then considering effort of all that - you can try to get bilstein damptronics COs and use 996 GT3 LCAs and GT3 upper mounts with them. it will make car to feel more precise in turns and will give you a lot of camber adjustment.
also, of course, get proper tires and run them properly.

 

Sloopy, I am with you on that one... Nothing beats actual time behind the wheel. The "E" part is what I am focusing on right now.

I used to do 3-5 DE events a year on my 02C2S when I was living in NC (mostly VIR). I had to sell the car when I moved to Vancouver as a 2nd parking spot under my condo was ~$120K - sheesh. So after a couple of year hiatus, I now am back in Montreal with a spanking new 09C2S in a very active PCA region with at least 3 great tracks within a couple of hours so I am hoping on doing 6-8 a year here - where they actually run 2-3 days events making it even better track time wise.

So, to make a long story short, I am just trying to get a grip (pun intended) on this new car and, as you can see from the thread, I probably just need to let go of my comfy old pair of shoes.

Be safe on the track,

T.

 

tcoutre,
*go get Andrews stuff (control arms and sway bars) on rennlist he is selling,
*order a set of 9x18 and 12x18 (GT3 fitment) CCW C10's from John at CCW in Daytona Beach
* have him put Toyo RA1's 245-40-18 and 205-35-18
* order Pagid RS29 Yellow front and rear pads 2474 fronts and 2405 rear

and you will be totally set up for street and track.

 

I'd say you would have to be in Black / Red (most advanced / instructor) for a while before "needing" to change anything. If not, then you need to tune yourself before you tune your car. Of everything on the car I'm betting the suspension isn't holding you up, rather it might be brake fluid / pads, tires, camber, etc.

So many are so fast to modify when they are still just learning the basics. Some of us, like Mike (mdrums) could take a bone stock 997 S with as good an alignment as possible "bone stock" and do things with it that others in green, yellow, or white (and blue for chapters that have that color) would be amazed at.

Again, point being is seat time, instruction, more seat time, etc.

For me the critical items are pads and fluid, tires, and camber. If you don't have the GT3 control arms, that's a great next step. As for suspension, I tried the Damptronics and after a month of trying to figure out why they weren't "better" than stock, the chief engineers at Bilstein concluded -- they aren't intended as a track suspension, rather a street one that is more adjustable than stock. They suggested either back to stock or a true race suspension. So yes, the Damptronics can lower the car and it will feel stiffer, and new sways, etc. will make it really feel "tight" on the street, but on the track at 9.9/10ths it won't really perform better than stock, especially on non-perfect surfaces. That was the problem for me - 1:05 felt nice at Lime Rock, 1:04 the back end started hopping on threshold braking, 1:03 was downright uncomfortable in many ways. Never got back to the 1:02 the bone stock suspension was giving me consistently - more compliance sucking up the imperfect track surface.

As to changing a PASM to a SPASM - I really don't think that's going to work. Not only are the springs different, so are the shocks, controls / programming, sways, etc.

Take a look at my signature and you won't see many mechanical modifications. And the car is blisteringly quick on the track, yet still pleasant to drive on the street.

 

you meant 245/305 RA1s perhaps?
it is true but for 9/12 rims r888 255/315 probably will provide a bit better grip don`t you think? plus R888s should be cheaper now than RA1s.
other option is nitto nt01 - as i understand they have same exact compound as in toyo ra1.

i am still rubbing in 265/335 shaved v700 kumhos and so far like it a lot. stopping power of those tires is just awesome. front feels a bit heavy in turns but traction seems to be great. 335 is a bit too wide for rear but car seems to turn well, I do not feel any understeer. front grabs in much better than on 245 hoosiers. will test it this saturday on auto-x and then in 2 weeks will try on DE.

BTW, do you shave RA1s or run them at stock thread depth?

 

I was told the same - PSS9/10 shocks should be sent back to bilstein to be re-valved to be used with 600/800lbs springs. after that PSS10 will be as good as motons - only problem is that price of such setup with custom springs and re-valving work will be more than price of brand new motons/jrz rs. but you will keep pasm switchability.

in their stock form how they gettinng shipped they are intended for street, not for racing specs.

 

I run 245/305 RA1s - love them. I have 2 sets in the basement to last me a couple more years. If for dry use, shaved to 5/32. If for wet use, full depth. Don't get them for dry thinking "I'm paying for the full depth, I'm going to use it..." You'll be cursing for about 6 DE days as they wear down to the proper depth (tall tread blocks squirm until worn down).