I think B-Stock with the Z vs. RX (there's that other car, but it's for sale), is a pretty close match.

You folks that were at Nationals, do you think the weather (wet pavement) had an impact on the Z's outcome that might have favored the RX over the Z?

BC

 

Z doesnt handle well on wet pavement because high torque...
Because you cant put the power down without spinning

 

As a rule of thumb, lower-powered cars tend to do relatively better in wet conditions because the higher-powered cars have trouble using their power advantage. In the context of BS, the RX-8's a lower-powered car, and the 350Z's a higher-powered car.

Friday's course was almost all turns and transitions, which again in my opinion favored the RX-8.

Steve

 

Why, my point exactly!
The rx wont out accelerate the Z but its weight and nimbleness pays off if the course is tight. where the Z cant step on it

 

The Zed is definitely a heavy car. If you've driven a S2K or FD RX-7 (both several hundred pounds lighter and more importantly don't have such a high CG) you would definitely feel a difference. As a result, transitions take longer for the car to settle.

Another disadvantage is the chassis size. It's quite a wide and long car, forcing the driver to take slightly wider lines.

Having said that, the Zed's chassis is very stiff and quite predictable. The motor is also very flexible and responsive. Braking is also above average. While the car is not exceptional at any particular aspect, it does everything well.

It's a great daily driver GT sports car.

 

btw Fritz, places top 3 at most events up here.....


Have you attended any winter soloII meets yet???

 

+1
The car is a GT daily driving sports coupe just like I preached earlier
The car is quite heavy, BMI has showed it many times that the Zed brakes (even brembos) start fading after 3-4 laps around Tsukuba and S2000 over taking the Z because of that disadvantage...
And what affects the Zed's braking capabilities?
WEIGHT! As clearly pointed out by BMI (Episode 28 please!)

 

No winter solo for me this year.

Too busy DH skiiing. I just got back home this afternoon after being at Mont Ste Marie for 2 weeks.

Reality check tomorrow...

 

Do you have coilovers?
What is your auto-x set up?

 

Weight = everthing.... get coilovers save alot of weight tein with edfc, nismo lmgt4 wheels, carbon fiber hood, take out all useless compartments... spare tire, sound system, passenger seat.

 

Its a monster J,....

I had the privilege of riding shotgun with him, and that Z coners like its on rails!!!!




We should go skiing together sometime this winter Fritz.

 

Yes, plus the course designs tended to be more speed maintenance courses -- no real places that required high power, just places where you fed the power gently to the car.

Maybe my impression is colored by my driving a friend's Miata, but I don't think that's the case. I couldn't even "just mash the throttle" in the Miata.

 

...
u should fly me up to canada

 

I had JICs but since moved to Koni SA with equal performance and better street manners.
For Solo2, I run the front full stiff and the rear 5 clicks from full soft.

Rest of the setup is:
Hotchkis front (full stiff) & rear (medium) sways
Hotchkis springs
Four 18x8.5" Ray's Track rims on 255/40/18 Falken Azenis RT-615 all round (~34-36 psi)
1" rear wheel spacers
Avalon Harness bar
GT Spec front & rear lower tie bars
Stainless brake lines with Hawk HPS pads (lousy pads, HP+ is better)
Racing Brake front rotor upgrade
Plenum, headers, Y pipe, and POP charger

I have Crawford cats to put on and just ordered the full Nismo bushing kit.

Future upgrades are possibly a UTEC for higher RPM and marginally more power and I wouldn't mind a Cusco RS LSD.

 

why get avalon bar if u can get the kirk half cage that does that same job and serve as a half cage in the back for the same $
???
i dont understand

 

Because your passenger seat becomes virtually useless.

 

the half cage blocks the passenger seat?
does it only apply to stock passenger seat set up
or will it affect aftermarket non-reclinable seats?

PS.. I think i know what your talking about the right side of the cage has a strengthening bar going across...
thus either making the passenger seat really lean forward thus making it unusable?

the avalon racing bar looks pretty simple...
can the mod be DYI instead of spending 500 dollarS?

 

The harness bar is cheaper, lighter, more asthetically pleasing, easier to install/remove, leaves no permanent damage to the interior, and doesn't take up much space.

It's perfect for a daily driver and Solo2 runner.

If it's an extensive track machine, you priorities might be different.

 

There's still the child seat mount in the forward trunk... while the bolt is on the passenger's side there is a hole on the drivers side as well. You could bolt a harness down there without the bar at all.

 

It pushes any seat foward and recline is marginal at best. It's just plain uncomfortable.
The avalon bar will limit some seat recline as well. But its more of a case of your passenger falling asleep or if your 6'4" or better this may keep you from being comfortable as well. I had one for a short time and enjoyed it if I was to install another one it would be the BCR bar.