The ST on the road: driving impressions - Oh yeah! It runs!! It's fast!!

[jpnovak]

The Friday after Thanksgiving a few locals got together for a morning drive. We hit one of our favorite roads here in town called Lime Creek! It is possibly the most curvy road in the area as it winds along the creeks and ravines to Lake Travis.

This run was the first real run for the ST. All I can say is that I am impressed! I never thought a car that I built would perform this way. For those who don't know here is a quick recap.

-1971 chassis, rust lightened and then repaired.
-stipped of undercoating
-full POR coating of chassis
-All fiberglass body work. fenders, bumpers, doors, decklid and hood.
-butt welded, hand hammered rear flares,
-center fill gas tank
-17" Lindsey Fuchs courtesey of BB1.
-Stripped interior, RS carpet door panels,
-Full euro gauges, that Kph thing will take some getting used to
-Bielstein Seats (GTS Classics)
-5 pt harnesses, stock belts and full OG Racing Cage
-19/28 mm TBs with 19/19mm sways
-Koni reds that are still being dialed
-stock internal 78 3.0 with webers and SSIs
-Al trailing arms
-stock SC brakes
-various other lightweight items
-less than 1900 lbs. wet (not including driver)

There are more details, these are available in the archives using the search button.

Drving impressions. First let me say that I have a 71 targa that handles really well to me. Very balanced, sharp turn-in, basically your typical dialed early 911. It has served me well on fast runs through the twisties and also on the track.

At first the ST felt wrong. I started off with 22mm front TBs. Its really tight suspension is a bear on city streets. expansion joints almost feel like a curb to this car. There is basically not much weight to activate the suspension. I then did a few calculations based on spring rates for the torsion bars.

If you look at a stock SC and its weight distribution you can do a simple reduction in spring rate compared to the new lightweight chassis. I found that 19.2 mm TBs would be equal to a 22mm given my reduction in mass. So the stock bars went back in the car. This was a night and day difference. It would actually steer now. The 28s on the rear feel right.

This car totally transforms once you get off the neighborhood streets.

At 120kph it feels like it is not even moving. the only thing you notice is the tight suspension and the roars and whines from behind the rear deck. Yes, its loud like a track car should be. Once the car is warmed up it feels ready to run.

The 3.0 is noticably different feel than the 2.2 in my targa. There is so much torque down low that it just goes at any speed in any gear. It has a lurch in 5th that I have never experienced before. I am not sure I like the lack of an "on-cam" feeling that the early engine has and this 3.0 seems to run out of breath by 6K rpm. Not a problem since you are traveling a very high rate of speed by the time you get there.

When the car gets in the twisties it is really different. I thought my targa was precise. This car is so quick on turn in and weight transfer that I found myself having to turn in - turn out , and turn in again on several turns. I am just not used to having a car react so quickly. If I have ever felt razor sharp handling, this has got to be it. btw, the car seems to corner absolutely FLAT! no detectable body roll. I guess I will have to change my camber settings a bit now to ge a bit more contact patch.

On the run, I was met with the bumper of a new Z06. We started the twisties together. I am not sure how fast he was going but I had absolutely no problems keeping up. The car felt absolutely effortless in all aspects of the run. Braking zones, Turn-in, track-out, accelaration - it was just right!

I can't wait to get this car on the track. First event should be in January/early Feb.

here are a few pics that were snapped during the run. yeah, it even looks fast!

[MotoSook]

Very nice Jamie! I have a similar car in the body finishing work. I had it out on the track last April, and it was a great time.

Lightening and suspsension work can do wonders for the 911.

You did a great job on that thing...a bastard!

[}{arlequin]

Car looks awesome. Is it me or does it look like you could stick more rubber (or wider wheels in the front)?

[widebody911]

Sweet, but you need a little more neg camber in the front.

I like the flat gray.

Didja get the clips OK?

[jpnovak]

Thanks for the compliments. yes, it truly is a fitting name for the car. Actually, its my Lean Mean Texas Machine!

I am aware of the other B car. Did you ever figure out what color?

[jpnovak]

Dave, there is lots of room for more rubber or spacers. This is the same problem faced by the 930s. I was thinking of Tyson's method of a-arm elongation and pickup point movements so that I don't have large spacers or steering problems. that will have to be next year.

yes Thom, I still need to go through my alignment and CB. it will get more neg. front camber. The clips arrived yesterday. I got home late and did not even open them. I should have them out for the install tonight.

[MotoSook]

Originally posted by jpnovak
Thanks for the compliments. yes, it truly is a fitting name for the car. Actually, its my Lean Mean Texas Machine!

I am aware of the other B car. Did you ever figure out what color?

"Texas Meanie" is a good name

I have settled on Silver, Jamie. I like the Mercedes Silver or the BMW Titanium Silver that someone posted here. My '76 was Matallic Silver fromt he factory, so Silver will be better than the black I wanted...and when the Fat Bastard gets the bastard treatment, I'll be satisfied.

[W Scott Shores]

Wow!! That looks great. Nicely done. I'll have to do the search and learn more about the building process.

[Rick Lee]

Jamie, I really want those 22mm front t-bars, if you still have them.

[mmm]

Heh, dude in the Z06 must have been thinking "WTF" what with a 1970s 911 keeping right up w/ him.

Beautiful car.

[BURN-BROS]

Jamie, much praise on your efforts. Your philosophy of how a 911 should run/look is well done.

[atlporsche]

it's so awesome with the hood lights and the flat silver....

just friggin cool.

sjd

[Jim Richards]

Originally posted by Souk
I have settled on Silver, Jamie. I like the Mercedes Silver or the BMW Titanium Silver that someone posted here. My '76 was Matallic Silver fromt he factory, so Silver will be better than the black I wanted

Hmmm, not black. Good, it looks like I made some progress with the Souk'ster. Need to keep working on him so he ends up with Viper Green, or maybe Tangerine, or maybe a yellow...

Jamie, fantastic looking hotrod you've got there. If only we could see it up at Summit Point.

[jluetjen]

Congrat's on the awesome car. Next time I'm down there I'll be in touch again to beg for a ride!

[BigD9146gt]

Phenomenal. Everything, every angle, the colour, it looks light weight, its perfect.

Where did you get those hood lights?

[Plavan]

What tire and rim widths you running?

[mjshira]

looks good Jamie! get some wider tires up front, fill them fenders!

I look forward to a ride when I am in Austin in March.

James

[Mike Bonkalski]

Sweet ride Jamie!

Where's the homemade sport muffler?

[Jack Olsen]

That looks sweet.

[mjshira]

it is cool to see "bits" of BB1 living on! ;-) I know, I own a few too.