23Racer

First, where were the RX7's??????? This was the first track day I have been to with no rotaries at all. I usually am out in mine, but I brought the Cougar out for a test day to get used to it a bit.

Report as follows as posted on the Cougar Boards;

First, thanks to Mark and Dave for coming out. The day went well with a few to-do's on the car and a few to-do's for the driver.

Some pictures first from the day;

Pictures by 23racer - Photobucket

I hope the link works.

General impressions of the car, tends to understeer a ton on initial turn in and power on exits. This characteristic really disappeared when you drove the car really hard, kinda like flinging it through the corners. Power levels were really good, but seemed kinda slow compared to the RX7. Dave and I watched the videos last night (I will post them after some editing, like the 5 minutes of Mark's butt and shirt and the 10 minutes of the car getting ready at a 90 degree angle, LOL) and we think that the reason the car seems slow is that it is doing everything very effortlessly. The car was really hauling at the ends of the straights according to the videos, it just didn't seem really nervous or unstable which provides the driver with all of your normal inputs. Its up to the driver to push the car harder and take it into the nervous land. The car was incredibly stable through the decreasing radius Turn 4. In fact the car was the best car I have ever driven through that corner, it just set up a great little drift and powered out under full throttle. Just perfect and it became my favorite corner when usually I hate it.

Trans worked great. The gear ratios were really really close and I was pulling 3 gears down the back straight. Just great. Shifts throws were very close and precise. The driver not so and a couple of times I missed the downshift into second because "I" didn't think I was in second and kept stabbing it into the gate.

Engine ran great and kept getting stronger. We had an issue with oil temps (up to over 240 yikes!!!!) and the drop off in viscosity, but when everything cooled off the pressures returned. Need to use a higher weight oil. The car pulled strong from 10 mph in second and the motor was extremely flexible with bags of torque. In watching the video's last night you could hear the wail so clearly. I suggest that when I post some of the in car, you listen to it at full volume. I just tingle all over listening to it. It doesn't sound very flat, but extremely racey.

I used up a set of fronts at the track in 23 laps. This will be a bit of an issue until we get the car set up better. the car just overpowers the tires with handling capability and torque.

I just am delighted with the car and now will spend some time cleaning it all up and making it beautiful and shiney. Just an awesome car and I am really glad to be the present keeper.

Eric

Now a comparison to the RX7. The RX7 is a far better platform. the balance is sooo neutral that the car does everything you want from it and its very easy to drive. The power in the RX7 just continues to build until you shift where the Cougars power is all in the mid range and seems to fall off in the 8,000 plus range. The Cougar is far more of a race car with more noise and effort and it requires a very different driving technique. You are constantly dealing with torque steer and trying to get the most out of the front tires. Its all too easy to just start to tire spin the fronts. I will be very interested to see which car becomes ultimately faster, but as the Cougar is already fully developed and all we are doing is setting it up I think the RX7 still has more upside with better shocks and brakes. We will see.

Eric

23Racer

Here is the link again as it didn't work above,

http://s763.photobucket.com/albums/xx277/23racer/

Eric