Nowanker

Where do you start?
Start with a whole boatload of cash.
As already stated, much cheaper to buy someone else's already built car. Let them eat sh*t on the cost.
If you're absolutely committed to tracking this one, firm up your goals BEFORE you start modding. Do it once, do it right, spend the money once and avoid spending it again and again.
Decide just how far you want to go with it as a track car. If it will be dual purpose, it WILL be a compromise for either one (If it will be purely a race car, see first paragraph!).
Most of my friends (and me...) have fallen down the slippery path of taking a nice street car, and wanting to make it 'funner' at the track. Each mod made it less pleasant to drive on the street, until it became useless except on the track.
"hey, we're taking highway 1 down from Monterey to Santa Barbara!"
"Cool! you taking the 911?"
"F*CK THAT! we're taking the wife's Camry."
And at that point, you throw away all the street/track compromise parts you put on, gut it, cage it, and turn it into that race car you could have bought for 1/3 the cost...
This is of course just my opinion, having only followed that path twice now...

Captain Buddha

The above has *very* valid points! I sort of went down that road with a '13 Z06 (meaning that I bought it as a track car but soon realized that I really would be better off in a purpose-built race car) but then went all-in with an ASA/GTA race car. That was the reason I was asking what you were wanting to do. Just throwing out another option, and hey, it's the same color as yours LOL! I know this car, the builder (a friend of mine), it's safe/clean/fast. That's my old race seat in there. Give Ricky a call!

https://www.racingjunk.com/GT/182972...ar-SCCA.html#1

Racingswh

The two cheapest cars by far I have ever used at the track are my Wife's Grand Sport and my ACR-E. The purchase price doesn't have much to do with the actual cost except if you look at opportunity cost of say the ACR-E and that could certainly be considered significant to some.

The ACR-E has little to no depreciation and works well enough to run at DE's and have fun. It has a warranty and anything that ever goes or has gone wrong with it is covered. It runs on pump gas and now that I have switched to iron rotors pads and rotors are cheap.

The Grand Sport is almost as cheap but not quite since I would expect depreciation is greater than the ACR . It also has a warranty that mitigates any further cash outlays to keep it running. It's fast enough to be a lot of fun at a track day.

There is also the question of liquidity. A dedicated racing car can't be returned to stock, have the safety equipment parted out, and then sold to Car Max for cash tomorrow.

If someone is only doing track days and has no intention of W2W and they still want to have a car they can drive on the street I suggest a C7GS or 2017 + Z06. They basically need nothing except for safety equipment and off you go. When they break take them to the dealer. When you want to get rid of it depending on how you do it then it takes days not months to years like a dedicated racing car may in some cases. Just not that many people walking around with cash to buy racing cars.

I have a dedicated track only C6Z that will be caged next year so it can be used in W2W races. It is by far and away the number one most expensive car I have ever owned. When finished it will also be the fastest but just by a little. It has no warranty. When I popped the motor it was on my dime to replace it. In this case there was absolutely no reason for me to build my own car. Made no financial sense or any other kind of sense for that matter. I should have bought a completed car and would if I had it to do over again.

My friend just bought this TA2 Camaro for significantly less than I have in the C6Z. Same money as a new base C7Z. He wants to race W2W. Made no sense to start from scratch with anything when cars like this are available.

Captain Buddha

Loshak's TA2 is SWEEEEEEET!! As someone who has a TA2 racecar as well, they are AMAZING!!

Glowing Rotors

If you do continue to mod your Corvette to turn it in to a dedicated track car, know this.... on the track you run the risk of overheating the brakes to the point of brake fade... just like we did... four years ago before we upgraded the C6Z brakes, my son was driving the car and nearly put it into the tire wall at Canada Corner at Road America. The fluid boiled, the brakes faded and he went off, big time... You have to manage the heat which brakes generate on a road track... Serious track cars need good front brake ducts which bring cool air into the inside of the rotors. There are several people who make kits for this... Also, learn how to bleed your brakes if you don't already know how. Before we put in a BBK and ducts we used to bleed brakes at least twice a day at HPDE to ensure the fluid near the caliper had not boiled... Also consider upgrading your brake fluid to higher boiling temp brake fluid.... The first three things we learned about turning a C6Z street car into a track car were brakes, brakes, brakes.

Racingswh

I might be more excited than he is!!! I can not wait to see the thing in action and be on the track with him. I just have to remember to take it easy and not push when he is learning the car. It's easier said than done as you know.

I am guessing there will be a learning curve as he comes from a fairly well sorted C6Z that made about 550 rwhp? Fast but certainly no TA2 car.

For a W2W car, and a competitive TA2 car at that, I thought this was a really good move for all of the reasons you mention. Luis is friends with Vinnie Allegretta and apparently Vinnie helped influence his choice.

I 100% agree with planning and if this is where the OP wants to end up then there's no reason to mess with building anything.

Captain Buddha

The biggest difference will be weight bias (the TA2 is more biased to the rear than a vette) but that can be good (for putting the power down, the car will HOOK!!). However, your friend is going to have to be patient on turn in - getting weight on the nose/trail-braking is key. Also, the car will be lighter but the brakes are smaller (15" wheels vs much larger on the vette). On tires - he can stay with the Pirellis or if he wants to save some money he can run the Hoosiers. Tell ya what - your buddy needs to get on here and start a new thread about it!!

