Road use set up

[simon]

Does anyone have experience with getting a race set up car switched back for soft road use. Ground clearance must be a major issue? What sort of ground clreance should I am for. Also what's the best wheel/tyre compromise as mine has got 9.5"& 14" so clearly this has change. I have seen some 8.5 & 10" x 16" that I'm thinking may be a good bet. Has anyone ever gone air ride or remote adjustable with their suspension?
Sim.

 

[Mike Pass]

Ground clearance for the road will depend on the roads where you are. I run 4” front and 4.5” rear chassis to ground as I have lots of speed bumps in the area. Shocks are easily slackened off especially ones which a knob adjuster rather than a screw. Remote adjustment would be nice. This also depends on the shocks having a range of adjustment which would work for both purposes which would be difficult.
For road use the Avon cr6zz would be best as you would have to use 15” wheels if FIA. The widest 15” Avon is 295 so the wheel could be 11” or 12” wide. 225 front would be OK. The race guys used to use the cr6zz as a wet tyre a few years ago.
Generally however road and race setups are totally different. It would be useful to talk to James Cottingham who uses his car for track and road type events.
I don’t know how you could fit air ride on a 40 and this would not be acceptable for FIA.
Cheers
Mike

 

[simon]

Ground clearance for the road will depend on the roads where you are. I run 4” front and 4.5” rear chassis to ground as I have lots of speed bumps in the area. Shocks are easily slackened off especially ones which a knob adjuster rather than a screw. Remote adjustment would be nice. This also depends on the shocks having a range of adjustment which would work for both purposes which would be difficult.
For road use the Avon cr6zz would be best as you would have to use 15” wheels if FIA. The widest 15” Avon is 295 so the wheel could be 11” or 12” wide. 225 front would be OK. The race guys used to use the cr6zz as a wet tyre a few years ago.
Generally however road and race setups are totally different. It would be useful to talk to James Cottingham who uses his car for track and road type events.
I don’t know how you could fit air ride on a 40 and this would not be acceptable for FIA.
Cheers
Mike

 

[simon]

Thanks Mike, I'm in an area of very mixed roads so best to be be conservative & keep it a bit over high for the purists. The 16" wheels I have seen are period correct in appearance but did any 40s race in the 60/70s with this spec do think? I will seek to get FiA paper as the car now is (this helps hold value) & then convert it over. I'm never going to race this thing so I may as well get some fun out of it. I think they have to fit a modern spec role cage to gain FiA papers which will restrict entry even further so for a 6'2+ its going to be a tad uncomfortable I should image ( never once sat in the thing as yet). What sort of spring rates do the guys use for the road?
Sim.

 

[Ian Clark]

Fantastic car, congratulations! On the matter of road use and in consideration of driveway ramp angles I run 4.25 front and 4.50 on the rear. As for the tires, are the Dunlop CR82s on your car EU marked? I have customer cars equipped with Dunlop CR65s which have EU markings on one sidewall and "racing use" on the other. Might get you through. Given the high specifications of your GT40 and the as per original parts, the spring rates and Koni shocks should work well enough on the street. The GT40s were not brutally harsh and we've become used to some pretty stiff supercars these days, so you'll be fine with the shocks dialed in, ride height and corner weights set (at full laden weight). The car looks absolutely as new with no miles, have you considered a firm like Gelscoe for setting up the car? They could also fix you up with a Gurney bubble for the drivers door, something your going to need at 6'2". Totally jealous and smiling ear to ear! Cheers

 

[simon]

Guys can any one advice if these cars ever ran 16" wheels in period? By that I mean racing up to say 1970/71