"Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Documenting your big project with photos/videos? Have photos/videos to share of anything Merkur related? Place your links to photos and videos here. Please - Merkurs and Merkur-related pictures only. Cosworths welcome!!
Carlisle and event related pictures are to be placed in the relevant section under 'Events'.
Merkur Club web site
User avatar
merkurdriver
Level 8
Posts: 6365
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2003 4:29 pm
Location: Northeast Ohio
Contact:

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by merkurdriver »

Ray wrote:. I'm cornering at over 1.4 lateral G's in these pictures.
:cheers
User avatar
Esteban
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:07 am
Location: San Diego

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by Esteban »

Whats the word on MC2 fabricating comp struts?
Have any videos?
JimG
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 584
Joined: Sat Jan 18, 2003 8:30 pm
Location: Waterford, Virginia

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by JimG »

Ray, we are going to have a "friendly" Auto-X competition during the Ford Nationals at Carlisle this year, you should bring your car and show us how its done!
Jim Gosses
86 XR4TI, 165K, T-5, IC, RR, PBR Fronts, T-bird Rear Discs
Image
User avatar
Ray
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 4338
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:40 am
Location: CT, USA

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by Ray »

Would that i could make it, with this marking year 4 in a row, i'm on travel for work the week after. With a strange irony, i'll be 1 hour from carlisle 2 days later, but i have to take my work truck / soil demonstration stuff.

I've been chatting with Anglin a little bit - about making these for us here stateside.
-Ray
1985 Ford F150 - Tow Missile
1985 Merkur XR4Ti -#141 CP "Miss Daisy"
2005 Subaru LGT
http://www.cartct.com
User avatar
Ray
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 4338
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:40 am
Location: CT, USA

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by Ray »

Esteban wrote:Whats the word on MC2 fabricating comp struts?
Have any videos?

I really should start doing videos. I made a few remarks to a fellow autocrosser (runs in FP) and he records most of his runs just to learn from them, get a better line, etc. Something i should probably start doing.
-Ray
1985 Ford F150 - Tow Missile
1985 Merkur XR4Ti -#141 CP "Miss Daisy"
2005 Subaru LGT
http://www.cartct.com
User avatar
Spaldino
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 9:34 am
Location: Kalamazoo, MI

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by Spaldino »

I'm really curious about this compression strut/no sway bar thing. I'm about to completely overhaul my front suspension and this sounds like it makes the car behave better. If it's more planted on tight snappy autocross corners i can only imagine the type of grip it would provide a road course...
88 Mono-white XR: Side exhaust, Walbro, MC2 Front Adjustable Coilovers, Rear Bilsteins, Full Poly bushings, MC2 Diff Mount, Rapido intercooler, Some sort of mild cam(?), Rear Disc conversion, 225s on 17x8 wheels.
User avatar
Ray
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 4338
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:40 am
Location: CT, USA

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by Ray »

Cool, damp autocross Sunday. Temps hovered around 50 with light, misting rain most of the day. Got 1 solid dry-ish run in, enough to secure 2nd in class out of 6, and 7th overall. I'm in a pretty fast region, so 7th overall, in the wet, is something I'm rather proud of.

Still impressed with the new dynamics with no front roll bar. The car is just flickable, stable, and controllable at the edge. If you bite into a corner too hot you'll still get that grinding understeer, but overall, it's like wearing a shirt.


Image

almost lifting both inner tires - evenly. This is a big deal as before it was one or the other depending on how i attacked the corner.

Image

hard right - compare body roll to first picture - not too bad.