AND - registration JUST today opened up for the SCCA COTA Super Tour Race Weekend Feb. 2-4. The TA2 will race in GT2 as-is. I just signed up a few minutes ago - tell him to come awwwwwwn!!!

https://www.motorsportreg.com/events...ne-star-107893

Racingswh

It won't be 2018 for either of us . No way he or I could jump into the deep end right away nor will my car be finished. Way too much else going on for me at least.

Our hope is however that you will see both of us, with me in the C6Z and him in the TA2 Camaro running GT2 and TA2 respectively, once in awhile in 2019.

For this stuff we are talking about now OP if it's ever your goal definitely buy a completed car. Don't do what I did. Makes no sense whatsoever.

ncstingray

The car will not be driven on the street once converted. I have an enclosed car trailer the GS will be trailered to the tracks.

Basil2000

racingswh, what would you recommend as safety equipment for someone doing track days with a stock c7?

64drvr

If this is a truly hardcore build I would reconsider some of your mods. Instead of pads on stock calipers, you should look at an essex AP kit. Instead of a harness bar, look into a cage, etc.

Racingswh

I have to answer that it depends on what level I was at and how exactly I was going to use the car. If I was a beginner just getting into the sport for the first time I would bring my stock car with proper brake fluid, pads, fresh oil, and and a thorough safety check.

With a stock C7 and an SA2010 or SA2015 helmet combined with comfortable clothing appropriate for the weather and a decent pair of driving shoes I would say you're well on your way to having fun if you listen to your instructor.

If I was going to be doing Track Days regularly at a more advanced level I would go with the following:

Racing seat that fits the driver properly with something equal for the passenger.

6 point harnesses from either Schroth or Teamtech

Seat and belt Mounts from Mark at AMT

Harness bar and I happen to like Brey Krause

SA2015 Helmet which all have neck restraint attachment mounting holes pre-drilled

Neck Restraint such as a HANS. I happen to use an R3.

Proper Racing shoes

Proper Gloves

I happen to view maintenance as safety as well. I over service my cars but I feel better that I am looking at them constantly to address any issues that may arise.

I may have forgot some stuff but I think that's a good start.

SouthernSon

Exactly! and don't do another thing to it until you have at least 3 years of HPDE under your belt. After that, should you decide you may want to do this for quite aways into the forseeable future, then consider taking what you have back to street OEM and then get someone else's fully modified racecar.

Captain Buddha

Hey now, none of us are getting any younger!!! That's a looong time to wait...! LOL - I went from a year of track days in vettes (but a LOT of track days in that year) to a race car then to comp school then racing...the clock is ticking and I'm "only" 46...just saying.

Racingswh

Damn it's crazy. I have 3 years on you. Did my first DE in April of 2003 at VIR.

Had just finished 3 years in the Skip Barber series program and at the time I simply did not have the money to do it as often as I wanted.

After all these years I finally went sub 2 at the Glen and was faster than I have ever been everywhere I went. I wonder what I was waiting for??

Time flies and I feel like when you're doing this with everything that happens and all the friends you make and hustling to get the car ready again all the time it seems like the time goes by even faster.

All I can say for those that want to try it "It's a blast!! Don't wait!!"

Basil2000

thanks guys for the advise. i have been doing some track days in my 15zo6 m7 w/z07 and comp seats for 2 years now. car is stock and i have been doing all my track prep work b4 every track day. after my last track day i noticed i was being thrown around a lot. the next day my left leg and my shoulders were sore from hitting the door panel and i think from holding on to the steering wheel. i cinch the belt and then move seat up so the belt is tight.sounds like i may need to look at seats, harness bar and 6 points. i have limited time to track due to work and going mountain bike racing with my 2 boys so i don't want to go crazy modifying my car. i have the bug bad though, i used to dream of girls. now i dream of ripping my car around a track. it is becoming an issue. living in the northeast in winter is brutal, trying to set a date at spring mountain for February.

SouthernSon

You youngster!!

Nowanker

Totally not my business. I apologize for even asking.
But: Why in HELL would you take a nice, almost new, really pretty, probably nicely optioned and unmolested car and turn it into a dedicated track car?
Start with a repo/salvage title/theft recovery/etc. After a few hardcore track seasons, your brand new track car will look like that anyway.

Just my opinion, and again I apologize, but it makes me sad to see such a pretty car sentenced to that fate.

JRitt@essex

The simple answer is, because he can! If you have the discretionary income, why start with a car that has a questionable past, set yourself up with potential headaches, etc.? If you start with a clean slate and have the time and money to customize it exactly how you want, then why not go that route? Many other members are telling the OP that his current path is going to be more expensive and time-consuming, and they're correct. That's okay though, because he's going in with open eyes.

A car is just another 'thing' or 'object,' and as a sports car, this particular one was designed to provide enjoyment for its owner. For some owners that is shining it or looking at it, and for others that is driving the heck out of it. You shouldn't be sad for the car, you should be happy for the owner! He's going to get more smiles per mile on the track than he possibly could anywhere else.

If you can't stomach a minty C7 being turned into a track rat, definitely steer clear of Rennlist and Ferrarichat! Those guys talk about the Shelby GT350 and Viper ACR-X like they're cheap, disposable toys. And to them, they are...which is cool. I say good for them.

Captain Buddha

You know, they have interstate highways that go South!! Track days ALL year long!!

Our local track (ECR) is having its Open Track Day this Saturday..woo hoo!!

Gotta love living in Texas!