hey guys just wondering how to make our cars handle as nimble as a s2000?

 

I never knew the S2000 handles better? I have no problem beating them at autocrosses and I am not an excellent driver by any means....

 

handling characteristics will probably never be the same.... big weight difference. The Z handles great but weight is an issue.... however we have the edge on power and torque

 

drop 500 pounds or just kick the S's *** in the straights.

 

Well I know our handling is good, but after driving one of those cars it seems like its easier to toss it around. I am just wondering if bigger sway bars and a little tighter suspension may make our car feel a little more tossable. I know the understeer is bad maybe try to overcome that as well.

 

lose a lotta weight, that will help a lot and make it more tossable.

 

I guess I myself can go on a diet plan lol. Dang if you think about it 400lbs is alot to shave off, and hard to find places to do that and keep the car nearly stock.

 

I'd say you could loose about 100lbs but not much more unless you start going nuts.

100lbs = spare and jack and tools, Ti Exhaust, lightweight wheels and tires.

Sways will help improve the balance, as will playing with tire size and pressure. You can run 245/40's in front and 245/45's in back to help balance things a bit.

Not sure what else to try.

-D'oh!

 

Learn how to drive better! Then just get some R compound tires and you'll be handing E46 M3's and Vettes their *****!

 

The competition at local levels can't be used as a bar for competitiveness. The quality of drivers at the local level is the lowest in the sport. Drivers you may think are good, often do very poorly at big events. The bar at the Tours and Pros is a whole different level. I have been on of the best Miata drivers in my region for the last couple of years. Despite being a regular trophy winner, I was killed by the competition at the divisionals. Driving my stock 86' Mustang SVO last Sunday, I was faster by a second in raw time than a Viper. Is my GS SVO better than a SS Viper, definitely not.

When you start seeing drivers with 20-30 years experience, you quickly understand. If you ever get to see a real driver drive one like John Ames, Rob Falkener or Andrew McKee(expected to win BS for the 3rd year in a row in his S2000) and you will quickly see the difference. I have Gerry Terranova(2000 and 2001 HS), Sue Brude(2002 ASPL), Mark Maderash(2000 and 2001 ESP) and Tommy Sauders(4-time) national champs in my region, so I know what a good driver is. Gerry in his STS Civic normally beats BS. If you think you are a top driver, go to Nationals in Topeka next week and see how you do against S2000's with real drivers in them. Driver is always a major factor in autocrossing. Once you reach the top level though, you need to drive the right car or you won't even make the top 10, but you have to be that kind of driver first. The only cars capable of wining the class are S2000s and 2.7l Boxsters. If you check the Pro and Tour results, Z's were at the bottom of the results. I don't say this to insult the Z. It is just a fact that in an autocross, the S2000 is the superior vehicle. I personally wanted the Z and G Coupe to go to FS where it would have been more evenly matched by HP and weight. On a road course on the other hand, I think the Z has a much better chance with its power and grip.

Before you say anything about the handling of an S2000, drive one first. They were one of the cars I considered before ordering the G. I like the feel and the handling is hard to beat. I simply don't fit in the car and hence it was off my list. I also was not a fan of the long reving, flat-no torque nature of the engine. I like a car with more ***** and despite the S2000s numbers, it doesn't feel fast. A Z or G is no where close in turn-in or transitional response. Peak grip is only determined by tire contact patch to weight, so you could equal them on grip. The only way to equal them in response will be to reduce weight at least 500 lbs and try to shrink the dimensions of the car. In other words, its not going to happen. So, how do you make it up? In stock classes, I don't believe it to be possible. In Street Prepared or Street Modified classes you do it with power.

 

yeah autocrosses are ALL turns, the Z is not gonna beat an S in turns alone. it needs the straight, depending on the course, if there are a few LONG straights you might stand a chance; or if the setup just makes it very hard to be in the right gear all the time, it might land a not so good S driver out of Vtec and thus screwed.

but 500lbs is no little amount when you spend 95% of the race with the wheel turned.