Dear S-friends!

I was thinking how I can make the car (ap1) more fun to drive at low speeds. I have an aftermarket exhaust which helps to give some extra excitement even at moderate speeds.

One thing that passed my mind today is lowering vs oem hight. Actually my car is lowered now. I lowered the car on stiffer springs a long time ago, so the ride is more planted in corners, more stable, less roll.

However, I was thinking now that perhaps the original hight/springs will induce some more roll and movement in the car while cornering, which is bad for going the fastest, but perhaps it will make the car more lively and more exciting to drive at moderate speeds????? I forgot how the car drove with the original springs on.

But do you get my idea? I had a very old small light fiat in the past with no horsepower but it was a lot of fun to drive! Perhaps all the shaking and moving while braking, cornering etc gave it more sensations and thus fun?

Just an idea. What do you guys think? So not for fast tracktimes, but how to get more fun/excitement at lower/moderate speeds.

Or you guys think that a lower stiffer ride gives more fun at moderate speeds?

For example some small cars seem fast and are fun to drive but the actual speed is not so fast! At the end of the day, I prefer to have fun over actually going the fastest because of speed limits.

So please chime in what you guys think?

Otherwise I would like to add a 4.62 or 4.77 diff if I could afford it in future. I heard it makes the car more fun at lower speeds. More power sensation while accelerating.

thanks for replies

 

I personally like a bit of roll in the car for a street setup as well. The S' stock suspension is pretty well sorted though and while there is a bit of roll, it isn't as playful as say the miata. If you still have the stock suspension, it can't hurt to throw them back on and see which way you prefer it.

An aftermarket exhaust or intake will change the engine's notes and might help you enjoy it more.

A new, or variety, of shift knobs - it's one of the few things in the car you are constantly touching so getting one that feels good in hand can go a long way.

Personally, the S is a pure pleasure car so just being able to drop the top is pretty good for me already even if I am just cruisin @ 30mph. That being said, the howl of an ITB setup gives me wood and I am prepping parts for a ITB install next year.

 

I think body roll is just annoying as hell when trying to drive fast/sporty. A car feels much more sharp and responsive without it which for me equals more fun in the corners.

 

Actually I just replaced the springs on stock shocks, they were designed like that. A JDM brand, I think Swift. So its quick a work to change it back coz need to rebuild all shocks and compressing those springs is a PITA but I could if I wanted to. Just dont look forward to build it back if I didnt like! Also taking out the rear shocks is quite a hasle with all the things that need to be removed around the fuel filler cap and line.

Have you driven the car on stiffer springs yourself? Do you think the bit more of roll will increase the fun and ask for more talent to go fast? I feel with the stiffer setup its easier to go fast through corners than what I remember. Or will I just make the car more dangerous to drive in corners with oem springs and ride hight?

I do prefer the look of the small lowering. Looks more aggressive and racy.

I have a round knob laying around. Will try it!

 

Rebuilding and regreasing the shifter mechanism to make it super slick really helped driving feel and enjoyment for me.

As well as a nice agressive set of low temp brake pads with a properly bled system that makes the pedal super stiff and responsive.

I used spherical compliance bearings in the LCA and maxed out my caster for better road feel.

Small stuff that engages your senses is what makes a fun street car setup, IMO.

 

Even though I have stock suspension, I agree with this. Less body roll equates to more lateral pressure in the body which to me feels fun at lower speeds. BTW what exhaust do you have? Lower gears would be fund in an AP1 especially because of the higher rev range and taller factory gearing. Easier to hit VTEC at lower speeds.

 

I concur on the body roll thing. For the low speed feeling of a zippy, fun car, less is better.

I think a combination of progressive springs and stiff roll bars will give as much of this effect as is possible. Also increase the rear suspension bias would be more fun at low speeds (but would sacrifice high speed track handling, and be potentially dangerous on the street if you are used to fwd handling).

IMO, progressive springs beat stiff straight rate springs in getting that sporty feel. You get good ride, but sporty feel. Muuuuch less body roll.

With progressive springs, as you corner and weight transfer occurs, there is more spring pushing up the outside and less inside. The outside spring has compressed to its higher rate area, while inside spring is on its lowest rate area. This gives flat cornering, and much more direct steering feel. When people fit progressive springs and say handling improved, this is the feeling they are talking about.

At the very limit of cornering traction, progressive can be a detriment, as the inconsistency of how it reacts at different points along its compression and from side to side can be more difficult to predict. But at anything less than competition level performance, they are ideal, IMO.

Your Swift springs are already progressive, and are already rear biased. So if you want more of that feeling, I would suggest getting a thicker rear swaybar. The '02 '03 stock rear bar is tbe stiffest. Should be cheap as everyone wants high speed front biased for track.

IMO, lowering further won't give the feeling you are looking for. It would just compromise ground clearance to a level that can take much of the fun out of just driving the car around.

 

There is only one answer to your question.

Tires. Tires. Tires. all day long, tires. 200 UTQG like RE71R Bridgestone.

But, that being said and having an AP1, you'll want to weld the upper A-arm supports to reinforce them given the increased stresses at that point.

good luck. but the answer is Tires.
darcy

 

The answer to recreating some of the zippy, sporty, low speed fun of tossing around a classic British roadster is super sticky tires and frame reinforcements?

 

205/225 tires should do it. Soften up the suspension a little. I think the feeling of being on the edge of grip is the exciting part for me; and with a loose setup it’s way more playful without going crazy speeds.