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As a PCA National certified instructor and racer for over 20 years, I recommend keeping your GS totally stock, putting on a set of Hoosier track tires. I Track a dead-stock Z51 and can tell you that more HP is not what you need. Half the time, I can't get the existing power to the wheels, and the TC is on. What you need is not a supercharger. You need more traction and more track time.
Also, have you installed safety equipment? Rollcage, full containment race seats, nets, a HANS device?
Full containment race seats and nets for a car that's 75% street? Jeez.
Yeah while I do plan to get harnesses to help me "stay in the seat" better and reduce fatigue, as well as be able to focus better on the controls, I won't be converting the interior to a full race setup.. On this car. Maybe in the future on a cheaper track-only platform, but not on the C7.
I do take the advice on driver mod and tires to heart though. I appreciate that input.
If you really need Z06 power, the added specifications/materials of construction that go into the Z06 design would be more suited for your racing application.
I've had the C7 for one season and 3 days at SPM, so I'm still learning the platform and my abilities in it.
My avg laptime in the GS (HPDE only) hovers around 1:28. Best so far is a 1:25.9
Excellent! Sounds like you're very aware of your own abilities currently.
I'm not sure you need more power or a ZO6 quite yet other than just because which is as good a reason as any!
The the Grand Sport with a decent tire on it is consistently a low 20's to a 20 flat car there with all out flyer's probably being 18's and 19's. A well set up ZO6 is 3 to 4 seconds quicker.
Thanks! I know there’s more time in the car as-is. I’ve yet to do a flyer that I’m 100% proud of. I know I can do better, but I’ve been focusing on the modular pieces for now (i.e. get the braking points right in each turn, use the throttle correctly, etc.). I haven’t yet focused on stitching it all together because my mechanics piece-by-piece just aren’t there yet.
That said, how much faster are slicks over NT-01s without changing any other variables? I’m running 315/335 section widths on 18” wheels.
And I think you said it better than I did, up above.
I’m not considering Z06/FI out of “need” but “want”. I’m not of the opinion that the solution to going faster at the track is +200HP. I just kinda sorta want it because I freaking have fun in this car, and when I go WOT I want a little more drama. Controllable drama, yes... but still drama.
My head says don’t do it yet. My heart says YEAAAAAAHAHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Thanks! I know there’s more time in the car as-is. I’ve yet to do a flyer that I’m 100% proud of. I know I can do better, but I’ve been focusing on the modular pieces for now (i.e. get the braking points right in each turn, use the throttle correctly, etc.). I haven’t yet focused on stitching it all together because my mechanics piece-by-piece just aren’t there yet.
That said, how much faster are slicks over NT-01s without changing any other variables? I’m running 315/335 section widths on 18” wheels.
I'm going to guess a second or so. I was pretty close even on Super Sports compared to Hoosiers funny enough. Just more slip angle.
Happy to go over corner data at SPM with you to give you an idea what kind of mile per hour you need to be seeing in each corner and what you might do to get there.
Thanks much! If I have time this weekend to look over my PDR videos (I don’t have data capture yet) I will share that info. I’m def way below the limits in each corner as I’m not yet “dancing” with the car. I prefer to work up to that limit methodically rather than the alternative, if you know what I mean!
And I think you said it better than I did, up above.
I’m not considering Z06/FI out of “need” but “want”. I’m not of the opinion that the solution to going faster at the track is +200HP. I just kinda sorta want it because I freaking have fun in this car, and when I go WOT I want a little more drama. Controllable drama, yes... but still drama.
My head says don’t do it yet. My heart says YEAAAAAAHAHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Murica.
Oh believe me I totally get it! More power the better is the way I see it. I hear all the time learn in a less powerful car and all that stuff. It's never ever made any sense to me.
I have never felt ever that there is anything wrong with learning how to go fast in a car with big power. To me it's way more fun to drive fast in a fast car then to drive a slow car as fast as it will go.
Hey Ash. As others have said it's great that you have a handle on your strengths and where you need to focus on improving. My best advice for you is to separate the "what I need to improve my driving" discussion from "what car do I want". More power is not going to help you throttle steer and in general I'd say the idea of trying to steer the car by adding throttle is not what you want. Once you get on the gas the diff is going to lock up and the car is going to want to go straight even with 750 HP. Breathing off the gas to get the front end to bite is one thing but in general I'd focus on being able to trail brake down to the apex and then get on the gas and back to WOT as quickly as possible while you unwind the wheel.
