Road Race setup/ Track pics

[jmauld]

Can you share the shock dyno of the Buddy Clubs? Can they be rebuilt/revalved in the U.S.? When you turn the knob, are you adjusting both compression and rebound?

Sorry for all the questions. It's good to see people out there doing track days with their 240's. If you have a choice between throwing money at suspension parts or seat time, the seat time will always pay off more, it seems like you are already doing this!!

I have run 17x9 with 265 wide r-compounds and 15x8 with 225 wide compounds. I decided to stick with the 15's and 225's due to how the car responded so much crisper with the lower CG and less rotational weight. Of course, I also got better gearing (Only 156whp vs your 250hp) with the 15x8's so that was another deciding factor.

[agrabau]

That oil cooler man... oh.. man.

[WhiteGLX]

Originally Posted by agrabau

That oil cooler man... oh.. man.

Not a fan of the cooler location huh? Ive gone over hows its going to be changed many times, if you check on those, i feel it woill be up to par with the people who actually know about racing setups.

i do however wish to see more pics of the car in your Sig...if you dont mind giving me a link or just posting more pics.

[WhiteGLX]

Originally Posted by jmauld

Can you share the shock dyno of the Buddy Clubs? Can they be rebuilt/revalved in the U.S.? When you turn the knob, are you adjusting both compression and rebound?

Sorry for all the questions. It's good to see people out there doing track days with their 240's. If you have a choice between throwing money at suspension parts or seat time, the seat time will always pay off more, it seems like you are already doing this!!

I have run 17x9 with 265 wide r-compounds and 15x8 with 225 wide compounds. I decided to stick with the 15's and 225's due to how the car responded so much crisper with the lower CG and less rotational weight. Of course, I also got better gearing (Only 156whp vs your 250hp) with the 15x8's so that was another deciding factor.

The knob adjusts rebound as far as i have been told, since they are only single valved. Yes they can be rebuilt in the US as of a year or two ago.

Shock Dyno:


Because ill be running bigger than stock brakes, and around 350whp for competition, i need at least a 275 series tires, and i cant use slicks (Hoosier track tries are not allowed) and the next best thing allowed in my class is the Toyo RA1's, so those in the 275 and no wider since i cant run wider than a 10" wide rim according to class rules for SE-R Cup SRX. more more needs bigger brakes which needs bigger stickier rubber.

What kind of track stuff have you done jmauld?

[jmauld]

Originally Posted by WhiteGLX

The knob adjusts rebound as far as i have been told, since they are only single valved. Yes they can be rebuilt in the US as of a year or two ago.

What kind of track stuff have you done jmauld?

I've only done a few HPDEs at VIR. I've been autocrossing for years though.

The fact that the Buddy Clubs only adjust rebound is very encouraging. I'm going to give them a call and see how much a rebuild cost is.

[agrabau]

I was just joking man. I saw that it was posted like a million times.

[WhiteGLX]

Originally Posted by jmauld

I've only done a few HPDEs at VIR. I've been autocrossing for years though.

The fact that the Buddy Clubs only adjust rebound is very encouraging. I'm going to give them a call and see how much a rebuild cost is.

I have no idea of rebuild cost, but the fact that they have it is an awesome thing to offer, especially in the states.

Originally Posted by agrabau

I was just joking man. I saw that it was posted like a million times.

good to see you read, thanks you, by the way, the work you guys do at your shop is freakin awesome, its the exact stuff i would love to start getting into if i wasnt to involved with school right now. I do alot of sheet metal work with gage pods for hondas, and i am learning composits this semester, and putting it to work by making fenderflares out of fiberglass. Id like to get some info about the SR youhave in the E30 and how te power feels and what all mods make the 380whp your making with it....

[WhiteGLX]

if you ahev all this track time and a job doin i dont knwo what, then you shouldnt be telling me tire width makes all the difference when compound wasnt ever brought up on your end. I said what i was going to do with my cooler numerous amounts of times, but you never read before you posted. And the chassis first before power, i explained myself, you jumped down my throat before asking me why it was setup that way instead of that i was all kinds of wrong. I felt it uneccessary to ask you anything about what you can do when you come on here and just bash the mysetup and assume people talk crap about me. If you have anything useful for me instead of just sayin that what i have is wrong then speak up instead of giving up. I dont wanna sit here and argue all day, id rather have good input from people then just stubborness.

