trapp

I have read so many threads about if you are going to track your (Z06) upgrade your brakes system, oil cooler, valves, etc. Is there any STOCK cars that you can track safely without pouring money into them. I understand wear and tear such as tires, brake pads etc. It might be a stupid question but I am interested in tracking car and joining a club and I want to keep cost down. What car/setup is best for the track and is not going to break the bank. I know this is a Z06 forum but alot of you had different cars that you have tracked in the past and I want your feedback. Honda s2000, older 911? WRX, EVO, I have a Z06 (07) but I think it would be to much $$ to upgrade it for the track and maintain it.

jswatek

That's easy! Miata!

COBrien

Interesting question....the answer also depends on what you mean by "best". In reality you can track a completely stock Z06 for quite awhile without major issues. You'll burn through a set of stock pads in less than a day, though, which gets expensive. You'd really want to go with a race pad if you were going to be serious about tracking the Z. The stock brakes do their job of STOPPING the car very well, are fade free, and easy to modulate. I ran a couple of days on my stock setup before switching to Stoptechs (switched primarily because of better pad availability and easier maintenance swapping pads, not because I needed something that worked better!) and had no issues. I've heard complaints from some people that over time that had issues with cracking rotors, etc., but I didn't experience those firsthand. Though drilled rotors typically do crack easily, thus you'd probably want to go with different rotors after wearing out the first set.

And definitely you're leaving some time on the table if you don't swap the run-flats for something stickier (MPSCs, Kumhos, Hoosiers...). But you can certainly track on the stock tires and have a lot of fun.

The other thing you'd really want for the Z06 is a harness bar and harnesses. The stock Z seats are terrible on the track; you spend all your time bouncing off different parts of your interior based on whether you're accelerating, braking, or turning. Again, you don't HAVE to make this change, but you'd want to.

There are only two other cars that I think you can buy new and track immediately (after breaking in the motor, of course :-) ): a Lotus Elise/Exige, or a Porsche 911 GT3/GT3 RS. I've made no changes to my Lotus in order to track it; the only thing "extra" I bought was a set of harnesses to use with the factory-installed harness bar. Stock tires are fine, stock brakes are fine, and the car is a total blast to drive. Same story with my GT3; other than changing the factory alignment, I've done nothing to get it more track-ready. Again, stock brakes and tires are fine. It's a dry-sump motor, there are no oiling issues to worry about. The car was designed to be tracked (as was the Lotus). I'd say both the Lotus and GT3 are more "track ready" than the Z06 out of the box, though the Z06 would definitely be third in the list compared to the other cars out there.

Finally, another way to go is just to get a Spec Miata. For about 10K you can pick up a race-ready Spec Miata in good condition with a full cage, electrical cutoff, fire system, race seat, track-ready suspension, etc. It'll be the cheapest of any of the cars to run by a long shot (e.g. $99/axle to replace BOTH rotors and both sets of pads, and you'd probably get half a season on each set!!), and they're very reliable. It's not going to be as fast as the Z06 or GT3, but it's still going to be fun, and by far the most cost effective (case in point: doing a big brake kit, wheels/tires, and a harness bar for the Z can easily cost you 10K, and the consumables are a lot more expensive, as is the wear and tear on the car).

Good luck!

allanlaw

Compared to a lot of other cars, the Z practically drives itself on the track. Up to a certain point, there is very little you have to do to it - the occasional HPDE event, for example. As the number of events, the pounding imposed by the particular track and the speed of the driver increase, you will have to make incremental upgrades in the components like brake fluid, pads and certainly tires (which usually requires another set of wheels to accomodate the sizes of tires you'll want), suspension, etc. Finally, we get to the full-blown racers who need to rebuild almost any car they run, and for whom starting with a C6Z is not really the best idea. Thus, you have to evaluate the source of posts you read here to determine if they are more like you or less like you. On the other hand, if you have an unlimited budget . . . .

Now, there is no question that Miata's can be a lot of fun . . .

Live2Redline

Noble http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120703

Minkster

Spring Mountain uses completely stock cars for their classes.

ProgGod

Bondurant uses complete stock vettes, and their track is very hard on the cars. They upgraded, fluids and brake pads, but I believe thats it on the most part. I think the Z06 probably is a little less reliable on the track actually, because of the increase horespower and load on the car.

I was amazed what those stock vettes could do!

COBrien

Be careful of Nobles! I track with several of them, and while they're quick, they all seem to have significant cooling issues (as in go run 10 mintues and come in and park for 60 minutes before you can go back out again).

LTC Z06

My C5 Z06 with few mods handled the Nurburgring. Mod the driver and you don't need a big brake kit for some HPDEs.

fedaricko01

i 1LZ Z06 is pretty sick around the track while still being stock.
but you can do some slight add ons that would make it better, as in different pads, brake fluid, and stainless steel brake lines.
A lotus exige is pretty good also.

trapp

100k.....thanks but that defeats the Question.

Cobra4B

The Z06 is pretty high up there... a beginner only needs fresh pads, fluid, a helmet, and an open mind.

Once you start getting fast and have been doing this for years pretty much any road car needs major upgrades. Things like suspension (esp bushings), wheel bearings, and brakes all take a beating far greater than the oem designers intended.

You start to get into race car territory which is why we got the Panoz vs. continuing to mod/run a Z06.

NKRZ06

Buddy picked up a used Lotus Elise cheap and drives the crap out of it at the track....

elh0102

To the original poster, you didn't mention your goal. Assuming no prior experience, I assume you are thinking of DE events, not time trials or anything competitive. Which means, you can make it whatever you wish. You can have a lot of fun, improve your driving skills a lot, and do nothing at all to your car except routine brake maintenance; better pads and fluid. You will find folks (perhaps you already have), who go absolutely nuts over modding their car. Some succeed in getting their cars to the point of being poorly prepared for anything, street or track. As it sits, your car is capable of incredibly high performance driving. No, you can't run it in a 24 hour endurance race, but it will take 20 minute track sessions without issues, demanding only a modest amount of cooperation from the driver. There are a lot of performance and safety considerations that have to be addressed in preparing a track car and, the fact is, a new street car is a poor starting point. You can end up with something you don't want, but can't sell. My suggestion, enjoy your car to your mutual limits for at least a couple of seasons. If the track bug is then demanding something else, build a track car.

Cobra4B

This is great advice... slap on a helmet and run 4 or 5 HPDEs, if the bug intensifies then worry about modding etc.

C5Lion

I was just there this weekend and was blown away by what a stock Z06 can do when it is in the hands of someone very capable. If you want to see what this car can do, have an instructor take you for a spin. I was considering modifying my car like so many cars that I saw at the event and in all honesty the driver is the best mod you can do. Part of my reason for going out with an instructor was to see how far off I am from what this car is capable of and it became very apparent that I am way off. I need to learn how to drive much better before I need to modify the car. If you ever get a chance to get to Spring Mountain, have the instructor take you out for a ride. The instructor that took me out said there are 2 other cars that are worth their money like the Z06. One is a Ferrari 430 and the other is a Porsche Carrara GT. On that track the Z06 and Porsche are just about dead even.

805Z06

911 GT3 is the way to go if you want to keep it stock and under warranty

427 C6Z

There really is only one vehicle that will give you everything; from safety to performance all for a reasonable price. Check out the video on the link below...

http://www.springmountainmotorsports...ical-division/

There have been a couple of these things on eBay going from $33k-$55K. Beyond holding their value, they also hold the record at the Ring.

Besure to check out some of the vids on YouTube; Radical!!!

rustyguns

is there a class for these?

rustyguns

C6 Z06 ?