As far as the car is concerned I'd either look at a built NA motor or just trade for a Z06. Adding a procharger will give you more power but it also will generate more heat and assuming it has an intercooler that radiator will block flow to the radiator. Then add in the fact that it's added weight on the nose and you will want stiffer springs to handle that which puts you in a bit of unknown territory. If you still want to go this route try sending a PM to @Koan as he was very fast in a stock motor GS and last I heard had added a Procharger so he might have better real world experience on the track implications.
As for me, my plan is to go the Katech 427 route on my new GS along with DSC Sport suspension and AP Racing brakes.
P.S. I also have an F80 M3 but I've only tracked it a few times. It's my "plan B" for track events.
Yeah all my friends give me grief because they’re going spec miata or E46 and I’m going the “immature” route. The thing is, I’m an insanely busy person because of my job. I’m never going to be a racer, or the fastest guy on my platform. I’m cool with that. I just want to have fun, be safe and competent at it, and push my personal capabilities to their maximum. If that takes me a little longer but I’m having fun my own way while I’m doing it, I don’t feel like I should have to apologize for that.
That said, if my choices really do push me backwards and I can’t learn key lessons because of my platform choices, then those choices were bad ones for me. That’s my math at least.
Hey Ash. As others have said it's great that you have a handle on your strengths and where you need to focus on improving. My best advice for you is to separate the "what I need to improve my driving" discussion from "what car do I want". More power is not going to help you throttle steer and in general I'd say the idea of trying to steer the car by adding throttle is not what you want. Once you get on the gas the diff is going to lock up and the car is going to want to go straight even with 750 HP. Breathing off the gas to get the front end to bite is one thing but in general I'd focus on being able to trail brake down to the apex and then get on the gas and back to WOT as quickly as possible while you unwind the wheel.
As far as the car is concerned I'd either look at a built NA motor or just trade for a Z06. Adding a procharger will give you more power but it also will generate more heat and assuming it has an intercooler that radiator will block flow to the radiator. Then add in the fact that it's added weight on the nose and you will want stiffer springs to handle that which puts you in a bit of unknown territory. If you still want to go this route try sending a PM to @Koan as he was very fast in a stock motor GS and last I heard had added a Procharger so he might have better real world experience on the track implications.
As for me, my plan is to go the Katech 427 route on my new GS along with DSC Sport suspension and AP Racing brakes.
P.S. I also have an F80 M3 but I've only tracked it a few times. It's my "plan B" for track events.
Super helpful as always, man! Was good to finally get to chat with you at VIR in November. I love watching your videos too - they help me a lot!
Thanks for the tip on the steering. I think that makes sense. I’ll definitely be exploring my braking timing and overlap with steering and throttle in 2019. I’m definitely treating them mechanically as too distinct from each other and not organically “folded” together if that makes any sense (it does in my head!).
Also, I’m off the idea of procharging the GS thanks to the commentary here. It’s either keep the GS and maybe do a 427 build later on, or go Z06 in the Spring.
That said, if my choices really do push me backwards and I can’t learn key lessons because of my platform choices, then those choices were bad ones for me. That’s my math at least.
A Z06 is one of the fastest cars in the world. It's an exceptionally capable track day car as Poorsha showed us many times over. You buy one, it's covered by a warranty, it's as fast a car as you will ever need, it's reliable and did I mention it has a warranty for those times when it's not.
Your driving will improve and you will grow into the car. If you have made up your mind that you will really enjoy having more power I suggest the Z06.
The Grand Sport is a hoot though as it puts you in the "mix" with everyone else and requires a bit more work to go quick. Feels like it needs another 150 or so rwhp.
You're very welcome and I can relate a lot to your goals/approach just above, I'm pretty much the same way. The only other thing I'll say is don't let the Miate/E46 crowd tell you that you can't learn on a high HP car. The slowest car I've tracked was over 500 HP and while some things may have taken me longer to work up to other things came more quickly. Drive the kind of car you like, be safe, and have fun.
I'm happy to look at some data if you want to PM me but it might be a while until I can get to it.
Sincere thanks to both of you, and everyone else who has replied. I've said it before, but out of all the car communities I've participated in, this is the most helpful, competent and intelligent group of folks I've experienced.
If I get a Z, I'm going to be very selective about it. The GS I have right now is pretty special, and I wouldn't want it to feel like a big step down. I'm thinking 3LZ, alcantara interior like i have now, and probably grey or black. Maybe white but would have to have the full Stormtrooper look my gorgeous Carbon 65 has (and one way I am planning to get into a Z is to forgo the carbon for carbon flash).
12-28-2018, 07:41 PM