I listen just fine, just not to people who say my ideas are bad without asking why i did it that way before hand.

If you dont have anything productive to say to me from here on out, then just dont bother.

[WhiteGLX]

I never thorught about running that much camber with a 275 series tire.....seems a bit extreme to me. I need seat tiem no matter what and i knwo the geenral modification i need to get to competitiona nd actually be competative, but a datalogging system cant replace seat-time im sure it is awesome with helpign dial teh car in for competition, but until i get closer to that point, i dont see myself doing anything then slowly modifying the car and getting as much seat time as possible. Good idea, but not for me in these stages of my track time, prolly in the future.

[WhiteGLX]

oh im deffinitly tryin to go as fast as the car will take me, which is why im upgrading to r-compound and mildly wider tires on all four corners. I wont put a 245 series on a 7.5" wide rim, just wont fit right. So the 225 is the only logical choice expecially since ill be moving alot faster with the Toyos then i was withthe Falkens, im not scared of it at all. I already slide most corners becasue of the Falkens, if the Toyos grip and beter itll keep my speed up and i wont slid nearly as much, less friction = more speed in my book. I dont spin any tire in a strait line, i only start to spin then when im cornering tryin to get on the throttle more than 30%.

[brainfood]

Hrmm toyo recomends a 7.5-9" wide wheel I dont think I would personally run them on a 7.5" wheel because with the tire rolling over like that you are not getting much more if any contact patch then a 225. If it was on a wider wheel I would go with a wider tire you will love the 225's as opposed to the 205's and especially going with r-compound tires. Also might want to change your driving a little to help you get on the throttle earlier maybe try carrying a little more corner speed and then easing into the throttle a little bit smoother, or try extending your braking zone a little and then transfer the wieght back to the rear sooner. Its hard because I havnt seen you drive but it sounds like you are initiating an almost braking drift on every corner by transfering the wieght to the front and then turning in, which is a fine driving style but you may benifit from a staggered setup maybe 225's up front and 245's in the rear. Have you tried to get some twin turbo rear 300z wheels I think they are 8" and they run 245's stock on them. Where are you located? I can probably get you a pair of 300z wheels but they will be like $100 a piece I think. Which is prob kinda expensive.

[WhiteGLX]

i dont doa braking drift at all...i brake, turn in, slide the turn mildly while on throttle a tad, and i roll onto the trhottle as i unwind teh wheel, i would like to be abel to roll onto the throttle more overall when comming out of the turn. If i extend my braking distance itll slow me down way too much. Most places ont eh trcak i have always been told to not just let off throttle because it unsettles the car too much., especially going into a turn. Most of the sliding i have done is because of the Azenis i was running they were just too thin and not grippy enough once i get my speeds up, which is why i was switching to a mildly wider tire with a softer compound. I looked into a full set or rear 300zxtt wheels so i could have 16x8,5 in every corner, then i would run the 245's all around. But as of right nwo i have had trouble finding 2 of then, mush less 4 rears. So i deccided to hold off on that and just go with a 225 tire all aorund on stock NA 300zx wheels, itll be betetr for me to get used to for now anyways. Deff good advice, just much different from what i am used to, so it would be very difficult to get away from my old style and teachings.

[brainfood]

Like I said it is hard for me to say since I havnt seen you drive but I am sure you have plenty of good nasa instructors that are assigned to you in each state can give you advice especially if you can get someone to ride along with you. the new tires will help alot but thats the same style I use just no counter steer I like to rotate the car after braking when the wieght is still on my front tires and then throttle out.

[WhiteGLX]

just to clarify, my intructors are not in MD, they are at the track and assigned to me by NASA at each event in different states.

[WhiteGLX]

ok updates..... been LONG time....

*got the new pads in HAWK HP+

*the ducitng is done for the v-mount, waiting the rest of installation.

