Racing school?

[Dr Caleb]

So, since we Canucks never seem to be close enough for the usual Marauderville festivities, what do you guys think of a Racing school sort of get together?

There is one in Calgary at the beginning of May, 2 days training that preps you for an Alberta Racing license. $500 + GST were the fees last year.

"The school consists of a class room instructional session discussing; braking, handling, driving lines and competition protocols.

Skid pad sessions covering braking, handling balance and driving lines
Full race course lapping sessions with in-car instructors"

It takes place on an oval track, and you "drive what you brung".

What do you think?

[Master]

I've done a couple of race schools (lisenced here in Nova Scotia) and they are a hoot. They are worth every single penny (though ours only cost $300). As hard as you've pushed your car, the instructors will push it harder still. Highly recommended. Wish I could be there...

[Krytin]

I'm interested!
I put my daughter through the Teen Street Survival course by Tire Rack/BMW
last year in her '04 CVLX Sport - she had a hoot!
It's a drive but I've been meaning to get back up to Canada again and it's our 25th wedding aniversary this year so this could blend into a nice trip!

[airborne_mp84]

Bsr...bsr...bsr!!!!!

[Marawder]

We have TWO track events this summer:

1) 8th Annual Mustangs at Mosport on Wednesday June 17. Open to all Ford-badged and Ford-powered vehicles (Mercury included). This is a lapping day on the 2.5mile Grand Prix Track, not the Driver Development Track. 2008 cost was $185, $40 for the shirt. Instructors on hand and about 2-1/2hrs track time. I ran my Marauder there in 2008 and it was a hoot! Registration will likely open up late February. You can PM me with your info and I can notify you with details once they are available.

2) 8th Annual SVTOA On-Track with Track Guys. Check the SVTOA website for more information and on-line registration soon. August 31-September 1 on the Grand Prix Track at Mosport. Open to all makes. Go for one or both days. Instructors on hand from Track Guys (Jeff Lacina is the Lead Instructor - he does a regular column in one of the big Ford mags - I think it's Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords).

Mosport is a fabulous track - plenty of fast sweepers, challenging elevation changes, blind corners, and a mile-long straight UPHILL!

[DOOM]

I would love to do something like that!

[Taemian]

That sounds like a great time, I'd love to drive Mosport! But since BC is waaaay off, we have to make due with Mission Raceway Park. They have a road course and an NHRA-event quarter mile track, and do driver training events and open drag nights.

Derek and I went dragging last year twice (pre and post Trilogy install), and couldn't round up anyone else locally OR from Wash state. There was also the National SHO meet (1/4 mile and great roadcourse) at Pacific Raceway in Wash state, but again, nobody ventured out.

You might find that a large number of this demographic of owners tends to throw $$ at these cars just to say they have the mods. Very few seem to want to actually hit the track, and I've actually been told by owners that they didn't want to scuff up the tires, or overtax their cars' engines and suspensions. "I don't want to break anything"....Geez, buy a Corolla already.

I know Derek and I, as well as 2DMAX (and maybe de_minimus??) will be hitting Mission this year for drags, we'll see about road course as things progress. PLEASE oh please get some video of the road course stuff, I've never seen video of an MM on a road course at full tilt!

[Dr Caleb]

PLEASE oh please get some video of the road course stuff, I've never seen video of an MM on a road course at full tilt!

OK, just for you, hoser. :)

I got an email back from the event organizer that said basically 'stay tuned . . ' so when I know something for sure, I'll post up about it.

Now, since I usually don't get my M out till May, I have to figure out how to get a bunch of mods done in April. ;) My buddy has a lift in his garage . . . but I may have to wrench some Argos to earn the use of it. Hehehe.

[freakstatus]

We are taking a road trip through Alberta near the end of June to see my wifes siblings. Vancouver to Peace River to Edmonton and finish up in Calgary for Stampede....Yes, we're taking the Marauder, it has tons of room for the baby seat..:)

I'm looking forward to getting back to the track this summer to improve my reaction times.

[de minimus]

Mission raceway is definitely in my plans for this year...Calgary may be hard to do, but ya never know.

[freakstatus]

Mission raceway is definitely in my plans for this year...Calgary may be hard to do, but ya never know.

