Shamu

Curious do you think aftermarket front sway is much of an improvement over the Nismo? Front bar is supposed to be 15% firmer than standard front sway. I havent seen specs on the Nismo front swaybar yet but I know its bigger than standard front sway. The rear swaybar in the Nismo is supposedly 50% stiffer than those on standard models which when combined with stiffer rear springs should give Nismo a definite advantage in setup over the standard 370Z. I have started to read some of the issues the AX prepared standard cars have and it sounds like issues related to putting a big front swaybar on a car that doesnt have enough rear spring rate. If there is an after market front sway that is substantially bigger than the Nismo I might consider it.

I'm pretty impressed with the stock dampers on the Nismo. I was reading that rears are 140% firmer than standard 370Z dampers. The car rides very close to a custom set of Koni 030 coilovers I had made for my Mazdaspeed 6. 140% increase in dampening over standard isnt bad. I wonder who makes dampers. I have lots of experience in Porsches and they stock Nismo's remind me more of a track going Porsche than a street car. Have to say its the first car I have bought that I'm not feeling compelled to go out and put new shocks on! Dampening is truly to my preferred taste. Nismo also feels very balanced with hint of oversteer. Not something I'm used to after driving so many mid engine Porsches.

ntrinsik

iTrader: (8)

Even if the 370Z was allowed in STR.. the max tire width is 255? Not wide enough for the 350Z/370Zs in my opinion. I was probably pushing it with a 265 all around in the G35 when I was running STX.

I think it's kind of lame you can't use the stock 370Z 18s or similar in the stock class. Do hope to see your 370Z out there though.

ntrinsik

iTrader: (8)

One more thing.. the front rotors on the 370Z Sports/Nismos are heavy.. close to 30lbs if I recall correctly. Some 2piece rotors may be a nice option down the road (if they're allowed in stock?).

Shamu

I agree its lame and expensive! I understand keeping widths stock but I should be able to go to standard offering for same line of cars. I would benefit from slightly lighter setup but biggest benefit is much cheaper and more available 18 inch sizes.

Ruff Z

iTrader: (8)

Come on, bring the Z out and try to beat me in BS. I highly doubt the car is competitive in BS...

Put it this way, at the 2010 SD NT, it was my second time ever driving the Solstice I was in. Do you think you will be nearly as fast in the Z as you are in your Porsche?! Cuz if I take your fastest runs (all your runs were dirty) and make then clean, you barely out rawed me in your Porsche...

I'd say stick to your Porsche and practice, and enjor you Z as a great street car!

scotts300

iTrader: (46)

I understand and agree with what you're saying, but a Z can hang with the P-car's times. If the NISMO can run as fast (or faster?!) as my Z, then he can hang in BS. Most are ~60s courses, and the time referenced is how much slower I was in my Z versus Grant in the P-car. We were always in different run groups.

Jan - 1.3s slower
Feb - .05s slower
Mar - 2.5s slower
Apr - .22s faster
Jun - .7s slower
Aug - 1.5s slower

Shamu

I wouldn't use these times as any relevant benchmark either. The Boxster was not finished until August. That day in August we had major setup ills as we had just finished the car the night before. I set my fastest time on a nearly flat rear tire! We fixed the leaking tire after my 4th run and then disconnected rear bar and Vic who has never drove the car beat me. LOL!

That Boxster only has a stock 2480cc motor. And it was far over class weight until that August event. Weighed in at 283 lbs over class weight in SD. Car only dynoed at 174 HP right after SD as well. I'm pretty confident that a Nismo on 295 Hoosiers wouldn't be much slower than that car in its old setup. Now might be a little different story!

In late July we stripped down car and got it down to under 2000 lbs. I have continued to get weight off it this winter and have a new exhaust system that should help wring out a little more power. Engine is still stock but we did some tuning that has brought power up to 185 HP. Thats still sad for an FP car but with over 280 lbs out of the car its pretty darn fast now! We also completely redid the suspension in July with full monoballs, GT3 control arms front and rear, new swift race springs. SO that time in August it was first time for me in essentially a new car and we were having major oversteer issues, plus a host of other new setup ills. We use UFO events to shake the car out usually. However in SD NT we were on street suspension with nasty progressive springs, overweight with a motor that was having power issues.