*the bumpers (metal and plastic) have been modified approprietly

*and i got a set of used Hoosier S04's for my next few track events

*the hoosiers will mount to Mazda RX-7 FD wheels (16x8) with 1" spacers on 2.5" wheel studs front and rear, prolly with the fenders rolled a tad.

*and i have a new design for my switch panel and gauges...but that wont start until after this event...cause its too hot to even talk about right now .

pics very soon, few days tops....i swear

[WhiteGLX]

[Chasmoore04]

Steve knows what he is talking about.

[WhiteGLX]

Originally Posted by Chasmoore04

Steve knows what he is talking about.

who is steve....and what did he say that he knows so much about?

[downshift_sideways]

damn..this is the most quoted thread i've ever seen in my life...ez guys ez now

[Broaner]

It was a while ago but I'd like to bring back up the weight issue. I definitely don't think the "sub 2200" coments should be disregaurded. Long ago i weighed my car in at 2240 with a 1/4 tank. This was with everything stripped to the normal degree. Since then I've taken it all a step further and I definitely hope to be in the sub 2200 club later this summer. Cages and such definitely ad the weight back but until you've taken the car to that bare bones stage I wouldn't be so quick to call out.

[WhiteGLX]

the only thing i have left to strip that i dont need...is the sound deadening off the interior and a few metal brackets which i dont think will add up to 200 more lbs i can lose. Im around 2350 now with 1/4 tank, and all the sound deadening and usles brackets will bring be to about 2300 before my cage, i still have heater core in and the dash.

I realize some peopel are going for the lightest weight possible, but i dont see what other weight can be lost other then the heatercore and the sound crap from everything I have already removed.

I am also curious to see what everyone else is using to weigh their cars on...i dont consider anything a reliable weight unless corner scales are used.

[Chasmoore04]

Steve is the guy that owns you.

[WhiteGLX]

Originally Posted by Chasmoore04

Steve is the guy that owns you.

dont post here unless you have something relevent to current topic please....

trash talk over the internet is weak anyways, not proving anything, so keep off here unles syou have somethign to include about road racing, track setup for road racing, or anything along those lines.

[Broaner]

The heater core is significant. Does that also mean you still have all the HVAC ducting and blower motor? How 'bout the evaporator? I will be glad to prove my statements when I get my car driving in late May.

[WhiteGLX]

i have the heater core in, and the HVAC box with only ducting for windsheild defrost from teh blower motor, nothing extra. Its as basic a windsheild defrost setup can be without making my own ducting.

[suprmods]

power windows and the glass from both sides? wiper blades and motors? sound deadening could easily be 30 lbs on the interior, and if you wanted you could go under the car as well to take the underbody tar off as well.

you obviously arent that worried about a minimum weight, but there are ways to make your car loose 150lbs without cutting holes in the floor panels. Come the day when you are ready to compete wheel to wheel, you may feel the need to make the car lighter. Where there is a will there's a way.

[WhiteGLX]

Originally Posted by suprmods

power windows and the glass from both sides? wiper blades and motors? sound deadening could easily be 30 lbs on the interior, and if you wanted you could go under the car as well to take the underbody tar off as well.

you obviously arent that worried about a minimum weight, but there are ways to make your car loose 150lbs without cutting holes in the floor panels. Come the day when you are ready to compete wheel to wheel, you may feel the need to make the car lighter. Where there is a will there's a way.

manual windows, i need to keep them becuase hte car sits outside 365 days of the year unless its beign worked on. I am going to keep wipers for rainy day track events, i know everyone uses rainX but it hasnt beent eh best for me, so wipers stay. The soudn deadenign is all i have left to remove along with a few interior brackets, maybe 50lbs worth of stuff left. And that alli will remove because everything else (heater, wipers, dash) is for function.