I'm looking forward to going head to head with you Tim. Don't duck out on me...:coolman:

[de minimus]

I'm looking forward to going head to head with you Tim. Don't duck out on me...:coolman:
fine, but you'll have to give me a few car lengths or take on a few hundred pounds...just to kinda even things up

[Taemian]

OK, just for you, hoser. :)

I got an email back from the event organizer that said basically 'stay tuned . . ' so when I know something for sure, I'll post up about it.

Now, since I usually don't get my M out till May, I have to figure out how to get a bunch of mods done in April. ;) My buddy has a lift in his garage . . . but I may have to wrench some Argos to earn the use of it. Hehehe.

Sweet! Don't bother with in-car video, just get some good side-of-the track footage. I'm trying to wrangle an exterior mount from the camera dept on my next show...sunroof/down shot should work better than dash mount.

[Taemian]

fine, but you'll have to give me a few car lengths or take on a few hundred pounds...just to kinda even things up
This is a cool idea. Tim, the cars do go over a scale before you race, so you can still always calculate your hp/lbs ratios to get a compensated result.

I'm throwing the gauntlet down to Dave for some head to head races. In some wacky turn of events, his MM (with fuel system and big exhaust upgrades) had lower hp than my my plain old Trilogy kit at our dyno day. However, I feel confident that he will have thrown a few more mods and some tuning at his car before we get to race. Alas, my mod budget has been redirected to diapers, baby clothes and this stupid ongoing kitchen reno. I predict Dave will take me by two tenths, and that he might hit 12.9.... I'll be happy for 13.1 or 13.0.

Regardless, it'll be a great photo op for us all.

Here's last year's schedule, gives you guys an idea what to expect:



Mopac Friday Night Street Legal

April 4, 11, 18, 15
May 2, 9, 26, 30
June 6, 13, 20, 27
July 4, 11, (25 Open only)
August 15, 22
Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26
October 3
And hey Dave, NO SLICKS!

[99SVT]

That sounds interesting, I've done a track event with the Calgary Sports Car Club last year and it was a blast. They had an invitational fun run at Stratotech, just outside of Fort Saskatchewan, and I think they're planning another one this year. The thing that keeps me from doing more road racing is that it's expensive to attend and adds a lot of wear and tear to the car.

I've been spending most of my time the last few summers at the drag strip in Edmonton doing the friday night street legals. I think I was the only Marauder owner to ever show up as there was a constant stream of people looking at the car and asking how it runs.

[freakstatus]

I'm throwing the gauntlet down to Dave for some head to head races. In some wacky turn of events, his MM (with fuel system and big exhaust upgrades) had lower hp than my my plain old Trilogy kit at our dyno day.

Umm...last I checked you had Long tubes and High flow cats.....

Yeah...hopefully Daves alternator won't explode again, haha.

[freakstatus]

fine, but you'll have to give me a few car lengths or take on a few hundred pounds...just to kinda even things up

I'm not supercharged remember. I'll give a front bumper length, and throw a dumbell in my trunk.;)

[Dr Caleb]

I think I was the only Marauder owner to ever show up as there was a constant stream of people looking at the car and asking how it runs.

Nope. I went the for the same thing, when I first got my MM. At the Bud track, by the airport.

But so few V8s showed up, they stopped running the class, as it was just me and a couple others. Guess things got better?


I'm not supercharged remember. I'll give a front bumper length, and throw a dumbell in my trunk. ;)

Oh, that is such a 'gimmie'. ;)

[Master]

I did a couple of AutoX with the MM a couple of years back. My class competition was the Mustang GT. The guys kept watching me on the hairpin cause they couldn't figure out how to make time on it in the stangs. End of day, I was within half a second of one GT that was running Hoosier AutoX tires to my street KDWs. I would have preferred to beat him, though.
Also, A cop showed up and parked right next to the course when I was running. He looked interested. Wish he'd entered the squad car!

[99SVT]

Nope. I went the for the same thing, when I first got my MM. At the Bud track, by the airport.

But so few V8s showed up, they stopped running the class, as it was just me and a couple others. Guess things got better?


Yeah, a lot of the ricers quit going there after they kept dumping their guts all over the starting line; replacing fwd transmissions and halfshafts must've got expensive. Last year the track was crawling with Mustangs and other V8 cars as it should be. Lots of R/T and SRT8 Chargers started popping up there as well, so we're no longer the "oddball" full sized sedans anymore.

[Taemian]

Umm...last I checked you had Long tubes and High flow cats.....

Yeah...hopefully Daves alternator won't explode again, haha.

I'm stock mufflers and pipes, though. He's 3" all the way with Magnaflows.

