How good is a 964 Cup Car

[bones]

Just in case there is any doubt *****n' good. Last night at Bedford Autodrome as well as enjoying a beautiful relaxed Autumn evening at Bedford Autodrome I was treated to some considerably fast laps in Mel's cup car which incidentally was expertly piloted. Impressions are that it was even better than I expected it's most impreesive features being, great turn in - except for you know where Mel *wink* - staggeringly powerful brakes, tremendous mechanical grip and clearly observable feedback. It's a hot noisy little animal that has tremendous 'chuckability'. I just about survived the laps without reviewing my lunch, despite that I had an eye into a different world of brutal super late braking and the belief that you could place this car pretty much where you liked. Imagine then 20 of these going hell for leather around Monaco each driver in pretty much identical vehicles.
The nearest comparison I have is of being a passenger for 10 laps on Stowe circuit in a Championship prepared Caterham - on slicks - for some reason I didn't feel sick in the Caterham, I think the Cup Car probably creates more G.
Thanks Melv I appreciated that and thanks to Steve Rance for organising a great evening.

 

[Guest]

How many GT3s did you spank Melv.......?[][][][][][][]

 

[Melv]

Lost count Des.... []

Mel

 

[Guest]

Melv,

I'm missing a trick here....I see a number of threads here and in the GT3 forum relating to evening track days....which given my job would clearly suit me better....where do I go to find evening dates please.

Regards
Jimbers

 

[Melv]

Jim YHM.

Just rcvd this e-mail from a Cup Car owning pal in Munich, having read the thread:

"sounds cool ! also sounds like we should really meet on track again, slicks is of course unfair but sounds like the Donington situation might be reversed then.... keep spreading the good word of the 964 Cup Car brother Mel !

Maybe consider Cup-Barf-Bags with the Carrera Cup Logo of the time printed on..."

Mel

 

[bones]

........'Maybe consider Cup-Barf-Bags with the Carrera Cup Logo of the time printed on......'
Ha Ha! I think I'll run over his toes if I meet him. Persuade him to get slicks, he's missing the point.
It's sounds like a duel Mel imagine ...'maybe we should meet on track again....Herr Spear' pronounced with a menacing German accent!

 

[Melv]

Jo and I drove on track together at Donington a couple of years ago. He was on 18" wheels and me on 17's with S02's, I couldn't keep up!!

Mad German, he drove 3500kms that few days to get here -Munich-Amsterdam (gf!)-Harwich- Egham-Donington-Egham-Harwich-Amsterdam-Munich.

He races in the German Alpenpokal series and drives to all the events in the Cup Car -the series is not direct racing as such, but one sets a bogey time and you have to keep as near to it as possible -there are also points for the fastest time and it is all worked out by some formula, so slowly going around keeping within seconds of the same time doesn't help!! Interesting concept though.....

Nice guy -we stayed with him and his family a couple of years ago in his mum-in-law's Bavarian mountain log cabin. Sue said she'd never felt like Heidi before!! The Cup Car fraternity!!

Mel

 

[Guest]

I have to agree with Bones on the abilities of Cuppie (and Mel, I suppose []) after a few flying laps at Bedford on Wednesday evening. Whilst I have experienced some quick laps before in racecars, I did some back to back laps with Mel and then in my own C2 which highlighted just how far apart the two cars really are (not taking driver ability into account []). The sheer grip generated by the slicks provides pin sharp turn in, then once the back end bites, you can pile on the power much sooner than I was able to in the C2. I think this was the most remarkable difference, I was having to wait, wait, wait......then feed in the power more gradually, especially out of the hairpins. I was being a little more gentle than I could have been, as I needed to drive home on the tyres...but nevertheless the two set-ups are a world apart. There wasn't much in it on the back straight, with Mel indicating 140ish compared to my measly 130ish but I noticed that I was snatching fifth before the braking zone whereas Mel was well into fifth by then - different gearing in Cuppie would expain it - together with more power, earlier, out of the hairpin.

Anyhoo - twas a great evening, thanks to Mel for the invitation and Steve for organising and nice to meet you Bones.

Rob W

 

[bones]

Likewise Rob, it's a pity we don't get weather like that all the time, I couldn't think of many better ways to spend a summer evening and I remeber you raving about the pads. I'd like to go for something a little better for my SC any suggestions for non squeaky road pads?

 

[Melv]

Sorry I didn't get a chance to ride with you Rob -I was grabbing every moment on track and ended up doing over 140kms, not bad for what was, in effect, only 2 1/2 hours of track time.

I've only managed that in a day on same full PCGB track days......

Mel

 

[bones]

He's obviously descended from the Red Barron or similar stock. Must wear my specs I initially read....'Sue said she'd never felt Heidi before!!....'

 

[Guest]

No worries, old bean. I'm hooked. Want to go faster, stop faster, turn better. A mere morsel of sanity is preventing me sending the damn thing into Neil and instructing him to SORT IT.

Thinking about Oulton in October....finances and green pass allowing.

 

[Melv]

You MUST do Oulton -I have to do it annually, just to get a fix. Think of Bedford with a change in elevation at the corners..and how. []

Mel

 

[Guest]

Seconded about Oulton Des.....just a brilliant circuit!