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OK, so maybe calling it ‘stage two’ is a bit of a stretch. But we have gotten a few more things done since our last update.  | | Our prototype ION strut tower brace. |
The most interesting is the completion of our SPS billet strut tower brace prototypes. Much like the PWSTB02 for the S series, these bars connect and strengthen the ION’s front upper strut mounts with a beautifully machined billet aluminum cross brace. This reduces compliance (flex) between the upper strut mounts so that the strut assemblies are able to perform more efficiently and predictably.
Not only does this piece look great under the hood, but it has noticeably improved the steering feel of our ION. The combination of Koni suspension and the SPS strut tower brace (plus a little bit of additional negative camber) have truly transformed our little ION. It is really starting to feel more like a sports car should. Granted, it is still a tad underpowered. But the car is fun to drive – and that’s what really matters. We are making arrangements now to get these braces put into production. We will make them available for purchase at the SPS site as soon as possible.  | | PIAA Super Silicone wiper blades. |
We also installed a set of PIAA Super Silicone wiper blades. Thankfully, this was done just in time for all of the rain that resulted from hurricane Isabel. Truth be told, wiper blades will not make your car faster in the quarter mile. But if you have not tried these PIAA wiper blades yet, then you cannot imagine how much better they work. It is a night and day difference. Driving the ION in the rain (for example, our trip to and from the Runoffs) is much less stressful and exhausting now that we can consistently see where we are going! We also made a slight change to our Koni suspension kit. With the initial prototype, we had used springs with an eight-inch length. This worked fine, but it limited the amount of ride height reduction in the front. Even with the coil-over nut set in the lowest position, our ION still had a ‘3 finger’ gap between the tire and the fender. The guys at Koni thought that this was just a tad too high, so they asked us to change the springs to a set with a seven-inch length. We left the adjuster nut in the lowest position, thus lowering our ION by another full inch. We now comply with the original goal for a ‘2 finger’ gap.  | | Our ION now sits even lower. |
While swapping springs, we also learned an important lesson about adjustable dampers: If set properly, they can be an important tool for dialing-in an excellent balance between handling and ride quality. However, if set poorly, they can create an uncomfortable ride quality. While performing the spring swap, John decided to turn up the damping rates by one turn. He got it done in the front. However, he was reportedly ‘distracted’ during the operation in the rear, causing him to forget to adjust the rear damping rates. The result was an out-of-sync ride frequency in which the front and rear moved upward and downward at different frequencies. During the drive to MidOhio for the Runoffs, this created a very uncomfortable – almost sea sickening – ride quality. Fortunately, he has since adjusted the rear damping rates upward by one turn. And this simple fix has restored the ride quality to nearly showroom-perfect levels. Now we are once again enjoying both the improved handling and the comfortable ride. We will post more updates on our ION project as they happen.  | | Lots of headroom for your helmet: Our ION dwarfs Jen's 94 SC1. |
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; "Our prototype ION strut tower brace.")
; "PIAA Super Silicone wiper blades.")
; "Our ION now sits even lower.")
; "Lots of headroom for your helmet: Our ION dwarfs Jen's 94 SC1.")
