Spent the day at Mark Dougherty's Old Mill Monday

[Someday I Suppose]

Dan aka Cheapsk8 posted a couple months ago about bringing his track car up to Mark to do some alignment and suspension work with positive results, and so I thought I would do the same.

Monday I took my car which has only about 400 miles out to Mark's new shop in Annville PA, an old Grist mill, that is one very cool workplace with a ton of character.

ChrisM and I went up for the day, got there around 9AM and worked till 5 or 5:30, and had a blast of a time going through the car, checking ride height, adjusting the alignment settings, nut and bolting the can, and finally scaling the car to make sure the cross weights were good. Not only did we get a heck of a lot done, but I learned a lot, and had one of the most enjoyable days working on the car.

It's been nothing but rain since we went up, but hopefully we will get some dry weather this weekend and I can put some miles on the car. We added caster to the car as I had no where near as much as I thought I had in it, and we also found that I had more negative camber on the passanger side then on the driver side, I think a result of trying to align the car myself, and a garage floor that ain't too level.

I'll post some driving impressions once I get to drive it. :-)

[M DOUGHERTY]

Hi Scott
I had a blast with you and ChrisM also.
Hope I wasnt to hard on him.
You have a great car. Just fantastic. I should have taken more pics of it. You should be proud of the build you have done.
You should notice a considerable differance in the driving quality of your car. now that it has a square setup.
well maybe someday I can catch up with you at a northeast breakfast.
later
Mark D
The traveling Builder.

[Someday I Suppose]

Mark, thanks again on the comliments and the great day.

As for Chris, he stopped sobbing about half way home, so I think he will be okay, no worries.

On photos, I was thinking the same thing about the shop, never did get any, next trip out for sure. Were heading to the part in early July so maybe we will swing by just to say hello while we are there.

As for driving impressions... it made a huge difference for sure, I got out yesterday and drove for a bit, and I had a blast. Took it over some local roads, and the issue I had where the car felt like it turned in too agressive was gone, it went where I pointed it on both left and right turns. I also got up to Rt 80 on the ride back to the house and it felt great on the highway, not darty at all, very stable, tracked well, went straight when I took my hands off the wheel.

Last year when I drove the car, I told people I felt like the car and I were in the early stages of a relationship, just a couple of dates, and still feeling each other out. I told my wife last night, now the car and I are engaged. :-)

I do think I may experiement a bit with more caster later on, with the camber where we want it to be, if I increase the front by one turn and decrease the rear one turn, camber should be relatively uneffected while increasing caster by around 1/2 degree, correct?

-Scott

[M DOUGHERTY]

Scott
great I am very pleased you like the car now. Congrats on the engagement. ( I expect to be invited to the wedding) LOL
As for the Castor
1 out and 1 in will give you about 1 deg.
dont forget though you will have to recheck the toe afterward.
enjoy.
Later
Mark D
the traveling builder

[raceral]

400 miles... its time to change your username

[Chepsk8]

Mark is one of the best resources our Community has!

I have since done a few track days with my roadster, and each one is now so much more exciting since Mark's work. The car is now so good in the corners, I am re-learning every track I go to, since it it much faster in most sections, and corners at a much higher speed. At Watkins Glen alone, it how hits the rev limiter on sections it never did before, thanks to the higher cornering speeds.

Best upgrade ever!

[Cobra 302]

Mark come back to Mass.................

[Someday I Suppose]

Al, haha! You know I never thought that all the way through. When I bought the kit I did change it to I Suppose Its Time or something like that until the board updated and changed, then I just let it revert back to the original. It's from a Mighty Mighty Bosstones Song that I like a bunch so going to keep it for now.

Originally Posted by raceral

400 miles... its time to change your username

[David Borden]

I'm really stoked and proud of Mark making that step! Takes some brass balls to venture out like that. Best of luck in the new building Mark...!

David

[JKleiner]

Originally Posted by Chepsk8

Mark is one of the best resources our Community has!

Absolutely

Jeff

[rick8928]

Yesterday, PJ and I drove our cobras up to Mark's shop in Pennsylvania. Cool site, being an old stone mill (located on Stone Mill Road - coincidence or what!). Mark offered us a sweetened deal to do two cars on the same day. We spent the day there working with Mark and his son Brendan, from 9:45 AM to 9:45 PM. We too got the full treatment-safety check/nut & bolt tighten; adjustments to ride height, alignment, cross-weighting, yada yada yada. The guys also fixed my steering play problem (missing set screws), added zerk fittings to my control arms and greased everything on the car, sealed all exhaust leaks, and addressed several other little niggles I had on the car. It was fun and informative (oh, so you have to let go of the safety wire plier part when you pull the little chrome doo-hickey! no wonder I could never get it to work.). Incidentally, the guys found that PJ's "professionally done" alignment was "not so much".

The ride home was great. Dark, quarter moonlight. 40 something degrees. Heater and heated seats on full bore. Car didn't miss a beat and the handling is so much sharper now (I set a new personal best speed in the 90 degree left sweeper on 83 South out of Harrisburg-Bob Varsha said I'd "gone purple"). Had to trickle through the neighborhood at home. These cars sure seem louder at midnight.

If you are anywhere within range of Mark's shop in Annville PA, I can't recommend it more highly. Depending on the quality of your existing setup, you might not believe the difference.

[Fluge]

Cool...Mark has a shop...if I have a productive year I may want to book a visit to see Mark...sounds like a fun road trip at the very least.

Marc

[M DOUGHERTY]

Thanks Rick
That was a long day that took 4 guys to get it done.
That is awsome the car handles so much better now. Enjoy that car you built a good one.
It was fun meeting PJ also.
I am always amazed at how many great people we get to meet through this community.
Later
Mark D

[Chepsk8]

Saving my money up for new shocks. Which ones would you suggest? I'm looking at thew QA 1's.

Once changed, another day with you!

[SeanHM]

Sounds like we need to see some shop pics, Mark. A good setup can make for whole different car.

[j.miller]

anyone see a spare windshield laying around?

[Dan Babb]

Mark...you plan on coming down to the Whitby's Christmas party this year?

If so, maybe turn it into a business trip and come setup my car in my garage if you're going to be in the neighborhood. I think I'm going to get some new shocks or springs for my car (the ride seems way to stiff) and it would be great to have a pro set them up.

[mirose]

I tried to go do the exact same thing as Rick and Scott last friday but the weather didn't cooperate. I am on the schedule to try again this friday. weather and office schedules permitting.

If anyone is in the general area and wants to swing by to see what Mark does while my car is there (Hopefully!!) this friday, shoot me a PM and we can work it out.

I'll file a debriefing on this thread as soon as I can!

Fingers crossed for this week!

-Michael