I am getting ready to drag my Z while keeping it streetable. I have already been installing the supporting mods to hopefully run low 12's or even high 11's on the stock block. Here is what I need help with, suspension and a drag wheel and tire set up. The last time I was out at the track I was running a very low tire(265/30/19) Toyo proxes and had no traction and a crazy wheel hop. Here is the list of mods already installed or purchased:

1.Powerlab turbo kit @ 8 PSI
2.STG 4 COMP Clutch
3.JWT Flywheel
4.275/35/19 Nitto Neo Gen's (rears) on SF Winnings
5.Solid diff bushings (Not installed)
6.Modified Tenabe Exhaust

Im considering to get the differential brace installed, but I would like some help like I said before with wheel and tire set up that wont activate the VDC, and clear Brembo brakes. I have seen some pics of a Z running mustang skinnies in the front and slicks on the rear but could get details on the size. Thanks in advance.

 

WHEELS AND TIRES

Pro Star 96-Series Wheel REAR
Size: 15'' x 8''
Bolt Circle: 5 x 4-1/2''
Rear Spacing: 5-1/2''

Pro Star 96-Series Wheel FRONT
Size; 15'' x 4''
Bolt Circle: 5 x 4-1/2''
Rear Spacing: 1.875"

Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Tire REAR
P275/60R15 (28'' x 11.5'' - 15'')
R2 Compound
Special Sidewall Construction for Quicker Launches

OR

Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Tire REAR
P275/50R15 (26'' x 11.5'' - 15'')
R2 Compound
Special Sidewall Construction for Quicker Launches

Sportsman S/R Radial FRONT
26'' x 6''R - 15''LT

 

Crap, I just saw you have Brembo's, sorry.....

 

Thanks for the all that info that was exactly I was hoping to get. Sucks that I am limited because of the brembo brakes. The picture I saw with the set up was you car...lol... I would love to have a set of wheels like that for track use. I guess I will need to find an extra set of 19" wheels and put some NT-05's or drag radials. I wonder if there is some similar setup like yours in 17"?

 

There are plenty of 17" and 18" options now because of the newer "hot rods" having large brakes out back.

I would look at getting some light 17x9ish wheels (5zigen fno1c are probably a good option for reasonable price) and hoosier or MT drag radials. Hoosier makes some 275/40/17s that would probably work great and to be honest, I bet you would hook just fine on 245/45/17s drag radials which they also make. Your trap speed would probably be better on the 245s as well depending on gearing.

Do you know what you need for gearing? I would pick a tire height that gives you gearing to get you through the 1/4 just after your HP peak in 4th gear to be optimal. The hoosier 275/40/17s are 25.10" tall and the 245/45/17 are 26" tall.

I am currently using 225/50/15 hoosier DRs and easily pull low 1.8 '60 foots on a front wheel drive car. They're as close to slicks as radials will get.

 

I appreciate all the info. I will be looking for a set of 17's or 18's now. But I really wanted the skinny front's and the fat rears look . I even considered getting rid of the big brakes ....I have the stock gearing still. I do have to get the car to hook first then I will be playin with the gearing, but I never thought about the tire height.

 

Yeah using tire choice for gearing is a great way to affect final drive at the drag strip only and retain what you prefer on the street. With my platform, I have no final drive options so I ended up going with 24.5" tall tires to lower the gearing. The automatic maxima guys (that actually want to be fast) go with tiny 22-23" tires.

You can always still go with 17" skinnies and 17" fat rears. There are wheel/tire combinations to fit those needs. However, I would personally swap back to stock brakes or if needing to be baller, get some low profile after market brakes that will fit 15" wheels. A set of 25-27" tall slicks on 15" wheels will hook better and absorb a lot more drivetrain shock than 17" options because of all the extra sidewall.

 

You could run 17" DR's, I wouldnt run larger than an 18" radial personally.

Im not sure if MT makes the 16" ET Street still Im sure they make something though. 2nd gen FD wheels (16x8" IIRC) fit over Brembos and are 13 or 17lbs each depending on which version you could find.

Also, dont rush out and buy the widest DR you can find, you wont need it for stock block power.

I well heated, 275 drag radial or 255 cheater slick will do the job.

If you make 380whp + you should be 11's pretty easily on a tire.

Also, if you are stock gearing and redline (DE motor) 4th gear is topped at 112-113mph, so try to size the tire to be 27" in overall diameter so you can stay in 4th. Or, you can do a 26" tire and rev to 7000rpm's to stay in the 145-116mph trap range-which is what I did on stock block.

 

Thanks Alberto.. Thats a lot of good info. Im have been drag racing street cars for a while but have never got into the meat and potatoes of it and all this really helps with my goals. Not sure what kind of power Im putting down yet since I bought the car with the turbo kit installed. Im looking to get a dyno tune for 400hp after I get the traction issues resolved. I've only ran the car on the 1/8th and that was grinding third with a bad wheel hop and a 60ft of 2.5. I still managed a 81 mph trap speed in third so I guess there is potential. I am looking at the NT-05 as my option for an 18" wheel if I dont find anything in the 16" size. Didnt know the 16" fit over the Brembo's so that will help with my options and the drag look Im looking for.

 

Get OEM RX7 rims, they're very light and clear the brembos combined with MT 255/50/16 - http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/s.../50R16&type=SS

 

Keep in mind not all 16" wheels fit, Id say that most wouldnt, so be careful or play it safe and go 17".

Id show you a pic of my 16" combo but I cant find any on my comp

Good luck!

 

I agree - wheels and tires ahead of most of those other items. You can make the Z32TT wheels fit over the rear Brembos with a little filing. They are available, cheap, and light.

 

Thanks marra.. I would defenetly would look into that option if I wouldnt be in a piston vs rotary war.. The reason Im getting my issues straight is because I have a long awaited race against my buddys turbo II RX7. There is no way I could show up in some RX7 wheels...Thanks anyways....

 

Yeah, I was just had some hopefull thinking there with the 16". I was searching the web and found that Bogart can custom make some wheels given the measurements. This could be an option also (Expensive). The issue would be finding the tires for the skinny front wheels on 17". The only one that I could find was a 2 1/2 tire for like dragsters and I dont think thats what I would use for what Im looking for. A 4" tire would be more like it.

 

Yeah, I did hear that from a friend of mine thats running a 280z in NC. Hes been also giving me some advise on the traction issues and also said tires and wheels. Im leaning more towards getting a full set rahter than just rears since Im running 19" Volks now and it would look kinda crazy running 19" fronts with the 16" or 17"s and taller tire on rears. Thanks for the input...

 

^ There's nothing wrong with running mismatched diameters. I have 18s but my ET Streets are mounted on 15s.

 

18's front.....15's rear. Nothing wrong with function over form.

 

Wouldnt that activate VDC? I just got rid of the lights and wouldnt wanna deal with that again.

 

The diameter of the wheels have no bearing on the VDC, as it's the overall diameter of the wheel/tires (so calculate the diameter using the tire size). As long as the percentage difference between front tire height vs rear tire height is within spec, it's ok.

 

if u do get rid of ur brembos lmk im looken for a set