4722 replies to this topic

[Korkey]

Very glad to see you return Nev. Nipper is a fantastic ( much over used word, but not here. ) car. Some people will have a go at you, but they are the sort who seldome then reply with anything positive. It is very easy to put ideas down and then not put forward anything to fill the void. Your car has elevated the VX to top draw machines indeed. I know just how hard it is to build cars such as yours. Well done Nev. And please keep updating here as well as your web page. Being as technical as you can. I am sure that a lot of us find that more interesting than the latest carbon dress up part. All the best. Korkey.

[luke.]

I really want that body work. But it costs hell of a lot

[Darcini]

I really want that body work. But it costs hell of a lot

How much does it cost?

[ChrisS1]

Looks like I'm going to be the first to say that I'm not a fan of the bodywork. (in photos - might be different in the flesh) I think the OEM VX shape looks great and this bodywork doesn't do it justice. However, I completely understand why youve done it and what a mental engine you have in the car so the mental bodywork matches the equally crazy power plant! Good (but not my taste) work Neville

[cnrandall]

Great to see you posting again Nev :-)

[starlight]

Nev, that looks great! The bodykit suits the car. Certainly prefer the proper gloss finish on the panels to the Matt black on Joe's

[Nev]

Thanks for you kind comments guys, I can see why the car isn't to everyones taste, but it is what it is. It may not look pretty, but it certainly goes faster than any road legal car I have ever been in by a long chalk. The latest splitter I built and installed a few days ago has totally changed it's mid to high speed capability, I would strongly suggest others who go over 100 letpons (on track) to try and do something similar, the downforce and confidence it inspires is quite quite startling. Anyway, I think I'm going to just enjoy trundling around in it for 6 months and then if my "wallet spider" can cope, I will start phase III.

[mark_vx]

Nev - that is a fantastic job you have made of the bodywork. Can't help feeling a little sad that nipper is no longer a 'sleeper' though. I loved all those stories on your website of leaving unsuspecting cars in your wake, now they have a hint that nipper is not your standard VX! Phase III? I'm intrigued -- tell us more?

[JohnTurbo]

Im guessing phase 3 is a fluffy steering wheel cover.

[ArticMonkey]

Phase 3 IMO is learning how to exploit that car to its full potential. I can only just control half what nevs has on track!!

[alanoo]

Great update Nev !

[VXT Tim]

Im guessing phase 3 is a fluffy steering wheel cover.

and fluffy dice.

[Nev]

I've just crawled under the car and raised the ride height by approx 1 cm on all 4 corners and increased the valve setting from 1/24 clicks to 18/24 clicks. I think at a guess the ride height is now approx 105mm at the front and 110mm at the rear (much the same as my old stage 4 setup), but have yet to measure this accurately once I roll the car off the ramps. Am waiting for diner to be served (!) and then if it's still dry I'm keen to get out and see the difference, as this will be my first drive of the car with the suspension setup roughly as it should be with the addition of the splitter... broom broom

Edited by Nev, 18 July 2012 - 06:29 PM.

[NickB787]

Stunning Nev, Fantastic job, and I the spoiler

[Nev]

Hmm, went out in it last night with a passenger and things didn't go as well as I'd hoped. To start with the car seemed much more bouncy even though I was on a smooth A-road, so I think I will reduce the valve settings by 6 more clicks at all 4 corners. Also, the raised height of the car seemd to nullify the effect of the splitter by quite a lot. I think I might have to drop the springs back down at the front as my previous attempt to raise them caused more than 1 CM of increased ride height. I guess all these settings are a compromise, what suits one road will not suit another etc etc, and you can spend you life fiddling about to no great avail. Anyway, I had the fun of some Honda Civic Type R driver try his luck briefly. Whilst waiting at the next traffic lights (he was behind me) he leant out of his window and was shouting a question at me. We could barely hear, but I think the question might have been "Is it a turbo" ?!

Edited by Nev, 20 July 2012 - 06:42 AM.

[ChrisS1]

Maybe he was trying to see the traffic lights past your wing

[Nev]

Just checked the front ride heights with nobody sat in it; it's 95mm on the passenger side front and 100mm on the drivers side front (intentional asymetry BTW to accomodate for my weight in the car). Just been for another test, and though I am getting used to the car jiggling about much more and it is better having more suspension travel, it is a shame the front splitter can't work so well with this higher suspension setting. Oh well.

[smiley]

To start with the car seemed much more bouncy even though I was on a smooth A-road, so I think I will reduce the valve settings by 6 more clicks at all 4 corners.

I have the same at a specific (as far as i know) also flat road near by.
Car bounces like crazy, and does not do that on any other road.
Weird.

[cnrandall]

Just checked the front ride heights with nobody sat in it; it's 95mm on the passenger side front and 100mm on the drivers side front (intentional asymetry BTW to accomodate for my weight in the car).

Just been for another test, and though I am getting used to the car jiggling about much more and it is better having more suspension travel, it is a shame the front splitter can't work so well with this higher suspension setting. Oh well.

The ride height will make very little, if any, change to the splitter performance. Did you reset the toe when you made the ride height change? If you are running out of bump travel in the damper at the lower ride heights this will have a far bigger consequence to the handling than the splitter heights.

[Nev]

Hi Chris, nope I haven't reset the toe angles yet. I am intending to do a lot of fiddling about with ride heights and valve settings over the coming weeks to see how I can set it up (roughly) for the kinds of roads I commonly drive on. This will take some time. Also I intend to fiddle with the rear wing (am hoping to lower it approx 1 inch), put the floorpans back on and generally re-learn how to drive it. Also, ATM I down know what the camber or castor is set at, I have a feeling it's quite accute partly due to strong inner tyre wear on the fronts and partly cause I expect Alex would have had it setup for tracking.

Its funny though, I haven't really felt the effect of the bump steer yet, perhaps Im just not driving it fast enough yet or perhaps it has always suffered from bump steer from when I inherited it from Alex or perhaps I simply don't notice it !

Anyway, I spent the day in somebody else's remarkable home garage today. He is a fairly recent VX owner (owning a highly supercharged one) and also owns a racing MR2 with a supercharged V6. To accomodate these cars he has the most excelent home garage I've ever seen, with a brand new 4 poster ramp that he very kindly let me use for the day. This allowed me to strip off the bottom of the engine off in double quick time and refit the crank end cap that I think has been the cause of my annoying oil leak. I have since gingerly driven back home (as the RTV sealant wont have fully set yet) and checked under the car - no leaks yet, but its early days to be sure I've cured it; fingers crossed.

Hopefully tomorrows jaunt with some local SW VXers will allow me to test it thoughly.

Edited by Nev, 21 July 2012 - 07:05 PM.