Author Topic: how bad is a g40 supposed to feel?  (Read 14497 times)

Offline Tav

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Re: how bad is a g40 supposed to feel?
« Reply #30 on: June 29, 2014, 11:09:42 am »
To add my 2 pence worth, or less possibly.
If you've got knackered bushes you're going to have a bad time. Im running a stage 2 frame with a h+r kit, maxrpm 'racing' lower arms and 14'' 195/45s and it's really direct and grippy. Love how it feels even with a bit of play in the steering rack I think. As for the rear i've got those super solid plastic beam bushes in but I have no skittish rear end, but think that could be helped by my cambered rear stub axles.
I'd agree with Phil and sort your bushes out on the front.

Thats what I had on my GT was good.  Hind sight I'd have gone with a thinner tyre but otherwise fun.

Offline Etches

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Re: how bad is a g40 supposed to feel?
« Reply #31 on: June 29, 2014, 10:23:54 pm »
No wonder why mine feels fairly stiff, found out my coilover specs are;

Front - 275 5.5"
Rear – 320  6.5"

Offline z3i

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Re: how bad is a g40 supposed to feel?
« Reply #32 on: June 29, 2014, 10:44:34 pm »
No wonder why mine feels fairly stiff, found out my coilover specs are;

Front - 275 5.5"
Rear – 320  6.5"

Holy crap!!! I thought 180 rear was hard!!! Haha lol

Offline JoeH

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Re: how bad is a g40 supposed to feel?
« Reply #33 on: July 01, 2014, 02:31:49 pm »
I found a 185 50 14 drives better conti or yoko, less tram lining.

those are pretty wide tyres for a car as light as a g40.  it will cause tram lining. 


Not a fan of 195s on a Polo either, 185/50 on a 14" or 175/55 if you don't mind a bigger overall tyre.

Lower offset rims will also increase torque steer and tramlining. I remember driving Robin's car whilst mapping it on wide low offset ATS classics, and it was awful to drive - was much better on stock BBS RAs.


Totally agree about width of tyres, I remember running 165/60/14 et38 on and the G felt great, light & responsive, like it was 'dancing'. Ran some wider tyres on lower offset wheels and didn't like it, felt slow and heavy. The caveat being, you can't put the power down through 165, so can totally understand why 185's see to be a good balance.
I also really agree about having higher offset wheels, in my mind, the closer the wheel sits in, the more the car can roll over the tyre and push into the road generating grip.
Surely wheels n tyre is the first and most important thing to get right in any motorsport...

Offline randombadger69

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Re: how bad is a g40 supposed to feel?
« Reply #34 on: July 02, 2014, 06:26:33 am »
I agree on wheel and tyre combo.

Mine handles great on 185/50/14 14x6 et38. 1.8 deg negative camber! (This needs reducing) and a dose of castor.

Just running Thorsten blocks and eccentric top mounts with KW coilovers.

All that camber comes into it's own in the corners, but just feels crazy in a straight line. Needs adjustment.

It's about feeling the throttle in the corners. I was suprised at the difference the ARB blocks and top mounts made.

Also running one of Dan Knights 3mm radiator mounting lower panels.

The girlfriends mk2 still feels like a better chassis and more fun in some respects. Less front-end flex.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2014, 06:28:20 am by randombadger69 »

Offline paulg40

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Re: how bad is a g40 supposed to feel?
« Reply #35 on: August 07, 2014, 07:53:05 pm »
Just a quick reply as I find the handling question pretty interesting when it comes to old and new cars.
So the G40 was never a great handling car when compared to others in it's class but as we know we can improve it massively and we learn to enjoy driving these cars.

Having been away from G40's for about 10 years and driving golfs (2xmk5 and a MK6) getting back into a G40 was an experience.
The Golfs handle in a way that you feel very confident about plowing into a corner without much effort and not really noticing it, with the Polo you are working harder and its super responsive in comparison but also feels 'edgy'

I put it down to how lazy ppl have gotten with new cars. Too comfortable and no fun. If I was to choose a car for the track the G40 would be the one I'd take even if it would mean it being harder work.