I would like to vote for this idea as well. I run my car on the track quite a bit. I have spent tons on suspension, brakes, tires and the only engine mod I have done is a JWT air filter and a oil pan spacer for more oil capacity. With that being said, I ran North course (short and technical) at VIR withe the Mustang Cobra Club sometime around April. I was able to pass and sometimes lap most of the cars I was out there with and they had a TON more HP than I did. In the straights it was all I could do to keep up but I could out brake them and by the end of the turn I would have caught them already. Definately not tooting my own horn here simply showing you what suspension/brakes/tires/align can do against extremely high HP cars.

Hell just this past friday I ran full course at VIR. My friend was with me in his 03 (?) ZO6 and had trouble keeping up. He would be up my *** coming out of the back straight, going into the rollercoaster section however I could pull on him so much through that section and through hogpen that by time he was at the end of the front straight I was already out of turn 2. He was in complete stock form.

Just food for thought, but HP by far is a last concern for me. Its definately more fun to see the reactions of Mustang and Vette owners at the end of a session when your sitting in a 6cyl car.

edit: just think, for the 5K that FI would cost, you could do a set of hella nice shocks/struts/springs/ways and atleast a Stoptech kit.

 

Bill, can you devulge what suspension/brake packages you currently have??

Sounds like you have a great track setup which is what I am working on..

Thanks...

 

bill - I know that feeling, I love pulling on 997 GT3s and Z06's up the Esses at the Glen... it's all about carrying speed from 1 through 2 - even though they have bookuu horsepower on me.

 

nothing fantastic at all, that is the best part!! you could spend way more on parts then what i have and still lap people.

Progress sways (Full stiff front - Medium on the rear), Eibach springs, Hawk HP Plus front and rear pads/hight temp fluid, stock 17 wheels with Kuhmo V710's, Some toe out...more rt side then left, and some exhaust. that is all!!! You can buy much much better, track ready parts then what I have, and as you can tell, what i have isn't much.... imagine what some of the guys on here with a lot more then what I have could do to these super high HP cars. Its so satisfying to know how little can be done to make a great car even better. Stick with suspension/brakes....by far your best bang for the money when it comes to track performance upgrades.

 

I'll put my two cents in for some upgraded sways. I wasn't tracking my G when I put them on, but I noticed the difference even on the street.

Out on the track, I managed to break an endlink (long story), and immediately started running much slower. I completed that session with some of the slowest laps I have ever run. As soon as I replaced the endlink, things were much, much better.

As a note, those were stock endlinks that broke. I've since gone with SPL adjustable endlinks; much, much beefier, and adjustable, as well. My sways are the Stillen 5 way adjustable. Those, and a front strut bar (G's don't come with those stock) as well as GT SPEC rear and mid braces, are the only suspension mods I have; the stock sport suspension on a G (equivalent to a Z) is pretty darn good.

Stop Tech 4 pistons fronts and 2 piston rear because I was seriously overheating my brakes after only a couple of laps. A good set of race only pads that I switch out for the track days (PFC-01 fronts and Hawk HT-60 rears).


Various engine mods (including a JWT TT); but, as others have said, those are great for long straights, but don't help me much otherwise.

I know you didn't ask me what my track setup was, but I wanted to share anyhow...

 

I really like all the contributions to this thread, a lot of very experienced and thoughtful support to the OP.

Touched upon, but not really detailed, is the fact that the very best mod you can make is to YOU. After you have done a few sessions, take a course. A good one. Russell, Skip Barber, Bondurant or one of the well recommended local schools, most tracks have them. You will learn SO MUCH about driving, and diagnosing what is going on and why so that you can keep learning well beyond the class days themselves.

Then, when you do start putting stuff on the car, and do it in increments so you can understand what each change does to the handling and power, you will very quickly be able to note exactly what the change does, positive and negative, to the car handling and performance. It will allow you to get much more out of the mods you make to the machine in terms of driving performance, and of course therefore your returns for the dollars spent.

Good drivers in mediocre cars whip the butts of mediocre drivers in good cars. Every time. Be a good driver first. Get a good car second. You will never be sorry if you do. The other guys posting here, not one of them is boasting about their driving skills....but under the surface the conclusion is inescapable. They had to develop skills to manage their car to perform much closer to its limits rather than have a super car that would cover their weaknesses. Indeed, the very fact that they are doing so well against the "big boy" motors is a reflection of the fact that driver skill and handling features on the car are developed in their package, and not developed in their competition. I would venture quite confidently to suggest that if those lads were driving the high power cars of their buddies.........that they might still be whipping some butts!

Good luck, be safe, and have fun. (And my 2 cents for mods is, on these cars, the absolute best first mod is a set of adjustable sway bars).

 

Agree 100%, I added adjustable sways and adjustable camber arms up front and got alignment and made huge difference even with stock springs and shocks..I did find that too much front sway will slow you down though. I dialed my stiffness down up front and without any other changes gained a second a lap.

 

1000% agreed. Tires, as well...

 

i'll put in my 2 cents
ditch the FI
i have done nothing but tires, sways and springs the rest of my cash will be for a seat and seat time.
no motor stuff for a long while, shocks are next
its soo fun coming up on cars with more hp at grattan. they may leave you on the straight but by t6 your all over them

driver mods then car mods
good luck

 

FYI, for anyone looking for some race quality suspension peices, you might wanna check out the group buy in the competition marketplace. Great deal for double adjustable Koni's!

 

OK... forget everything said so far... here's the FI to absolutely go with on track...

Brilliant!!

(Sorry if a re-post, couldn't find anywhere, and thought it was somewhat appropriate)
http://www.gmmodernmuscle.com/forums...er=asc&start=0

 

lol, only posted EVERYWHERE!!

 

I meant on My350Z (though I'm sure it's somewhere on here)

 

Anyone have thoughts on this kit for road course use? Too "laggy"? Small Twins are better?

https://my350z.com/forum/questionable-posts/329465-powerlab-gt35r-single-turbo-kit-release.html

 

sell me ur kit