don't understand why only 5 moded Z's in the 12's ???
 

I'm thinking of getting a 370Z, & I'm looking at the track times. I don't understand why there are only 5 MODED 370z's on the list that were able to break 13 seconds.
Please don't tell me they are being road raced. Two are my friends Ray & Jason, one is from Canada:) plus 2 more. I know I'll get slammed for this post, but I still want to know why cars with 332hp & 350hp + Mods can't break 13 seconds? One day I was at Atco & there were 7 (2009 to 2011)street driven Mustangs that ran from 10.10 to 12.70 second 1/4 miles. It was a very busy Sunday. There were O 350z/370z there. I wanted company/support! Asked one of the track guys why no Z's. His answer, we get one or two sometimes, but they are slow. I'm bored, & I know I'm asking for trouble:) So going in that direction, & not sticking to the subject, is something I'm sure I'll get...... Some drag racing at Cecil MD today. Will check 350z site for results.

Not everyone posts their time slips. I have the heaviest model (touring with sport 7AT) with intake, CBE, 20's with tiny tires. Shifting at 6900 instead of 7500 i ran 13.0 all four passes i made that day.

Most guys like me that go to the track do it for fun, not bragging rights.

Not many people like to drag race their Z's I guess.....The only reason I do it so much is because it's a lot cheaper than going on a road course. I'm probably gonna slow it down for drag racing next year and focus more on autocross.

A Moderator from the 350z just came back from Cecil Drag strip. Took his old 2003 Z with 110k on it, & made 3 runs in the 12.9's. He's posting/videos & sounds happy as chit. Drag racing is fun.....

OK and your telling us this why??? I'm glad he had a good time it is fun that's why i've been going to the track for over 15yrs now. Like i said for fun not to brag, i love the Z but it is by no means anywhere near the fastest street car i've ever owned. That's not why i got it, i bought it in early 09 because i had been wanting a 350 and found out the next Z was about to come out.

I can already tell this thread has the potential for a flame war, so let me remind everyone that this is in the tech area, so keep your posts civil and on topic.

I will be civic
 

I will be civil :) too many civics at the track..:)
99% of my car use is easy cruising with the music on. I don't get on my car. I don't get baited into highway chases either. I don't do road racing because of expense, roll cage & far distance of road tracks. I do however enjoy taking my car to the limit on the twisting country roads in my home area. I do like drag racing very much. A 3.5 or a 3.7 4 everhead cam, 4 valve per cylinder alum. engine in a 3,200 lb. car is an ideal set up for competition & fun. If you're young, or young at heart, & you don't enjoy racing, winning, driving well/the best you can, that is just not in my understanding of life/living. I still believe to each his own, or something like that:) So Z owners should do what makes them happy. I don't understand moding a car, spending thousands for power/speed & not using it in some way. I don't get that, but that's my problem.
I realize now that without Jason running a Z & his low time that I might not be able to challenge, maybe owning a 370z is not for me. In bracket racing I would be with people with all different brands/types of cars, that enjoy racing/competing. So that's what I'll probably do & won't be annoying the people here. In today's world, it's not important whether we win or lose; after all we are ALL winners:) Oh, I heard that Z owners will now be getting throphies for showing up:) Is a little humor still O.K.?

To keep it technical, the Z pulls a max. of about .35G in a straight line at its peak in 1st gear, less than .3G in 4th gear accelerating. Meanwhile, the car can hit around 1G braking and cornering. I am sure some will argue that you are not getting the most out of your vehicle. Whatever rocks your boat man.

Bracket racing. Just take a slow car with a CVT, you will do well. Whoopi

:driving:

My tired old DE still has some legs left I suppose. Not bad for a dedicated autocross car. It was the first time it had been fired up since the last event of the year. Still on 850/700 springs, custom koni's, and worst alignment in the history of drag racing. It was the first time I went down the strip in 2ish years. I will probably re-align the rear when I run about this time next year. It's a full prep (minus aero and E85) BSP autocross car. With an E85 tune, more aggressive plenum porting, and re-align....I think it can go 12.60-12.70 range next December. We'll see.

