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I have asked many a question and most people direct me to join the forum. So this being my first attempt, forgive me if I missed where to find the info I need.
I am setting up a stock 84-88 C4 for track day events. Eventually a cage with the engine and trans swapped. For now its seats, belts, tires, wheels, shocks, all u joints replaced, and going to mid ohio.
Is there a thread on C4 set-up for road course?
What size tire is best for a stock C4, 285 width 17" all 4 corners has been suggested. I know 315 will fit but may be too much for stock suspension. Any and all help much appreciated.
Wasn't one of these in the for sale section already setup? It was cheap to.
What engine and trans are you going to?
I know you don't want to hear it, but C5's are cheap nowadays and parts are much more plentiful. The C5 is an incredible machine and stupid fast even in stock form.
This isn't the one, the one I'm thinking of is black I think. This would be a good one to copy, it's look pretty solid.
Cant find the one I'm looking for, it was flat black. Anyway, those 2 are some good cars to copy.
275/40/17 is the best size tire for those wheels. I would suggest some cheap street tires if you're a novice, I ran Maxxis MA-V1's for a year before I moved to a Nitto NT-05.
315 will need a 10.5 or 11 inch wheel.
BTW, we have a C4 section here also, and welcome to the board.
I really like the 711 car. You wouldn't need a trailer and a tow truck.
My other choice would be a Miata.
No matter what you buy you're going to spend at least $1,500 a day running track events. Some days less and some days a lot more. If you budget $1,500 you should be fine though.
Have I mentioned lately how much I hate trailers and tow trucks?
I did eight events this year .One set of pads ,6 used Hoosiers . I didn't spend any where near 1500 a day . Don't let him scare you off . I do have a clutch ,and wheel bearings that are nearing the of there life cycle . One more AMod championship
I have asked many a question and most people direct me to join the forum. So this being my first attempt, forgive me if I missed where to find the info I need.
I am setting up a stock 84-88 C4 for track day events. Eventually a cage with the engine and trans swapped. For now its seats, belts, tires, wheels, shocks, all u joints replaced, and going to mid ohio.
Is there a thread on C4 set-up for road course?
What size tire is best for a stock C4, 285 width 17" all 4 corners has been suggested. I know 315 will fit but may be too much for stock suspension. Any and all help much appreciated.
Why not a '89+ with the ZF trans? A Z51 or Z07 would be best. My Z07 rode like a truck.. super stiff. The 711 car Richard talked about would be ideal. The FX3 you can buy chips to set shocks stiffer or have the Bilsteins re valved by DRM if not already done for track days.
But yeah I am on the C5 bandwagon.. superior in every way. And imo you do not need a C5 Z06. I bought a base coupe/manual and just modified from there. Used parts are plentiful and reasonable. And if you damage a body panel you just unbolt it unlike C4 which most are molded/bonded ($$$labor).
But if you have to do a C4 just wait and find one already caged. Or something like the 711. They come up on here time to time. Racing Junk is also good place to look.
Have you guys added in your hotel bills and the tow truck gas? What about the food?
At the end of the season add up all your bills and then divide by the number of days you were on the track.
If you didn't have to buy tires you're going to be way under my budget. I'm talking about an average cost per day/weekend over a period of time.
Some weekends you can run for well under a thousand dollars, including your entry fees, tow gas and hotel bills. Then some major bills will come along.
I just think people need to be realistic about their total expenses. It's ok to lie to your family about how much you're spending but don't lie to yourself.
After, nearly, 50 years of W2W and track day weekends I'd say, at least, $1k for a 2 day event. Or more depending on distance
Or if you're towing, staying in a hotel and dining out
Also, at this point a definition of terms :
A track day weekend = 4 - 5 ( or more ) / 20 -30 min. sessions over a two day period instead of 2 - 15min. practice sessions and 5 - 6 single timed laps during a one day event.
No offense intended - the preceding just offered as a clarification
$3,000 a weekend? Maybe if you factor in engines and transmissions that dump. But if you're in a newer car I'd say that isn't the case.