When Dave's alt blew on the dyno, I thought for sure it was something worse. Maybe it was the big cloud of smoke and the flame/sparks that made it so scary...

[Taemian]

I'm not supercharged remember. I'll give a front bumper length, and throw a dumbell in my trunk.;)

As long as you have me back to the line in time to race Dave in the s/c class....

[scruff]

I think Mission raceway is just to far for me but Mosport on the other hand is only a couple of hours away that is a for sure thing

[Dr Caleb]

Ok, here are the details:

$525 for the weekend of May 2, 3 2009. You will need a DOT approved helmet.

http://www.karelo.com/register.php?BID=357&BT=10#Ev7391 (Click on Competition / High Performance Driving School)

Location:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=race+city,+calgary+AB&jsv=149f&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=35.741511,73.916016&ie=UTF8&ei=O5y2Sb7HOZauNeH16O0I&cd=1&cid=50951776,-113935168,8008950425541047887&li=lmd&z=14&t=m

[Aren Jay]

..........

[Dr Caleb]

Do you mean this event?

http://members.shaw.ca/jdascollas/raceschool.html#raceschedule

It might be worth while, I have to see what I'm doing in May.

Have to put my summer tires on early for it though.

Yes, that's the same crew but last year's event.

[jdando]

Hey that is only...1,180 mi – about 19 hours 37 mins from me :eek:

[Pops]

Which makes it 29 hours for me. Up to a caravan Jeremy?:D

[Aren Jay]

..........

[Dr Caleb]

I found a local place that sells helmets.

They are for motorcycles, don't know if that matters?

I don't think it matters.

Open face is better. It will give you better peripheral vision, and is supposedly more comfortable.

[Aren Jay]

..........

[Dr Caleb]

I'm tempted but I keep wondering if I should just get a DR tune (about the same price) instead.

With my 04 being rare, should I keep it stock to keep it's value. As I'm considering selling I wonder if I should do anything with it.

"Instead"? "In addition to!" It's software, you can always hit <alt><Backspace>. And you don't have to retune it to drive it hard. :) '04s already come with more 'oomph' than 03's.

Buying a car as an investment is ot recommended. Enjoy your ride! Come on out!

[chader]

I think I would be up for this. Ilove drag racing so if you guys ever do a drag race weekend I would love to do it aswell

[Dr Caleb]

I think I would be up for this. Ilove drag racing so if you guys ever do a drag race weekend I would love to do it aswell

That would be a hoot! I'm starting to order some shiny new goodies for Elvira. :) If Brian over at SRP would only answer the damn phone!!! :P

[Dr Caleb]

OMFG! I know some have said how hooked they became on road racing, and now I see why. There is nothing like having to brace yourself for all you are worth against the drivers door, because of a long right hand corner and you doing 110 around it with your back end slowly drifting out, as you approach a hard chicane hot on the tail of a Porsche Boxter and manage to pass it doing 150 on the straight following the chicane because you didn't lift the throttle when you really thought you should have, but kept it floored like your instructor told you to.

I am so hooked! It's like crack! I beat my car hard, but it beat me up even more. I feel like I got punched in the kidneys and kneed in the gut. My arms hurt, my left leg feels like I didn't pay someone the money I owe them . . . It's wonderful! My face is all scratched from helmet burn and red from sunburn. Highly recommended fun for a weekend!

It's too bad more Marauders weren't there because I received nothing but compliments, from people driving BMW M3s, M5s, Z06's . . .all beautiful cars in their own right. Most couldn't believe I could run with them - and frankly neither could I. But I got a fantastic instructor for the weekend, who pushed me and encouraged me and showed me ways to shave seconds off my time. Every lap was a learning experience. His taking my car around the track (not to the limit of his or it's abilities) show me we all drive an absolutely fantastic machine. I'd encourage everyone to take a course like this to let you learn both your limits and your car's limits. And they are both much larger limits then you can imagine. You will also never ever speed on public roads again.

After 4 or 5 laps, I would come into the pits all sweaty and amped up on adrenalin, the car happily pinging away, the brakes so hot smoke was coming off them and the tires all sc***** and scuffed - but surprisingly still on the rims considering the hell I just put them through. 175 down the front straight, brake hard into a 90 degree left at 110, followed by 4 decreasing radius turns R - L - R - L then a big R at 110 glued to the drivers door . . then increasing to a fast chicane and the back straight. . . .heaven!

