Leda suspension Group Buy

[Peter Empson]

Hi,
There's a Leda suspension group buy available on the 968uk forum at the moment and we currently need one more person to get the best deal. If you want to replace or uprate your suspension then this might be a deal that's too good to miss.

The bulk buy entiles us to a 25% saving on their adjustable suspension packages which are suitable for both the 944 and 968 for track, road or both. The exact cost/specification will be dependant on your requirements but everything from those using rear helper springs to torsion bars replacments are available.

The original thread is here:
http://www.porsche968uk.co.uk/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=513
If anyone is interested please let Beverley at Leda know and she can provide you with a qoute, or alternatively let me know and I can pass on your details.
Best regards,
Peter.

 

[Fen]

You know when the right thing comes along at the wrong time...

I guess I'm probably in. Might well mean I have a Turbo with a half built engine and fancy suspension for a couple of months but as long as it's ready in time to run in before next years trackday season kicks off that's OK.

I haven't had time to read the thread in full so I need to check options with someone. My first reaction is that I'd like to go quite extreme to get a very track-biased setup.

I'll try to call Beverley today but knowing what work is like at the moment it'll probably be 7pm when my wife phones to see if I've left her before I remember... Maybe you could give her a heads up that I'll be calling her?

 

[Diver944]

Fen, I've been following the Leda suspension threads on a few forums for a while now and I believe that Leda developed the package with a 944 expert in the States so it may be worth asking Beverly if you can contact him direct. I know when Dave Malings had his fitted he spoke to the US guy a few times who was very helpful

 

[Guest]

Oh how i am soooooo tempted by this.

Given that the car is not running well right now, i feel any moeny should be directed towards getting that sorted.

This is very annoying as i really want the Leda on my car, its just come at the wrong time....

 

[Fen]

It's sort of the wrong time for me too in that the money could see more immediate benefit being spent under the bonnet, but given that the Turbo has quite possibly original (153k miles) Boge fronts with nothing special -35mm springs and no rear shocks at all then I need suspenders for it and I had fancied Leda already.

I have called them and I am now waiting to talk to one of their technical guys about specific specifications. Subject to my requirements costing aroud the £620 figure quoted on the 968 forum I'm happy to place a deposit at the end of next week.

 

[lali]

Sounds like it could be a winner....

I was looking at these earlier and when I spoke to Leda they quoted me £837+vat for the oil and £957 +Vat for the Gas. So £620ish all in sounds top. Im away for a week now though and my car is in at Northway when I get back to sort out an oil leak so i need to wait to see how terminal (£££) that is before I fork out on these...

 

[Peter Empson]

Hi Fen, that's great to hear.
The price will depend on how extreme you go, but I'm sure Beverley can provide you with a good quote.

How's the Turbo coming along? Have you finished stripping all the unnecesary bits off it yet or is there still more weight to be saved?

Once I've recovered from the brake/suspension costs I'm going to get rid of the original seats and get some buckets fitted - hopefully before next years track days start in earnest, so that should save a few kilos. I really need some bodywork done too so might be tempted to finally fit some fibreglass panels at the same time ;-)
Best regards,
Peter.

 

[Fen]

I didn't speak to Beverley - it was Esther (? - I'm rubbish with names). She took my details and promised John would call me back within an hour to discuss the technical requirement. That was at 11am - you can guess the rest... Actually she called back after about 5 minutes to get more details of the car but nothing since. Hopefully he'll call sometime soon.

I have barely looked near the Turbo for months. When I realised it wasn't going to be ready for Le Mans I sort of decided to wait until bonus time and finish it with that. Bonus time is 22nd October so I'm starting to get excited again.

The bottom end is still with the balancer but I have phoned him to chase him to actually balance it and I have the builder lined up to put the engine together when it's been balanced. It will start out the same spec it was when I broke it but with a Cometic head gasket, Raceware fasteners and a balanced bottom end with lightened clutch and flywheel as well as a total rebuild and possibly a couple of other reliability mods.

Lots of the other boostie boys have moved the game on in the 3 years it's been off the road so it will be getting bigger injectors and a hybrid turbo and remap as soon as funds allow. It used to run 1.01bar and made "comfortably over 300bhp" according to Bob Watson but I intend to run anything up to 1.5bar by the time I'm happy with it.

The shell is basically in ClubSport trim now with 1 lightweight seat, keep-fit windows, no rear wiper, no central locking, cable hatch release, manual unheated mirrors etc. I intend to fit unassisted steering before the engine goes back in and I have just about decided to ditch the air-con (as much because I doubt it will work after 3 years sitting around and I could spend the cost of fixing it in better ways as to save weight). I'm also tempted to take the carpets out but I'm worried how noisy it would be like that. I'm keeping an eye out for a lightweight hatch and I'd like to replace the roof skin with a non-sunroof one and maybe a fibreglass bonnet with some extra holes in it. I also want to do something with the space where the lamp units go in the front PU which means relocating the parking lights behind clear indicator lenses.

