Hi,
I was wondering if you guys could recommend some good reading material for me. I am looking for all kinds of stuff including books on modifying, suspension tuning, circuit racing, piston engines and just about anything that relates to the 350z. Also if there have been any good issues of magazines that have had some good information on the 350z such as tuning guides then feel free to add those in as well.


Thanks for the help

 

For racing check out:

Going Faster; Mastering The Art Of Race Driving.


For suspension tuning check out;

How To Make Your Car Handle (Fred Puhn)
Old, but a classic

High Performance Handling Handbook (Don Alexander)
Newer and more practical.

 

Ok, thanks

Which book do you think would be best to get first if I was to get one of the two handling books?

 

I have "How to Make Your Car Handle", and it's too obsolete for me. I'd be curious to have a peak at the 2nd one zillinois recommended.

 

All the above recommendations are great!

I'll add the late Carroll Smith books, "Prepare to Win", & "Tune to Win". Been around for a while but still essential reading.

Also "Competition Car Suspension", by Allan Staniforth.

 

Skip the Puhn book. Buy all the Carroll Smith books and read them several times. His series is:

Engineer to Win
Tune to Win
Prepare to Win
Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing (aka "Screw to Win")
Drive to Win

There's some overlap, but each book has enough unique information to make it worth getting them all. Plus, they're interesting to read.

Asterix

 

Ok thanks guys

 

Wow, all five of the Carroll Smith books had 5 star rating on amazon.com and the reviews sounded great.

 

I picked up "High Performance Handling Handbook" by Don Alexander from MBI Publishing Company at Barnes and Noble. It's basic about the relationship between shocks, springs, bushings and the other pieces. It's helped me.

 

I second the recommendation for the Carrol Smith books. I have Tune to Win and Race to Win (or could be Drive to Win, I loaned to a friend). Fantastik reading. They also both have an enormous list of other recommended reading in them.

 

Ahh great, do you know a good place to order them from? I was thinking Amazon but they don't have all of them in stock.

 

If you want something a bit more technical than what is listed there is the "Race car vehicle dynamics" book by Milliken and Milliken - this is the bible of the chassis engineer.

Also, I really like "the automotive chassis" by Reimpell, Stoll and Betzler.

Be aware that both of these books are pretty technical and if you don't have an engineering background you probably won't understand most of it.

 

Alright, thanks

 

I thought essential reading was sufficient, but you're right....MANDATORY would be better!

The shop that helped build my race car waaaaaaaaay back recommended them......probably to justify keeping my checking account at a zero balance!


Now......can someone MUCH smarter than I explain Nissan's double lower ball joints.

 

What about books more on the mechanical side of things? I don't really have any experience with working on cars but I really would love to learn. Once I get my 350z I would like to be able to do most of the modifications by myself.

Maybe if there are some books that you guys can suggest for the beginner mechanic and maybe some more advanced ones as well?

 

I learned how to work on the car by getting the factory shop manual and following the directions. All you really need to work on the car is a good socket set (deep well and standard), open/box end wrenches, and a torque wrench. I haven't run into anything on the car that the directions in the shop manual couldn't lead me through.

 

Where can I buy a shop manual?