Lets put it this way. I'm a bit of a Laguna SECA junkie and I know that track well. My stockish 2700 lb 2.5 liter Boxster was doing 1:46 laps there with hardly any effort. My 180 hp 914/6 was doing 1:41 to 1:42. I know the Z is faster than both those cars. My first time ever on T hill and not driving on any track for 2 years the Z was doing 2:04 to 2:05 laps. I really didn't have much seat time in the car and wasn't comfortable pushing a new car on unfamiliar track. The grand am driver I let drive my car put down some 2:00 flat laps at T hill in the Nismo and he passed a fully caged GT3 cup car. Laguna is very much a power course that requires you to be very patient and smooth. I'm confident I will get it to 1:40 by end of day once I'm out there without traffic. I actually think it's a sub 1:40 car with a fast driver. It has more tire than Grand Am cars so it sticks like crazy. Grand am driver Brian lock loved my car in the turns. He said it stuck better than race cars,

Nismo hauls butt compared to my small displacement P cars. I actually could hang with gt3s and corvettes in straights with the Nismo where my small displacement Porsches would just get whacked on the straights. And the Nismo handles awesome on the track. It's confidence inspiring.

When is that NASA event? I'm pretty comfortable with Infineon too. I'd put the car in low 1:5X range at that track. I'm sort of chicken there so I go a little slower as that track can really bite you if you screw up.

I want to get out with Z crowd and have someone ride along as I think people would be very impressed with how well Nismo works on the track. Much faster than my 350z

 

I wonder if my exhaust is too loud? hmm

 

GOD DAMN!

THATS MOVING!

im hoping for 2:12 over 5a with my car how it sits right now with more seat time. An open diff and the fact that I suck at driving might hold me back but who knows

yeah id be down to try infineon too

I want a ride along in the nismo beast !

 

BTW
anyone seen this?

http://68.185.70.117/Trackdays/index.html

I know 2011 is coming to a close soonish but still

 

Oh, gotta remember to bring my silencer just in case...I am planning on LS later this year.

 

I was really surprised at how fast the 370Z nismo is on track for such a heavy car. It also seems to defy its HP as things get fast. Its way down on power from larger displacement v8/V10 cars cars but its areo seems to help it. I was not being killed in straights by cars with 450 to 500 hp. New M5, M3, Corvettes, etc were not making much distance in the straights on the Nismo. My car dynos at about 310 to 315 WHP which is healthy but not earth shattering power.

I have good benchmarks for how fast I was going compared to Porsche guys I used to drive with all the time. Fastest spec Boxster race cars do about 2:06 on T Hill. So for street going 3200 lb Z to go few seconds faster a lap than well sorted and driven Boxster race cars I think its very capable car right out of the box.

Honestly with a few more tweaks it will be very close in capbility to old 996 GT3. Its taken me a while to learn how to drive a car with a light tail end however!

 

NASA is in two weeks.

Your 2:04 and your driver's 2 min T-hill times were over the bypass, not using the cyclone, correct? Not throwing darts, just pointing things out for anyone reading.

We do a "Z" day at Seca at least once a year. Last March or April I think we were 9 strong with Zs and 11 or 12 in our group in total. I've been hitting all the tracks with my friend with the supercharged anniversary lately. I did one track event with another NISMO at Laguna last year. He had some cooling and brake problems with the stock system, but he is also an incredible driver. I believe he hit 1:46 in stock form, so I agree that a modded NISMO with good tires and aggressive driver could run super low 1:40s, maybe even break 1:40 if the tires were fresh enough. Let's do it!

 

Is NASA decentally priced or is it really pricey like HOD?

 

That be the one. I'm glad you'll join in next time, though it may be awhile. NCRC isn't there again until late December, and that's who I prefer to drive with now-a-days.

SE - NASA is priced between NCRC and HOD.

 

 

to all the track junkies: what type of oil and what weight are you guys using?
ive been using M1 fully synthetic and K&N oil filter. All the people I go to tracks with say if I continue abusing my car with M1 (tracking) ill blow my motor pretty quickly???

any input from anyone?

 

Did this friend have any problem making sound at Laguna? His setup is fairly close to mine, but I think he has stock cats. Does he have to lift on turn 5?

 

Your friends should stop giving advice. Motors don't "blow" because of the specific oil you choose. Typically it's because of a bad tune or overheating (of coolant or oil). I use M1, and change it no less than every 1000 miles. Usually I change it at 500 miles since my car is so abused. I only use Nissan OEM filters. The synthetic oil may buy you a little bit in cooling efficiency - that's up for debate. What is not up for debate is that the Grade 4 synthetic oils retain their protective properties at temperatures above traditional dyno oil. With synthetic, you are good to at least 240F, and probably much higher. I just don't want to put a number on internet-paper, and start an oil debate. There is already a thread for that. In general, dyno oils begin to break down between 230 and 250F. The viscosity number on oils is based on testing them at 210F, so clearly they are good at that temperature. The literature starts to get a little fuzzy once you probe more deeply for more data, hence what I lightly-report above.

No, he hasn't. He used to run there with Birk HFCs without a problem also, so you should be ok. I just do a slow shift from 3rd to 4th there, essentially coasting past the sound check. Otherwise I run at 104dB!

 

Video from the event:


And some pics to compliment:

 

That looks like Dave dunnwoodie in the red 911 behind you. Thats a neat little 911.

 

Now with video.

 

lol well he drives an EVO so I dont listen to him THAT often

anyways, I was just asking about the oil temp gauge sits at 215-220 degrees doing just normal driving. Didnt know what to think about it.

on another note: does your bumper hit the ground on corners? it looks like it did in one of those pictures?

EDIT: its a glowshift gauge with a filter sandwhich so the oil temps are getting red threw the oil in the filter, atleast thats what im assuming. Dont know if that makes a difference.

 

215-220 is fine around town. Bumper gets close - but does not usually touch. I think it has nipped coming down the corkscrew before, but I'm not worried about it.

 

Spend $400 on an oil cooler and protect your motor. I have a stillen oil cooler and my oil temp has never gone above 210, even at the track.

 

yeah im gonna get an oil cooler soon

damn with boost and on track you stay under 210, thats CRAZY!

has hitting your bumper ever upset the car?

something that worries me a little, my new bumper sits a bit lower then I thought