I'll post up some video later, once I figure out how this damn camera works. Sorry, I didn't get any of actual action shots driving the Marauder. Tough to do with your hands full of steering wheel. :burnout:

[Aren Jay]

.............

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Sounds fun just let me know what your VIN # is so I do not buy your car if you ever sell it!

Steve

[Dr Caleb]

All speeds in KPH if you are wondering.

How did you do on the skidpad?

Yea, no offence to our US cousins, but everyone but them uses km/h so doing the conversion for them does no favours.

The skidpad is where I learnt a lot about my car. It heavily understeers, and is tough to get the back end out. And it throws you around like a rag doll!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b44RoDp3oeY

[Taemian]

OMFG! I know some have said how hooked they became on road racing, and now I see why. There is nothing like having to brace yourself for all you are worth against the drivers door, because of a long right hand corner and you doing 110 around it with your back end slowly drifting out, as you approach a hard chicane hot on the tail of a Porsche Boxter and manage to pass it doing 150 on the straight following the chicane because you didn't lift the throttle when you really thought you should have, but kept it floored like your instructor told you to.

I am so hooked! It's like crack! I beat my car hard, but it beat me up even more. I feel like I got punched in the kidneys and kneed in the gut. My arms hurt, my left leg feels like I didn't pay someone the money I owe them . . . It's wonderful! My face is all scratched from helmet burn and red from sunburn. Highly recommended fun for a weekend!

It's too bad more Marauders weren't there because I received nothing but compliments, from people driving BMW M3s, M5s, Z06's . . .all beautiful cars in their own right. Most couldn't believe I could run with them - and frankly neither could I. But I got a fantastic instructor for the weekend, who pushed me and encouraged me and showed me ways to shave seconds off my time. Every lap was a learning experience. His taking my car around the track (not to the limit of his or it's abilities) show me we all drive an absolutely fantastic machine. I'd encourage everyone to take a course like this to let you learn both your limits and your car's limits. And they are both much larger limits then you can imagine. You will also never ever speed on public roads again.

After 4 or 5 laps, I would come into the pits all sweaty and amped up on adrenalin, the car happily pinging away, the brakes so hot smoke was coming off them and the tires all sc***** and scuffed - but surprisingly still on the rims considering the hell I just put them through. 175 down the front straight, brake hard into a 90 degree left at 110, followed by 4 decreasing radius turns R - L - R - L then a big R at 110 glued to the drivers door . . then increasing to a fast chicane and the back straight. . . .heaven!

I'll post up some video later, once I figure out how this damn camera works. Sorry, I didn't get any of actual action shots driving the Marauder. Tough to do with your hands full of steering wheel. :burnout:

Dude, you are one of my HEROES! It's great to see someone else actually USING their car, especially a fellow Canuck! We've taken the MMs to a few drag nights so far at the track, but no road racing YET.

I used to run in the BC Rally Championship, and an ice racing series (both in a Datsun 210) and in autocrossing with my old Futura. This weekend 2DMAX and I fabbed up aluminum rear bumpers to replace our steel ones, for weight reduction and transfer improvements. We'll be doing the fronts in the next few weeks as well. Dave has Naakes and Addcos, and is looking at front Wilwoods. I'm bone stock, even down to the front pads, so he'd kick my butt. Not to mention he's a helicopter pilot and NOT afraid of BIG g-forces like I am!

I know that the best bang/buck improvement on the track comes from driver improvement. I once raced my Futura and set a time, satisfied it was the best time the car could do, I knew the handling inside out. Then a course instructor went out, never having driven my car before and shaved over 3 seconds off my best lap.:o:o

Way to represent the MM family, and POST THE VIDEO!!!!

Glad to see you're using the car. Carroll Shelby always pisses and moans when he sees his cars show up for races or shows on a trailer. He hates trailer queens and even show cars to a lesser extent. He firmly believes they were meant to be driven, and driven hard. I come from the same school of thought, and it looks like you do too! I'm sad to say I've personally met more than a few MM owners who have every concievable mod on their car, and will never run them even remotely hard.

It's like buying a shotgun so you can say you have one, but never actually shooting it. :confused::shake:

[Aren Jay]

.............

[Dr Caleb]

btw Dr. C your movie is not loaded.

