Stance

Stance for the Street.

WOW! it looks good. But it's an illusion.

There is a lot of interest in ultra low cars these days and the term "Flush" has come to create a whole bunch of people creating cars as low as possible with super stretched tyres and rims that stick way out side the body.

Now. I don't usually rant on this blog but after sevenstock in the US, it's time to.

Benefit of stance. = Race car looks. (although this is debateable in extremes)

Negative of stance. = NO ACCESSibility, Legality, Servicability, Reduction of Grip, Generally Poor Handling, Body Damage, Fender damage, Tyre Damage etc etc etc.

For a few extra mm there is a whole bunch of downsides to think about.

Don't forget this image had predominantly come from drifting. Most D1 cars have entirely redesigned adjustable race suspensions (check Ikeya Formula) to get this stance without some of the negatives. Benefits of a low centre of gravity (CG) only applies to handling if other things like suspension mounting points,arms and other components are also re-designed. Roll Center is the main killer.

Bumpers are usually destroyed at every event and cars start to look tired very quickly with cracks in body kits etc etc. They arrive on expensive custom trailers to track only events and people usually spend 30 mins preparing to drive them. These are not street cars.

I used to run my Ver. 1 FD very low with lightly stretched 225 on the front on 8.5" inch rims. Turn in was almost non existent. Thats where the handbrake came in. While it was fun to drift. It was never really controllable. It never achieved the point to point speed of my second car. Ultra high levels of grip and controllable handling at any time. I even had to make a custom steel plate so I could get to my own driveway without destroying the bumper.

In the above pic. I am totally focussed on avaoiding that curb as I pull over to pick up my friend, That was before a photoshop height drop. Driving was a chore. If i dropped the suspension 15mm more. It would leave approximately 35mm of ground clearance at the front. at that height small potholes and roadworks become bumper shattering items.

To achieve these images was almost impossible on my Ver II FD. 18x10+25 with 255 would not fit at lower ride height. Literally hitting the fenders and inner fenders on compression. At the rear I initially had 30mm spacers to get stance and these proved too wide for the tyre selection. So you are forced to sacrifice your 30mm or so of width or contact patch to get clearance. A 225 also exposes the rim to easy damage prevented by the tyre bead. And in my opinion. That exposed rim looks questionable at extreme stretch.

I like the idea though and have photoshopped 19" rims onto many the FD and thought... cool.

But unfortunately photoshop is not reality.

I wish it weren't true but, Street car practicality and Stance shall remain enemies.