[moosety2008]

I recall Ali and a couple of other have gotten the springs from FD for the Maser. Anyone else? If so how much better does the car feel? I'm assuming based on Ali's and other's its the way the car should have always been. My questions is can you live with it day to day? does it become too stiff?

Separately, has anyone done all the modifications? To include DBW, the ECM Chip, x-pipe and exhaust, springs, break lines?

Lastly, I remember a member here was going to add a supercharger, anyone else taken the time to do this? Or did that member ever come back with the results?

Cheers

 

[BigFoot]

I am about to get most of the mods done (not the break lines though) and will open a thread once I get them onboard

 

[FormulaDynamics]

If you do a bit of searching on the product names you'll find lots of feedback. There are many guys on the forum that have done packages of all or most of the products. I'm able to provide referrals if at all needed, just shoot me an email and I'll connect you with some guys.

 

[GaryS]

I like the idea of members responding right here, in this thread, so we all can benefit from the exchange of information.

 

[GrndLkNatv]

Response...

So far I have the following from Jeff @ FD.

I have the BMC Air Filter.
I have the new DBW switchable
I have the custom 93/93 High Altitude Flip Chip ECU

I am super satisfied with these items... I feel like I am driving a new car, not the same one I bought... Jeff is nothing but top drawer class A and his products are the same.. As he told me on the phone over the weekend, "the pin connector on the DBW is where your problem is, lose pin, and if it's anything else I will replace it for free"

I don't get service like that anywhere else in life..

I am ordering the following items from Jeff in July.

I am ordering the sport springs
I am ordering new brake pads
I am ordering the new brake lines.


I will then wait until this fall to get the new Larini Exhaust. I currently have the standard exhaust all the way to the back end of the car where I have Tubi Mufflers, this is how the car came to me.. With the addition of the new DBW and ECU I can already tell that the holding factor for my performance is the exhaust.. First I want to upgrade the suspension, then before winter hits I will get rid of the cats, put on some magna flow cats, put in the Larini X-Pipe, and then the Larini muffler cannisters..

 

[Vincenzo]

Gents - just back today from Le Belle Macchine D'Italia where I was surprised to take 3rd place at the Concorso d'Eleganza. I also ran the car at Pocono Raceway in the driving event. I can tell you that the FD springs are fantastic. In my run group, I was chasing down Lambos, Ferraris, Porsche, and an M5 in the turns. They would outrun me in the long straights....but I would ALWAYS get up in their ass in the turns - didn't matter if it was the big sweeping turn 1 or 2 or the S-turns. They just couldn't shake me with the FD springs - the car is amazing and I was really proud of her. Several times, I'd go into the banked turns (with no braking) and pass coming out because they were braking going into the turn. I felt confident with the car's stability in the big turns and at about a third thru the turn I'd begin my acceleration thru the remainder of the turn.

You MUST get these springs. Yes - they are a bit stiffer but, not uncomfortably so. I drove the car 5-1/2 hours each way and only had a couple of pot-hole horrors (survived). For the long drive, turning off sport seemed to help.

Jeff - it was great to finally meet up with you. I also met several others of you from ML and hope to see you all at future events.

 

[GrndLkNatv]

When you say they would out run you in the long straights...

By how many car lengths? Do you have the ECU upgrade from FD? I am curious just how close our cars will run with the others on the long stretches..

 

[Vincenzo]

No, I don't have the ECU. I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the long straights...the M5 would pull away from me very, very slowly, I was able to overtake F355s and a couple F360s but, the lambos pulled away quickly.

I would redline in 5th gear and then have to go to 6th but by the time the next turn came up, I'd have to throttle back. The best I could manage was around 145....I was pretty sure that if I had a bit more time on the track I could have taken it closer to 160. That was my goal, but I ran into serious clutch problems and had to shut down after the first run of the morning on the second day...

 

[TravisJ]

I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the long straights

Don't be disappointed. Comparing a Coupe or GS to a Lambo or BMW M5 in the straights really isn't a fair fight. Any modern Lamborghini or M5 would have a significant horsepower advantage.

 

[GrndLkNatv]

I would add the ECU

According to the previous owner of my car/via the dealer/ I already have the Eurotek re-flashed ECU. I know I was faster in a flat out drag race than the M5.. I just added the FD ECU with a custom 93 octane/93 octane high altitude as I live in Denver and I can feel a drastic, positive, difference in performance although nobody has wanted to run lately so I don't have any hard evidence.

The Lambos have good Aero and a V10 or V12 plus 100 or more horsepower so I am not surprised.

I would love to hear about how a MC12 did around the same track... One on One they are faster than the Ferrari FXX but not the FXX Evo..

 

[TravisJ]

The M5 should have a 100hp advantage over a Coupe. I would think, all things being equal, it would have enough of an advantage in a drag race.

Here is a video of a drag race between a local Enzo and MC12 filmed last week...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uRHIFkSo7Y

 

[GrndLkNatv]

Power to Weight Ratio of the M5 V Maserati Coupe..

Latest M5 weighs 4034 pounds and has 507 hp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M5

So we have 7.95 pounds per horsepower...


Maserati Coupe weighs 3681 pounds with 390hp stock

which gives us 9.43 pounds per horsepower...


Add the BMC, the ECU upgrade to get around 430hp and
it's a little better at 8.5 pounds per horsepower...

If we could get 465hp we would be right there...

I don't know why my buddies M5 is not as fast on the open road, other than Aerodynamics...

So the new F430 Scud is 2770 pounds and 510hp or
5.43 pounds per horsepower...

 

[TravisJ]

I don't know why my buddies M5 is not as fast on the open road, other than Aerodynamics...

Looks like the answer is in the gearing. Despite having power to weight ratios that are not too far off, the M5, when unrestricted, has almost a 20 mph higher top speed.

 

[John in DC]

I drove the car 5-1/2 hours each way and only had a couple of pot-hole horrors (survived). For the long drive, turning off sport seemed to help.

Vincenzo -

I also drove up from Virginia (Alexandria). How was it that we never met?

Rgds...

- John

 

[Vincenzo]

John - I don't know how we missed each other but, would have enjoyed catching up with you. A few of us were huddled in the center of the new masers throughout the day. You going to the FMoW driving event at Summit Point the 21st and 22nd of July? Maybe we could catch up there (or before)?

 

[jjd]

Way to go Vincenzo! Sounds like you did some terrific driving.

 

[FormulaDynamics]

Vincenzo,

I heard you were running fairly well out there! I'm fairly sure it was you I say pass a few cars. I was mostly in the pits working on installs but poked my head out a few times to see what was happening, definitely a fun event.

 

[John in DC]

John - I don't know how we missed each other but, would have enjoyed catching up with you. A few of us were huddled in the center of the new masers throughout the day. You going to the FMoW driving event at Summit Point the 21st and 22nd of July? Maybe we could catch up there (or before)?

Wasn't aware of the FMoW event. Do you have a link?

Good idea re: catching up. Are there any other DC Area folks here? If so, it would be fun to do a meet and greet some time.

Rgds...

- John in DC

 

[kSloan "Dat Dude"]

John & Phil

I reside in northern VA and would like to meet & greet and possibly do the FMoW event. I'm open...

kSloan

 

[Vincenzo]

Kevin, John, & anyone else that's interested. FMoW is having a driving event July 21 & 22. I'm probably only going up for one day (21st). Info is on the FMoW website here:

http://www.fwash.com/tce/even-signup.htm

I'll PM you guys with my private email & let's try to get together. If you plan on driving your car, don't forget that you'll need to get a tech inspection. Call Willie Mack at FMoW just to make sure.