USE CODE: IK8Y48VL - This Amazon Pick is Recommended by Saabnet.com!
Site News - 7/11: No New News Today | 5/10: Members: Log In to See Fewer Ads!
[General | Members | C900 | 9000 | NG900 & OG93 | 93 | 95 | NG95 | 99 | Sonett | Vintage Models | Clubs | Other Cars | FAQs | Gifts | Member Photo Galleries | Member Directory | Classifieds | Manuals | *Buddy Registry | *Mileage Registry | Polls | What's New | Raffle | Photo of the Month | Sponsors]

Performance Bulletin Board
[Subscribe to Daily Digest]
(Search Author's Posts: e.g. Keyword:username)*Members Only

[Main Performance Bulletin Board | BBFAQ | Next by Date | Post Followup ] Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
read this one...
Like This Post: - Subscribe to Daily Digest for this Bulletin Board
Posted by gorper (more from gorper) on Sun, 7 Sep 2003 21:58:12 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: Re: Brad -- racecar questions, Brad, Sun, 7 Sep 2003 17:42:42
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup

Brad,

I found an '86 notchback for $400; been abused but is straight, zero rust. Literally 15 minutes after paying for it, the gearbox on my 89 900T died. Thus, I've decided it's time for a daily driver AND a weekend racer...

I raced the notchback once so far; dunno if it was me, but the car seemed to turn in much better than my hatchback. also, did a run fast enough in stock class to take second place, so I feel the car has potential.

Racing is autocross; the class is SCCA's Street Modified. For this class, I can do just about anything -- engine/powertrain are open, any suspension mods as long as original mounting points are used. Car must be street legal, full interior except for back seat. Full "update/backdate" rules apply - I can use ANY parts from any 900, from '79 through whenever 900 became 9^3. Also, can use ANY engine component from any Saab engine/drivetrain.

I know about Saab gearboxes; thanks for the warning, Gary :-) However, torque is key for this type of racing; corner acceleration is second. I live just a few minutes from Scanwest, so I can get help :-) Beyond that, LAG is the enemy. This is why I want to use a non-turbo motor -- I need as much corner power as possible and I need it as soon as possible. Unless I can get a VNT cheap, I figure the NA/turbo route is the best way to accomplish this.

Okay, so beyond power, the single most important factor is tires. I would like to run 235s if I can, at least in front. I'd be happy with 225s in the rear. Warming the rubber is not an issue as with road racing. Basically, bottom line is rubber, so that's actually my first priority.

Here's the plan; I appreciate your thoughts/recommendations:

235s on the ground, at least in front - tires do not need to fit beneath arches. I feel that I need to reach this size in order to be competitive in this class. On large, long courses especially, where there are lots of big sweepers, tire size is often the difference between 1st & 2nd given two equally-prepared cars.

custom wheels, cheap ones from Circle or Diamond

alignment - the usual crazy camber...

Rear axle bent to 1 degree neg. camber

No front bar (Most prepared FWD autocrossers run without a front bar due to loss of traction on tight corners with the bar )

Stock, with hard bushings. If necesary, self-made rear bar; would need to test & do the math but I can get this stuff fabbed w/bro-in-law.

600/700# springs - I need to do some calculations here; do you happen to know CG? Stock unsprung mass? Stock weight of notchback?

Adjustable shocks, at least in front. I run on asphalt, but conditions vary from baby-butt smooth to god-awful cracked/cratered. also need adjustment for rain (Pacific Northwest).

Poly bushings. EXCEPT, I'd like to run Nyliner's on the control arms and sway bars -- have you tried this? Read about it in one of Carroll Smith's books. If you want a guinea pig to do some research, let me know :-) i was looking at the a-arm mounts -- looks like all that's needed is to machine out the small hump in the middle, find the right size Nyliners and bolt it all on.

May look into your ball joint trick; presumably, bump steer is corrected simply by shimming the rack?

THE MOTOR:

2 liter NA (2.1??) with TE05 turbo

Considering a head from a new-gen900; can find someone to weld to fit here in town. Worth it?? Have read about loss of low end torque with larger 2.1 head.

Either bigger injectors or 5th; may also play with Volvo 2.2 - awesome Volvo wrecker real close to home :-)

gasket match intake/exhaust, grind out exhaust flap, remove amm screens

Cone air filter where OEM intercooler was

self-tweak APC

H2O eventually

Downpipe

900T exhaust

FMIC - I am nearly finished with a DIY core made of 2 c900 cores; still need to weld

Gearbox - for now, I'm just going to run whatever I have. However, I think the time is right to get Quaife to support the C900 crowd. I have some ideas about this...

THE DIET to lose some fat:

Swap power windows w/manual

No rear seat

No sound deadening if legal

Racing seat

Kart seat for passenger (legal, weighs next to nothing)

Swap bumpers to newer style; they are apparently 30% lighter

Swap trunk plywood pieces for something lighter, prolly foam


That's about it off the top of my head. Thanks again...


posted by 12.228.16...
Posts in this Thread:
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
Post a Followup

No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.

Name: Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
E-Mail: (Optional)
Re-Enter E-Mail: (Confidential & Secure - Not revealed to other users!)
Note: Please check your spam folder for BB responses.

Subject:

Posting rules are simple - No for sale/wanted ads may be posted here - use the site classifieds.
You may not cross-post your message to multiple BBs.
Not permitted: political/religious topics and being disrespectful (personal attacks, insults, etc...).
 Site Members do not see any red text, inline ad links, bottom of page anchor ads, box ads, or anti-spam check.

Message: (please no for sale/wanted classifieds - post those in the Saabnet.com Classifieds)
Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).

Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post above, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).
Optional Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/)
Link Title: (Optional)
Optional Photo/Image Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/img.jpg)
Photo/Image to Upload: (Please be patient while file uploads)



StateOfNine.com
SaabClub.com
Jak Stoll Performance
M Car Covers
Ad Available

The content on this site may not be republished without permission. Copyright © 1988-2025 - The Saab Network - saabnet.com.
For usage guidelines, see the Mission & Privacy Notice.
[Contact | Site Map | Saabnet.com on Facebook | Saabnet.com on Twitter | Shop Amazon via TSN | Site Donations]

Random Saabnet.com Member Gallery Photos (Click Image)
This is a moderated bulletin board - Posting is a privilege, not a right. Unsolicited commercial postings are not allowed (no spam). Please, no For Sale or Wanted postings, SERIOUSLY. Classifieds are to be listed in The Saab Network Classifieds pages. This is a problem solving forum for over 250,000 Saab owners, so expect to see problems discussed here even though our cars are generally very reliable. This is not an anything goes type of forum. Saabnet.com has been a moderated forum since 1988. For usage guidelines, see the Saabnet.com Mission and Purpose Page. Please remember that you are not anonymous. Site Contact | Site Donations | Other Sites by SP - Poverty2Prosperity.org | Run Club Menlo Park | ScreenBot


Site Members do not see red text instructions, bottom of the page anchor ads, or box ads.
Click here to see all the Site Membership Benefits!