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Second Drive!
nstrug - 31/7/09 at 03:18 PM

So I went out this morning for a more considered second drive, not far and not very fast (30/40/50 limits) but just to get a feel for the car. I decided to make a list of what was good and what was bad:

* The Good
- Steering is just fantastic, the escort quick rack is just in a different league from the standard sierra rack that I got used to on idl1975's Mk
- Ride is great. Soft springs and stiff damping make for a very compliant ride in a light car. In fact I would go so far as to say it is much less jarring over draincovers and holes than my BMW
- Grip is incredible. Obviously with such soft tyres (Kumho V700 softs), it's going to be good, but it feels absolutely glued. I'm scared of what will happen when it breaks free though...
- Power! It's strong up to about 6000 rpm and then it goes absolutely bonkers. I had it up to 9000rpm and I thought we were going to go into orbit - and there were still another 3500rpm to go!
- Torque. It's remarkably tractable even at low revs. The only time I stall it is in reverse.
- Noise. Just bonkers. Doesn't sound like a bike, more like a flatplane racing V8, I love the induction snap and the popping on the overrun. It just sounds really angry all the time.
- Gearchange. Getting into a regular car afterwards you realise just how glacially slow a synchromesh gearbox is.

* The Bad
- Brakes. Serious issues here. Far too much pedal travel. Really need to look at whether I'm using the right MCs. It feels like the MCs are half full of air.
- Reverse box. It's coughing oil all over the inside of the tunnel through the breather. Not sure whether this just means I overfilled or whether I should really have a breather tank.
- Power. Peak power is great but it's pretty non-linear, there is a very definite increase in torque at about 6k rpm - almost as if it had a racing cam fitted. Proper mapping might sort this out and I hope to take it to PDQ at some point for a rolling road session.

So, my most pressing issue is to get the brakes sorted out in time for Llandow on 24th August.

Nick


spdpug98 - 31/7/09 at 03:51 PM

Great at least you made it home this time.

I had exactly the same problem with my reverse box and had to buy the breather kit/bottle from Quaife (If your box is the Quaife one) no problems since


nstrug - 31/7/09 at 03:59 PM

quote:
Originally posted by spdpug98
Great at least you made it home this time.

I had exactly the same problem with my reverse box and had to buy the breather kit/bottle from Quaife (If your box is the Quaife one) no problems since


Think I might have to, though no idea where I would put it.

Nick


Flamez - 31/7/09 at 05:25 PM

Can you tell me which company is running a trackday at llandow? as I can't find any.


RickRick - 31/7/09 at 06:49 PM

i had the breather issue. i used a thread adapter to replace the quife breather cap thing, then fitted one of them disposable fuel filters into the thread adapter, with the element removed, all glued into place then a 10mm pipe up to the scuttle, after another 75 miles, there's a trace of oil in the filter bowl, and nothing out of the pipe, also checked the oil level and it's still brimmed, can't have cost more than £10 and all the oil goes back to the box rather than into a catch tank


nstrug - 31/7/09 at 10:45 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Flamez
Can you tell me which company is running a trackday at llandow? as I can't find any.


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