New to Z/rear wheel drive
04-12-2005, 03:56 PM
#1
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New to Z/rear wheel drive
Hi folks, I bought a 2005 Performance model about a month ago. I've previously autocrossed my '90 VW Corrado -- front wheel drive and I eventually plan to autocross my Z. Problem for me is rear wheel drive is totally new to me in autocross. Do I just go for it or is it best to take a novice class with the rear wheel drive to get smart about the differences? Also, how many miles should I let it break in before I start running it at autocross? More than the standard factory break in? Thanks, Rich
04-12-2005, 08:31 PM
#3
Originally Posted by rocketrich
Hi folks, I bought a 2005 Performance model about a month ago. I've previously autocrossed my '90 VW Corrado -- front wheel drive and I eventually plan to autocross my Z. Problem for me is rear wheel drive is totally new to me in autocross. Do I just go for it or is it best to take a novice class with the rear wheel drive to get smart about the differences? Also, how many miles should I let it break in before I start running it at autocross? More than the standard factory break in? Thanks, Rich
04-13-2005, 05:02 AM
#4
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The following is my opinion and observation, and has been verified by only a couple of other people...
With a front drive car, the key to going fast is brute force and no finesse. Go into a corner too fast and shove the car around by oversteering, then turning back to where it should be. If the car starts to understeer, more power and turning tighter can help, but once you're past the threshold, you're screwed. The chance you'll oversteer and spin is pretty much nonexistent.
On the other side, rear drive cars require finesse. You can steer the rear with power, but that takes careful control of your right foot. Plus, since the two ends of the car are connected, they interact. Steering the rear with power requires adjustments with the steering wheel. Oversteering is quite probable if you make a mistake.
I'd say autocross is a good place to get practice, since it's safe. The chances of spinning into traffic or a curb are very small. Finding a large parking lot in the rain is also a good place to practice, but you may get to talk to a cop.
Asterix
With a front drive car, the key to going fast is brute force and no finesse. Go into a corner too fast and shove the car around by oversteering, then turning back to where it should be. If the car starts to understeer, more power and turning tighter can help, but once you're past the threshold, you're screwed. The chance you'll oversteer and spin is pretty much nonexistent.
On the other side, rear drive cars require finesse. You can steer the rear with power, but that takes careful control of your right foot. Plus, since the two ends of the car are connected, they interact. Steering the rear with power requires adjustments with the steering wheel. Oversteering is quite probable if you make a mistake.
I'd say autocross is a good place to get practice, since it's safe. The chances of spinning into traffic or a curb are very small. Finding a large parking lot in the rain is also a good place to practice, but you may get to talk to a cop.
Asterix
04-13-2005, 03:17 PM
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I'm in a similar situation...
Up till this year, I ran a 97 civic in STS, and did very well (been running the car for the past 4 years)... Got the Z in october and I've ran it 4 times now, 2 in the rain, 2 in the dry. My coment, the Z is insanely different on street tires compared to a STS civic on Azenis; Very fun in the dry, terrible in the wet, likely has to do with my terrible rear tires, but no fun anyway 
So I ordered some 710s (275/40/17s) and the car is now mind-numbingly fast. Not to offend anyone, but it drives way more like we had the civic setup, as in, you can get on the gas just past an apex and not just burn tires off or end up pointing the wrong way. I'm in no way the best driver out there, but I managed to beat our local B Stock 'King' by 4 tenths (he runs a 97 m3 w/ hoosiers, A3s04s)... and PAX'd 3rd over all out of somewhere north of 60 cars... I've never done that well in the Civic, I've paxed top ten or so, but never anywhere near top 3, we have a lot of excellent drivers in our region, many with well over 10 years of experience.... and the only ppl that out paxed me were a 11 year old kid in a '15hp' briggs cart and a guy in a 914 w/ a 911 motor in it... I was less than 4 seconds off of car FTD..... So anyway, moral of the story, Get some 710s and spare wheels (got mine for $400 shipped off ebay (OEM 17s)) and have a blast with a car that should be very competitive at any local region, but don't let the cars performance on street tires fool you
Ian
(03 touring 6MT, pikes peak white, Little Rock, AR)
So I ordered some 710s (275/40/17s) and the car is now mind-numbingly fast. Not to offend anyone, but it drives way more like we had the civic setup, as in, you can get on the gas just past an apex and not just burn tires off or end up pointing the wrong way. I'm in no way the best driver out there, but I managed to beat our local B Stock 'King' by 4 tenths (he runs a 97 m3 w/ hoosiers, A3s04s)... and PAX'd 3rd over all out of somewhere north of 60 cars... I've never done that well in the Civic, I've paxed top ten or so, but never anywhere near top 3, we have a lot of excellent drivers in our region, many with well over 10 years of experience.... and the only ppl that out paxed me were a 11 year old kid in a '15hp' briggs cart and a guy in a 914 w/ a 911 motor in it... I was less than 4 seconds off of car FTD..... So anyway, moral of the story, Get some 710s and spare wheels (got mine for $400 shipped off ebay (OEM 17s)) and have a blast with a car that should be very competitive at any local region, but don't let the cars performance on street tires fool you Ian
(03 touring 6MT, pikes peak white, Little Rock, AR)
04-13-2005, 04:58 PM
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Thanks for all the replies. I've already noticed a bit of the difference driving in the rain. I'm feeling I've got a lot to learn with the rear wheel drive. It wasn't me in the Corrado with the Philly group...yet! I just recently moved to PA and started my autocross a couple of years ago in CA with the Corrado and I'm hooked. I haven't gotten the "line" figured out yet, but I will. Philly is the region I plan to join though. I hope to take my Corrado to the next April event at Ripken and keep running it until my brother-in-law comes to get it for he and his sons to autocross and wrench on...then I'll be forced to move on with the Z at autocross. It'll be well run-in by then and I'll be able to get another set of stock rims to put some good tires on as ianferrel suggests. Cheers, Rich
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