Am I ready to take my 350Z, in your opinion.

05 Z

Hawk HP+ on factory Brembo

SS clutch line

JWT clutch and flywheel

295 30 18s rear kdw2
255 35 18s front kdw2

Should I abuse my Volk wheels and kdws of take my stock rays wheels and run r compounds on them?

Also What else should I look into for this event?

Do You prefer open or closed face helmets?

Should I invest in a roll bar & harnesses with stock seats? My only use would be the time attacks and hpde in the local area. I am nervous taking my baby, there. I had a dedicated track car but that is gone now, the gf talked me into growing up and buying a condo.

My suspension setup is very solid, since the boys from 350evo/wright motorsports built about everything on the car.

Running Apexi N1s

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

What a broad sword question. Here is my .02.

First off, if you don't know if you're ready...you're not. Now if it was a remark asking about the car, that's different.

Lets address the brake pads...the Hawk HP's might not get the job done. It depends on the track. If it's a high speed road course, think twice.

SS clutch line, clutch & flywheel are good choices.

Your tires may be too big and slightly smaller tires would give you better turning ability. While they look great and give a bit more stick, larger tires are also heavier and bind the car up a bit. I would go with the lightest wheel you have and slightly smaller tires.

Now to tires. If you are the level of driver that can drive on "R" compounds, by all means you should. But remember, "R" compounds don't give you the warnings that street tires do before you drive past their limit. You have to really be in tune with your tires and have a good hand to manage them. There is a risk and reward on this choice. I would go with a Falken RT-615 or Toyo R888 if you are not going to go with a shaved "R" compound. That being said, weather and track surface would effect my choices on this one. You said your suspension is fine so I won't get into that.

Helmet...closed face is safe and open face is comfort. Think of why you wear a helmet and what your goal is with it. Choose from there. If you are at high speeds, closed is the only choice. If auto-X, open is fine.

You may want to invest in a good seat. They are easy to swap out if you want to use one for the track. A good seat will hold you in place and give you the feedback you want/need from the car. Once you have driven on the track with one, you will see what I mean. It is like the difference between using street tires and race slicks. You are also not as tired from hanging on in corners.

Oh, if I were you I would get my ECU re-flashed. You would not believe what a difference tuning your car makes. I suggest techosquare in Torrance, CA.

Lastly, and most important, work on the driver. I always look at myself each time I go to the track and make sure I know what driver showed up. Remember, you can't take a 5th place car to a 1st place finish. You have to make sure you are the guy that realizes before he goes out on the track that you can't ever make up time if you make a mistake, you can only prevent yourself from loosing more time. Lastly, think of the input you give to your car as a suggestion, not a demand. If you do this, you will tend to get smoother and all racers will tell you, smooth is fast.

Good Luck and ask any more questions you want to.

 

I have some track time experiance, hpde etc... just in a totally different car. I knew a ton of information on track setup for the MR2 but with the Z I am in a boat without the paddle.

I have a utec with NA tune but Im not including my modifications, such as nismo exhaust, test pipes, non foulers, aem uego, techtom engine monitor, K&N drop in filter.

I used my buddies open faced last time i was there and have yet to invest in my own.

I feel I am ready to be on a track, but want to make sure the Z can handle it. It is a 80mph top speed track on street tires according to some of the other Zs i have talked to , so its a relatively slow.

 

what track tops out at 80?

 

I think it depends on the TYPE of time attack you're running...

If it's the 5 lap deal (1 warm up, three hot laps, 1 cool down) without any traffic... then with a little DE experience (any autocross?), you should be fine, but probably not competitive.

If it's a transponder type time trial, where you're out on track with other cars, open passing, etc, etc... then I'd get some more seat time in that car, in traffic, before going competitive in it.

Separately, I don't think anyone should drive a car competitively, on track, without at least a 4-point roll bar, properly installed harnesses, and a fire extinguisher.

 

As far as your preparedness for TT goes, what's your log book say? What run groups are you typically in? That's probably the best indicator.

Been signed off for solo years ago or still running in Green in the Z?

 

Camden Ohio, its s drift event with a a 3 hot lap time attack, 1 warm up lap and 1 cool down.

Its a converted kart track. 27' wide and short straights, great for torquey cars like the Z.

I have a couple seasons under belt in Auto-X, and some De experiance, but am still green in the Z.

I was talking with the event organizer and he feels my setup is plenty for such a small track and limited runs. I am going to go ahead and try it and just take it slow and have some fun for my first time out.

 

Go for it man... good luck!

 

Thanks, I am going to buy a nice full face approved helmet this weekend.

 

Camden...isn't that kinda close to ElDora Speedway? I lived in Bellefontaine for 17 years, I should know that!

 

yes it is, and only about 30 minutes from my condo.

 

Stacy, as I'm sure you're aware, NASA runs their HPDE 4 and Time Trials (open passing, multiple cars on the track), with no further requirements for safety other than working OEM safety equipment (seat belts, air bags), and SA-2000 helmets.

It seems to work well for NASA.

 

 

Oh hell.


Your car is ready in it's stock form. Are YOU ready?

 

Helmet and strip out the car.

After this even depending on how much I enjoy this, Ill look into doing a 4 pt roll cage and a good seat with harness.

Also most likely get some track only wheels and some R hoosiers.

 

I have an opportunity to get a set of Hoosier A3S05 for really cheap new, but just for the fronts should I buy those and keep my street tires in the back or just wait and get all 4 matching?

 

My personal opinion is that you are out of control a bit. Slow down, don't rush, you'll only end up wasting money in the long run.

While it is certainly preferred to have a roll BAR, harnesses and FIA sled-tested seats, that could be $5k right there. I think you should buy a good helmet (if you don't have one already), put on some good pads, stay on street tires and go out there and see what you can do in stock form.

R-comps up front and street tires in the back? To me that tells me you don't understand some of the fundamentals about physics and vehicle dynamics. Granted, I'm a rookie as well, especially when it comes do doing events in cars versus karts, but to me that's like running super crazy wing in the front and no plane in the rear. I can't even imagine trying to deal with that.

Strip out the car? I should dig up pics of the E30 M3 I used to have. I stripped that car out (it was already light to begin with) and in the end I realized that it's not worth it unless you are wheel-to-wheel racing.

If your 350Z is not a dedicated track car and you strip it out (properly), you will live to regret it, either every day when you're driving it to work or when it comes time to sell it.

The Z is a very heavy car (unfortunately) and if you were already extracting 9/10ths out of the car I'd say maybe a LTW program makes sense. Right now I'd wager you will see your biggest performance improvements not by super cool flywheels, intakes and cams, but by seat time and good instruction.

Be safe out there.

 

Are you f'n kidding me?

How about GO to a race and talk to people. Do some research.

this post I quoted proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have no idea what's going on.

 

Areed,
Some of the items you (MI 35th) could be a receipe for disaster. I would take what you have and run a few events to really get a feel for things. The only modification I would make at this time are safety items.

 

I may be new into racing as far terms, and items are concerned, But I am on here trying to find out more information. Thanks for the "positive" spin you have to put on this.

Some of the other people I have been talking to have told me the only thing besides a helmet is to get some good tires.

I want to have fun and enjoy this first time out, but I have a competitive spirit and want to do the best that I can in the confines of my skill level. I value myself as a fair driver. So thanks but fluid ill figure it out on my own.

Closed

As far as mods just look at my sig, as you can tell I am not stock.