Front Runner 2005
Don't forget everyone that the Front runner event is on the 1st May at the PCGB HQ, turnout last year was 19 so let's make it even bigger this year.

Big Brakes.
There is a debate currently running on 968uk about whether there are real benefits to having bigger/better brakes and cross drilled brakes, a la M030. The arguments seem to be about the extra performance for track use on a road car but also the added unsprung weight. Also whether the cross drilled disks are prone to cracking and becoming a danger.
If anybody can shed any informed light on the subject please let me know and we can put it in the register write up. Personally I am opting for the M030 callipers and undrilled disks as a good compromise for a substantial amount of extra braking. Although I have the parts I haven't got round to putting them on yet.

Oulton Park 26-2-05

Another good social meet at Oulton Park tied in with a brilliant track day with Easytrack. Most of us met up on the A556 and headed for Oulton Park in convoy, while we were parked up in the lay-by we got quite a few motorists honking their horns as they drove past. It was great that other car enthusiasts were showing their appreciation of these still stunning looking cars.
As last year we lined up the cars in the paddock and took the necessary photos which can be viewed on the 968uk gallery. We had 10 at this meeting, I think we would have had more but for the very cold and damp weather.

On the track
I took the car on the track but before going out on the track I made some adjustments to the ride height on the rear of the 968, I dropped it 16mm from it's normal setting so that it was more in line with Club Sport spec. As it was raining I left the stiffness settings as they were on a medium setting.
I had a couple of 45 minute sessions just gradually getting quicker and smoother lines, over time the double apex Druids became a pleasure rather than a nightmare apart from my last 2 laps when it felt like something had been spilled on the track and the back end was giving a bit of a wiggle around Druids. My mate Jason in his CS also had a slippery moment around Foulstones and picked up a bit of grass on his way.

Still haven't got the M030 callipers and disks on yet but they are ready to go on, just haven't got round to it yet.

Donington/Silverstone 27-2-05
Although I have been to Donington a couple of times as a visitor I have never driven on it and the last time I had a passenger ride was about 3 years ago. I managed to go out with another 968 driver for a few hot laps, it occurred to me just how different the surfaces of different tracks are, for instance although Oulton Park is reasonably flat the difference between it and Donington is quite marked with Donington being far smoother. So if you are testing suspension settings for oversteer and understeer it can help to be at a circuit with this kind of even surface.
Drove down to Silverstone after Donington and I managed to go out in another 968 with Pete Morris driving, did some very quick laps. Again just showing what the 968 is capable of in the right hands.

Porsche 924
I recently added another Porsche to the stable, this is a 1982 924 2 litre in Diamond Silver, 35000 miles, one previous owner.
Fabulous condition I gave it a quick polish and put it on show at the local OPC when we had a regional meeting there in February, it's not often that you see a 924 in an OPC these days. GT Purely Porsche wanted to take some photos but at short notice couldn't get a photographer organised quick enough.
The car had been stored for a number of years, presumably in some outbuilding such as a barn, as when I was cleaning the engine bay I found a mass of acorn shells and squirrel droppings on top of the intake manifold.
I've put some pictures of the car on www.924uk.com
I must admit that when I first drove the 924 I was looking for that handling that I have been experiencing in the 968 with it being effectively the 968s ancestor. I soon came to realise that they are 2 very dissimilar cars and there are a number of reasons for this.
The 924 is of course a 2 litre and I found doesn't rev quite as easily as the 968, but bearing in mind that the 924 has only covered 35000 miles so the engine won't be as free as the 968s which has done 115000.
The roadholding on the 924 of course just isn't up to the same level as the 968, again reasons for this are that the 924 is a standard road car and I have got used to the much tighter and responsive KW suspension over the past weeks. Another key difference is the tyre sizes, 185 all round compared to 225s and 255s on the 968.
Apart from these differences there is of course the age of the respective cars. The 924 is 23 years old with 23 year old parts including I suspect 23 year old dampers, whereas the 968 is 'only' 12 years old with all new dampers and springs.
Having said that the 924 is a great little sports car with enough in the 2 litre to give an enjoyable drive out on a Sunday morning and with it's superb condition still attracts a few admiring glances. Great underpinnings for the 944/968 series and also let's not forget a Le Mans winner.

968 Technical Tip
To replace rear light bulbs.
Remove the rubber bung on the inside of the boot area, which reveals an 8mm nut unscrew that, disconnect the harness and the unit comes out by pushing on the bolt.
Thanks to Chris(EDZ968)

Still looking for contributions from anybody who has a 968 experience to share so just let me know.