Prep stories...

[phi22b@ck]

Ok -- I am new here. I was going to prep my RX-7 for ITS, but I have now become the very proud owner of 2 280Z's.

1 has a cage already welded in, and the other is a solid donor.

So what I am looking for are some of the stories you other IT guys have about prepping your Zs up. Like what suspension kits are best, brake upgrades, etc etc.

I am not a total Z newbie, some years ago I owned 2 260Z's. 1 with dual webers and the other with trips. (That was a ZOOM ZOOM!)

All help is greatly appreciated and perhaps I will see some of you out at the point once I get mine done!

d

[2ManyZs]

First question is this, are you sure you want to do this? The 280 is not going to be nearly as competitive as the Rx-7 (you have no idea how much it pains me to say that) so at best you will end up behind most of the RX-7's and the BMW's. Even the 240's are being pushed back in the pack slowly but surely.

If you really want to do it, then the best suspension kit would be the Ground Control system. I raced a 75 at Summit point in the past and had 325lb springs in front, 300 in the rear. And spring for the adjustable sway bars if you can afford them, you will want as much adjustability as possible if you plan on running other tracks, or just to maximize the handling due to the weather.

Brakes? Well, you can't do much except re-build everything you have to make sure it is in top notch shape, and use plenty of ducting to the front brakes to cool them. Don't bother with the NISMO rear shoes, they don't last. Try Porterfield or you could do like I did and use Wearevers from Napa, they lasted a lot longer and felt just as good. Front pads now are mostly by either Porterfield or Carbotech.

If you can afford it, use a Quaiffe diff or at the very least a LSD, you will have a hard time getting it to turn at Summit with a locked rear(been there, done that) and depending on whether you run a 4 speed or a 5speed you are going to want at least a 3.90 rear gear. If you have a 5 speed try a 4.11, 4:37 would be my choice with a 5 speed.

Engine mods are limited by the rules, so be sure to read the rule book carefully before you do anything.

Tires are as much a matter of preference now as they are a matter of budget, I haven't raced since 95 so they have come a long way since then, best to go see what everyone else is running and get their opinions and feedback on what tires to run.

Whatever you do, don't scimp on safety equipment, this is the most important part of any racing venture!

[2ManyZs]

I should explain my first part of my reply. If you ask any racer that has started form scratch with a race car, they will more than likely tell you it is always better and cheaper to buy a car that has already been built and improve on it from there. I ended up spending more on my 280 than what it would have cost me to buy a 240 that was already built and ready to race. And I was a mid-pack car at best. Only a couple times did I ever break into the top ten in a race. :disappoin

That was one of the main reason I asked if you really wanted to do this. A lot of the competitive cars may sound like they are really expensive to buy, but when you really sit down and plan out a racing budget you will see that what you plan to do may cost nearly as much or possibly even more when all is said and done.

[phi22b@ck]

Quite simply my reasoning is this -- no matter what I race, the first few seasons I am out there the car is going to be _WAY_ faster than the driver. That being said, I got both of these cars and an extra drive train for a GREAT deal. I also think that within my first three seasons there is a definite chance that I may ball the car up beyond recognition so having an extra chassis is not such a bad thing.

+ I have seen some of the recent races at Summit end up with 280s in second, third, etc. (no one is going to beat that dang beamer!).

I have a strong affinity for the RX-7, but the simple fact is that I can prep this 280 for less than the prep on my 7 for school -- plus the competition prep is roughly the same cost as making my 7 competitive.

So -- your not racing out there anymore? Summit will be my home track!

[2ManyZs]

I quit back in 95 after my father passed away and didn't get back to the track to keep up my license that year. I just didn't have the ambition after that, a good friend of mine passed away about a year later and I bought his old 240 that he had crashed up there at Summit from his widow. I just haven't gotten around to doing anything with it, been thinking about putting it back together for EP, but have too many other projects right now.

I think the 280 you may be referring to is driven by Jim Cummings, a black car that looks to have been painted with a brush? I raced with that car back years ago before he bought it. The PO owner and I had some great races together.

I recently sold my old 280, in fact it may be soon at a drivers school at Summit. Haven't heard whether the guy has it ready for the track or not. You can see some pics of it in my photo gallery.

If you have questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to help in any way I can. I'm here most of the time.

[phi22b@ck]

I certainly appreciate your advice and assistance.