Average entry for me if I wasn't an instructor $400
Hotel for 2 nights $270
Food $70
Fuel $150-175 depending on how far I tow
Tires $175 a weekend $500 shipped race takeoffs last at least 3 weekends
Brake pads $ 70 a weekend
Oil $ 20 a weekend
Wheel bearings $320 for 3 year warranty for 1 front and 1 rear. I swap as needed, so not much.
Alignments $100
I do about 5 weekends a year. So about $1100 a weekend for me as I'm an instructor, if not $1500 or less a weekend.
Check out the thread in this section.
Road race C4 updated 85.
should be around page 3 or 4 now, some ideas there of things you can do ,if you already have that generation vette.
You sound like where I was not too long ago. If you want all my opinions and info on how to stay cheap and successful, pm me before I go and write a novel that never gets read. +1 for 1500 being outrageous. I instruct so no track cost and spend about $400-$500 avg weekend if I divide my yearly cost by track events. I sleep in my truck. Run 275/35-18. Buy c5 18" rims for cheap and run conti scrubs from gt racing tires. $125 a tire shipped and they last a year and are practically brand new. I have come a long way and figured out what works and what isn't, along with who is down to earth on the forums and who has a $20k race trailer and fully prepped dedicated vette in it.
....
No matter what you buy you're going to spend at least $1,500 a day running track events. Some days less and some days a lot more. If you budget $1,500 you should be fine though.
That is about right. A weekend track event includes hotel, meals, fuel to/at/from the track, track fee, tires and brakes replaced after only a few events - good ones cost, don't forget tire shipping, mounting costs, fluids - especially brake fluid flushes and a million other little things. Yeah, I have spent well over $1500 a few times. When talking budgets these are very real costs. If you skip the expense of some of these it could get to be VERY costly on track.
Oh yeah, we haven't looked at the costs of upgrades, suspension/drivetrain/various components maintenance.
Also, I might add if you come to the track with minimal maintenance and expense on any of these items please don't ask me to instruct from the right seat.
Last edited by SouthernSon; 11-18-2016 at 09:22 AM.
That is about right. A weekend track event includes hotel, meals, fuel to/at/from the track, track fee, tires and brakes replaced after only a few events - good ones cost, don't forget tire shipping, mounting costs, fluids - especially brake fluid flushes and a million other little things. Yeah, I have spent well over $1500 a few times. When talking budgets these are very real costs. If you skip the expense of some of these it could get to be VERY costly on track.
Oh yeah, we haven't looked at the costs of upgrades, suspension/drivetrain/various components maintenance.
Also, I might add if you come to the track with minimal maintenance and expense on any of these items please don't ask me to instruct from the right seat.
$375 a session? Hard to swallow, not that expensive for me.
As far as mods go, those are choices...just like the car you choose to run with. If you buy a Miata and choose to LS Swap it and put aero on it...well you chose not to stay with a cheap Miata.
For a basically stock C5 I'd say its about $750 a day. For a Miata even cheaper. For a TT1 or TTU C5 or C6 I "might" could see $1500 a day.
You guys must stay in some cheap hotels and eat at McDonalds.
Richard Newton
Exactly
We stay at $125 a night hotels, so tired when you get there all you really need is a shower a ******* and a bed. Most times a buddy and I split rooms with 2 beads to help costs.
No need to eat at Ruths Chris, we eat the local dives....that's where the good food is anyway.
Last edited by FASTFATBOY; 11-18-2016 at 05:48 PM.
There are no Ruth Chris places in Sebring - or Homestead. Now if you want diner food that's available in Sebring.
The one place you absolutely want to avoid is the Chateau Elan dining room at the track. I love the hotel but I cannot abide the food.
If you're in Homestead you can get good Mexican food. There are a couple of Puerto Rican places as well. For some reason the Cuban places are not that good. The best Cuban food in the area is up in Kendall.
I've never been really happy with any of the food in Daytona. I usually end up at the Chipotle that's across from the track.
11-14-2016, 06:27 PM
C4 Road Course Car
That is about right. A weekend track event includes hotel, meals, fuel to/at/from the track, track fee, tires and brakes replaced after only a few events - good ones cost, don't forget tire shipping, mounting costs, fluids - especially brake fluid flushes and a million other little things. Yeah, I have spent well over $1500 a few times. When talking budgets these are very real costs. If you skip the expense of some of these it could get to be VERY costly on track. 
