Just got an interesting e-mail from Brammo...

[Mr.Woolery]

Just got an interesting e-mail from Craig at Brammo.  In it, he gives some interesting details regarding some changes in the US Atom design & resultant effect on options, pricing, etc.  I have to call him back to slightly rearrange my order based upon info given in the e-mail.  When I do, I'll ask him if it's okay to divulge the info given in the e-mail on this forum. It'll have to wait until tomorrow though (it's late night here in the US at the moment--past my bedtime).

A couple of new options, some news, upgrades/improvements on the UK Atom, and some pics.  Hope to be able to share them with you soon. 

[patentshark]

I am slightly disappointed with the email mainly due to the dry sump.  Basically, the dry sump option went up AT LEAST $1600 for my 300.  Now I need to get more into the details and determine if I can get by without it or with some other modiication such as a baffled sump. 

I do appreciate the roll over mounts being included in the price (as they really should have been from the beginning). 

Not sure if the Koni upgrade option is worth the $1000. 

Now we have some things to keep us occupied/thinking about for a little bit.

[Matt F]

The dry sump price is actually higher than a replacement Ecotec crate engine.  I'm starting off with 230 bhp, so I'll wait and see if the engine starves from oil deprivation.  If it does, then I'll replace it, along with a new dry sump system.

I don't understand the difference between the mid-price adjustable Koni shocks and the top-shelf adjustable Koni shocks, even after reading the PDF.

The CF panels look very nice, and I will probably order them.

There's almost no difference between the Wilwoods and the Alcons.  Which should I choose?

[Monza]

Can some one post/mail me the info that Brammo gave you about the Wilwood brakes ?
Alcon : no rear hand-brake (for GB Atoms), Wilwood : normaly with rear hand-brake. That can be the difference.

[Matt F]

[quote="Monza"]
Can some one post/mail me the info that Brammo gave you about the Wilwood brakes ?
Alcon : no rear hand-brake (for GB Atoms), Wilwood : normaly with rear hand-brake. That can be the difference.
[/quote]

Thank you.  The following is directly from Brammo's website:

Wilwood:

"Wilwood 4 piston caliper front and rear + E-brake caliper, 11â?� front two-piece ventilated rotor/ 9.4â?� rear ventilated rotor"

Alcon:

"Alcon 4 piston caliper front and rear + E-brake caliper, 11" front two-piece ventilated rotor/ 9" rear ventilated rotor"

It seems that both have the emergency brake.  The Alcons are $170 more than the Wilwoods.

[patentshark]

Matt

I am sticking with the Wilwoods because they are pretty well known here.  I know brakes are brakes, but Wilwood parts appear more readily available from more distributors. 

Not sure of any performance differences as I have never used the Alcons.  Maybe someone else can provide a comparison.



MrWoolery

Did you ask Craig about the Koni's?  If not, I may try to find out more information...

[Mr.Woolery]

[quote="patentshark"]
MrWoolery

Did you ask Craig about the Koni's?  If not, I may try to find out more information...
[/quote]

I've called an left a message.  Waiting a return call with the info.

[Monza]

Thanks for the pics and infos Matt.
In GB, Alcon are 290 mm diameter front And rear, not smaller on rear. I'm a little bit surprised about these info from Brammo concerning Hand-Brake or perhaps that they fit a second small caliper only for H-B, like on an Ultima...

[FAST BUCK]

would it be possible for 2 things?

1. Pics and prices of any CF parts
2. An explanation of the difference between a dry sump and a baffled one, and why one should choose one over the other?

[Mr.Woolery]

Okay, just got off the phone with Craig at Brammo.  He's given me permission to repost the e-mail and it's attachments--he's appreciative that we asked prior to posting the info here.  He's concerned about information control for the sole reason of managing expectations--he doesn't want rumours to get out of control and disappointing people as a result.

Anyway, here's the e-mail:

Dear Ariel Atom customer,

We here at Brammo would like to extend our sincere appreciation for the support and cooperation weâ??ve received from you â??first-ownersâ?� while we sort through some of the minor detailing, pricing, and component sourcing issues for the US production vehicle.  We think youâ??re going to be quite pleased with the result, as we feel weâ??ve improved the product considerably.  Below are a couple of changes we have made to the available suspension and steering rack packages and would like you to let you know about them..  If you feel youâ??d like to make a change or not to your existing order, please respond promptly as we are feverishly stocking inventory to expedite the build and delivery of your vehicle.   

Suspension:

Brammo has been working closely with Koni to develop shock packages designed and valved specifically for the US Atom 2.  Weâ??ve now got the packages sorted into what we believe to be their final format and have been able to offer an additional package for the ultimate in track-day and racing adjustability.  This new package allows for compression and rebound to be adjusted directly on the car and will be hand-built and valved based on a testing program completed with the Atom.  Please find attached a pdf supplied by Koni to indicate the features of this shock package.  Since this item was not available until now on the web configurator, Brammo would like to extend the opportunity for current customers to upgrade their orders to this new package for the difference in price over the now mid-level shock.  The price of your existing brake package has gone up for new orders, but will of course not go up for your existing order already placed.

