Part 3 of My Final Drive Review - Track Day
09-15-2004, 04:21 PM
#1
Part 3 of My Final Drive Review - Track Day
Sorry about the little delay, but here is part 3 of my 350EVO final drive review.
TRACK TEST
Where - "The Farm"
I took my car to a Porsche Club event at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockton, Illinois (About an hour out of Chicago).
The format was an HPDE. (High Performance Driver's Education Day). Blackhawk (AKA: The Farm) is a 1.95 mile track with 7+ turns.
Driver Experience - Novice
I have been to 6 (7 Days of driving) track events so far. I have been to this course 3 times before. Once in a time trial format
(No other cars - solo track) where I got a 1:27.5 seconds.
Car Prep - 3.9 gear and Front Stoptechs
I was hoping to do a head to head comparison, but after my last track day the stock front brakes on my beloved Z were cooked.
So I had to break down and buy Stoptech fronts. Other than that the car was in pretty much the same state as in the time trial.
That and I added the 3.9 of course. My other modifications are as follows: Toyo T1S 295/265, CCW Wheels 10.5/9, Tein Basics,
Hotchkis Sways, Kinetix Traction Arms, ECU, Y-Pipe, Pulley.
Test - Can you say throttle steer with 295's?
I new you could. My initial track impressions were good. Much more acceleration out of the corners and on the straights. After some fumbling shifts in the 1st session, I was able to open it up quite a bit. Turn 3 at Blackhawk is a large sweeper style turn and I actually experienced throttle steering for the first time at speed. All I can say is WOW!!! I had a gigantic grin on my face the rest of the day.
My only problem was with the driver. The gearing threw off my usual shift points as I approached the corners. It will just take more practice to relearn it. The power changed my shift points and where I have to drive on the track. Turn 2 is a small kink which you should be able to take flat out. I was able to take it flat but I had a new trajectory through the corner and had to adjust my line to include the new power.
Near the end of the 3rd session I started feeling more comfortable with the gearing and began shifting down into the correct gear and you can HEAR the difference. The car pulls like a freaking banshee out of the turns. Especially the slower turns.
Video, Lap Times & Final Impressions
I took about 4 laps of video of the 3rd and final session. I have
no place to host this other than my Comcast account which would be
shut down immediately. Can anyone host this? I would appreciate it.
The video has to be seen to be appreciated. If we do get the video posted please go easy on my driving. I'm a novice and I'm learning so I'm supposed to mess up sometimes.
In the video I took, I got a 1:26, 1:27, and two 1:29's before the batteries went dead. All but the 1:26 was in traffic. So theoretically, the gear and the brakes took off about a 1-1/2 seconds from my lap times. Lap 1 on the video is a warm up lap and was about a 1:30
Check out Lap 2, turn 1. Listen for the banshee to wail! (Turn 1 is the right hand 90 degree after the long straight away with signs.)
And Pay particular attention to lap 3, turn 3d. Turn 3d is the hard 90 degree after the sweeper and the small kink. I come out of that corner so hard that I can't even make apex on the next one. I am just floored by how much more pull it has.
As for final impressions, I'll just try to get the video up.
That should give you all the impression you need. Its a great
mod. My only complaint is that when driving home from the track,
I keep thinking I'm in 5th gear when I'm in 6th. Other than that,
I let the video and the report of my permanent grin
from throttle steering do the talking.
Thanks 350EVO and BJ, great work!
TRACK TEST
Where - "The Farm"
I took my car to a Porsche Club event at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockton, Illinois (About an hour out of Chicago).
The format was an HPDE. (High Performance Driver's Education Day). Blackhawk (AKA: The Farm) is a 1.95 mile track with 7+ turns.
Driver Experience - Novice
I have been to 6 (7 Days of driving) track events so far. I have been to this course 3 times before. Once in a time trial format
(No other cars - solo track) where I got a 1:27.5 seconds.
Car Prep - 3.9 gear and Front Stoptechs
I was hoping to do a head to head comparison, but after my last track day the stock front brakes on my beloved Z were cooked.
So I had to break down and buy Stoptech fronts. Other than that the car was in pretty much the same state as in the time trial.
That and I added the 3.9 of course. My other modifications are as follows: Toyo T1S 295/265, CCW Wheels 10.5/9, Tein Basics,
Hotchkis Sways, Kinetix Traction Arms, ECU, Y-Pipe, Pulley.
Test - Can you say throttle steer with 295's?
