Speed yellow RS, L reg

Speed yellow RS, L reg

Author
Discussion

londonscot

Original Poster:

50 posts

268 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
At Lancaster Bow aftersales this morning - is this anyones? It looks fantastic.

domster

8,431 posts

275 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
If it is a late 964 car (presumably the last ones made were L reg?) then there's a chance it could be Peter964RS's car, as I think his is yellow and there can't be many around.

If it's a 993 shape car, then not sure. I've seen more 993 RSs in yellow than 964 RSs. And more 964 RSs in maritime!

Rgds
Domster

londonscot

Original Poster:

50 posts

268 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Domster

Was a 993. Never looked inside an RS before, but it had the full race harnesses, fire extinguishers, etc. and sort of graphite grey wheels. Looked lovely, was obviously in for some work.

peter_964rs

287 posts

278 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Mine is at Lancaster Bow today having new brakes fitted. I wouldn't ordinarily use them (expensive; cocked up very badly once) except they're convenient for work.

It is a 964 not 993, and is Sun Yellow (Sonnengelb; a special colour) not Speed Yellow.

Also exceptionally dirty as I haven't cleaned it since the last track day! Hoping they'll do the honours with a hose.

Also J reg not L reg. Has black wheels.

So maybe someone else has co-incidentally dropped off a 993 RS in Speed Yellow!

>> Edited by peter_964rs on Thursday 13th June 13:13

domster

8,431 posts

275 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
BTW, Peter, I was chatting to Adrian Palmer last night, and he was raving on about the Motec conversion - have you had that done to yours?

Sounds v tempting compared to hot film or supercharging, so maybe something for when I've had mine for 6-12 months. Arrives next Friday now... wait is a killer ;-)

Rgds
Domster

peter_964rs

287 posts

278 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:

BTW, Peter, I was chatting to Adrian Palmer last night, and he was raving on about the Motec conversion - have you had that done to yours?

Sounds v tempting compared to hot film or supercharging, so maybe something for when I've had mine for 6-12 months. Arrives next Friday now... wait is a killer ;-)

Rgds
Domster


I have driven his RS.

Er...

Adrian is a good mate so I hate to disagree. But... I disagree! (If only a little bit).

Undoubtedly it contributes to the excellence of his engine. There is more power than my RS, no question. It pulls like a train! It also revs very cleanly and sounds great. How much of that is MOTEC and how much is trick inlet, exhaust and camshaft is debatable. Does the MOTEC generate the power, or is it there just to hold things together?

But, the MOTEC is also is the cause of some glitches that he has yet to iron out. Until Age has sorted the engine map (note: he has trick cams and a 993 engine anyway, not a pukka 964RS engine) then he doesn't really have a start point for a basic map for a basic engine. So it's wise to wait.

The problem with the MOTEC is it is a Swiss Army Knife of a super-complex, extra-wonderful, hyper-powerful computer of a thing.

This means that you need a degree is engine management science to get the best out of it. In other words, to plug your laptop into the beast and reprogram it on the fly. If you want that sort of facility, then, fine.

I, on the other hand, like plug and play. You plug it in; I play. I don't think it's quite there yet, although I understand Colin at 930 Motorsport has invested in MOTEC unit(s) and used a rolling road to get a really good engine map down for the 964RS and achieved a claimed 330bhp in the process. Ergo you go to Colin for your MOTEC, he loads the relevant map into it, tweaks it for your specific engine and off you go.

That sounds interesting; I'd want to drive his car first, though, just to see how much of a difference the MOTEC has really made.

Driving Age's car is coloured by the clutch he currently has fitted, which is a simply awful competition clutch we both hate. It only bites in the last millimeter of travel and sucks itself together with the power of a Dyson super-cyclone. Combined with the first engine glitch, which is that a small movement of the throttle pedal has no impact until suddenly the engine revs up to 4000rpm, then this makes smooth progress in traffic practically impossible. Age thinks a simple tweak to a menu option in the laptop-installed MOTEC software will cure the zip-to-4000rpm thing, and the engine is set up to spin up and down to his taste anyway i.e. virtually no delay, so you really need to make those gearshifts quickly!

The second glitch is a loss of midrange. This is down to the inlet system I believe; again Age has a custom-designed inlet system and six throttle bodies and hyper-expensive things like that, plus trick cams, which saps the midrange torque but gives way more power.

Anyway, you won't regret getting your RS one little bit and it's almost - ALMOST - perfect as it stands. I think there are few cars that work so well just out of the box. Sure, it's no TVR... but then I'm glad it isn't. You won't miss the power to weight and will love the way it goes around corners and responds and, generally, keeps going around corners and responding until it runs out of petrol or you crash.

