SLC impressions

J. Salmon · 05-30-09, 06:41 PM

I am going to keep a running tally as we go.

Ferrari has the Clienti program. For a fraction of the cost (OK for several orders of magnitude difference) we have in essence joined the RCR equivalent. The old man has ordered an SLC, and to tide us over Fran was gracious enough to loan us his own black and green car that you are probably already familiar with.

So my father trailered the car back from Detroit, arriving yesterday evening. Then he got up early and continued an hour and a half south to VIR where I was running the Lola on south course at a member day. He would be running in the no-passing Touring Lights, the perfect place to shake down a new car.

Let me start with the things on the car that are not right. First, even in company that included many expensive eye candy rides (including a new 430 Scuderia) this thing looks sooo mean that it's almost embarrassing when you are not a seasoned driver. Be prepared to clear stores, clear buildings, or in our case, clear paddocks.

Second, it's black, it was hot, and it doesn't have AC. I recommend AC.

The pedals were not set up for me. I had to reach.

It is a race car. Yes you can drive it on the road (the front lift is killer). But it defines hardcore. It makes a "hard core" car like a GT3 look like a Volvo wagon with trunk full of groceries and potted plants.

Something is wrong with the clutch engagement at this time. It is not fully disengaging, making shifting tricky. Unlike prior problems, it is engaging completely, so once in gear it is not slipping and all is good. It required a bit of double clutch downshifting. I decided to just run 3rd and 4th, not wanting to damage anything.

It has Hoosier slicks and very quick front geometry, meaning it is a bit twitchy in its current setup in fast straights.

It's loud.

It sounds really, really good

Rear visibility is on par with other supercars. Meaning it sucks.

The digidash crapped out just before we took the car, so we had only the sound of the motor to go on.

I only got about 5 laps of south course. Remember that I am in third gear, so in slow corners (40 mph?) the motor was lugging. Depress the pedal in third at that speed and be prepared for an experience similar to warp drive. The car absolutely hurtles towards the horizon. Then forth gear and again it rockets on. It is hands down the fastest car I have ever driven (that includes - recently - a Gallardo Superleggera, which felt like a, well, like a road car in comparison).

What impressed me most was the chassis and feel of the car in corners. Keep in mind, I am in a new to me, ill-fitting, ill-shifting, crazy powerful one hundred thousand dollar car THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME on cold slicks. And I was truly stunned by the feedback, the balance, the poise of the car. What is the point of having a car like this if you are unable to enjoy it? I have no fears about that. When it is right - when it fits, when it shifts, when it is cool in the cabin, when it is ours and not Frans, and when used to it, the rewards will be unmatched. It does not need traction control, stability control, or antilock brakes (or bigger brakes for that matter. The regular ones are fantastic.)

BTW, I think it will eat the Scud for lunch right now. Dialed in, it's no contest.

Pics and more impressions to follow. THANKS FRAN!

Fran Hall RCR · 05-30-09, 07:15 PM

Hi Jay,

glad you guys got to take her out at such short notice.

A new clutch line was installed the night before your Dad picked the car up (leaky) and I suspect it just needs to be bled again...sorry about that...

Once you position the seat and pedals to fit you ...and can use the datalogger system you will be in pig heaven....trust me.

It really is a fun car to play with and is quite forgiving even at speeds other supercars that cost 3 or 4 times as much only wish they could achieve....

I will see you guys and my car at VIR in a couple of weeks for the Goldcup...

Now about that SL-LeMans we have been discussing.....

Dave · 05-30-09, 10:15 PM

I'm still not convinced about this SL-C thing. I'll be over with my trailer next week to borrow the car for a local track day

Brian Hamilton · 05-30-09, 10:47 PM

Since you're loaning the car out, mind if I use it this coming weekend at my track day? Oh hell, Dave already called Dibbs... Stop by here on your way to Cali would ya? LOL

Mesa · 05-31-09, 02:16 PM

On a smaller scale, I took my ENGINE out for a test drive.....had a ZO6 out for a drive friday, it's been some time since I'd driven a current top notch performance car. HUD, keyless everything, EXUP valve in the mufflers, computers that did everything except drive it for you. Nice car for sure, the engine was great ..... but the damn thing is in the wrong place! And...it felt slow or I spent too many years on racebikes, or maybe I was not pushing hard enough, as I figgered' crashing my buddy's pride and joy would have put unwanted stress on the friendship. I'm kind'a smart that way.

Thanks for the report J, too bad the rental program does not come with a big red trailer and matching crew to deal with fitting the driver and new car shake down issues.

I'm not a NASCAR fan but I have to give credit for a great commercial for the Home Depot team. The one where the new driver walks into the HD and says he is on a budget and shopping for a team. Buys everything ...car, crew, owner...

Maybe you can get the crew at HD?

What engine did dad select?

J. Salmon · 06-01-09, 07:21 AM

The schedule was sooo tight, I literally jumped into the car in the pit lane and for the first time started looking for where the belts were and looking for the pedals.

Dad has spec a milder LS3 variant with about 470 hp (I believe). At about 1/2 the price, ignoring the money I put into the Kinsler system. I was truly disgusted when I found out how cheap a Ricardo box has become, but I guess that's good if I blow mine up.

Mesa, with what you are building, if that car doesn't exite you, then you really have moved past 4 wheels. Or I guess you could put the drivetrain in a Nemesis.

Mesa · 06-01-09, 12:29 PM

Ugh, I don't want to look if the Ric has become "inexpensive" ...... wimper....