I new you could. My initial track impressions were good. Much more acceleration out of the corners and on the straights. After some fumbling shifts in the 1st session, I was able to open it up quite a bit. Turn 3 at Blackhawk is a large sweeper style turn and I actually experienced throttle steering for the first time at speed. All I can say is WOW!!! I had a gigantic grin on my face the rest of the day.
My only problem was with the driver. The gearing threw off my usual shift points as I approached the corners. It will just take more practice to relearn it. The power changed my shift points and where I have to drive on the track. Turn 2 is a small kink which you should be able to take flat out. I was able to take it flat but I had a new trajectory through the corner and had to adjust my line to include the new power.
Near the end of the 3rd session I started feeling more comfortable with the gearing and began shifting down into the correct gear and you can HEAR the difference. The car pulls like a freaking banshee out of the turns. Especially the slower turns.
Video, Lap Times & Final Impressions
I took about 4 laps of video of the 3rd and final session. I have
no place to host this other than my Comcast account which would be
shut down immediately. Can anyone host this? I would appreciate it.
The video has to be seen to be appreciated. If we do get the video posted please go easy on my driving. I'm a novice and I'm learning so I'm supposed to mess up sometimes.
In the video I took, I got a 1:26, 1:27, and two 1:29's before the batteries went dead. All but the 1:26 was in traffic. So theoretically, the gear and the brakes took off about a 1-1/2 seconds from my lap times. Lap 1 on the video is a warm up lap and was about a 1:30
Check out Lap 2, turn 1. Listen for the banshee to wail! (Turn 1 is the right hand 90 degree after the long straight away with signs.)
And Pay particular attention to lap 3, turn 3d. Turn 3d is the hard 90 degree after the sweeper and the small kink. I come out of that corner so hard that I can't even make apex on the next one. I am just floored by how much more pull it has.
As for final impressions, I'll just try to get the video up.
That should give you all the impression you need. Its a great
mod. My only complaint is that when driving home from the track,
I keep thinking I'm in 5th gear when I'm in 6th. Other than that,
I let the video and the report of my permanent grin
from throttle steering do the talking.
Thanks 350EVO and BJ, great work!
Last edited by zillinois; 09-15-2004 at 04:24 PM.
Trending Topics
09-16-2004, 12:09 AM
#14
JRitt, the Stoptechs were nothing short of astonishing. Threshold braking with very little pedal effort and no difficulty modulating. Feel is rock solid. Of course I was coming from the stockers so anything is better. Actually, the stockers where able to stop quite capably, they just couldn't handle the heat and you needed highly developed quads to push the pedal with enough force to stop them lap after lap. Very enjoyable upgrade. One less thing I have to worry about on the track. :-)
Thanks to the guys at Crawford Z for hosting the vids. Don't worry guys, when I can handle more power, the Crawford headers & cats are going on!! Not sure If I can handle that much power yet!?! Plus Enthuz would run me off the track if my next mod was headers & cats instead of his BCR harness bar!!! (Shameless plug for Enthuz's harness bar)
Here are the vids. The sound came out a little bad from compression, but you'll get the idea.
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap2.wmv
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap3.wmv
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap4.wmv
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap5.wmv
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap6.wmv
Thanks to the guys at Crawford Z for hosting the vids. Don't worry guys, when I can handle more power, the Crawford headers & cats are going on!! Not sure If I can handle that much power yet!?! Plus Enthuz would run me off the track if my next mod was headers & cats instead of his BCR harness bar!!! (Shameless plug for Enthuz's harness bar)
Here are the vids. The sound came out a little bad from compression, but you'll get the idea.
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap2.wmv
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap3.wmv
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap4.wmv
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap5.wmv
http://www.crawfordz.com/chris/Z-Related/lap6.wmv
Last edited by zillinois; 09-16-2004 at 12:26 AM.
. Thanks Zillinois
09-16-2004, 07:23 AM
#20
Isn't passing Porsches FUN!
GREAT videos!
"Plus Enthuz would run me off the track if my next mod was headers & cats instead of his BCR harness bar!!! "
I'm too nice of a guy to run you off the track, BUT, I COULD practice blocking!
FYI, I think the .120 wall bar would easily handle a threaded hole for your camera mount.
GREAT videos!
"Plus Enthuz would run me off the track if my next mod was headers & cats instead of his BCR harness bar!!! "
I'm too nice of a guy to run you off the track, BUT, I COULD practice blocking!
FYI, I think the .120 wall bar would easily handle a threaded hole for your camera mount.