Originally Posted by suprmods

Also you really need to consider a way to adjust your alignment. The Hoosiers and Toyos respond very well to negative camber. With a stock setup you will not be using the most of the tire. Also tire roll over is not necessarily due to the tire, or the suspension. It can be a combination of the two, but it also has a large part due to the alignment. You could have a crappy suspension, and a crappy tire, but if you had enough negative camber, you wouldnt get alot of roll over. I would really try and find a camber kit or something just so you can get the most out of the Hoosiers.

Why buy $700 worth of tires, and only use $350 of it?? (not sure on the costs, but you get the idea)

I have KYB shocks and Tein springs as of right now, they alright, but i just sinply cant afford to upgrade to the coilovers i want (Buddy Club Racing spec dampener). I have planned on getting a camber kit to mount up to get more negative camber, but right now all i have at most is about -1*. I dont recall saying anythign about tre roll over, just teh fact that my old Azenis were not good enough and have been heat cycled too many times and they were nolonger heating up properly to get any kind of traction out of them. The hoosiers were gotten so i can get used to somethign really grippy instea dof somethig made for lower powerd cars. Id liek to egt used to them before i go playing with camber setups.

oh and shhhhh, dont tell anyone, i got my hoosiers for 250, with only 2 autoX runs on them.

[suprmods]

Also you really need to consider a way to adjust your alignment. The Hoosiers and Toyos respond very well to negative camber. With a stock setup you will not be using the most of the tire. Also tire roll over is not necessarily due to the tire, or the suspension. It can be a combination of the two, but it also has a large part due to the alignment. You could have a crappy suspension, and a crappy tire, but if you had enough negative camber, you wouldnt get alot of roll over. I would really try and find a camber kit or something just so you can get the most out of the Hoosiers.

Why buy $700 worth of tires, and only use $350 of it?? (not sure on the costs, but you get the idea)

[WhiteGLX]

gauges and switch panel mounted...what do you guys think?






Bung for the oil temp mounted, pic is without sensor installed, but it is all snugged up now and not leaking....



my V-mount brackets in view, oil cooler location, and a odd shot of my intake i have rigged up with a piece of leftover hotpipe from teh FMIC kit i used to run....

[AceInHole]

Just thought I'd chime in on here on a few points:

Saw agrabau's BMW run at a Devens autocross (think it was last year?). Car sounded badass, but too bad it didn't pass noise level I personally liked the tow- setup more :P


As for camber: it'll depend a lot on how low/ stiff your car is. With the 9kg springs up front and whitelines on full stiff I was at about 4.5deg running the 275 Hoosiers. Same spring setup and slightly lower I was at just under 3 (going from memory) running 245 Victoracers. More grip = more roll = more camber, I guess (a lot of my setup was based on heat distribution).

As for tire, 225 RA-1's are definitely undersized for anything over stock (or bolt ons) power, IMO. Given, I have limited experience on RA-1's... but running low to mid boost on my old setup (good for around 200-220hp) with the 245's, I felt very limited. Halo ran a 225/ 245 RA-1 setup for a few (i think) autocross seasons and I'm pretty sure he wasn't too impressed with them (always had the "you've got the better tire setup" card when visiting NER :P).

As for tires on a 7.5" wheel: they'll fit fine, especially if they have some sidewall. I ran 245/45/R16's on z32 wheels for a long time before upgrading. A lot of stock class autocross cars will run an oversized tire as well. I might be running 275's on an 18x8 for instance (racing my daily driver while rebuilding my s14 this year).

As for suspension: Koni 28-series all the way :P Might go with revalved Yellows for my daily driver if I do Solo II Nationals with it (have an urge to invade the "pony car class" with my G) but looking at running a full race setup on my s14, although that'll be a trailered car. If you're going to be driving to/ from events, though, I'd bet a Ground-Control/ Koni Yellow (revalved/shortened or not) would be your best bet.

Finally, I like the theme of your interior, but for a full race car I would've done a cluster on the steering column. You don't need a speedo/ stock temp & fuel gauge for a race setup (well, fuel might be nice to know, but as long as you can see it at all even if not at a glance). I'm also hoping you're doing a full roll cage with side intrusion bars... especially if you're gutting the doors...

Anyways, nice build up and updates! Hope you get everything sorted out, regardless of flames and what not.