see this is the delema
my stock seat cloth track creaks and bends + with helmet i am too high
6'5" and shrinking
its either a evo II or a circuit
i will be getting a roll bar soon after the seat and the bcr harness bar will be gone.

the seat will only be in for track days but the roll ar is next

but my original question how far does it go before it is done on the street?

long term, 3 years its not on the street or another full prepped car will be purchased and the z sold.
and my wife and i will get something new to cruise around in, but for now its our leave the kids home and go out for the night.

 

I only have dampers and front A-arms. I change wheels and pads for track days. Change the front alignment too.

The car is a blast on the track. But lapping is just for fun. I feel I've reached a plateau now. The car is great on the street also.

I'd get an LSD next. But after that, roll bar/cage + seats is the next step and streetability will be questionable... Even with padding, I'm not sure I'd want to get in a fender bender in a rollbar equipped car, without a helmet.

 

350zippy in Alabama is selling his track-prepared NA Z. It's pretty well sorted out and will likely be a good buy...

 

The breaking point for me is the roll cage vs. roll bar vs. harness bar issue, which dovetails into the seat issue. These things separate a track car from a streetable car for obvious safety reasons.
I got around the spring rate issue by staying relatively soft, (under 500 lb.in.) and using Koni SA's.
The clunky Nismo LSD is streetable, but definitely not civilized.
As far as installing steel tubing in the passenger compartment, I suppose the compromise is the 4 pt. roll bar type that won't cause an injury in an accident if the driver isn't wearing a helmet. Regardless, that ruins the trunk space for tires/tools.

 

The simple answer to your question is "it depends.." Some people are ok with having a gutted car with kidney-jarring ride on the street, others want to maintain full stereo, interior, etc.

Obviously there is a compromise between having a full track oriented setup versus something that sees both track and street. The only person who can answer the question of how far you want to compromise in either direction is you. Good luck either way!

 

jic flt a2's 10kg all around, rears revalved for 12kg just need to get the springs. hotchkis sways, nismo lsd, running on 18's as 19s would provide an even stiffer ride. I also have the same problem with head clearance while wearing a helmet, low rails/bracket and racing seat are one of my top priorities for next mod.

 

Depends on the bar you use. My Autopower bar does not interfere with the trunk space at all.

 

Mine is a dedicated track car. Trailer and everything...I've already replaced an engine and one transmission...My 5th gear is grinding, it might be time for a new one . Question...even though I hear no noise in the front wheel bearings, what kind of schedule should I maintain in replacing them...I do all the above said maintenance, brakes, all fluids (sometimes compression tests)and even tighten every bolt under my car, but I've never replaced my front hubs. For piece of mind, once a year, every other year? I track normally once a month at most, sometimes during downtime (like for the engine) every couple of months...any help would be much appreciated!

 

+ 1 very well put.

We build more track going 350Z's than probably anyone in the country, or at least the west coast. Let me know what you might need help with.

 

^^ Whats up (Stretch), Haven't had time to talk to you much lately, give me a call when you get a chance.

 

How are you guys doing? you guys kicked _ss at Cali Speedway in December...I'll give you a shout. But, no one has answered what I do with my bearings? Am I being paranoid?

 

It sounds as though you've got a lot of track miles already on your Z. You're asking the right question in regard to replacing the hubs. But for real peace of mind, I'd suggest replacing both the front and rear hubs as a set. Pack your old bearings carefully into a box and bring them with you as an emergency backup at the track.

Check the upcoming Winter '08 issue of Nissan Sport Magazine for more specific info (including part #'s) on this very issue. How often to change those bearings depends on your experience at the track- going off track, hitting curbs, etc. may shorten the wear cycle considerably.

David Muramoto
Editor-in-Chief
Nissan Sport Magazine

Back on topic- having driven several track-ready cars (rollcage, race seat, etc.) as a DD, it gets old quick. The very things that keep you safe on the track make it hard to enter and exit the vehicle. I still use my FWD ITA 200SX Se-R as a winter car in Colorado, and it constantly serves to remind me what a PITA it is!

 

Thanks for the response David. Also, to add to your point, from experience, driving on the street with a rollcage and not having a helmet scared the hell out of me. One accident and I could crack my head open!

 

Glad you bought up a very legitimate point in rollcage installation! Hopefully, everyone is adding high-density rollbar padding to potential impact areas around the cage. Even if you're wearing a helmet, having some rollbar padding will greatly cushion an impact.

 

i guess i will have to pick up that issue as well. i have 52k miles on my G with only 5-6 track days under its belt, but i definitely don't want to die!

 

Your missing the point, we both know what you want and what some of your weekends are about, we know this isn't about "race car" setup. Their is no reason why you can't have 7 day a week happiness, problem I see is your making choices that trade away 5 day a week running for a let down on the weekends. CS won't deliver on your weekends because even on its stiffer settings your still using a heavily comfort biased system that will not control things like you need to succeed. The catch with the Pro-7 isn't limited to its progressive rear springs (easy fix is Eibach ESS linear replacements). According to their own dyno charts the system does little to compression dampning in its entire control range, this may or may not be what you want for your weekends. I'm just suggesting that their are OTHER setups better tuned to meet your needs on the whole. I don't represent a shop nor am I chained to any sponsor trying to weasel products on us all, all I do is pass on the research and testing that I've done. What I can't judge is how much you want out of the car on your weekends, since you posted in this section of the board, makes me think it might matter, which is why I bothered to reply at all.

 

So, what then are some other suggestions that are easily adjustable between stiff track weekends, and soft for daily driving (30+ miles one way) on regular roads?

 

if you want to maintain a somewhat civil ride on the weekdays, it has been recommended to me that cusco zero-2's, or kw variant 2's are just the key. not as stiff as the jic's or the tein flex's, but can be adjusted with a decent amount of adjustability for track days.

 

If they are still available, get the TC Kline double adjustable Koni's. There is a group buy in the competition section of the marketplace. Then get a set of the nissan motorsports T2 springs. The car is very flat and responsive. The springs are very stiff, but the dampers are valved to work with these rates, hence they have a very good ride.

I recently changed over from my JDM coilovers to TC Klines and T2 springs and couldn't be happier. The Koni's have a wide range of adjustment that allows you to tune it to your liking. I had no idea my car could handle as well as it does now.

 

my car is more comfortable w/ the TC Klines than it was stock - no bounce on the highway. It's FIRM but very livable. But those are EXPENSIVE shocks to run every day. The only times my car sees the street is to get gas, and likely next year it'll be un-registered -- it's just not worth it. I have a trailer, tow vehicle, and feel that's the way to go, otherwise you'll limit how much you can do with the car / how much you dare push it, etc...