Sorry man, I thought I posted a link up a couple hours ago. Must have closed the window before hitting 'post'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b44RoDp3oeY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Y4EYvUJqo

[Dr Caleb]

Dude, you are one of my HEROES! It's great to see someone else actually USING their car, especially a fellow Canuck! We've taken the MMs to a few drag nights so far at the track, but no road racing YET.

I used to run in the BC Rally Championship, and an ice racing series (both in a Datsun 210) and in autocrossing with my old Futura. This weekend 2DMAX and I fabbed up aluminum rear bumpers to replace our steel ones, for weight reduction and transfer improvements. We'll be doing the fronts in the next few weeks as well. Dave has Naakes and Addcos, and is looking at front Wilwoods. I'm bone stock, even down to the front pads, so he'd kick my butt. Not to mention he's a helicopter pilot and NOT afraid of BIG g-forces like I am!

I know that the best bang/buck improvement on the track comes from driver improvement. I once raced my Futura and set a time, satisfied it was the best time the car could do, I knew the handling inside out. Then a course instructor went out, never having driven my car before and shaved over 3 seconds off my best lap.:o:o

Way to represent the MM family, and POST THE VIDEO!!!!

Glad to see you're using the car. Carroll Shelby always pisses and moans when he sees his cars show up for races or shows on a trailer. He hates trailer queens and even show cars to a lesser extent. He firmly believes they were meant to be driven, and driven hard. I come from the same school of thought, and it looks like you do too! I'm sad to say I've personally met more than a few MM owners who have every concievable mod on their car, and will never run them even remotely hard.

It's like buying a shotgun so you can say you have one, but never actually shooting it. :confused::shake:

I thank you, sir. :bows:

Ice racing, eh! That looks like a blast! I have my WCMA membership now, so I am thinking on what to do with it. I was a complete idiot and didn't check the "[]will acquire license" box on the form, so I may have to wait till next year to get my 3 practise starts to acquire it. Perhaps a little help around the local tracks in the mean time. Just for the hour or two free track time that sometimes goes toward the volunteers as 'payment'.

I too have the QA1s, the Addco Sway bars, Metco arms and watts link, the Wilwood brakes and steel lines . . . all still in the original packaging. :( I didn't have time to install anything but the SRP pedals before the course. And the Metco stuff just arrived today. hehe. Gotta love the little curveballs the universe throws at you. So, I too took it out totally stock. Except for the silverstars and AVIC D3. That was the best part, "Yea, your Acura can kill me in the corners, but I still have power seats, AC and tunes. And, you can't touch me in the straights. ;)"

I was guilty of having a driveway queen too. I understand. It's like that #1 issue comic book that has never been opened or read by human eyes. Is it a comic book if it's meaning for existence is never fulfilled by being read? If they saw it being printed, they wouldn't treat it so gently. It's quite a violent process.

So, I have a couple new 'experience' marks on the car. Big deal. Too much adrenaline and a 19' car in a 25' pit. The paint was never that great to begin with. It'll buff out. But I have learnt a great deal both about my car and about myself. And, as they say, you have to break some eggs to make that omlette.

I used to think I was a good driver. I obeyed all traffic laws, as often as I could. I obeyed many laws most people ignore (does anyone remember what 'right of way' actually means?). I thought I was a good driver because I hadn't had any accidents or tickets for many years. I could also drive my car 'hard' and 'safely' and I thought I knew what those words meant. I had no clue. The first thing we did was learn to adjust our mirrors. From then on, everything I thought I knew got knocked down.

They told us, leaving the track that everything on the Deerfoot Trail (major freeway through Calgary) would feel wrong. And it did. No violent turns, everything was in slow motion. I had just an hour before, been going into a 90 degree turn with 5 or 10 other cars, some decellerating from 300km/h to 120km/h and it got so I knew what these people were going to do. They were predictable. The people on the Deerfoot . . .crazy. No clue. Yet, they were doing much the same thing, slamming on the brakes, dropping 60 km/h in short order to cut across 3 lanes of traffic for the exit they weren't paying attention to.

Yet, they knew neither what they or their car were capable of. The Marauder is a formidable car. My instructor even said that, and he was only 'half' trying he said. It still had more in it, but he wasn't going to risk my car to show me it's potential. One thing I do know, it will need a new ratio steering rack if I'm to race it. Turning 135 to 270 or 360 degrees through the corners is impossible without lifting your hands off the wheel.

Or, I might have to get a car from my buddy who imports them (and got me to take this course). He's got a Generation 1 Mitsubishi Evolution I covet. And an R-32 Skyline GTR. ;)

[jdando]

I think we need smell-o-vision on the second video :)

Glad you had a good time. Driving the car hard you can make the stock brakes and tires beg for mercy.