Hi Mike,
Wish I could have been there:( So many racers, such good time had. Find another 10 h.p. Congratulation!
As you can see, I haven't changed:icon17: I'm done here anyway. I must say , the moderators are fair & stick to business just like you.
Later

highly cencered-not cool
 

We're not that fragile. No humor.

This is a tech section, if you want humor, I can recommend the lounge area.

As must guys said drag racing its not that popular in the Z community. My car I'm sure is capable of a sub 13 second run but the best I could pull off was a 13.9. Mind u it was. 100+ degrees and it was my first time down the quarter ever I just didn't find much fun in it. Would rather take her on a twisty road like she was made for.

I run mine for the sport of it and to have fun. It ran 13.201 bone stock. ( from the dealers lot).
It now screams down the track @ 12.42 @ 114.37 , 7 AT.
J naut goes 12.24 @ 114.4 same mods as mine but he is a 6 MT
My car runs 12.51 to 12.59 on a bad day.
The 1/8 , mile times are quick 8.01 @ 89.8.
There is more in the car but its going to be SC over the winter.
with a few more mods.
11.??
You will have to come up to toronto motor sports park in canada to see the z cars run.
Z

Adrenaline still flowing, you can't even sleep:)
Why Dec. of next year? Why not cool days of March?
I didn't want to say it, but after watching/listening to the video, since you posted about shifting, I think after road racing, getting back into power shifting would get you a 1/10 or more. Old car, & only 270 h.p. shows that the driver is the biggest mod. Cost? practice time:) Hope to meet you one day.

I've read all your posts. You are a drag racer! I just can't keep up with all the changes you're making:)
Looks to me like only people that know how to drive, enjoy this sport:)
Just look at all that have 330-340+ H.P. who can't break 14 seconds.
That's enough H.P. to break 12 seconds. I made 280 on one dyno & on a known generous dyno, I made 290. What times I, or Mike above could do with 339whp. Not bragging as much as just dreaming.......:yum:

I probably couldn't do much better than him...I'm not much of a drag racer. My car makes ~265ish whp.

I wonder what my Nismo that puts down 310 WHP and weighs 3050 lbs on 315 Hoosier A6s would do? I have never drag raced but I suspect my car could do sub 13.

But your profile says you live in Monticello, which has a track. Dude. :shakes head:

:icon18:

I think drag slicks would help considerably in getting Z's into the 12's, but not many Z owners are that into drag racing. I'm pretty confident I can mine into the 12's again as long as the track prep is ok.

OP, It's just a numbers game. Far more mustang owners drag race thier cars than 350/370z owners. If they do, they either just do it for fun on ocassion or are really serious about. Also depends a lot on the track conditions, weather, temperature and most importantly the driver. Mechanically, you're right, "332 and 350hp" should be enough to run in the 12's under the right circumstances. Personally it seems like you're coming off as someone who's just here to troll the forum, but I'll give you the benifit of the doubt. You already seem to know the answer to your own question though.

There are also far more mustangs/camaros out there than Z's.

The annual dues are 100k plus all the other expenses, dude.
As soon as I make my first 10 million dollars, I'll join, dude.

yup, and far more 350's than 370's. And let's face it, the profile of a Mustang owner is much more prone to being a stoplight racer than a refined Z owner.

Right Red_Zed and Steve? :icon17:

You don't have to join the club to race there. Dude. :shakes head:

There also a lot of folks who know that drag racing your vehicle will beat the snot out of it and cost you a lot of money in repairs. There are also a lot of folks who drag their cars not to break 13's but also just to have some fun. :tup:

The Z is a road car. And a good one. I'd put my road racing experience against you on a road course any day of the week. You can go in a straight line for 1/4 mile with very good times. I know how to drive.

Refined :)
 

:icon17So with all your mods, what have you done? dude.

In your dreams! boy!

SCCA. Lime Rock and Watkins Glen. For ten years.

My Z is not modded for racing. Doesn't even have a modded suspension, dude. :tiphat:

:nutswinger:

I've done about 100 girls in my life, doesn't make me good:)

I'm sure there is a way to get/rent 2 cars somewhere. Let's see which one of us is ALL TALK. I NEVER even been on a road course in my life, but I'm sure I can dust you. I'll bet any money, any time, any place. I'm on record!!!!!!

