KnifeySpoony

Wow 6 laps really? I feel the A64s are up to temp within 3 laps (on a ~2mi circuit, albeit a twisty one).

One inch is pretty small. I assume that you're aware that the upper column can slide out to extend somewhat? I sit with my seat in the far back position and I haven't needed a spacer with my current setup.

Thanks, please keep us updated on install method and performance, of course.

Meh, eliges are a dime a dozen. I think a gaggle of just 7s would be a sight to see. I know that before I got mine, I would have been thrilled to see a group come through to check out. I'd only ever seen one 7 in the wild, and not up close.

My car is on stands at the moment, but I do agree we should try to get all the Bay Area 7s together for a drive sometime. Although I live in the Eastbay, my vote would be for a peninsula drive, as the road condition is typical much better. Also more posing spots - 4 corners, Alice's, turnoff on 9 etc.

I see canards with all kind of shapes on various cars. I don't know if I would consider the Caterham ones backwards per se.

I'm curious to know as well I've scoured the internet for any comments on these but haven't found any. I would say try them now if you're curious, as they (along with all Avon Motorsport tires) may be on the way out).

ZZS, while more street orientated (see what I did there?) than the ZZR still needs heat to achieve optimal grip. Even on a hot day, driven aggressively on the street, they will never get to optimal operating temp. They need a couple laps at track pace to get up to temp. On a chilly day on the street they will be like driving on ice skates, comparatively. However, being able to slide the car around on the street at sane speeds is what the 7 is all about IMO. Just beware that your braking distances will be longer and be ready for early lockup.

My 7 is my only car.

I can imagine the glorious smell. I just have one spare set of ZZR A64 waiting for next year. What are the slicks? Max?

I'm still running the DS3000 in rear for increased bias, which I am happy with, although now that I'm having interference between my calipers and watts links after swapping DeDion ears for more camber, I'm considering the uprated rear brake upgrade again. My understanding is that the change sufficiently pushes bias rearward that you will need a proportioning valve unless you want the rears to lockup first. Perhaps you could adjust bias enough with different pads front and rear to get a good balance, but I don't know. I don't see any issue with running a valve however. many racecars have them, including the top-spec Caterham factory race cars.

I actually have the "track" setup, which used the same race-rate springs at the "race" dampers but using the standard lower-spec Bilsteins. When I ordered my kit, I didn't know that much about these setups tbh. The track setup was a minimal (I think like $200) upcharge over the standard R dampers, while the race setup was something like $1500 iirc. Honestly, i'm kind of a suspension snob (run double clicker Penske on my prior exige, and my track bike), so I thought I would almost immediately pull out the bilsteins and put on some adjustable Penskes or similar. However, I've been pleasantly surprised with the standard track setup and after 2 track seasons have no plans to upgrade yet. I feel the damping is pretty good and the spring rates are right for a mostly track-driven car (I still drive it to/from the track) on either the ZZS or ZZR. The balance is great and the car handles Sonoma (with its 3rd world surface) very well with plenty of compliance. It does heave a bit over some undulations, which is much worse when 2 up (I occasionally will take a passenger). It definitely needs more rear spring and damping if it was to be driven 2 up regularly. The car pushes much worse with a passenger on board. With more mechanical grip than the ZZR, I would also want to go up on spring rates, maybe 300/250 or somewhere thereabouts. My link was supposed to start right before the first race of the video which is actually the UK Championship cars, AKA 420R formerly known as R300. They are on slicks with 300/300 springs. It's not about how stiff the front springs are. It's about the relative roll stiffness of the front vs the rear axle. Stiffening the front but not the rear is what generates the understeer. I'd be very interested to hear his feedback as well.

You can always play around with springs on your new setup to end up where you want. Although you may need to get dampers revalved with big spring changes. And of course it depends on how and where you drive the car and your driving style. However, I still just don't get that rear spring rate on slicks on a track car. Especially if you are trying to go up in rate from where you are at now. Your current progressive rear springs may actually be stiffer in bump than a 150lb straight-rate spring, and you could end up on the bumpstops more with the new springs. Worse if you ever take a passenger. I know Meteor has a good reputation, but based on reading the UK forum, most of those guys do sprints and hillclimbs, which is very different to circuit racing in driving style and car setup. I don't know where all the racers hang out, but I'd love to know hey they feel about the current spec suspension rates. Check out how the current top spec cars move around on track. Knockhill is bumpy so you can really seem them moving around and compressing over undulations. To me the cars hardly look like they are oversprung.

I don't see how that spring setup won't give you a big push in the car. With my 215 rear springs, I have my ARB on the 2nd hole from full stiff (4 positions total) and the car has a mild push at steady state, easily controllable with weight transfer and right foot. You could get a bigger ARB in the rear to balanced things better, but on slicks, I'd really think you'd need more spring front and rear. I can try to find some pics of my car and show how much it rolls and compresses under G outs on track with my stiffer rates.

Another tip - take off the bellhousing ramp/guard thing when draining oil there. Otherwise it will run under the sump on top of the guard and it makes a mess. I tried a malleable funnel to direct the drainage once but was unsuccessful.

The finger filter cover is sealed with just a rubber O-ring. The little hex bolt that holds the piece in really just needs to be finger tight. They say to pull the filter itself and wipe it out. I've never seen anything in it. Make sure you reinstall with seam to the rear.

Yep- nosecone on before bonnet. It holds it up quite a lot. Test again and you may clear just fine.

Can you take pictures of your current springs/dampers? Do you have the progressive rears? From the image above it looks like you have the softer springs up front which I believe are either 150 or 170 lbs/in. The "race" rates were 250F 215R, which is what I have on my car. This is what came with the "track" setup, as well as the uprated "race" dampers that they put on the R300/420R race cars until a couple years ago. However, now that those cars are on slicks, they run 300 front and rear. If you read the UK forums, people suggest running much softer rear rates like 140, but even with my 215 rears there is still quite a lot of roll and heave, but not enough to bother me (at least on ZZR). However, the balance on my car is excellent with these rates. On slicks, I think I'd want stiffer though. 300/300 seems a good place to start. Make sure you have adjustable rear bar to fine tune things.

I don't feel any movement in the watts linkage joints. I hadn't thought about modding the bellcrank; I do wonder how that would change the geometry as it moves through it's "arc". I kinda like the new upper link idea but I would need to outsource that as I have no fab equipment nor ability. I assume the standard radius arm is of same/similar length, although I think it attaches directly to the DeDion tube, so lower down.

Ugh, kinda but honestly I don't really need more performance, and also I'm lazy don't really want another car project at this time tbh.

The forward (longer) link goes to the top arm of the bellcrank.

The pads are fresh. There is clearance with the car sitting (maybe 4mm or so); but under lateral load, the rear axle deflects significantly laterally. I had previously considered the fixed calipers but then changed my mind as I've happy with the stock rear calipers with uprated pads. The upgrade isn't cheap and involves replumbing the rear, as well plumbing in a proportioning valve (in the cockpit ideally). But I'm leaning more that way.

Oh it's definitely rubbing. The links are all scratched up through the powder coat. (is my picture not showing?)

Yes, but they also "require" a few other things i already don't have.

Anyone else dealt with this issue. I think it cropped up after changing from OEM 1.5deg DeDion ears to 2.0deg ears, reducing the clearance. I don't hear or feel anything while driving. Anyone put spacers between the DeDion tube and ear to increase clearance? Can I modify the brake caliper in any way? Or is this the straw that pushes me over the edge to upgrade to the race rear brake setup (which I assume is much less bulky a caliper)?