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I've spoken to UpRev and they basically said that since my car is purely track I'll need to go to a local dyno tuner to get a tune. I think the reason is that the mail-in tuning process requires logging pulls on the street, which for obvious reasons I'm not really able to do. I'll be reaching out to a few local shops in the spring to see who can do the dyno tune for me.
I still have the OEM CAI diameter and stock MAF sensor with the upgraded TB. I think stock tube with a Z1 tune would be fine with that. it's the MAF that screws things up. If your intake tube is stock then a dyno is not needed. The tunes are good for 10% in either direction of timing as needed. that being said, going off-road opens up huge possibilities. I need to get a bigger intake and long tubes. there's no point getting a tune before doing that.
Last edited by Aeneas137; Dec 5, 2023 at 12:47 PM.
I had a conversation at VIR with a buddy of mine that's been tracking a Miata for years. It basically comes down to the fact that the track machinery is getting faster every season and his Miata is no longer competitive in any form. Mind you this is just a DE weekend, but still it's no fun if you're the slowest car out there and constantly have your arm out the window. He was talking about possible engine swap for the Miata, but also he was asking me why there are so few Zs participating and honestly I don't know the answer. They are cheap, they are reliable and they can be quite fast once setup property. With a stock engine my car might not be the fastest in the instructor group, but is also far from the slowest. From what I've seen I'm about middle of the pack, there are cars that have more power but are slower, mostly due to lack or aero or grip, and there are cars that are properly setup that are faster but only by a second or two, so I can still give them a good chase and have fun doing it. Sure there are a few cars significantly faster, the likes of new vettes and 911 cup cars, but those are 6 figure cars whereas my setup can probably be replicated for 25-30k. So the question remains, why so few Zs at the track? Best I can tell it's a combination of crap stock suspension setup and crap stock cooling that turns off most people from tracking these. These cars take a bit of work to get to a point where they are good track machines. So my suggestion to him (as subjective as it might be) was to go ahead and get a Z and use my experience to setup his car correctly the first time. Only time will tell what he ultimately decides to do, but I stand by my opinion that deep down these are great track car platforms.
I too have wondered why this is the case, local DE groups up in the NE region and its still mainly vettes and miatas that hold the largest numbers at any given event. There was one event where I went to where the Z's were about 6 or 7 deep and that was a lot of fun being on track with them.
The Z33 platform is fairly cheap, looks great, has good torque and power. Looks can be subjective though...
But the Z is also pretty heavy, tends to understeer and newer cars tend be quicker than the Z. I think added to those points is that most people who are tracking here want a car that can be used as a DD also and the Z in NE is tough to do that. Its almost as if you need a dedicated DD for the winters if you want to track the Z. I'm thinking most people who are tracking are somewhere in the age range of mid 20's and up. And at that point if you have the budget to do so, you most likely would get something newer that can do the DD and track days.
Its like the miata and vette guys, it seems a majority of them have dedicated DDs
So I'll break it down into two groups. As far as student groups I do see a lot of what you're talking about, people with mostly new(er) cars that they both track and DD. I guess I'm more referring to the more seasoned instructor/racer camp where most people tend to have dedicated track cars. This is where I would expect to find more Zs in general, but maybe I'm just in the wrong part of the country. Around here there is a lot of one percenters, seems like majority of the paddock are cars in the 60-100k+ range, mostly p cars, but also the usual vettes, bimmers, etc. Then there is a smaller group of lower budget folks, but yeah mostly Miatas and a sprinkling of other makes. Maybe in other parts of the country the breakdown is a bit different and there are more mid and low budget participants that would be into the Z platform.
I'm thinking most people who are tracking are somewhere in the age range of mid 20's and up. And at that point if you have the budget to do so, you most likely would get something newer that can do the DD and track days.
Its like the miata and vette guys, it seems a majority of them have dedicated DDs
True. I made a friend last year at Sonoma, in his 20s, with a new M4 Coupe, who works on Google's AI. big bucks. Not a mechanic so he bought a turn key track car... can't recall the make, looks a bit like a Thunder Roaster. Small engine, light weight, custom built to order. about $30k. he's a good example.
I think the Z33 is cheap and parts are cheap and plentiful but it's old school today. Those who can't afford better can't afford track weekends. Those who can, buy upscale.
I mean, I can relate! If i hadn't torn the Z apart in pursuit of handling, I would've sold it, moved on. Since i did tear it up, I'm committed and glad it turned out that way. I'll be cutting and stripping even more this winter.
I used to think 10 to 1 or better w/p is important. But weight is everything. Engine doesn't really matter. The 350Z needs to be down to 2900 lbs. And I'd like to drop the engine even more. It's down 1/2" using solid mounts. it's too bulky, with a tall COG. it's tough like a Mitsubishi A6M. so it requires huge effort to make it competitive.
My Z3 2.8 has a very low COG for a fairly big engine and F/R ratio is good with the seats so far back. I'm totally stripping it now as a backup track car because it's not an M so no reason to preserve it. 2840 lbs stock. Removed the convertible mechanism, seats, audio system, side windows, carpet, spare tire, toolbox, etc, it's gotta be down at least -200.
since the 350Z is on hold for a rebuilt diff and new clutch which won't get done until late spring at this point, I've been prepping the Z3 for early spring. I'm not going to do the whole suspension right away, just got the fortune auto coilovers and this hard dog installed. it needs new suspension parts overall but it holds up well for its age. for the first event in March, definitely new tires, pads, fluid, and I'm leaning toward new calipers, SS lines also. The parts are inexpensive.
If it’s anything I’ve learned its to take my time … there are days/weeks/months where I have other projects or other things going on and the z just has to wait.
true! it is fun choosing a popular older car with good aftermarket support for the almost endless upgrade options. I knew 3 years ago when I got started with this hobby that I needed two cars because I don't want to ever get in a hurry before a track day coming up.
