Williams Test Drive

[Swervin_Mervin]

Mr Zollo kindly offered me a blast in his Willy 2 on saturday rather than standing around freezing watching other peoples' cars on the rollers. I've never driven one yet and he'd never tried a valver.

Well, well. It's not one bit like I was expecting. I was expecting it to handle similar to mine but better. It was, however, totally different. The ride seemed marginally softer and it didn't tramline were the first 2 things I noticed. This has made me wonder whether to try the proper 185/55 tyres size in the GSD2 as opposed to the 195/50 GSD3s I run.

Beyond that, the behaviour is still wildly different. It stays flatter in the corners, with much less roll, yet turn in is slightly less keen and damping a little better. The 2L lump is also far more tractable pulling clean through from low revs, without that bogging down the 1.8 suffers below 3.5krpm, before coming alive. My only criticism is that it certainly didn't sound as nice at the top end of the range.

Before commenting too much I let him try mine, and after commenting on how he couldn't heel and toe in mine (I knew it wasn't just me) he began to spot the obvious differences from the front end.

After a chat when we got back with GazTwo who's owned both, we're pretty sure that whilst the Williams probably is a better b-road car, the valver is still an all time great hot hatch in it's own right. The approach it takes is far different though. The reason it seems to pitch and roll more is, we think, down to the camber it runs.

They really do have quite pronounced camber levels, and I suppose that when cornering this is more likely to result in the car pitching over. It's less progressive in it's pitch than the williams, and once over it seems to love to grip. I guess it's because it's effectively pivoting over on to the flat of the outside tyre. It also has the 1mm narrower front ARB.

Would I have one or build a hybrid? Not sure. I want to try one on track now and see how it takes those corners in comparison. At the moment I love the pitching motion of the 16v followed by that sudden grip. It's a bit like getting used to the passive rear steer on the 306/Xsaras.

If I like the way it handles on track I might well be tempted to at least fit the wider track and different dampers, maybe with some 172 Cup springs. Not sure I'm that arsed by the 2L lump though.

[Jamie.]

ur HIM on f7?

v good review

[Zollo]

Yeah Jamie, that's him

Good review Mike! Glad you liked it and it wasn't a dissappointment. Will be very interesting to see how Adam's compares to yours, to work out if some of the differences were down to your particular valver, or if it really is variations between the Willy and Valver.

T'was a pity yours had a little issue and I couldn't push it more. Perhaps another comparison when it's in fine fettle...


And it'd definately help H&T'ing if you lowered the throttle pedal

[Martin]

I've never driven a valver or a stnd williams lol just inbetween....

[Zollo]

Perhaps we should have a WC car swap sesh'

[McPikie]

FCS seems a good as place as any

[Martin]

The only stnd williams I've driven was mine when I bought it and tbh I think it must have been very, very worn it staggered round corners like a saturday night drunk, inspired no confidence whatsoever. Although having seen a few other williams driven hard round the track they seem to be on a par with all the 'uprated' cars...might be tempted by a wide track conv when my finances are in order...

[Swervin_Mervin]

it staggered round corners like a saturday night drunk

PMSL!

That is something else that should be borne in mind really in my comparison. I suspect mine is still on the original suspension.

I also wonder how much difference the 195/50s make as I didn't expect the willy to feel softer. I reckon a fair bit is down to the fresh parts and those 185/55s. All this means that I basically am now planning a refurb of the old girl. All new shocks, springs and bushes, and a return to 185/55 for road use, sticking with the 195/50 for track as per Richy's idea.

I still can't get over how different it was from what I expected. I thought it'd be like a valver, only better. Not a different car entirely.

So, to do this year:

New suspension
Welding to scuttle panel
New heater matrix
Probably new gearbox.

I feel a dry bumming coming on at asome point

[Zollo]

Your Valver is a really nice example Mike, and I can see why you'd want to keep it and spend money making it even better. But remember, it's called Jinx for a reason! Perhaps now's the time to cut your loses and get a Williams? Worth considering at least?

Whichever you decide, though, will be the right decision 'cos they're both great drives

[J o n]

Perhaps we should have a WC car swap sesh'

that's actually a pretty good idea, I dont mind letting people drive mine... think all the NW lot have driven it at some point... lol

I'd like to drive a semi or fully standard willy and valver though too... might make me go back to std exhaust though due to head splitting noise! hehe

Martin, deffo get a wide track mate, but I'd personally get new springs, struts, shockers etc from Reno and brand new. I think its hard to beat really as it offers great all round ability