16's, a bit more lightening (passengers seat, etc.) and it should be 1:15's with me driving. Kevin Etches car is significantly lightened (carbon fibre roof) and at 220hp is doing 1:14's at HD.

ChrisB_NZ

Nice exhaust, look forward to hearing the Remus and getting the 996tt's together at the track. I gave up and took the Pagids out for road use, the noise got to me in the end!

Macca

Chris that sounds all about right. Weight as always is the biggest enemy and the 996TT being a comfy road car has plenty of it. But that's also its huge advantage when you go to work on Monday mornings!

One thing I cant quite understand. Why do you use the 996TT and HD when you have a 944 Race car parked a few meters away?

ChrisB_NZ

You are 100% right about the weight and the comfort, that's why the 996tt is my daily drive. The reason I took the Pagids out is that the 996tt may get one more outing at HD before the SITT, but 90+% of its track time will be touring when the S2 isn't an option as it not road legal. I have to take the 996tt on the track at HD every now and then though, its just to much fun on the track to go cold turkey on for 6 months. Getting it on the track helps me keep my speeds down on the road to, gets the need for speed and testing of the car out of my system.

Racing starts this weekend at Taupo, heading down tomorrow, practice Friday, qualifying and racing Saturday, then 4 more races on Sunday. I'm racing in PCNZ and GTRNZ race series, so double track time, 2 x qualifying and 6 races, should be a big weekend

996tnz

You're right that a relatively tight track like Hampton is a great leveller of cars.

Lighter but less grunty cars can carry more speed through the corners and have it a bit easier under brakes but just can't pile as much on down the straights. Can't remember exactly what I worked it out to, but I think about 80% of the lap time at Hampton is spent under brakes or cornering so that really levels out the horsepower differences. Think I only have about 15 secs per lap at full throttle so tuning would only do so much too, unless you include suspension.

Even a basic BMW E30 with around 96 rwkw, 1180 kg, puts up a fairly respectable time at Hampton but in stock form would be destroyed by the Turbo on a more open 'GT' road course like the Nurburgring.

Maybe John, Paul or someone else who has driven both can comment but I would think that even while cornering more slowly, the Turbo is a bit more of a handful in the corners (at least with PASM off) as more weight is transferring around .

Turbos were after all designed more for road than track. Here is a pic extract (credit: Blair Robertson Photography) showing my body roll versus Matt's nicely hunkered down 996.2 GT3:

Macca

I agree with all you say.

I spent some time chasing Chris in his 996TT on the NITT so I got to see exactly the dynamic you talk of. The 993C2 was quicker in corners and under brakes and Chriss was quicker in a straight line. On a track like HD or Manfield there would be literally nothing in it (factoring that he is a better and more experienced track driver than I am). At Manfield there would have been less than 0.4s in it in the last two sessions, but having him romp past me on the straight in the first two sessions (I was pulling 180 in 4th and he was pulling 210+!) was a bit of an eye opener.

In your photograph I may be mistaken but it appears you have both than this corner with a different line - Matt looks like his car is still under (trail) braking and you are definitely on the gas....

996tnz

Yep, the apex is probably near the end of that rumble strip, so Matt is almost on it and should be near his max lateral G and almost right off the brakes. I'm beyond that and, yes, starting to get on the power but not much yet as the rear is not much lower than the front. Think this may have been in the sweeper where Matt was double apexing so taking a different line. We are both at similar speeds near max lateral Gs in a high speed turn though - turn 10 I think. My car has got about as much air as the height of the tyres showing between them and the arches. Colour me jealous...

Macca

Yes looks like turn 10 and Matt has double apexed I should say. He should be slowly squeezing the gas maybe a few moment away from pushing it to the stop. You look like you have taken Steve Rs line (wide) around the sweeper can see the exit and are also starting to applying throttle.

Its interesting watching the 996TT lift its nose under acceleration. I suspect this is as much a anti squat geo setup as much due to stock factory road shocks that are now over 10 years old.

I think if I were taking my 996TT to the track after brake fluid, pads and tyres I would be doing suspension (RRS coffin arms, PSS10 shock etc) and exhaust.

I dont think Id even bother trying to lighten the car. I think just making it more planted will give 2s a lap. All IMHO off course....

996tnz

Happy to take her about as far as it goes without compromising on-road enjoyment or needing LVV certing. PSS10s/ KW variant 3s have crossed my mind but smack into those criteria.

The Remus exhaust for instance saved about 6 or 8 kgs but I then put a few kgs of soundproofing under the parcel shelf to keep it 'family friendly' inside. Would rather not add weight high up in the car but it worked a treat. Not counting the little underpass at Hampton I've only had the chance to take it through one tunnel windows down with the new exhaust but it almost made my hair stand on end.

Macca

You will be surprised. The coil-overs were far more compliant on the road than the factory shocks. I was told they would be as they have better control and settings for bump and rebound but it was my wife who drove the car shortly after her spinal fusion op that confirmed it. With the PSS10/KW3 you can soften it right up to maybe softer than factory (depending on your mainspring) and then firm it up for the track using the click wheels. The ARBs are the other big item you need to look at. Again with the coil overs you can within a few minutes change the whole attitude of the car from very little roll to quite a bit of roll. This will make very big difference handling wise on track.

Id love to hear the Remus. Ive done alot of playing with exhausts. The boys will tell you, mine is not shy of a LeMans soundtrack or two at the end of the front straight under heel & toe. Resonance is the biggest bugbear with aftermarket cans. Its a design issue, not a volume one. That's why you ideally need to get feedback form someone reliable who has lived with the set up to be sure IMHO. Makes getting it right first time very hard in NZ where there are few opportunities to try others with different set ups...