Doing any track days with it?

domster

8,431 posts

275 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Thanks for the detailed reply, Peter.

Mark Piper has been giving me a bit of guidance, too, so I'm learning a little more about them day by day.

It is a car that I'd be prepared to use on the track, for sure. I never took the Lotus Carlton on track as it would have been embarrassing on all but the main straight. My main concerns with tracking the car are simply the nutters in Megablades/modded Skylines/Saxos you find at trackdays these days. I couldn't bear to see my nice new paint work getting gravel rash or worse.

I'm planning on doing a few track days this year with Polaris's hire race-prepared 944s, as this seems like a good deal (polarisdrive.co.uk if anyone's interested).

No doubt the RS will see some track action at some point though. It would be rude not to, really. I've even got a spare set of wheels/tyres, which helps.

Rgds
Dom

londonscot

Original Poster:

50 posts

268 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Peter

I must have been still asleep! I was sure it was an L reg. But, I only looked at the outside briefly - was busy looking inside. Apologies if I left any fingermarks!! It looks fantastic - I bet its great to drive. Actually, I dropped mine off this morning - a green boxster S, and then was getting a lift to the station. I told them I was disappointed they weren't taking me in the yellow RS

Thats the great thing about this site - I saw the car, asked around here, and now find the owner!

peter_964rs

287 posts

278 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Lancaster just phoned to tell me my car is ready; I checked with them and there are no L-reg Speed Yellow 993RSs with graphite wheels in with them today, so you must have seen my J-reg Sun Yellow 964RS with black wheels instead! We are talking Lancaster Bow aftersales i.e. servicing and repair near Pudding Mill Lane DLR, aren't we?

domster - the RS is a far better track car than the 924s or whatever that company is offering. I've seen them on track and they're OK, but merely OK. It's quite a bit of money to be spent just to go round a track in someone else's much slower, less responsive car.

There are track days with Max Power blokes in Saxos giving it large and being apain. I've never been on one of those, though.

There are also track days with Caterfields a plenty; usually the RS can dispense with all but the experts and R500-owners, and they like crashing even less than you or I would becuase they feel that much more exposed.

You'll never really know just how amazing the 964RS is until you get it on a track and let rip in relative safety. Until then, it's hard, unassisted, noisy, stressful and upset by most British roads. On track it's grippy, involving, quick, dynamic, responsive, and you soon fall in love with it again. C'est la vie!

londonscot

Original Poster:

50 posts

268 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Lancaster just phoned to tell me my car is ready; I checked with them and there are no L-reg Speed Yellow 993RSs with graphite wheels in with them today, so you must have seen my J-reg Sun Yellow 964RS with black wheels instead! We are talking Lancaster Bow aftersales i.e. servicing and repair near Pudding Mill Lane DLR, aren't we?

Yep, thats the one..Ok, I was definetely sleeping!

peter_964rs

287 posts

278 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Peter

I must have been still asleep! I was sure it was an L reg. But, I only looked at the outside briefly - was busy looking inside. Apologies if I left any fingermarks!! It looks fantastic - I bet its great to drive. Actually, I dropped mine off this morning - a green boxster S, and then was getting a lift to the station. I told them I was disappointed they weren't taking me in the yellow RS

Thats the great thing about this site - I saw the car, asked around here, and now find the owner!


Fingermarks would only have blended into the general patina of tarnish and un-washedness!

londonscot

Original Poster:

50 posts

268 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Peter, feel free to take mine away from there this evening, its lovely and clean, full tank of petrol. I'll make sure yours gets cleaned and return it to you on Monday...

paulc

242 posts

289 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Domster,

I believe there are still a few places going on Wheeltorques event at Nurburg at the end of June. Trust me, you need to drive the 'Ring' in a 964RS to fully appreciate what these cars are capable of. I'm sure Peter will back me up here.

Peter964RS assume your going to the Ring end of June?

>> Edited by paulc on Thursday 13th June 15:34

peter_964rs

287 posts

278 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Hi sweetie

I'll be there as well as at Spa in July.

I need a drinking partner as everyone else has dropped out of the 'ring in favour of Spa; I'm doing both like the jammy git that I am. Not sure who I know that's going to be there as well, short of Willie Green and some of the Caterfield mob.

paulc

242 posts

289 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Peter,

No Adrian, Paul Mclean etc.....

