>Lemme get this straight. Are you really trying to claim that a set of
>replacement shocks from Porsche won't cost more than the Konis you can
>buy from an aftermarket distributor?
============================
Let's take an affordable, and winning, Stock Class car like the Neon ACR as
an example. The factory single adjustable Konis available on 97-99 models
(painted black and for the 98-99 model years had no camber adjustment slot)
are over $800 a set from the factory, with a discount, and only have the
factory's 1 year warranty. The aftermarket (painted yellow) single
adjustable Konis can be had for less than $600 a set and come with a
lifetime warranty. The ONLY differences are the color of the paint and that
Chrysler (for the 98-99 model years) spec'd no camber adjustment slot
because the dumb dealership monkeys were doing too many warranty claim
alignments because they failed to set them to the proper specs when they
delivered the cars, as specified by the factory as a part of the
pre-delivery prepping.
>> 1. Exhaust systems. Stock is stock. You gotta go back to the
>> dealer to replace your muffler and exhaust pipes. Ever check on
>> what that costs? It'll wake you right up.
=============================
On the DOHC Neons you'll gain at the most about 2% power increase with an
aftermarket muffler or even a straight pipe. And we all know how obnoxious
a Neon with a straight pipe is, right. ;^) The factory DOHC mufflers flow
that well. I replaced mine with a Flowmaster for the sound and the weight
savings (about a third of the factory muffler's weight). A factory DOHC
muffler, since mine went to the boneyard, will set me back about $200!!!!
The Flowmaster, installed, cost me $80.
>>It seems that Pep Boys or Checker auto parts might be deemed
>>equivalent. Do they carry Porsche parts? ;-)
==========================
Ahh, but how do we prove that they are indeed equivalent?? I wanna see a
portable brake pad friction testing machine with all the inserts needed to
test all the various pad configurations. On the other hand, no I don't.
How about a portable shock dyno??
As to the cost of factory Neon ACR brake pads, they're about $110 a pair.
Carbotech pads are about $100 a pair and Raybestos Super Stops (or whatever
their premium "racey" pads are) are about $50(?) a set.
>I'd say it's more accurate to say that "There are many who sample our
>sport, see "Stock" cars beat them by several seconds, and never return."
>I know some of those folks.
=========================
Locally I routinely beat the SM guys with their Jackson Racing supercharged
Integras. (It really pisses them off too. ;^) They keep hounding me as to
when I'm gonna let them install a JR supercharger on my Neon and I tell them
(only half jokingly), "as soon as you guys start beating me". If I did
decide to spend that $2500 I'd buy a lot of other goodies instead and likely
still beat them. And I'm only a mediocre driver at best. Only recently did
a local DM legal Del Sol with a hot rodded Type-R engine, and a TON of other
suspension and drivetrain mods, start to beat me. I congratulated him as
I've driven his car before a few times and immediately beat his best times
for that day on my maiden run in his car. It's a damn fast FWD car!! I
told him that he needed to quit being so timid and just drive tha darn thing
faster. He's getting there, finally. I'm kinda proud of him as his car is
quite faster than my DS Neon.
>You won't stand a chance of doing well if you don't first acknowledge
>that the driver is the most important element, especially in Stock.
================
Absofrigginlutely!! There's nothing that irks me more than to get beat by a
"slower" classed car, but that's purely my fault. So I get more seat time
and try to learn from my mistakes. Only recently have I sorta been able to
actually recognize my driving mistakes and try to correct them on subsequent
runs. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
The only Stock Class allowance that doesn't really fit the intent of the
class, in my opinion, is the front sway bar allowance. Most every other
allowance can be considered a replacement of commonly considered wear items
that would at some point need to be replaced anyway. Preferably with
cheaper aftermarket parts.
As to allowing the R compound tires, well, that started way back when with
recaps made of softer compounds and is a very hard to regulate item. You
can't use the manufacturers individual UTQC wear numbers as they have no
federal standard against which they all must measure their wear numbers and
can fudge quite a bit on their ratings. Tires are incredibly a wear item
and I'd hate to try to buy the factory Goodyear Eagle RS-A 185/65-14 tires
at $140 a pop when 205/55-14 Kumhos are only $105 each.
Wheels? Well, since when wouldn't we allow someone the freedom of choice to
personalize their car a bit? We might be able to get rid of the 1/4" offset
allowance but there again the aftermarket may not produce the exact same
dimensioned products and we'd have to race on our factory wheels. Do-able,
but a major PITA. My Neon's factory alloy 14x6" wheels are over $300 each
and a complete set of AR24 wheels (the "standard" Neon Solo race wheel) go
for less than $300 a set. No thank you.
That's all I have to say about that. I'm going to bed.
Eric Linnhoff in KC
#69DS TLS #13
'98 Neon R/T
<eric10mm@qni.com>
"I ask sir, who is the militia? It is the whole people...
To disarm the people, that is the best and most
effective way to enslave them..." - George Mason
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