Masochist

iTrader: (1)

I've got a bone-stock '02 T/A with an M6. My goal with this car is the corners.. auto-X 'n the like. I'm concerned with making it handle in the bends as well as a T/A possibly could more so than classes and whatnot in the SCCA.

I don't have a big budget initially so I ask you what brands of parts you'd use and in what order do you imagine you'd purchase them? Considering car is all stock.

Carter Hays

I would learn how to drive it first before I spent one dime on aftermarket parts. Go to an HPDE and see.

Nacho SS

iTrader: (4)

I would paint some sick flames on it first Yes, I'm an *******.

therealcreeper

iTrader: (37)

well this is the basics:

-Koni SA's
-Strano or BMR springs
-UMI or Strano 35/22 or 35/21 bars
-Adjustable panhard bar
-Subframe connectors

LilJayV10

iTrader: (39)

That **** cracked me up.

Seriously OP, if you are wanting to setup an F body for cornering I would talk to Strano. Yes I said it, it needed to be said.

There are a lot of sponsors on here that will sell you parts in a heartbeat but I haven't seen anyone besides Sam that has the know how on how to use those parts and explain why/how they work.

I bet by the time I wake up in the morning there will be several posts by sponsors saying, "Hey buy this!" Which I understand is their job.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Then:
Get a performance oriented alignment with a little negative camber.

Talk to Strano, he also sells everything listed below
Koni SA's
Strano sway bars w/adj rear bar
Weld in SFC
Strano lowering springs & UMI ADJ. PHB (w/roto-joints or rod-ends)
UMI LCA's (w/dual roto-joints)
Brake rotors(Racing Brake or ATE) & pads(Hawk), brake fluid (ATE Super Blue)

Once you've got used to all of that, and still want more consider a Fays2 Watts link.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

Don't paint yourself into a corner. Keep your options open. Parts will jettisons you into certain classes in ANY sanctioning body.

Today, it might not matter. Tomorrow ... you never know.


1. Learning to drive, as stated earlier, is the biggest bang for the buck in getting your lap times down. Its humbling to realize just how many really bad habits you learn while simply street driving.

2. Make the car safe. Flush the brake system and go with a quality brake fluid, pads and rotor combination.

3. Make the car comfortable. Not having to fidget or fight to stay in the seat will allow you to concentrate on #1.

4. Have fun. When you show up, the worst thing you can do is think you are Joe Stud. You won't get a lot of on-track cooperation nor off-track help. Egos have no place at the track. Egos are for the internet.


The title asks "How would YOU approach" ...

After YEARS of HPDE and AX, I decided the next step was Wheel to Wheel racing. It's not as much about low lap times as it is a chess game with the other drivers.

So, I stripped my TA to the tub. If it didn't make it stop, go or turn, it was removed. Weight is the enemy.

Suspension-wise, I went back with a known platform as I had learned from my years of DE-ing.

Five years later, I'm still tweaking with sway bar combinations, spring ratio combinations, shock combinations, tire pressures, etc, etc, etc. Keep meticulous notes and be very descriptive in making the notes. These nuggets of information are invaluable in being able to make an educated guess on how changes will affect the car's handling.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Note that road racing and autocrossing are two different types of driving events.

I'd recommend figuring out what type of event you want to race in and what class. Then work on building around that class.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I can help him out, regardless of what path he chooses. To truly road race one of these his best bet will be to run NASA.

Many folks confuse road racing with track days, and autocross too. So first, figure out what you think you want to do. Then you'll need to find the rules for it, so you can build a legal car and not waste money on things that won't help and might be illegal for the class you choose. Again, this assumes you want to road-race vs. build a good handling track-day car which would not have rules.

98_TA_EMLC

Good point Sam...

I don't want anyone to dictate what I can or can't put on my car on my budget (if someone else was paying, that's a different story )....so i don't run in any sanctioned classes...I just autox with some local clubs for fun! I get to put on the car whatever the heck I want!

That said....Sam is the man with these things. Personally I suggest Koni shocks...Strano Springs and Sway bars....then UMI everything else

However the BIGGEST and BEST thing you can do to corner well is get a good set of tires on it.

98_TA_EMLC

/\ Good start after tires and alignment

And Quit taking pictures of my car when I'm racing!

therealcreeper

iTrader: (37)

hahah nice car man!

Black_Z28

iTrader: (1)

I personally think the best three things would be better pads, dedicated tires, and shocks. Tire and brakes will allow you to go deeper into corners, and faster out of them, shocks will just help keep all that rubber on the ground.

I'm assuming the guy just wants a weekend track car for a HPDE.

SIK02SS

iTrader: (11)

He needs to learn how to drive it before he needs any of those things. GOOD seat time is very valuable to drivers of ALL levels. Go do some HPDE days with car how it is now: STOCK. Get an instructor to be with you; do this again (with a new instructor) next month. Repeat this until you feel very comfortable in the car, on track, and instructors aren't providing too much help you aren't already slowly (or quickly) figuring out on your own. Also ask the fast guys out there if you can go for a ride along with them each time you go. Watch them as a driver, what there doing, where there focus is, and then watch what lines they take, how they set the car up to take them, how and where they over take other cars, how aware are they of the cars around them, have they spotted the faster car coming up on them yet that you are watching in the mirror? These things are all far more critically important to what tires you are running, what brake pads you have, and what shocks you should use. All these parts are useless if the driver can't actually use them..

I talk quality seat time with instruction bc any Joe schmoe can go to the track and tool around with lots of bad habits and thinking he's a badass all while making his bad habits worse. The use of multiple instructors and ride alongs is very important to developing ones' self as a driver.

Do this first. Then look at what you want to do. Do you want to race wheel to wheel? Do you want to do time trial events? Do you want to keep doing HPDEs? Or do you just wantto do auto-x? Then whatever you decide, look into the rules of what you want (hpde doesn't have "class rules") to do and slowly begin adjusting parts as necessary. Remember though, parts that may work for someone, may not work for you..

SIK02SS

iTrader: (11)

And when I say dothis first, I mean more than a couple times. At least a year going once a month or more. You will find the money spent on the experience and instruction is a far better expenditure than that of mods to the car when you don't need them yet..