I will say I beat all BS cars in my wifes 100% stock 350Z touring roadster on Advan 245/225 street tires last UFO event I drove. Think I put the her car in top 15! LOL! Cant help but think my Nismo on Hoosiers might be a tad faster! ...You think? Im also a highly inconsistent AX driver so not much can be gained from my times especially when I only have 3 or 4 runs. I do hold a hillclimb record in the Boxster and really want to go after a stock class record. I think the Nismo might just set BS record in a hilclimb. A little different environment than AX.

Ruff Z

iTrader: (8)

Who would this drivers be that you beat in your wife's stock Z? That doesn't help me one bit, in my region, I can raw time all of SS, but the driver's are just local guys having fun. That holds no merit.

Locally no doubt the Nismo can be a highly capable car, but on the national stage I don't think it's happening.

I hope you bring it out to the SD NT and that will be one opportunity to show what it has. See ya in San Diego!

Ruff Z

iTrader: (8)

Oh, AST makes awesome shocks for autoxing for the 370Z...

Leaps and bounds better then the stock twintube shocks.

Shamu

Unsure I ever said the Nismo would be competitive on the national stage? In fact said I was planning to drive my FP car in SD? However I will say my Nismo on 295 Hoosiers at last years SD NT would have been a faster car than my poorly prepared Boxster FP car. We just ran the Boxster to see how much work we had in front of us and if the car might have a chance before investing money in the thing. Nismo has over 130 hp more than the Boxster and Boxster doesn't have any torque with puny 2480cc six. Nismo has far better ax gearing as well and more tire. Poor Boxster was stuck out of power band on that SD NT in 3rd gear it only was making it to 52 mph in 2 nd on short tires. So we were lugging third out of those slower turns. Still did not do to bad for our first ever SCCA event we barely got our SCCA licenses in time.

Again the Nismo is my fun local car. I want to make it competitive locally but honestly I think a well setup Nismo on the right course might surprise a few people including you. Not saying it would win Nationals or a National tour event but I'm confident it has make up of a car that could podium with a fast driver. I'm not a fast ax driver. I'm faster track and hill climb driver. But budget says ax for now.

I may run the Nismo at my favorite hill climb this year and they do run BS at that event. Think the Nismo would crush a s2000 CR in a hill climb as speeds in some sections are over 100 mph.

California has a little deeper pool at all events than what you see in Oregon. UFO events attract nice deep fields. What I didn't mention is that it was raining at that event and I probably had the best car in BS trim for conditions. Lol! Heaviest car on streets.

Shamu

Do you know who makes Nismo dampers? Who sells the AST dampers for the 370z? Are they adjustable?

Also do you know if anyone makes affordable and lightweight 19x10.5 and 19x9.5 wheels? Would like to have a set of ax/hillclimb wheels and tires. Seems like not many people know of motorsports resources for the Nismo which seems ironic!

PDX_Racer

iTrader: (2)

Well, I'm freshening my 2005 Track model for 2011.

Even with a soft clutch, soft VLSD, and 72000 miles on the rest of the drivetrain and bearings, mine was still competitive against an MS-R.

03threefiftyz

iTrader: (25)

AST makes very good shocks....they are adjustable. The problem won't be the wheel size, but finding acceptable offsets...

Ruff Z

iTrader: (8)

Lot to dissect on this, here we go...

Guess I didn't realize you didn't want a NT caliber car. I have no doubt any Z (350, 350 Nismo, 370, 370 Nismo) will trophy nationally. Glenn below did it, I should have but coned, lol, other's have done it. I just don't think it will be a front runner. So no surprising me on the car, it is a kickass car no doubt.

