On shocks; also MAARC Driving School question/comment

["Bain, Bill" <Bill.Bain@domain.elided>]

I have Ward & Dean street Springs in my '83 Spider, and Koni red rear
shocks.  It's definitely firmer than the old stock springs, but I don't
know if I'd do it again -- The Recaro seats are pretty firm and the
combination of the springs, etc. are a bit too firm for street use.

It's important to remember that the springs, shocks, sway bars, etc, are
intended to work together as a system.  Unless you're very experienced,
I would follow the recommendations of whatever performance tuner you're
using.  Alan Ward, Dave Rugh, etc. know more about this than most of us
and if you start mixing and matching there's a pretty good possibility
to winding off worse than you were before (AMHIK).  If I were using Rugh
springs, and Dave said to use Bilsteins, I'd use Bilsteins.

If you do get the W&D springs, Alan also recommends a slightly larger
rear sway bar.  The problem that I'm having right now is that the stock
Alfa rubber bushings appear to have changed ever so slightly in internal
diameter size and the sway bar has the nasty habit of separating from
the sway bar.  It's a pretty impressive sound when the end link slides
off the sway bar in a turn.  Very scary noise.  Alan insisted that I use
OEM Alfa bushings since some aftermarket bushings' inner diameter  are
slightly oversize.  I did use the OEM bushings but maybe Alfa changed
too.  Wonder if it's possible to do like the old Shankle bar and have
the sway bar end drilled and tapped for a washer and bolt?

For folks planning on attending the MAARC Driving School, the
registration form indicates that there will not be a Touring Lights
class this year, so no open cars without roll bars.  :-(.  Also, the
Grid Tech inspection sheet indicates that all helmets must be SA95 or
better, but the pre-event inspection form says Snell 95, M or SA for the
driving school, SA only for Time trials.  I guess it pays to "read the
materials" before the test, but can someone in MAARC confirm this ?  I
wasn't planning on buying a new helmet . . . .

Bill Bain 
AROC Atlanta 
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided