For this year anyways...

I'm back from Putnam Park with Buckeye BMW CCA. Lap times weren't that great, I used the weekend as a big shakedown of the latest mods.

Last time there (~2 years ago) I was bone stock, running Azenis and track pads. This time I had a completely different car, with r-comps, dampers, upper A-arms and insane brake pads (more on those in the track pads database soon).

Let's just say that the way the car handles, it's a pleasure to drive. The car is way, WAY faster than me now. I'm not fighting under steer anymore; it just turns in, takes a set and holds it. I can usually get on power before the apex, turning the car a bit more for a fun exit.

Well, in short, I'm very happy with the way it handles. I'm confident the car will hold its line well, it's predictable and smooth. I can now focus on my driving for real instead of finding ways around flaws of a partially modded car.

My current recipe (keep in mind the disclaimer in my sig!)

-Koni Sport dampers
-Toyo RA1 (255/40R17 275/40R17)
-Cobalt Friction XR2/XR3 pads
-SS lines
-SPL Race spec upper A-arms

Alignement:
Front
Camber : -3.0
Toe Out: 1/16
Caster +9

Rear
Camber -1.5
Toe in: 1/16

 

Congratulations on getting the car nicely setup, and good luck with your learning. I will be there one day too!

 

I noticed that you have no power adders, just suspension work. Funny, I am of like mind. With suspension mods and tires alone, this car will take a long time to master. It's great when a few mods pay such big dividends. And why add power when you can't make the most of what is already there?

 

Me too. Many suspension mods. No power mods.

 

I did it backwards lol Exhaust, rims, LSD, turbo, (in that order) etc and im just now about to install gf210's. (don't know how happy i'm gonna be with springs but i'm trying to buy a body kit) I've been riding around in a 4x4 z or so people here say. Though I guess rims means some new tires

 

There is more glory to be gained running less power.

If 300hp can be called "less"... It's still an appreciable stable!

I did get an exhaust for the fun factor of making more noise. Doubt I'm getting any hp from that! (Tanabee SM Hyper).

The gamble was to keep the mods to a minimum while making it a descent week-end track car. Oh, and avoid roll-bars if possible.

 

If I can use those 300 horses in corners, i'll be happy and likely ahead of buddy in his 600 hp car that he isn't able to use most of the time.

 

Its always nice to win using basically stock parts. Competitors come up and ask, "Whaddaya got under the hood?" When you open the hood and show them a stock engine, right down to the air cleaner (or air box), the look on their faces is priceless.

Back when I ran my 240Z with PCA the Porsche guys would come over and ask if I was running a turbo. I would open the hood they couldn't believe I was running SU carbs and a stock orange Datsun air cleaner. They were even more upset when I took off he race tires, put on the street tires, hooked up my little utility trailer to the back of the 240Z, turned on the radio, and drove home - after running 1:31s all day at Willow Springs big track.

Stock is cool!

 

One of the fastest AC guys around here runs a stock mr2 spyder...

 

Not to mention it's nice not having your car break down or overheat all the time.

 

And how about A/C while waiting at the grid on a hot day ? Lol

 

What kind of lap times did you run at PUTNAM?

 

Lap timers are forbiden with BMW Buckeye.

But, I'd say ~1:28 with a pasenger, coasting in the front straight and between turn 4 and 5. I'm on the rev limiter in 4th and 3rd in these areas and didn't find it worth me while to upshift. On average, 115 mph and the end of the front straight. 120-something if I shifted to fifth at the "dimple" before turn 1. On a side note, the car needs less than 100' to slow down for turn 1.

Quite unimpressive, but I don't care about that. I'm extending my comfort zone for now and experimenting with off-the-line cornering. Lap times will go down on their own.

 

What kind of shocks and sway bars?

 

Great to see that the Z is fun without that many mods. Mine isn't as dialed an I really like how it handles.

I plan to do something similar. Only brakes, suspension, and tires of course.

I'm not doing any power adders either. I thought of a Vortech for a long time, but considering how much I plan to track the car, I'm leaving the powertrain bone stock. It'll be nice to be covered under warranty if something happens. On the other hand, throw a SC on, and goodbye warranty.

The rewards with less power are greater anyway

Nice setup.

 

Koni sport damper with OEM sway-bars and OEM springs.

 

I noticed you're running RA-1's with less than 2 degree's of rear camber!

I guess your mild rear camber with aggressive 3 degrees up front helps get those staggered tire sizes to rotate the car in the turns.

 

That's a very respectable lap time. Two sessions ago I had an instructor that owned a 350Z...he showed me some different shift patterns that I experimented with the last time and was able to see the difference with my lap timer. I started experimenting with carrying 4th gear up to turn 7 and taking turn 7 in 3rd gear. So, rather than down shift from 4th to 3rd prior to turn 2, I carry 4th gear up to turn 7 where I downshift to 3rd with some trail braking. I can see it's faster in the Z but very unforgiving if you don't hit the line perfectly. More variation in lap times with this technique but the best lap time with carrying 4th gear through more turns. (consistancy, consistancy!)

If you haven't tried this in your Z at Putnam give it a shot. It actually feels slower because it's smoother but it was the lowest lap time for me. Cheers...

 

Why not switch out the springs and sways?

 

Also, what camber settings do you run on the street for aggressive canyon driving?