I also agree that a Z would kill an s2k on a hill climb (but I don't drive an S2k )

I also agree Cali as a whole has a deeper talent pool then here (law of averages based on how many more people you have). However, the talent level of an UFO event, no freaking way is it better then the SCCA Region here, especially with the number of NWRSCCA members we have as well.

99% sure your shocks are made by Tokico. AST sells direct, you have your choice or single or double adjustable (staying stock legal).

Your best bet for budget plus lightweight wheels is another set of stock Nismo wheels. Otherwise without searching for something I don't want to or need to spend time searching for, CCW may be your only option, and that's big money.

Let me end by saying I came across harsh, and my apologies. I would love to see a Nismo 370Z along with more Z's on the national stage. I just want to see effort put behind it (driving and prep) so naysayers will be hushed. Glenn, goodluck, want to see you do well again too! I'm angry at myself about nats haha.

Shamu

Have you seen who drives at UFO events? Attracts high numbers of SCCA drivers nearly 200 drivers an event. Big mod and prepared groups too. I have seen results for your region the bench gets thin fast up there. Not unusual to see several multi year SCCA national champs or podium placers show up to UFO events. Plenty of drivers with many nationals under their belts. AAS is even deeper as it seems to be the organization that attracts all the top talent.

However things would have to change significantly for me to be interested in running a stock class car at a high level event. Number 1 I dont fit well in the Nismo with a helmet! I fit fine for playing around but for serious AX I need a seat that lowers me about an inch or 2 as my helmet presses into the roof! If I replace seat with a competition model I'm out of stock class. To prep Nismo even for stock class would cost some montey that I could throw at the Porsche. Hell a set of new wheels and tires for the Nismo equals a used 3.4 996 motor for the Boxster! I just cant get excited about a stock car. While clearly better and deeper driving talent clusters around stock I'm just not a stock car type of guy. I like pushing car's design limits in prepared or mod type class. I will never be a good cone jockey but I love AX because it keeps my track and hillclimb driving sharp.

Second I have put a lot of time and effort into the Porsche. I would be cheating myself if I gave up on it now. Its a whole heck of a lot faster now and might actually do well in FP at SD this year. I have over $10K and 100 hours of work into the car since SD NT in 2010 so we should move a little quicker 2011. Even did an ECU tune to bump power and redline from 6500 to 7500 so we can get 65 MPH out of 2nd gear. It will be my second try at a National level event and figure Porsche is better benchmark of my driving and car development than throwing an unproven car at a National Tour event. But I'm unpredictable enough that you might just see that big whale of a Nismo show up if I'm not in the mood to trailer my race car there. Might just drive down in the Z and drive on streets.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

If you stay in the stock class you will need 9 inch and 10 inch wheels with offsets within 5mm of stock

03threefiftyz

iTrader: (25)

Nismo has 9.5/10.5.....but the offset will be the problem I agree.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

Oh dam, just looked it up, does anyone know the offsets so we can give him a hand?

scotts300

iTrader: (46)

I read:

front: 19x9.5 +40mm

rear: 19x10.5 +23mm

Shamu

Keeping the car stock is way too much work! Cant run a preventive oil cooler that is recommended for aggressive street driving or I will get bumped? Not going to ruin my car so I can stay in stock class. Cant find affordable wheels to run stock class. So do I go to BSP now?

I haven't read rules lately but an oil cooler on a car that has had well documented oil cooling issues bumps you out of stock? Let me see I'm adding weight to the front of a car that is already too heavy. Unsure of the performance gains other than the fact that if the car overheats I dont go into limp mode. I'm not silly enough or committed to stock class enough to turn on heater and spray radiators at an AX. I want a car that I can focus on driving not have a circus every time I come back to grid. I really dont care if its not a nationally competitive car.

I have decided to run a cooler and upgrade brakes so I can run hillclimbs without fearing catastrophic failure. Hillclimb I run lasts over 2 minutes in 100 degree heat and its all uphill. I have to run a cooler.