Might leave the BMW fold...

Houlbt wrote: wondered how long it would take you to show up ya trouble maker.

Hee hee     

John W wrote: How do gentleman?!?! Darren M.....personal circumstances forced me to sell the Sport Evo.

Quote JohnW:"...a LHD drive is not very practical as everyday car for me" Quote end.

This is the last thing I remember

Do we have to open a beetle section here soon??

JW, what's the RS like in comparison to the M3 in terms of the envelope. I suspect it's easier to get to the edge of the performance envelope of the M3. Does the RS feel like you can get out there into the "interesting" zone without dropping it, is it a finer line or is it just as available as in the M3 ?

Rgds

Roops

The results of a short wheelbase, a heavy engine slung out the back, and maybe a little lift, that's what!

SS7

John is that the complex,at the end of the straight that used to be Knickerbrook(don`t know what they call it now)
Near the bit where you got lost and had to park
Glad to see you are putting the car to good use,how`s the clutch?
Tom,
Go for it mate,you only live once.

Jon

Robbie Bradford wrote: John W - that is one sweet motor dude

Thanks Robbie.

Jon90, Shoestring, Uwe, Roops, Rags,

The spin happened at Knickerbrook, the 2nd chicane just after the "high speed banking", you know, the one that goes right then left as opposed to left then right.

These "remarkable action shots" (!!!) show me in the second part of a tank slapper.

I was bombing down the hill towards the Knickerbrook chicane and I was braking hard. Now these old fashioned 911s have "toadstool" style pedals and I wasn't used to them. My toadstools are also fashioned out of aluminium. And my foot slipped off the pedal as a result.

I got back on the brakes as hard as I could and tried to get around the corner with too much speed. (I didn't use the escape route like I should have). The tail swung left (I didn't lift at all, I was just going to quickly) and it looked like I would hit the tyres stacked in the middle of the chicane. But when I had reached nearly 90 degrees of tail left....the tail swung very violently back to the right into the spin captured above. The animated gif above only gets the second part of the tank slapper.

Roops.....I drove around Croft the other day, I know that place really well. It took me all morning to get used to it, but then I did push the car further. I'm only talking about minor degrees of deliberately provoked over and understeer, but the car went really quickly compared to my efforts at Oulton. Only a Ferrari 360 race car overtook me. I overtook lots of (gently driven obviously) Caterhams, a modified and a sticky-tyred track-modded 968 CS driven by the owner of Strasse (awright Shoestring )

I am off to Bedford this weekend for 2 days of fun. I'm hopefully getting some instruction there from an ex-racer called Steve Rance. The same company who organise it often use Richard Westbrook to coach. He is the current Porsche Carrera Cup champ and the best 911 driver in the UK. Later in the year I am hopefully going to get further training from Paul Howells, the Porsche Club Speed Championship winner. All of this will be 911-specific coaching, it needs to be.

Nobody can deny that the 911 makes a very effective tool when driven well. Although the engine out the back is difficult to manage in the bends for the amateur, it affords extra grip, and under braking the weight goes to the front anyway. I think this must be why they win so many races.

jon90....the clutch is OK....but then it needs to be, I've just had another one put in at over a grand all in.


So finally Roops, in terms of exploiting the envelpoe, that depends on experience. I have passengered in 993 RSs before where the driver has been sideways everywhere with no crashes. Like I said, at Croft I was able to push the car deliberately into under and oversteer, but not that much as yet. I just need to learn how to drive like that, hence all the tuition. My car has 348 BHP and 300 lb/ft torque, it weighs 1270 kg, and with sticky tyres on it's really fast. I may one day soon lift the power to 400 BHP with 350 lb/ft torque and have probably the nicest 911 around (IMHO) but that will set me back more than 10 grand.....

PS....if you fancy reading more about my car's antics, I'm going to be writing a running report on my car in the back of 911 and Porsche World magazine, starting in the June issue (out in May I'm told).

amorgan wrote: John W I was at Bedford on Good friday where a lot of the GT3 guys were present. My friend Tim Chandler has a Parr Motorsport prepared GT3 RS and is nearly in my opinion as quick as Steve Rance. Ask to go out with him too to compare styles. These two guys are normally the quickest at these days I find.

Thanks mate, I will look out for him.

John W wrote: ... I am off to Bedford this weekend for 2 days of fun. I'm hopefully getting some instruction there from an ex-racer called Steve Rance. The same company who organise it often use Richard Westbrook to coach. He is the current Porsche Carrera Cup champ and the best 911 driver in the UK. Later in the year I am hopefully going to get further training from Paul Howells, the Porsche Club Speed Championship winner. All of this will be 911-specific coaching, it needs to be. ...

John,

Have you done Bedford (Autodrome I presume) before? I have a day booked with RMA on 14th of May and wondered if you had any words of wisdom regarding the track?

Cheers,

Phil

Hello Doc..
Have you heard of a geezer by the name of John Bussell?
He is about the best Porker instructor out there.
I could try and rustle him up for Croft if you like but it would have to go on your tab.
Nick