Toilets

Just curious as to what mods people are running and still maintaining reliability on the course?

Mods as in engine performance (hp/tq)

Thanks

Bill Dearborn

Mods should be safety, reliability and brakes first, followed by wheel/tire improvements as your experience level increases. Engine mods don't help much until you get good enough to use the incremental difference in power they provide. Even if you get a big boost to ZR1 torque levels if you don't know how to handle all of that mid range torque you won't be able to drive the car as fast as one with several hundred less pound feet of torque.

Bill

jaa1992

Don't change a freaking thing!

Seat time is the best "mod" you'll ever do!

What year and model Corvette do you have?
Saw your other post that CMP will be your first event - brake pads and fluid will be your only "mod" for this event. Need to know about your Corvette first though.

Toilets

I like this approach. I'm just starting out in the roadcourse world and was just curious. Not to mentioned my 1/4 mile friends keep poking fun at my measley 436hp. I try telling them the car is designed for road and autox courses but you know that goes.

Toilets

It's a 2012 gs centennial edition 6spd with about 700 miles on the clock.

I changed the oil already and just got amsoil diff fluid and will be changing that next week.

StKnoWhere

Listen, watch, learn and have fun! A stock Vette is way more than enough car to start with.

rayk

Get all the instruction you can until they aren't having to coach you. It's more about the driver then the car. You'll see all kinds of cars slower then your vette.

redtopz

Nice car . The last thing you need is more power. Drive it like a momentum car and you will be fast.

AU N EGL

Mods

Contract patches

brake pads and brake fluid, brake cooling
Seats, harnesses
Tires


then nothing but seat time and more seat time

topmover

Forget about what your drag race friends tell you as HP becomes an endless pursuit as I've been there and done that. Everything these experianced guys have told you is what you need. Having started tracking my vettes two years ago now nearly 60 track days later if I had it to do over again I would "start" with the M6 GS so in my opinion your in a great spot in that regard. Unless you have alot of money to burn dont even think about engine mods at this point.

Once you get you brakes/fluid straight, max seat time and safety for 10-20 track days in as short a period of time possible. Once you do that you will have a much better feel for what you should or what you want do do.

Unless you think your car is going to be a full time track car I would put a clear bra on the nose, mirrors, half way up the hood and fenders and part of the rockers. If you find addition bad spots you can add painters tape.

AU N EGL

Drag racing. Hmmm

lets say they are some what good and can run consistent 10 sec passes.

and they get 12 passes in a day

12 x 10 sec is 120 sec wow that is 2 MIN

and they go to the strip 10 times a year or 20 whole min

One HPDE session is 20 to 30 min

3 sessions per day 6 per event

even at 20 min a session x 6 that is 120 MIN or TWO HOURS

It will take your drag race friends 6 years of track experience to get what you did in one TWO day HPDE.

Not quite apples to apples, but you get the idea

JeremyGSU

Here's my take. Keep it close to stock. Why? Because once you start modding everything else becomes the weak link and decreases reliablitly.

I have an '04 C5 Z06. At first I wanted gobs of power but now I'm glad I kept it near stock. I have a Vararam intake and tune. It's making 376whp or roughly 425hp?

I found with brake ducting, upgraded rotors and pads the brakes were sufficient but not great. If I made a lot more power then I would need a BBK. Then your costs go way up on both the cost of the brakes, pads, and rotor replacement and I would need to go to 18" front wheels.

Suspension upgrades are always nice but I would leave the power near alone. I'm instructor with Chin and I passed a number of C6 Z06's last event. Not because my car is better but just because I have more seat time. Everybody always wants crazy power upgrades when they should just work on seat time first.

Also, the more you mod it the less reliable it becomes. The engine will be working hard and your clutch may not hold up, etc.

Just drive it for awhile. I was amazed what this Z could do nearly bone stock. My only complaint is while my exhaust sounds great on the street I can't really hear the thing on track with all the other cars around.

jlutherva

Save your time and $$ and shelve the Amsoil diffy fluid until next year. The OEM fluid will be just fine for few events. Once you are doing 6-10 events per year, you will want to change both it and the tranny fluid annually.

I did see somewhere in a post the max recommended track days; however for me, it just clicked as "change the diffy & tranny fluid every year". Perhaps someone will chime in with a better number??

WRT mods - my first mod after the first event was the Quantum Cooling kit and CarboTech pads (xp-10/XP-8). Then seat time.

Jim

brkntrxn

Study up on us PTA/TTA guys. We do more with 340-370rwhp than most anyone without aero. My car is DEtuned from stock so I can get down to minimum weight.

jaa1992

Schweeeeeeeeeeettttt!
I've had a few students with the GS package.
Until you wear out your second or third set of tires in HPDE don't change nothing.
Since this is probably still street driven talk to the guys at Carbotech and Hawk about break pads. I think the stock ones are ceramic and not very good for the track.

If it was me I'd get Carbotech XP8 or 10 for the fronts, then a set of the autocross pads for the fronts to use on the street. Then XP8 for the rear.
Bed the "track" pads in, drive it for a couple of days, take them off and put on the "street" pads bed them in and drive it. At the track just swap in your "track" pads, before you go home swap back in the "street" pads. Nice thing is you don't have to swap rotors with the carbotech pads. The 10 front/8 rear is a good start. Your next set will be something more aggressive.

Toilets

I'm in mooresville too btw. Do you know Alvin at PCM4less?

Toilets

Exactly what I was thinking in regards to pads. After this event I will probably switch out the rotors as well and keep my stock ones as back ups

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

I will be happy to set you up with brake pads. You can PM me or call the number below.

brkntrxn

Yes, Alvin tunes my car. He also used my car as the prototype for his oil cooler kit. PM me if you want to stop by and look at the car or have any questions.

Kevin

69427

My philosophy is that I pass on any automotive activity where I spend more time fastening my helmet than I spend on the track.