Help me setup car for tracks?

[urpow]

Hey,

I am about to prep the car for road courses. However, I don't want a FULL road course prepped car. I only road course about 2-3 times a year (just for fun). My car is NOT a daily driver, but I do drive it on weekends. Please keep in mind that money is also a factor.

Here is what I plan:

Stock wheels
using 305 tires in rear and 275 tires in front
Stock brakes system
Stock shocks
T1 antisway bars
competition alignment
lowered 12mm

I also want to upgrade seat belt so that I can get a 6 point belt system. Can anyone suggest as how I can do this? Harness bar? Roll bar? Where I can buy those and where can I buy the 6 point belt?

[David Pintaric]

I am planning the same things for my car this spring. Recently I had lunch at my club witht eh people who prep my brother's GT4 car (made Run-offs last year...12th):

Braided Brake lines
Better brake pads
lower car 1"
Harness bar or roll bar with 6-point belts AND sternum strap (very important!)
Change out bushings in front end (stock ones wear out fairly fast)
T1 sway bar...maybe. This will wait, not a high priority.

I want to put headers, Vararam, and catbacks on too. They really had no opinion on this stuff at that time.

I have heard that an oil and tranny cooler are needed, also. I will watch and see how things work for me.

Also, do NOT use drilled/slotted brake rotors.

[corvette dave]

urpow,
Since you are just doing a few events each year for fun here is my advice:
Your first priority is safety. Spend your money there.
Get a harness bar or cage with 5 or 6 point belts. Sternum strap also.
Get a good set of aftermarket race pads. Use stock rotors.
Forget the braided lines. A waste of money in this case.
Run stock wheels with as close to stock size track tires as you can get. Kumho may be close to stock as you can get. Others on this forum can help here.
Change to a dot 4 or racing brake fluid. Flush before EVERY event.
Lowering 12 mm is fine. Mine is lowered 30mm and runs fine on track. The amount of lowering is up to you.
Keep the alignment within stock specs.
Keep the suspension stock. Including the sway bars.
The car was designed with the suspension geometry it has. That is why I say to keep things as close to stock as possible.
If you find that you want to get more serious, then do more things to go faster but for now make the car safe.
Trust me, you will be able to run with just about any car out there with proper tires, brakes and belts.
Keep an eye on temps. Most tracks you will probably be fine but hot days at some tracks can be a problem.
Good luck with it,
Dave

[racer01]

I bought my Z for both daily driving and the occasional track day and auto-x. I suggest doing one track day with just safety equipment and brake pads and then make a decision about mods to go faster. I did just this in mine, and have yet to determine a need for any “go fast” mods. If you already have enough track experience so that you will be driving the car fairly hard you will definitely need two things.
1. Good set of race pads. I use PFC 01/99’s and they are all you really need for most big road courses (RA, VIR, Roebling, etc) I have heard good things about the wilwood J compound as well. Doug Rippie front brake ducts would be my next mod.
2. Competition alignment. Lower the car a bit then get it aligned by a shop that does race cars or real competition alignments. I went with –2.25 camber front with 1/16 toe in and –1.0 camber rear with 1/8 toe in. This increased camber in the front has decreased the static understeer, and has given me better tire wear in the front. I have almost 9K miles on the stock goodyears with a few auto-x’s and track days and the tires are still wearing out on the outside shoulders first. A more track oriented car (driven very hard) would need more neg. camber in the front for even tire wear.
I am used to driving on R compounds and the Z on stock tires was amazing to me. I really feel no need to upgrade the suspension, and I would gladly trade 20hp for some better seats and some fluid coolers. Of course I would love to add a set of CCW’s with Hoosiers and some huge brakes and oil/tranny/diff coolers, but I can’t justify the >$8K for just a few events a year.

Geoff
02’ QS

[Z11409]

If you have not done so already--invest in a Driving School and professioal instruction.Very few people can drive a Z to its stock limits,take one step at a time.Harness bar,belts,remove springs from drivers seat,pads,fluids,lowering , wrapping exhaust system in header insulation, race tape nose and rear edges of fender openings to try to save paint.AND most of all HAVE FUN!!!

[Redshift]

Unless you are advanced, I'd go without everything except for some good brake pads (I use and recommend Carbotech, but I sell them also so you may consider me biased).

Once you make it to the advanced and instructor groups, go with more stuff. I'd stay away from T1 altogether, you don't need it. Street tires would also be a good idea. Yes, you can go faster on track tires, but you become a better driver (isn't that the point) on street tires. Track tires cover up mistakes you could be making.

Those are my $0.02.

I'm in Raleigh so if you ever want to see either of my cars, both of which are highly set up for track, let me know. I didn't do any of the track modifications until I got to be an intermediate driver, and I'm now in advanced and still whipping ass even on street tires.

You should join us at VIR - we go ALL THE TIME

[urpow]

You're probably right!

I just gave you an email, I would love to hit VIR next year sometime!

Thanks!

[Z06KahunaCanuck]

The best thing you can do IMHO is get seat time in your car. Getting out there will do more than any of the mods. I just started going to the track in April this year...I love it!

[xcorvettex]

SEAT TIME ,SEAT TIME ,SEAT TIME AND FIRST A BETTER SET OF BRAKE PADS(I USE HP PLUS AND FOUND THE DIFFERENCE TO BE REMARKABLE) MOST OF ALL HAVE FUN AND LEAVE YOUR EGO HOME

[#001 2001 Z06]

HeHe. Seat Time. 30,000 miles on Z06. Take it over a 100 m.ph. every time out.