LMAO. May I suggest you try racing at LRP at least for five years and under instruction before making an absolute fool of yourself. Son, I've gone faster on two wheels than you would ever possibly go on four. :bowrofl:

a lot of the NY owners seem to claim you have to be....




As for the original question, there are a couple of reasons you don't see very many Z's that go fast in the quarter mile.

There is a pretty large contingent of Z owners that have no interest in anything time-competitive. It is a gorgeous car, and so there are a lot of people that enjoy it as a head-turning, and spend their weekends detailing them rather than tracking.

Then there's a pretty large contingent that enjoys bench-racing rather than actually running their cars for times. Look no further than this thread to see tons of speculation with very little backup for their times. Inflated dyno numbers are easy to get, track times that back them up are more difficult.

The Nissan crowd also tends to love running hellaflushed setups with 5000 degrees of camber, which tends to set people up for running 6 second 60' times. Things like stiff rear springs also don't really help getting weight on the rear axle either.


The 350 suffers from a lot of these issues as well, but the power distribution tends to make it a little bit easier to run down the quarter mile, especially the peakier torque curve. The VQ37 lays down an amazingly flat curve, sometimes it makes it a little tough for some people to get it down the track.

In 1970 I had 3 accidents with my 450cb Honda. Fell off bike drag racing, fell on a highway coming from N.Y.C. Hit car(woman) head on when she made a left turn in front of me. That was the end of my biking. I suck at it.

As far as cars, I don't need practice/instructions. I'm that good! Besides, this is what I think of you anyway :superghey: Since smilies are availible, I hope my appropriate use of them is ok.....

Well said. I'm fine with that. It's also not a bad thing. 370z is a nice car for the money, & I'm not against proud owners showing them off.

You called it like it is. Its really hard to get the Z down the 1/4 mile in a quick time.
There are so many things that can go wrong.
launching the car is aways a hard thing to do depening on the track conditions or spiing your tires between the 3 to 4 shift can be gut wrenching moment if the tire spin.
I probally had 75 runs befoe i got the 12.42 in the Z and got it right.
every thing from a almost hit the wall 21.7 second run to a 2.9, 60 ft time,
there was one pass where i had a easy low 12.3 run and i hit the rev limiter at 8100 in 4th gear. Or you have a great 60 ft and i hit the limiter in 2nd gear. I also have to keep ajusting my fuel curve as a 10 degree swing in temp will slow the car down.
OIl temps just kill this car. I have to lauch at 80 to 85 C. for a quick time. if you launch at 100 c. it will run 3 to 4th's slower if not more.
It is very hard to get a good time.
The reason that i do not do the road racing is that " i do not know how to drive on a race course."
Its just not in me and i do not want to smash the car.
I never race on the street and the car is way faster on the street than the track.
Its really funny when a guy brings a hot mustang to the track and he runs a 13.5 or slower. Same for the camaros and dodge's. 13.5 to 14.2 all day they run.
They are just in awe of my Z. Especially when they see that's it a 210 cubic inch V6.
all motor.

Z

It's not that easy going 1/4 mile in a straight line. It's easy to say "I'm not really trying, it's just for fun" That's what piiissesss off guys that do make the effort, & do succeed...... Well said Z eliminator.

I know I'm not that quick due to a number of things, with the main thing being that I'm still learning. It also doesn't help that the local drag strip is crap. They say it is prepped, but i still think it is slick as ice. I know for a fact that it is uphill. and it is at almost 4k feet elevation. All that being said my first time was horrible, my second time was I had a 3 second improvement (my first time really was that bad). I don't plan on going out again until it gets back above 50*. Currently my best is a 15.3, my friend who also has a 370 has a best of a 15.2. I have done a few things to my car since my last time out but i don't expect a huge difference in times. What I want to do is start doing road courses though. That is where the real fun is for me, the drag strip is ok, but I don't find it as exciting.
As far as the not needing any practice/instruction for road track racing, I hope that was sarcasm, at least that is how I read it. Road courses take every bit as much time and practice to be good at it as drag racing does. They are two completely different animals.

Why would it make you mad what other people do with their cars??