First try at Autocross, now I'm hooked!
 

This is a short in-car video of my first time taking the Z out on a closed course (and after taking a try in a 360 Modena Ferrari!). This was my best out of 3 laps. I plan on taking the Z out to more events in the future, I'm hooked! Just need to start reading into how to make my Z more Autocross-friendly.

http://s138.beta.photobucket.com/use...tml?sort=3&o=0

My only modifications are 5/6" Motordyne Plenum spacer, Motordyne TDX2 exhaust, K&N drop-in air filter, and set of Hankook V12s on WedsSports (18x9/10).

Looking forward to possibly making this a steady hobby!

Coilovers and leave it alone for a few races they will make a big difference than I would do a final drive swap give it that low end pull, of I was to go back those would have been my first 2 mods

Actually I do not agree with this. For someone new to auto-x the best thing they can do is to drive the car as it is already. Number one thing to do would be to attend as many events and improve the driver. Throwing mods on car is not going to make it faster if the driver doesn't know how to handle it.

What I would suggest to the OP. Have an instructor take your car around the course. Depending on the course he will be faster by a few second than your best lap. Once you can beat that time you can start thinking about some upgrades. One of the best ones would be a dedicated set of tires and wheels.

Also try and attend EVO school. It is pricey but will help you greatly.

+1 , then eventually save up for a set of dedicated wheels and tires.

Seat time and tires are the best mod.

Then if you want to stay running Autocross, mods must be planned around the rules. You can quickly put yourself uncompetative with just a set of SPL Camber arms.

I agree. I tell students: "Seat time you" will crush "bolt-on you" every time.

That is, the OP in a stock Z with seat time, will be faster than the OP in a modded Z with little or no seat time.

I sort of dissagree with the part in bold because, depending on the instructor, the OP may never beat "that time".

I recommend getting in the ballpark timewise, (and otherwise consistent) before adding parts.

Also, as the OP gains seat time, the "weak links" with the car will show themselves. Before I started autocrossing, I wanted a cat-back system for a little extra power.

After a year of autocrossing I realized that the open diff was holding me back more than the 5-10HP I might get from a cat back.

After ~7 years of autocrossing, I have upgraded all the stuff in my sig....and have yet to make a single HP mod. (No one cares about my A-arms at local events, but I would have to "downgrade" those if I ever wanted to race my Z on the national stage.)

SoloPro driving school is also great.

I agree. I only worded it in such way because unless the instructor is driving the same platform he will not push the car to the limit on that one run, but at the same time he will still be a lot faster then a noob.

So OP forget about mods for the moment. You need seat time, seat time and then once done some more seat time. And don't forget to look ahead. Once you will attend enough events the times will start dropping on its own.

A top notch instructor will get in any car and be fast right off the bat.

He will be fast there is no argument about it, but the car is new to him. He will be quicker on 2nd and 3rd run once he will have better idea of the that specific car limits.

I had Strano and Junior Johnson jump in my car a few weeks ago at a test day and both were within .5s of there best time on their first run...

I can usually do the same in other cars as well....sometimes not.

Depending on the instructor and the venue, he/she will have driven a lot of platforms, many times over.

I'm not saying this to nitpick you. I just don't want the OP to get frustrated/discouraged.

I hate seeing good talent get discouraged in this sport. (It's usually because they are off the pace at the first few events due to the "foreign language" nature of the cones.)

Looking ahead is essential, but I don't push that too hard until after they learn to "speak cone". The gibberish "ahead" looks a lot like the gibberish that's right right in front their hood. I recommend they not drive faster than they can see. (meaning see and decipher) If you get on the gas before you know where you want to go, you will go nowhere fast.

If they are disciplined enough to not get ahead of their eyes, their desire to go faster will naturally get their eyes further ahead. (it just takes some time)

I have the same philosophy with hands and the steering wheel. I tell students that hand-over-hand is generally wasted energy, but not to "sweat" it at first. (at least not beyond just using both hands.)

As they get familiar/comfortable with the cones, and their eyes start getting further down course, the hands start to end up where they need to be in anticipation of "what's next." (with only minor reminders)

Again, not trying to nitpick generally good advice. I just want to qualify points for the OP.


To the OP:

I finally got a chance to watch your fastest run....I'm impressed with your throttle inputs. (Smooth and soon)

Oh, and you are close enough to come to our venue in Lehigh. (Ft Myers) Our next event is March 2nd and 3rd.

http://www.gulfcoastautocrossers.com/2013schedule.htm

We have a Novice school on Saturday where you get a lot of seat time with instructor input. You don't have to attend the Novice School, but you will get a lot more seat time there, than at the test and tune course. (10-25 runs depending on turn-out, and that's before noon.)

Then, after lunch (which we provide in the $20 entry fee for the whole day) you get to run on the test and tune track. (Timed) Two Test and Tune course runs are included when you sign up for the day, and you can get two more runs every time you work the course. (We use 30 min work intervals)

On Sundays we set up a ~mile-long competition course.

Thank you all for the input! I finally logged back on and didn't realize I had all these responses, haha. I will definitely plan to make a trip down to Ft Myers one of these days. I'm excited to get more into this!

Only mods I would like to advise you at this stage are the ones that keep the car reliable or "autox-friendly" Example: oil cooler, SS brake line, RBF Motul brake fluid.

Good luck

2 of those 3 will take you from the Stock class to a Mod class. Not worth it .

Truth.

SSM is miserable if any MR2's or RX7's show up. :(

Street Prepared is pricey enough. The only thing that really sucks is that we encounter quite a few breakages in BSP trim. Lots of the stuff can't be replaced with aftermarket, and it breaks in short order. A full blown, rule book 350z in BSP trim can win a national championship IMO. If you care to think that far ahead that is...

I agree with others, read the rules and keep yourself futureproof (meaning within the rules of a specified class) for when you eventually move up through the ranks. There are currently only two full prep 350z's outside of stock class in the whole country. Not a lot of useable data....much testing is required.

Oh yeah, I also have SS brake lines and new rotors/pads all from StopTech, forgot to mention that. I'm not understanding some of the abbreviation lingo going around here, like 'SSM' and 'BSP'. I figured out 'OP' for myself, haha.
I'm going to take some of the advice here and going to stay where I'm at right now as far as modifications, since I'm still such a noob to AutoX. Obviously there is a lot to learn, and I need to get a good feel for how my car handles as of now...I will become one with the Z!

Wheel size alone bumps you to BSP.

What is BSP?

BSP is "B" "Street Prepared".

There is a long list of things you can modify in street prepared.

So I took the Z out to the very, mini track again today, and I had a blast! They let me take about 12 laps, and a driving sherpa did a ride-along with me, giving me pointers as I drove the track, and I also let him take 3 laps in my car..boy was I surprised at how this car could handle under a pro! I had a couple close calls with the cones after trying out the driving sherpa's tips, which were easier said than done, but all good things come with practice! My best lap on my timer was 34.15, which was my last lap and of course it wasn't caught on video (guess my brother couldn't handle holding up a tiny iphone a little longer). My first lap was in the 36s, sherpa's best was 33.xx. After driving me around and giving me tips, he guaranteed that I'd take 1-2 seconds off my time, and I sure did!

Here's a video of one of my better laps:


(By the way, at 0:25 you'll hear the Motordyne exhaust "popping", I love it!)

And the instructor's lap:


After watching the video I was able to see what I did wrong and wanted to get right back out there to fix 'em! Guess I'll have to wait another Saturday, and eventually get to a much bigger Autox track!