Front sway bar for SCCA C-stock class???

[Plays with cars]

Alright, last year I tied for first place in our local SCCA points series in c-stock with my 914, but this year the Miatas all stepped up and I didn't win any of the events. Today was our last event for the year, and after getting my hat handed to me again, I've decided to spend some time and money on the car this winter to see if I can make the Miatas nervous again next year.

Because I'm running in stock class I'm very limited on what I can do. The one thing I haven't touched yet is the front sway bar. I'm currently running the stock front and rear bars, but can change the front per SCCA rules for stock class. Any advantage to changing the front if the rest of the suspension has to remain stock?

Here's the specs as the car is currently set up. Comments are welcome.

'74 914-2.0
Stock springs and torsions
Stock sway bars
Koni yellow shocks on all four corners (typ set to nearly full stiff)
Victoracers (205 50-15) soon to be V710s
stock Fuch wheels, .125" spacers in back
-1.4 deg camber front (this is max available), -2.0 rear (can get some more)
.125" toe out front, zero toe rear
corner balanced

There's no specific problem I'm trying to solve by changin the front bar, the car is pretty neutral with the current set up. I'm hoping that maybe with a different front bar I can get it planted better, then put more camber into the rear to get it neutral again.

[jmargush]

I can't give you a good answer but I am running a 1.8 over in the South Bend, IN region and the Miatas tend to rule. One event I took first but it was a real tight course that played to the 914's.

I am thinking of changing the front bar too to get a a little more bite possibly, it does also have the chance to create more understeer.

I am also playing with the idea of moving to street prepared since there is talk of moving the cars to DSP.

What diam bar are you thinking of going to? 19mm or 21mm?

[Plays with cars]

Yeah, I've thought about CSP also but to be competitive against the Hondas would take a lot of work: flares, wide wheels/tires, bars, t-bars, springs, camber plates, carbs, header, seat, ... lots of $$$$. But lots of fun too! I love the look of a 914 w/ GT flares.

If I stick to C-stock I don't think I should go with anything bigger than a 19mm front bar. But, that's what I was hoping someon on the forum would be able to advise me on. Most of the posts I've seen involve spring and t-bar changes also; haven't seen much talk about sticking with the stock rates.

Good luck against the Miatas next year.

[jmargush]

I am planning on making a 19mm and 21mm bar that will fit the stock drop links the I can change them with a little bit of work.

I buy 4140 round stock and have the ends milled square I might as well build both of them at the same time. Just need to by new bushings for both sizes.

Yeah I agree CSP can get exspensive and there is some fast stuff there too.

Good luck to you too. Where do you usually run Toledo?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

CSP can be a really tough row to hoe. The Miatae, MR-2 Spyders, and CRXes can be wicked fast, and tend to respond very well to SP-allowed modifications. It will take several years and cubic dollars to make a 914 nationally competitive in that class--if it can be done at all!!

Locally, depends on what kind of competition you have.

You're still facing the MR-2 Spyders and Miatae in CS. Still not easy.

I suggest you try the front bar and see what happens. Conventional wisdom is that by stiffening the front bar, the rear will stick better. So the balance of the car may get worse--but it's possible the lap times will come down regardless! I say give it a shot and see what happens.

--DD

[david c.]

Couple of thoughts. First, are the spacers legal in CS? Second, if I were you I would spend the money on alignment work and perhaps custom shock valving. I would wager the installation of front bar (without the provision for adding a rear bar in a Stock class) will make the car push so much that you'll dislike it. My experience is that there is a LOT to be gained by careful alignment.

[J P Stein]

I took a friends CSP type 914 for a couple of AX passes. It has front & rear AR bars & Vracers......some suspension work.

The first pass showed the car to be fairly neutral. Pushing it on the second pass showed some problems. I had a nice power on drift going on a sweeper when the inside rear tire lifted.....lost speed, the other tires bit and we had a dipsy doodle correction to make.... lost momentum and prolly 1-1.5 sec right there. I had the same problem is the tight stuff but the time lost was less as we were going slower to start with.
That last pass was about 1.5 sec faster than he had done.

The car's set up was basicly good, but limited by the rear tire lift. To that point, he had never complained about the traction loss. When I asked him he said that he had experienced it "a bit". When he asked me how to cure it, I was at a loss. His AR bars are not adjustable (stockers). Normaly the answer would be detach the rear AR bar and dial in more front AR bar stiffness at the front bar if/as required to cure any oversteer.
......so the real answer is spend money. Driving talent can't over come this type problem....IMO.

My 914 is now also lifting that tire....I must be going
faster. I'm working on a cure....stiffer rear springs is the plan. In F Prepared I can do pretty much what I want and stay within my class.....Here's a pic. Note the black stripe following me around.

In C stock....or CSP, the Miatas are gonna wax your ass regardless. It appears that you have set up the car bout as far as the class limits allow. Locally, you may be able to out drive the competition and to my way of thinkin' that's your only chance. ......