I'll be with my usual crowd, 993TT, HPC 7 and new this year a fireblade 7 (if it's built in time).

Quick question. Have you tried these Michelin Pilot Cup tyres yet? Colin at 930 isn't a great fan but some 993RS owners were raving about them at Autumn Blast.

paulc

242 posts

289 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Peter,

No Adrian, Paul Mclean etc.....

I'll be with my usual crowd, 993TT, HPC 7 and new this year a fireblade 7 (if it's built in time).

Quick question. Have you tried these Michelin Pilot Cup tyres yet? Colin at 930 isn't a great fan but some 993RS owners were raving about them at Autumn Blast.

peter_964rs

287 posts

278 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
No, Age and Paul will be at Spa instead. It was a case or one or other for them, and they chose the other.

The Michelins are a mixed bag I think, primarily becuase they need some heat in them. Age has them fitted to his RS but never gets enough use out of it (i.e. doesn't do tracks) to make them work properly. Ergo they behave like standard road Michelins on the road, which is fairly nondescrpt I think, and rather better than the Pirelli Type C's (always a good thing).

I, on the other hand, stumped up for non-N rated Goodyear F1s and I love them to bits on the RS. Very progressive, very friendly, great feedback, very cheap.

domster

8,431 posts

275 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
OK, so I'll have to track the RS then

Peter and co. - tell me more re Nurburgring. Quite short notice, but I may be able to wrangle holiday if weekday trip.

I have driven the 'Ring in a BMW M3 and it is fantastic. I got my Dad a copy of 'Fascinazion Auf Dem Nurburgring' by Ruf, and then borrowed it for 'pace notes' before I went. Awesome. Stayed at the Dorint.

Wheeltorque events are normally pricey and I'll have bought the car a few days before so money relatively tight - I'm tempted just to ride shotgun with someone if the passenger fee is less, and there's room... If anyone wants a co-pilot or has more info on the trip, please send me an email: dcolbeck@draftuk.com

Cheers
Dom

paulc

242 posts

289 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
Domster,

Wheeltorque trip is 27/28 June on Track. It's not the cheapest trip, but you do get 8 hours on the Ring a day (no bikes, buses, locals, just Wheeltorque customers) see www.wheeltorque.uk.com for further details.

Peter,

Interesting that you like the Good-years. EVO rated them the best allround in their tyre test. I've got SO2's on my road wheels but was looking for something a bit more slick like for the track, hence the cup sports. I've seen a 964RS at the Ring on Yoko A32R's but I've found sourching the fronts (205/50 or 225/45) impossible.


>> Edited by paulc on Thursday 13th June 16:39

peter_964rs

287 posts

278 months

Thursday 13th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:


Peter,

Interesting that you like the Good-years. EVO rated them the best allround in their tyre test. I've got SO2's on my road wheels but was looking for something a bit more slick like for the track, hence the cup sports. I've seen a 964RS at the Ring on Yoko A32R's but I've found sourching the fronts (205/50 or 225/45) impossible.


>> Edited by paulc on Thursday 13th June 16:39


If I could get SO2s I would but they're extinct - an ex-tyre. They have ceased to be. The Goodyears are probably the best alternatives.

The Bridgestone SO3s DO NOT WORK on the RS so don't buy them. You can buy them if you like, but you might just send them back for being awful.

Toyo T1-S are a non-N rated alternative that are thought to be good as well, but Goodyears are cheaper and that EVO article really made me feel chuffed because I agreed with all their comments and, yes, they were the cheapest.

Those Michelin Pilot Sport Cups are roughly twice the price. You have to really want them......

I had Pirelli C's for a while. The extra grip is nice for sailing around other RS's with a cheesy grin like you are God Incarnate On Wheels. But the breakaway characteristics were snappy (on mine, which were hand cut for wet use and therefore road-illegal and severely compromised) and contributed to my "off" at the 'ring last year. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

Don't know what the Michelin's are like on the limit but if they're anything like the Pirelli's were, I'll stick with F1s thank you very much; I prefer to feel the limit and play with it than have a higher limit over which you Must Not Tread.

N-rated Road alternatives are Pirelli PZero (yuk), normal Michelin Pilot Sport (OK) and Contisports (probably best of all given the EVO tyre test results). The N rating makes little difference in the UK AFAIK but might affect insurance in Europe.

Yoko A032Rs are available - in Germany - and twice the price of the Michelins and four times the F1's. Er.....

Dunlop Formula R's are also a possibility. Adrian has those on his E30 M3 and loves them, even if they're a little soft. He knows more about provision and cost than I do for those.

P