While you can go overboard and do a complete SCCA T1 prep for about $20-25k:
SCCA T1 Vette
You don't really need to much at all. For my first DE I only did the following:
- Flushed brake fluid with a good high temp fluid compatible with the stock fluid (I now use Wilwood EXP 600 Plus because it has a very high dry (626F) and wet (417F) boiling point for a very reasonable price and as far as I can tell it is American made)
- Lowered car per the guidelines in the tape the car came with, then had it aligned to my specs (which were -1.75 front, -1.25 rear camber, slight toe out front, slight toe in rear)
- Replaced engine oil, tranny fluid and diff with a good synthetic (I now use and sell AMSOIL.)
- I may have added a better seat before that DE. I can't remember if I added the seat before ever tracking the car, or after my first DE.
That's about it. Tracking the car, I had oil temps approach 300, set off the tranny high temp warning, wore out my front stock F1s in 3k miles, so it wasn't long before I had:
- oil cooler
- a second set of wheels/tires for DE days
- T1 sway bars
I then couldn't decide if I wanted a harness bar, roll bar, or roll cage and kind of went off the deep end...
While I don't think you need any of these to start, here are some things to consider for a DE car (note, many of these have warranty issues):
- good engine oil, tranny fluid, diff fluid
- brake fluid
- SS brake lines (I use Goodridge with AN connections)
- brake pads (I use Carbotech)
- oil cooler
- tranny cooler
- aluminum racing radiator (I use a Ron Davis radiator carried by DRM and others)
- track wheels/tires (I use CCW and Goodyear, Hoosier and Kumho "R" compound DOT track tires)
- DRM brake ducts and Phoenix spindle ducts
- harness and a better seat (begs the question of harness bar or roll bar which is where I got in trouble...) (I use a Simpson camlock six point belt and a Cobra Suzuka seat)
- alignment
- suspension improvement not really required unless you are really serious but many, myself included, use the complete GM T1 suspension kit with Sachs T1 shocks
I haven't addressed HP gains because I feel the car is fast enough the way GM built it. In SCCA T1, our drive train is stock other than PCM reprogramming and cutting the mufflers out. There are too many cars at a DE that are faster than mine.
Hopefully that all helps a little. Here are a few more threads on the topic which you may find interesting:
Preparation for Track Events
DE Checklist
What are required mods for track day reliability for a new Z06?
More info on AMSOIL:
Engine Oil:
I use AMSOIL Series 20w50 for the engine (track use only for my car), but would recommend the Series 2000 0w30 or the SAE 5w30 for the novice DE driver. These oils meet GM spec 4718M.
Tranny fluid:
I use AMSOIL ATF for tranny (meets Dexron III requirements)
Diff fluid:
I use AMSOIL Series 2000 75w90 for diff (meets GM Spec 9986115).
I chose AMSOIL because I liked the test results I found on the web, they are an American company making their oil in Wisconsin, they recommend extended drain intervals, and warranty their product.
You can find the AMSOIL recommended products for any vehicle here:
AMSOIL Online Product Application Guide
Buy AMSOIL at Wholesale
AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program allows you to buy any AMSOIL product at wholesale, which is about 20% less expensive than retail. Cost is $10 per six months and you can buy as much oil as you want during that six months. To sign up, all it takes is one phone call to 1-800-777-7094. Give them reference number 1206638.
Or you can use this link:
AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program
Again, please put 1206638 in the customer number block.
Sales help support my racing efforts and this site.
Thanks.
thanks in advance
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