And beginning to get a handle on the suspension...but it
still pushes to much

 

Didn't know that the NISMO 350z wasn't fully seam welded.. In that case it doesn't make sense to introduce specific welding rules. We all have F/R swaybars and a full cage, so the difference will probably be minimal anyways.

Totally agree about keeping the class easy. I raced SpecRX7 this season and was amazed at how competetive and close cars were... some that had factory engines and were built 5 or 6 years ago. I really hope that SpecZ doesn't go the route of SM and basically require a $30k+ pro build in order to be competetive nationally.

 

Jager,

I'm curious, what was the tangible difference between a Pro-Built big money SM, and an average well built SM? Like... maybe .500 sec a per 1'30.000 in lap time, or was it extreme 2-3 sec per 1'30.000? I never really followed that series and I'm not sure of the mods or spec part choices they made to improve the car.

 

My guess is if you use a fresh mazda crate engine ($3k) and prep it well, for a typical 2mile course you would lose over a second per lap or more up against a pro build with equal driver. Anyone with experience actually running both could give you a better idea but that is what I have gathered from being around them. Pro builds have new everything, blueprinted heads, blueprinted transmission, blueprinted diff, everything is balanced to perfection.

 

At a power track, like Road America where the SCCA Runoffs are, a "tech shed legal" top built SM engine is probably good for 1.25-1.5 sec/lap over a good crate engine, which would have been about the difference from qualifying first through tenth at the Runoffs. If you throw out the top 2 cars, which were quite a bit quicker than the rest of the field, it's the qualifying difference from 3rd to 19th. It's primarily for that reason, not just in SM, but in many of the other classes as well, that I think Road America is a terrible location to determine a one race national champion at.

 

Good to know, interesting because the moment I bolted my engine up from being rebuilt and balanced I felt the engine was greatly improved, but I wouldn't put a tangible number on it (lap time-wise). I assume the HR's came with a better balance job from the factory due to the higher revs, but IMO the DE's seemed to be a little lacking there.

Kfoote, yeah that sucks... but isn't that just about always the case racing - The good driver with the biggest budget wins.

 

Agreed. The longer you're around, the more apparent this becomes. There is always a way to spend more to gain a competitive advantage, it's just a matter of how much faster for how much money. Some tracks it's more apparent at than others, and Road America defintiely falls into the "more apparent" category.

Since I'm relatively new here, just as a little history with me, I recently sold a Miata that I ran in the SCCA Runoffs in 2005 in SSB, before SM was a national class. I decided I'd rather go fast than be competitive, and bought a 350Z that I'm loosely building as an STO car. It won't be competitive, but will be a lot faster for not a whole lot more money, even when the additional cost of consumables is taken into account. I've also worked for DWW Motorsports and function as their chssis/suspension engineer, and have worked on a multitude of Miatas, 350Z's, and 370Z's, including just about everything bkleeman has driven in the last 10 years. As for my "real job", I run the Bilstein Shock and H&R Spring divisions of Turner Motorsport, and have been the tire specialist on their Grand-Am, and formerly World Challenge race team.

 

So what you're saying is, you know a thing or two about suspension setup?

Awesome

Sounds like a lot of fun. I wish I had knowledge and patience enough or suspension setup.

Welcome!!!

 

Yes, I have some suspension setup knowledge beyond "d00d, I totally have this hellatight setup in GT5 that totally rocks!". Not only am I fully aware that shock damping very nicely follows a linear second order differential equation, I also know what it means, and how to translate it from math geek to English, and also from race car driver back to math geek.

I've poked my head in here a few times since I joined, but usually I've left the posting to Brian. Motorsports is likely where I'll be spending most of my time here, especially with the new (to me) car.

Back on topic, Mid Ohio, where the NASA runoffs are, is much more of a balanced track where driving and suspension setup plays a bigger part than having 3% more HP than the next car in your class does.

 

Good to see a familiar username here.

 

I can agree with that. Typically all the cars in my class have a better power/weight than me, yet I still turn faster laps. I had several TTA cars gridded behind me last event as well as a couple TTS and TTU cars. Some of the TTU guys just have way more HP than talent.

 

Welcome to the Forum...

You are Elected the Spec Z Suspension Tuning King...long live the King...

So, why are you not building a Spec Z to run in STO AND NASA?

JE

 

NASA doesn't have much presence at any of the 4 tracks within a 6 hour drive of where I live (NHMS, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, Mt. Tremblant). Also, my work schedule makes it tough to run more than a random HPDE or race here or there occasionally. Throw in that I have access to some lightly used cheap to free ultra high performance parts that I can make the car faster with for the same or less money than what is legal for Spec Z (or SCCA T2), and this is just the way I decided I wanted to go. A good chunk of my enjoyment in racing comes from trying new ideas that I think will be faster and seeing if they'll work, and this will allow me to do that, where a spec class doesn't.

 

Understood...however you are still the Spec Z Suspension Tuning King

 

Anybody need Qty of 2 NIB Enkei RPF1 18x9 ET 35 wheels?

My supplier just called me and has 2 available...I don't know the price...but it should be standard NIB from a dealer range

These will not last long..contact Chinchi Chang @ Speed for Sale email: chinchi@speedforsale.com

 

Where are you at for front camber and tire pressure?

 

Around 1.8 on the left and 1.9 on the right..and shooting for 38-40 LBS Hot, and played with 40-42 hot in front / 38-40 hot rear and that helped a little

Note 1: I have NOT corner balanced my car yet

Note 2: I raised the front of my car about 1" from the factory shipped settings...as I was getting tire rub. I have now bent the shiate of of my fenders and plan to lower the front back to the lower factory shipped setting

 

Thanks for the info. . .

Rubbed? Really? With 9" RPF1s up front and a 10/15mm spacer? And only lowered to factory height, but not lower? I think it's a diminishing return, but lower should buy a touch more camber.

 

20 MM spacers on RPF1s in 18x9 ET 35

the rear is as low as you can get it while retaining the helper springs (F & R)

 

You could try a 15mm spacer. . .or the "method" you've already employed.

Why are you using the helper springs?