Image



Now, to buy replacement clutches for the Eaton diff. After almost 8 full seasons with it, it's starting to show its age.
-Ray
1985 Ford F150 - Tow Missile
1985 Merkur XR4Ti -#141 CP "Miss Daisy"
2005 Subaru LGT
http://www.cartct.com
GPz11
Level 6
Level 6
Posts: 871
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:56 am
Location: Aurora, IL

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by GPz11 »

Very impressive!
JimG
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 584
Joined: Sat Jan 18, 2003 8:30 pm
Location: Waterford, Virginia

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by JimG »

Ray wrote:Would that i could make it, with this marking year 4 in a row, i'm on travel for work the week after. With a strange irony, i'll be 1 hour from carlisle 2 days later, but i have to take my work truck / soil demonstration stuff.
When do you leave on your work trip? You run our Auto-X on Sunday am and be back in Ct that nite! I think all would like to see your car and watch it on the course.
Jim Gosses
86 XR4TI, 165K, T-5, IC, RR, PBR Fronts, T-bird Rear Discs
Image
catapultkid
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 521
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:04 am
Location: Richmond, VA

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by catapultkid »

Very impressive Ray. Always good to see this car evolving.

Paul
-Paul
'85 Merkur XR4Ti
K20, VW mk2
'89 K2500, 6.0 swap
'00 Honda Insight
John V
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 1034
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 1:42 pm
Location: Sleezattle, WA, USA

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by John V »

Ray wrote:No, ordered from bilstein with compression/ rebound rates changed based on the cars weight, spring rates, etc. the JVAB ones are a great alternative but a bit softer than this car's purpose (not valved for springs this heavy / track use only / etc)
Just a note:
The JVABs are valved and made to length to whatever the customer asks them to be--usually after serious discussions--on the phone..
Curiosity: what was the valving they came up with?
John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle WA USA
CALL =-> (206) 431-9696 <-= CALL

http://www.rallyrace.net/jvab/
espacef1fan
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 633
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:08 am
Location: Dothan,AL

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by espacef1fan »

John V wrote:
Ray wrote:No, ordered from bilstein with compression/ rebound rates changed based on the cars weight, spring rates, etc. the JVAB ones are a great alternative but a bit softer than this car's purpose (not valved for springs this heavy / track use only / etc)
Just a note:
The JVABs are valved and made to length to whatever the customer asks them to be--usually after serious discussions--on the phone..
Curiosity: what was the valving they came up with?

Yep.
Adam Escott
Dothan, AL
89 XR with Outcast Body in red
Duratec build in progress(need cams and stand-alone)
89 Scorpio. Needs everything :haha
User avatar
Ray
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 4338
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:40 am
Location: CT, USA

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by Ray »

John V wrote:
Ray wrote:No, ordered from bilstein with compression/ rebound rates changed based on the cars weight, spring rates, etc. the JVAB ones are a great alternative but a bit softer than this car's purpose (not valved for springs this heavy / track use only / etc)
Just a note:
The JVABs are valved and made to length to whatever the customer asks them to be--usually after serious discussions--on the phone..
Curiosity: what was the valving they came up with?

Good to hear from you John - looking thru my notes i believe the rates for the front are 338/127. What are your thoughts on this? I was under the impression that your kit was more for "rally purposes only" (given your input on this forum) which has a much longer travel / softer rate than i need for my purposes.
-Ray
1985 Ford F150 - Tow Missile
1985 Merkur XR4Ti -#141 CP "Miss Daisy"
2005 Subaru LGT
http://www.cartct.com
Choochoochoo
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 363
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 11:40 pm

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by Choochoochoo »

I'm digging the spoiler! Did you custom make it?
2000 Dodge Durango 5.9 (gone, and missed)
2008 Mercedes Benz R320CDI
1985 Merkur XR4Ti
User avatar
Ray
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 4338
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:40 am
Location: CT, USA

Re: "Ray's AKA demonfire's XR4Ti build up"

Post by Ray »

No, Ben Martinez had it custom made and gave it to me last winter.
-Ray
1985 Ford F150 - Tow Missile
1985 Merkur XR4Ti -#141 CP "Miss Daisy"
2005 Subaru LGT
http://www.cartct.com
Post Reply