I am sorry to hear about both of your losses.

I cannot do the brake upgrade to the 4 pistons on the fronts? I am still awaiting the postal service to bring me my very own GCR, but I thought that brakes were open like suspension -- "factory mounts" yada yada. ???

That is one thing I would certainly miss about my 7...

So the LSD or the NISMO diff is the way eh?

When you mentioned the Ground Control kit -- did you mean the same folks as www.ground-control.com? They dont appear to have updated their site since '99. YIPES!

So the 350s in the front eh? Thats exactly what I want to hear -- tried and tested from teh trenches!

really -- thanks 2manyZs!

[phi22b@ck]

Typos above:

nismo (diff) should be Quaiffe (sp?)

350 (springs) should be 325

AKkk this keyboard will not work with me...

[2ManyZs]

Look through the IT rule book.

Brakes must be stock, pad materials are free.

Engine is going to be nearly stock, balancing and blueprinting is allowed, no overbore more than .040, stock induction, can't trade FI for carbs.

The suspension is really the only thing on the car that you can do a lot of modifications. Coil-overs, camber plates, adjustable shocks (no remote reservoirs anymore), any sway bar, any spring length or rate, any bushing material. The only thing that is not allowed is changing mounting points of control arms etc.

Before you do anything, read the IT rules carefully, so you don't spend money on something you can't use. Make a "wish list" of parts and start to work.

There is also a web-site just for IT if you haven't been there yet. www.improvedtouring.com

Another way is to go to the track and look up John Legg, Wayne Burstein, Pat Sharkitt, Jeff Lucas, Jim Cummings, and get all your questions answered.

I may be at the last MARRS race if work lets me have the weekend off. Look for me with a ClassicZcars.com hat on.

[spudz]

Don't get 2ManyZ's going on this one. That 240Z

ITS car in his garage has been eating at him

for awhile.

Around here a few high dollar Beamers are winning

ITS. My friend wrenches on a BMW that the guy has

over 50K into . One good thing is that the Z can run in E Production $$$$$$ or Vintage . A few guys are changing their cars into Vintage racers.

I am setting my car up for Autocross , Solo 1 and

Hillclimbs. Erik at EMI Racing gave me a list of

things to do to the suspension to get it close

to where I should be. He is a suspension Guru

who has put together a few winning race car

suspension. He makes awesome camber plates for

the Z's and knows the cars well.

Good Luck and let us know how its coming along.

[smg1404]

These are very good posts for racing... I would love to get onto the track somehow. solo1 or vintage sounds interesting.. I assume that the rules are also in the scca rule book for these events... I am never failed to be impressed by the quality of information on this site... I learn at least one thing a day here... Thanks to all of the other participants. I hope my posts have not led anyone down the wrong path...

Steve

[2ManyZs]

The best place to start any type of racing is probably Solo, you will learn more about car set-up and car control then you will if you try to spend a pile of money and go road racing. Once you have seen how much it costs to just run a competitive Solo car, you might decide Solo is where you want to stay.

Road racing is fun, but it is a lot of hard work, and getting more and more expensive to run.

Here in my region, it costs 300 bucks to run a Drivers School, and you have to run two schools before you qualify for a license. 600 bucks will buy you a lot of seat time at Solo events.

Get the rule books, read them, and then decide which way you want to go.

Join the SCCA and get a crew license, attend a few races helping out in a specialty, like flagging, or help a racer on his pit crew. I crewed for a friend of mine for two years before I started building my first car. Talk to people and find out everything you can before you start buying anything.

That is the best advice I can give.

[spudz]

Steve,

I am a newbie to this type of motorsports.

I did spend the better part of my youth

crewing for a drag racer on his dragster.

I also worked at a performance parts shop.

I choose the Z as my fun car , because there

is alot of information on racing the car and

its lower cost to run it.

I have been picking peoples brains as much as

I dare to. Ask 2ManyZ's , He is probably getting

pretty tired of all my questions.

Another source of information is magazines like

Grassroots motorsports. They have been staying

pretty loyal to the lower budget racers.

I am not sure if you know the difference between

Solo and Solo 1. Solo is also known as autocross,

ot gymkhana. It is run around cones and it is a timed event with three or four runs with your best

run counting toward you results. Solo 1 is more like a time trial and is run on road courses or hillclimbs. It requires more safety equipment and

a racing license.