Steering Rack:

Brammo has also added another option for steering racks.  The billet upgrade rack is now available with a standard ratio and a quicker racing ratio.  For those who ordered the former â??Competition Rackâ?� upgrade, we would like to know which ratio is preferred.  There will be no charge added for either ratio.  If you did not order the competition rack but want the upgraded quality with the same street capable ratio, we can upgrade your rack to billet now, for the upgrade price listed on the configurator. It was not available when you placed your order. Pictures are on the configurator as well. 

Roll Over Mounts:
The roll over mounts are now standard in all chassis.

Dry Sump Option:
We had the 300hp unit originally requiring the dry sump option, and it was priced accordingly. After further testing, we are now not making the dry sump mandatory on the 300hp, so the price has dropped back down to the original price.  The dry sump is now available for all engine options, 205,230,245 and 300 versions. If you are planning on racing the car and pulling sustained 1.3 G's, we recommend the dry sump pan.  We have priced it at 4500.00 on the configurator, but as it is still under final development and testing, it may change slightly in final production and we will notify those folks who have ordered it before fulfilling any orders.

Carbon Composite Parts:

We are now producing all of these parts in house and have attached some photos of the them for your perusal. We are very happy with the clear coat finish for UV protection.

Shop and Spares store:

Many folks have asked for additional sets of body panels, spares of the suspension bits for racing, etc.  We will be announcing an e-commerce store where you can purchase these components as well as Brammo/Ariel technical clothing and traditional goodies shortly. Stay tuned for more on this, but if you want any additional parts with your order, please just drop us a note.

Please let us know if you have any suggestions or questions!

Let me know if you have any questions or need clarifications.


All the best,

Craig

[benyeats]

James,

Sumps

i)  Baffled - as its name suggests has baffles fitted to stop the oil sloshing to one side of the tank in hard cornering thus preventing oil starvation and potential engine harm.  (a baffle is a ridge or something that will stop the oil moving round as fast as if it was in an open tank)

ii) Dry - basically the oil is pumped round instead of being picked up from a sump this prevents oil starvation in cornering and generally allows the motor to be mounted lower in the car as the height of the sump can be subtracted from the height of the engine.  Used on most race cars, probably not so handy on the Atom as I don't think you would be able to mount the engine any lower unless you were really keen.

Think thats right.

Ben

[Mr.Woolery]

Regarding the new Koni setup:

Craig was approached by Koni and offered an alternative to the Koni setup that was being used as the premium damper.  They offered Brammo a damper which had a custom performance profile specifically for the Atom.  The new damper setup is similar to the now "mid-level" dampers in that they're both 2-way adjustable.  The difference between them however, is in how the valving works for each type.  The high end dampers use a technology which doesn't rely on needle valves for adjustment.  That means that they'd maintain the same settings despite conditions which would cause setting variations in a needle valve equipped damper (such as the now mid-level Koni setup).  This means that you wouldn't have to constantly adjust the dampers based on temperature & other conditions.  It's supposed to offer more precision & repeatability.  I asked about rebuild times (would it require a rebuild every season as some true race dampers do), but Craig said he'd have to get back to me on that question.


Unfortunately, the .pdf file for the damper is too large to upload, so instead, here's the text taken from the file:

2812 Series
Features
â?¢ Quick release of upper spring seat
â?¢ Induction hardened, chromed piston rod
â?¢ Hand made, individually tested.
â?¢ Small size and low weight
â?¢ Race proven seal and guide design
â?¢ Bump and Rebound Adjusters with 8 repeatable positions
each. Shown below.
Independentbumpand
reboundadjustors
The 2812 Series has been the shock of choice for many race champions. It has a
distinguished heritage in F1, IRL, CART, and many other race organizations. The
2812 is a mono-tube damper specifically designed for competition purposes, fea-
turing externally adjustable compression and rebound. Each 2812 shock is hand
built and individually tested to make sure that they are the highest quality that has
proven itself in competitions around the world. The precision adjustment mecha-
nism allows for maximum control possible over the damping forces generated. In
modern racing applications damper sensitivity, repeatability and ease of use are a
must.
In most racing damper designs, a needle valve is used. These simple mechanisms
have many drawbacks. Amongst the most important include a high sensitivity to
manufacturing tolerances, oil viscosity (and thus temperature variations), and
damage and wear to the needle valve seat. This means that regular performance
checks must be carried out and the only way to make such dampers perform as
you want them to is to set them on a damper dyno.
The 2812 series uses a superior and advanced adjustment mechanism operated by
closing and opening valve-loaded ports. By having all damping forces generated
at the piston, the control over the damping forces is very precise. Most companies
use an external reservoir to accommodate the bump adjuster. The 2812 does not
need a reservoir which makes for a lighter and simpler installation

[Mr.Woolery]

I wanted to post pics of the new billet steering rack and CF body parts, but I can't.  The forum's upload folder is full and won't allow me to upload the pics.  I'll whine to Bruce about it and see if we can clear up the congestion.

[Matt F]

Here's a link to the Koni shocks that Brammo will use:
http://www.koni.com/_racing/_damper_ser ... /2812.html

Based on the new information, I'll opt for these shocks, along with full CF panels, except for the tub.  And also the billet steering rack case, simply because it's so visible, and the billet piece is so nice looking.  My Atom's price just went up, by quite a bit!

[Mr.Woolery]

I also opted for the new steering rack & shocks.  I've also added the fire extinguisher option, since the car is going to be so HAWT!