The Cab is back on 16's (in fact it's totally standard now and after it gets new tyres tomorrow it's only some paint away from being ready to sell) so the Turbo will wear the 18s on the road but I want a set of genuine Cup 1s to fit either slicks or dedicated trackday tyres on.

Yours sounds like one of the most extreme trackday 944s and once we both have Leda suspension and I get the hatch while you get the seats they'll be very similar apart from the engine.

 

[944Turbo]

Hi Fen,
I think Jon Mitchell posted on Titnic he had a lightweight glass hatch from a 924GTS? that he might be prepared to sell. I guess it depends on the price and how lightweight but might be worth a call,
Tony

 

[Peter Empson]

Hi Fen,
>Yours sounds like one of the most extreme trackday 944s
Oh, no - whilst I'm aiming to follow your route I'm a long way from it yet. After all I've got far too many creature comforts - central locking, electric mirrors, motorised boot release (that doesn't work properly!) and so on.

Once I've changed the seats (and sold the originals) then that will be the point of no return and I wont feel so guilty about ripping cables out!

I'd like to go to fixed headlights at some stage but all of the kits I've seen look like they'll have pretty poor light output, so whilst it's still used for the daily commute I'll have to leave it be. But I suspect there's a big weight saving to be made there.

I think you're quite brave going for manual steering, my friend had an early Lux and he said that was heavy at most legal road speeds, but I guess at trackday speeds it will rarely be an issue.
Not that its that relevant but I've driven mine with the PAS belt off and that was no fun at all!

Best regards,
Peter.

 

[Fen]

Quick update - Steve called me yesterday from Leda. I missed the call because I was away for a few days with SWMBO and work was too manic today, but I'll be calling tomorrow and in a position to pay the deposit next Friday.

I know you mean about the point of no return; there's no easy way to put the wiring loom back together and I'd never find another linen leather sport interior. I'm going to retain the stereo but the a/c can go I think. I don't mind too much if the steering is heavy - if some cars were sold that way it can't be that bad, surely?

I'm going to stick with the pop-up lights for exactly the reason you have pointed out - the lighting will be terrible with the Metro based GTS conversions available. I did once wonder about using something like Puma lights but I think it may be tricky to fit them and make it look nice. While I don't care too much about things like stone chips and even wobbly fibreglass panels I draw the line at the car looking tatty.

 

[944Turbo]

The manual steering cars did have narrower wheels but not that much narrower. How many turns lock to lock is the manual rack compared to the power rack? I would like a quicker power rack but this is likely to be costly.
Tony

 

[Fen]

Just seen the thread on 968UK regarding the price. Looks like £620 is more like £930 so I'm afraid I'm out, at least until I see how much the rest of the car costs to get together.

I'm hoping for more feel through manual steering although I admit I hadn't thought about it being lower geared. I need to include that in my investigations into what is involved in the conversion.

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: Fen

Just seen the thread on 968UK regarding the price. Looks like £620 is more like £930 so I'm afraid I'm out, at least until I see how much the rest of the car costs to get together.

I'm hoping for more feel through manual steering although I admit I hadn't thought about it being lower geared. I need to include that in my investigations into what is involved in the conversion.

You might find it just a touch too heavy wit the same rack, its usually 1/2 a turn lock to lock less than non PAS. I would keep the PAS myself, i think the steering on the 944 is pretty good, certainly compared to some cars. Dont forget how much heavier slicks or track tyres will be.

 

[Diver944]

I saw that too Fen [] it's a shame the price seems to have gone up a bit.

I've been looking at the Koni insert option (8641-1414Sport) again and also the new kit that Paragon do to allow fitment of any standard 2.5" spring on our Turbo or S2 struts

http://www.paragon-products.com/product_p/944arhk-m030.htm

Jason at Paragon says that the Koni inserts are valved such that they will suit a spring up to 400lb rating, and I noticed yesterday on the 968 UK forum that http://www.motorsportworld.co.uk have the insert back in stock again at only £84 inc vat

 

[Fen]

I might just have to get a couple of inserts then. I would like to run 2.5" springs though, and I like the idea of helpers on the back. Looks like the Paragon kit is only for M030 struts and I have Boge at the moment. Is the insert for Boge or M030?

I'd love to buy the Leda kit but I just don't want to spend a bag of sand on the suspension just now.