Ernie asked for ideas on changes to the regs for next year.

I was wondering about dampers. How about making them "free"?

Everyone is running Leda at the moment with some of them probably needing expensive rebuilds. If dampers were free they could be replaced with inexpensive off the shelf Konis, for example...which might make it cheaper to bring some of the out of commission  older cars back out on the track.

Its true someone might go for the unfair advantage of double adjustable, remote reservoir, gas filled Bilsteins..but then who is going to buy dampers which are worth more then the car?

Any thoughts anyone?

Andy

Any replacement dampers need to be the same spec as the Leda ones i.e. single adjustable only with no remote reservoirs.

What about fitting motorsport type fuel tanks.  I think it's crazy that you have to use 15 year old steel fuel tanks.

Poly bushes should be allowed, they're cheap and improve the handling.

Alan

Any tech changes need to reduce costs not increase them. If you allow polybushes then people can't be competitive without them....ie it pushes the costs up! Most people are happy leaving the car as it is provided everyone has the same. Polybushes have been discussed lots of time and we have always rejected them.

The point about allowing free dampers is that it allows cheap replacement of worn out Ledas...ie cost reducing. True there may be some nutter willing to spend a couple of grand on a super special set of dampers...but to be honest I doubt it

On motorsport tanks....sure why not. Make tanks free as well...but to be honest I don't see the point of changing. The steel ones aren't a problem and there are easier ways to take weight out.

Again, I want to emphasise.....Any rule change that forces people to spend money on their cars will probably kill the series...so we need to be very careful.

Andy

I think poly bushes would make a good improvement.

Andy, you say that it would give people an unfair advantage, but surely if your bushes are worn out you need to change them? - I replaced ALL the bushes on my car in 2005 with Porsche ones as the regs stated, at a cost of just under £1400 - I could have got poly ones for about £400, a saving of £1,000 - I had to change them as they were knackered and dangerous.

I then drove the car as hard as possible and at the end of the year most of the bushes were knackered again, so if none of you are changing your Porsche bushes, they must all be shot to bits! (or your not pushing the car hard enough!) - which would mean poly ones would save money!!!

Its the same as you suggesting making the dampers free really.

Just wanted to add my can of petrol to the fire....!

Gazza

Yes but Gary, if your bushes weren't worn out but someone changed the rules so that you were going to be uncompetitive unless you forked out for a new set, you'd be pretty upset. In fact you'd probably go and race something else....which is what we are trying to avoid.

The dampers are a different situation. The Ledas are up to the job. I was suggesting allowing people to use cheaper alternatives if they want to.

Andy

Hi Everyone,

Any chcange to regs needs to be very carefully thought out.  Making dampers free would be very ill advised as it could open the flood gates.  There are some really excellent non adjustable and single adjustable dampers available.  If you had someone turn up with a fortunes worth of Penske, Koni, deCarbon or Bilstein and he trounced the rest of you, i'm certain that you would want a set no matter what the cost.

Especially at this difficult time for the series, I would advise keeping the regs as they are, and possibly re draft them when the course of direction for the 924's has been determined.

Martin #49