I got the BCFE dead pedal and that really helps keeping me planted and not having to have a "death grip" on the steering wheel. One of my instructors called our front seats "big-old leather covered sofas" compared to what usually gets on the track :D

jeremy

[Aren Jay]

.............

[Dr Caleb]

My rear brakes look very different from yours.

How so? There definitely should be less smoke.

[Aren Jay]

.............

[Dr Caleb]

I always think, when I look at them, they are half missing. I just had a good look and they look the same after all. Your picture makes the part that is indented look bent out a bit. Your brakes are more rusty too. But then mine are all covered in grease and dirt...

I tried to highlight the smoke coming off them, but it didn't really tape well. But the clip that holds the brake pads in isn't rusty - it's discoloured from the heat. I had a hard time keeping the camera that close to them, the wheels and brakes were that hot.

Like jdando said, they were begging for mercy. Got right mushy because the fluid was probably boiling like the engine coolant was. Got some air in the upper coolant hose too.

Burning rubber, burning brakes, boiling coolant. Smells like victory. Too bad I didn't have a manual tranny, cause a little clutch would have completed it.

A little Audi A4 that was there lost power steering, and it overheated so bad the fluid reservoir dumped power steering fluid on the manifold. And his brakes looked almost on fire. He was 2 cars ahead of me and I could smell it.

*ug* and I still feel like I got hip checked in the kidney. :burnout:

[Aren Jay]

..........

[Taemian]

Those R-32s aren't much for the most part. I see at least a dozen every single day, and there were about 2 dozen at the last track night. Consider them the same as 5L Mustangs...fast in their day, but most of them now just aren't that great. Mid to low 14s at best, and a dime a dozen out here. I used to like them, but they're past their prime out here now. It still is weird seeing the right hand drive, though.

I'll be posting a thread about our new aluminum bumpers soon, and other weight reduction things are in the works. Something you might want to look into, especially for road course events. Taking 20 pounds off the farthest rear point past the axle, and more off the farthest leading forward edge can always help.

[airborne_mp84]

BSR baby!!!!! Winchester VA or West VA... great school folks

[Taemian]

BSR baby!!!!! Winchester VA or West VA... great school folks

Umm...you do realize you're posting in the Canadian section of the board, right?;) That's a bit of a drive for most of us.:)

[99SVT]

One thing I do know, it will need a new ratio steering rack if I'm to race it. Turning 135 to 270 or 360 degrees through the corners is impossible without lifting your hands off the wheel.


I had this problem before when I had it on a road course. With my Cobra I could do a hairpin corner by turning the wheel about 120*. With the Marauder, on the same corner, I had to turn it about 210*. My driving instructor at the time commented on the crazy steering imputs I was doing.

[Dr Caleb]

I had this problem before when I had it on a road course. With my Cobra I could do a hairpin corner by turning the wheel about 120*. With the Marauder, on the same corner, I had to turn it about 210*. My driving instructor at the time commented on the crazy steering imputs I was doing.

:xtree: :wreath2: :santaw: :snowman:

lol (If you aren't in Edmonton right now, you won't get it)

Did you get a new rack?

[99SVT]

No, I'm still using the stock one. I don't road race with it enough to justify getting a different one, I might do it once a year or so. The other thing I noticed was the stock sway bars had a lot of body roll in sharp transitions, they were fine in corners with time to set up and have the suspension neutral before entering, a set of addco's might be a better purchase at this time.

Ha, this winter thing has got to stop sometime, it's humor is starting to wear off, it's nearly June already.

[Dr Caleb]

hehe, Yea getting kind of old.

I've got QA1's, Wilwoods and Addcos ready to go in . . . if I ever get a weekend without snow or rain!

Edit: I think the body roll was partly responsible for me not being able to do a neutral drift. So I also will add control arms and a Watts link while I have everything out. :)

[Taemian]

I had this problem before when I had it on a road course. With my Cobra I could do a hairpin corner by turning the wheel about 120*. With the Marauder, on the same corner, I had to turn it about 210*. My driving instructor at the time commented on the crazy steering imputs I was doing.

Ummm...much easier than swapping the rack is just to swap steering wheels. Done it in my rallying days, works just fine. Get a puller and you're off to the races. Remember to disconnect the air bag!!!