Moton shocks

[breakaway500]

Anyone have any experience with them? They seem to be top shelf,but I am only going by what I have read on the net and the guy who reccomends/sells them. Thanks.

[zip4zat]

no experience with them, but for what I know they are $$$$.

Im sure you get what you pay for, but you have to consider can you get out what you put in?

IMO, at our level depending on the how involved you want to get with tuning, you may have lower cost options that get you as much as you would want (note: not saying anything about what you "need"). Mark, I think you have a really good set of shocks on the focus, just go drive the pants off of them. When the time comes you will know when you will "need" better shocks. Just the same for the atom, dont worry about the shocks, just go have fun with what it has. There are more things you can gain from other than shocks, and I dont mean the shocker

[breakaway500]

Thanks,Joe. I had Bill from smallfortuneracing come look at the Atom for new wheels/tires and he mentioned the stock spring rates were not going to be optimal for track usage with the lighter tire/wheel combos. He suggested respringing/revalving the stock Konis and having them converted to two way adjustable.He then suggested I consider replacing them with the Motons as they would be able to control the suspension more accurately, as they are better at regulating dampening and rebound on a suspension that has such a low motion ratio where the shock moves very little vs. wheel travel. (and selling the Konis as is) What he said did make a lot of sense to me.
I really don't have any expectations about the car other than to make it as stable at speed as I possibly can.With the stock setup,the car was not what I would call planted on track.
I'm sure the tires will make a huge difference,however I do want the chassis to stay balanced.
As it stands,I have better road feel with the Focus than the Atom.But that happened only because I worked on the Focus for 2 years,making changes as needed.
I figured I would work on the chassis this year with the Atom,and the brakes,which I was not 100% pleased with.I think a set of Carbotechs will take care of the brakes.They just need more bite for me.
That is the tough thing about owning an Atom;there is not a lot of imformation available on track setups.
Again,thanks for the advice

[chaos4NH]

Joe has a very good point. I went from stock suspension to factory coil overs/shocks on the GG and thought I had found the Holy Grail when I improved at the Glen by 5 sec and Calabogie by 9 sec on the new setup. Then I came back to NHMS and was really frustrated, when over the 3 events this year, my fastest was SLOWER then my stock suspension time by .6 sec (yes, 6 tenths slower).
Lesson: my improvements at the Glen and Calabogie were due more to learning the track than any suspension improvements on the car. In fact, I had to "learn" NHMS all over again because I had/have some bad habits and learned where to "chicken out" in spots with the old setup.
Moral: learning the track is more effective in reducing lap times than some modifications to suspension.

[breakaway500]

I understand Joes point,and it is well taken.
However, I NEED better rubber than the hockey pucks currently on the car.
The only way I can fit the tires in an optimal track size for my Atom is to have new rims made.The new wheel/tire combo will be 1/2 the weight of the street setup, and Bill is saying the stock suspension is already a compromise on the car,for serious track use.

Proper setup is crucial to having a stable track car. I really did not like the feel I was getting on track and contacted Bill to see what he thought. Once he saw the car and the design of the suspension,and we took some measurements and corner weighed the car,he was not suprised at my comments.
The Atom is not built to be a track car. It may look the part,but it has compromises for street use. Most owners don't track the car.I plan on tracking the hell out of mine and want the stickiest tires,best suspension setup,the best brakes and more power,in that order.

It took me a while to get the Focus dialed in and it may take me a while to do the same on the Atom,but I really do enjoy working on the car.And at the same time,my driving skills.
To me,it is all part of the track day experience.

Bill has extensive knowledge setting up light cars for track use. His own personal car,which is called a Dragon,(he built from scratch) laps NHMS at 1:06 on a good day.(chicane/chicane)
Yes,I know it is mostly skill involved in those times.It is also a skilled builder who makes those times possible.
However,he would not be able to run those times in my Focus.Or my Atom.
I would like to move my Atom toward being a better track car than street car.
If it means spending money on better suspension,brakes and such.so be it.
I certainly don't know a lot about track cars (I'm learning...) and that is why I sought advice from someone who does this for a living.
He talks,and I listen. If it makes sense to me,I will try it out.
It's the same reason I ask advice on this forum.There is a lot of talent in the COM membership.
I figure it is a lot easier (and cheaper) in the long run than me experimenting with a lot of stuff that does not work.
I'm not getting any younger...and spring is coming....
Thanks for all the help!!
How's that expression go...what doesn't kill me makes me...faster?

[jlwhorf]

Hi Mark,

My suggestion for you atom would be put the car on scales and lead the nose. After looking at your car at NHMS 4 and the atom at LRP in 07; is that the chassis height is quite high, the engine sits high in the chassis, and the driver is quite far back. In my oval racing days, ballast placement to get optimal weight distribution was the second most important handling component, the tires being the first. Stock car suppliers make ballast clamps that bolt around tubing.

Jonathan

PS 6 days without power and still counting

[horizenjob]

DId you give up on buying a Formula car? You might regret making the Atom less pleasant for street use. I don't know prices currently, but a used FF might be faster then your Atom and a lot cheaper. So for the price of the upgrades on the Atom, you get two cars that are each good at what they do... Just a thought.

You get extra credit for slapping a bumper hitch on your Atom and towing the FF...

[breakaway500]

I still peruse the Formula sites looking,however I have recently purchased another Atom,so I'm working at making one a track car and keeping one more street oriented.
The great thing about a track car you can legally drive on the road is the extra seat time available.Might not be as exciting,but it still helps you get used to the cars...personality.

I'd really like to build a fwd formula style car...out of my Focus. Single seater,tube chassis,Focus driveline/brakes/wheels

Good thing I don't have a lot of spare time!

[Mario Fallas]

2 Atoms!!!!
can a barrow one? i'll return it washed & with a tank full
M

[breakaway500]

Let's say someone came up and offered you a 2007 ZO6 loaded,that they had purchased new,stored indoors,and had only driven 213 miles.They had paid $89k for the car new(yea,too much) and waited 12 months to take delivery,as they special ordered it with some fancy factory options. They offer the car to you for $45k., because they need the money,and no one is buying cars right now.
Same scenario,only it was an Atom,which they only have made 200 of, to date.

And it has lots of factory options; carbon fiber panels/tub/fenders,front and rear CF adj.wings,Alcon race brakes,dual adj race Konis,fire supression system,Accusump system,remote oil filter and cooler,remote battery shutoff,shift light steering wheel,side panels,tow hooks,bubble screens,300hp Ecotec, and has only 213 miles! The doctor that owned it took it to VIR,spun it twice on track and decided to buy a GXP Solstice.

How could I say no?

Borrow it? Um...