I'm thinkng once it's my car I'm driving I'll get to fully extract the performance without fear of balling it up .... that will make it all better and more fun for sure. The car will be fast enough for the street (probably too fast). I don't ride sport bikes on the street because after riding them on the track your sense of speed is ALL distorted....100 mph feels like you could get off an walk. I hope the car experience does not have quite the same effect, or maybe I should just stay off the track with it ..... <grin>

J. Salmon · 06-17-09, 11:32 PM

Continuing to shake out some little bugs. Found the clutch issue, which was a loose fitting under some heat shielding where you couldn't see the drip. Dad got a bit more track time, this time with Audi club. He spent the day under the watchful eye of Norbert Watts, who has spent a bit of time racing a T1 Corvette. Unfortunately, the fixed clutch meant that the car could be driven fairly hard, even with no digidash and no indication of revs. And this led to cracked front rotors. Fran is sending us new solid rotors. I am really liking this "drive it and have someone else replace parts" thing

I spoke with Norbert afterwards (I could not be down at the track that day). His quote was "it is very fast". Do you think it will be as fast as your T1? "Oh no, you don't understand. It is much, much faster than the T1 Corvette" Even driven with no gauges at a modest pace (Norbert said he was not about to push hard in someone else's car) it was the fastest thing at the track save for a Mercedes/McLaren SLR. And he thought with the rev counter, that would be no problem either.

With new rotors, we will be back at it on the 25th. We hope to have a new digidash mounted. I look forward to having my go in it!

Fran Hall RCR · 06-17-09, 11:40 PM

Jay,

I had a long chat with Norbert today...he was very jazzed...and cant wait to flog the car at the next event...so much so he is taking a day off work to do it...

His comment about the cracked rotors was that he has had to replace C5 rotors every weekend on occasion..and the cracking occured during cool down in the pits and not on the track...

He has heard them "ping' while standing next to the car...

The rotors going to your Dad are undrilled by recommendation from Butch Litzingers (ALMS/Le Mans/DP driver)...race mechanic....they are not solid...but are undrilled and are slotted and vented....solid would be back to Lola 1965 days...

Looks like Dad is about to fall out the window with the G's....may need to add a grab handle for him...

J. Salmon · 06-17-09, 11:43 PM

Fran,
I feel it will be my duty to try as best I can to crack the rotors again

-J.

Fran Hall RCR · 06-17-09, 11:46 PM

Gee....thanks....now about sending me that iconic old, slow, clapped out 355 as collateral....always wanted an Italian planter for the showroom....

Nice pics of the Coupe by the way.....can I get some more of those???

EGLITOM · 06-18-09, 06:53 AM

J

great pics, would you mind sending them to me per email in high res ?
Would be great

Thanks
TOM

info@-performance.de

Randy V · 06-18-09, 07:44 AM

Cryogenic treatment to the rotors will help in the cracking department.

It's been my experience that all iron rotors will develop surface cracks - even those that are cryo'd - but - unless that crack reaches the edge of the rotor, you're pretty safe in continuing on...

Perhaps a bit more cooling to the rotors Fran? Inline 12v Detmar bilge blowers work particularly nice....

Doc Kaler · 06-18-09, 10:52 AM

J,

Nice track update and, as I suspected, glowing remarks about track handling and speed. Nice photos as well.

Keep 'em coming!

Brian Hamilton · 06-18-09, 11:53 AM

It has been my experience, limited as it is on track days, that drilled rotors crack more frequently than just slotted. I don't know if this is because the holes weren't chamfered correctly (sp?) or if they weren't cryo treated as Randy said. Anyway, I always recommended slotted rotors to drilled ones for my heavy track use customers and never had any cracking issues. The crossdrilled ones would crack every time they took it to the track and those Brembo 13" rotors for the Mustangs were friggin EXPENSIVE. LOL I also remember a company who made universal brake duct fans, and as Randy said, those may help out a lot for the heavy track use clients Mr. Hall. Let me find the link to that guy....

Pegasus - In-Line Blower Fans

There ya go!!

Laters,

Brian

Dave · 06-18-09, 11:54 AM

Nice pics and thanks for continuing to update the thread with your impressions.
Given the corner entry speeds this car appears to be capable of, I'd have expected those cross-drilled rotors to crack pretty quick.

Is it just me or does that M3 look like an SUV next to the SL-C?

Doc Kaler · 06-18-09, 12:06 PM

+1 on negatives for cross-drilled rotors. I used vented/slotted rotors on my track Viper but not X-drilled for the reasons mentioned.

Mesa · 06-18-09, 12:17 PM

Yep, an SUV for sure.....damn apartment building on wheels from the size difference!
My buddy with the ZO6 tracks the car and the word from his crowd is ... if it is drilled - it WILL crack. Seems the Corvette track bunch go for slotted.

Molleur · 06-18-09, 12:49 PM

+1 on the slotted...

Ben Whittle · 06-18-09, 04:07 PM

Interesting on the whole drilled business, I don't think I've ever heard amongst friends having trouble with drilled discs on their bikes even on track days, I guess we have WAAAY less weight to slow down, even compared to the SL-C which, might I say looks FREAKING SWEET on the track but also FREAKING TINY next to the BMW....

Even when my discs were very very worn, I did Brands Hatch and never suffered cracking. Speaking of which, Brands Hatch in two weeks and my calipers are, well, dead. I'm waiting to hear from a guy over in the US who can supply newer ones but I don't know if I'm going to be able to get them in less than two weeks