The Official 370Z Autocross Thread

[cossie1600]

Isn't it a CS car?

[pgrmstr]

Originally Posted by cossie1600

Isn't it a CS car?

Yes, it's CS....but there are those who say "it's a BS car, should be moved from CS" so I was trying to say that I don't think that's the case....or at least it wouldn't be a top BS car if moved....a back marker at best.

Having not run against any National level RX8 or MSR yet, can't say how it is in class (CS) against the them though.....is it an overdog? Probably not....a contender, yeah

[ChrisSlicks]

What's Junior driving these days?

I totally agree with you about the stock diff. It is fine with street tires, but with race rubber the inside wheel gets too light and you get wheel spin. Usually you will also see the flashing slip light from the traction control as it starts to brake the spinning wheel.

[cossie1600]

I think only the Nismo is BS.

A former national champ drove the car, he believes the car should be competitive for CS, not sure if it will dominate. He loves the shorter wheelbase, but cant stand the LSD as it gives tons of inside wheel lift, even on the RE11. It will only get worse on A6

[AutoX Z]

That's weird, I'm not really experiencing any bad inside wheel spin after installing the hotchkis front bar. I know pgrmstr has the same set-up so I'm surprised to here that complaint from you. What kinda surface do yall usually run on?

[Ruff]

Food for thought, heitkotter and beitzer both raw timed me in Cali... All the 370 nay Sayers out there need to worry more about those two guys rather then a new unknown car.

[pgrmstr]

What's Junior driving these days?

pretty sure 'junior' will be in the ASP vette for the big events, but drives Learic's Z occasionally locally. They were both up to Philly this past weekend for our annual 2 day charity event...

Usually you will also see the flashing slip light from the traction control as it starts to brake the spinning wheel.

I don't see any slip light, or at least I don't notice, but I know the car is not applying any brake to that spinning wheel.....I assume your VDC is OFF when running?

That's weird, I'm not really experiencing any bad inside wheel spin after installing the hotchkis front bar. I know pgrmstr has the same set-up so I'm surprised to here that complaint from you. What kinda surface do yall usually run on?

We don't have concrete out here....but it does seem to be course grip related....On Sat, we were on one lot and everyone was complaining of push (use Z folks included) and we had tons of wheel spin. It was a technical course where you really had to give it up to get around cones, and coming out of corners...getting on the gas hard really lit up the inside wheel. On Sun, we were on a different lot with much more grip. The course was much more flowing....and with the additional grip, we didn't get the push we were seeing on Sat and the wheel spin was much less...

Food for thought, heitkotter and beitzer both raw timed me in Cali... All the 370 nay Sayers out there need to worry more about those two guys rather then a new unknown car.

yeah, I noticed that......course dependent situation? Or are those guys that fast? Having run both the 350z and the GXP, how do the two compare on course?

[ChrisSlicks]

Originally Posted by pgrmstr

I don't see any slip light, or at least I don't notice, but I know the car is not applying any brake to that spinning wheel.....I assume your VDC is OFF when running?

Yes my VDC is off, but even with VDC off traction control can kick in if it sees a lot of wheel spin at the rear wheels. I only see it kick in if I get inside wheel spin, if both wheels spin then it doesn't kick in. Perhaps your stock VSLD is toasted and has turned into a peg leg? A few of the track guys have reported killing theirs. Mine still works but I haven't had any co-drivers.

[pgrmstr]

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

Yes my VDC is off, but even with VDC off traction control can kick in if it sees a lot of wheel spin at the rear wheels. I only see it kick in if I get inside wheel spin, if both wheels spin then it doesn't kick in. Perhaps your stock VSLD is toasted and has turned into a peg leg? A few of the track guys have reported killing theirs. Mine still works but I haven't had any co-drivers.

Hmmmm.....perhaps I am staying under the "lots" of wheelspin threshold...as in the difference of rotation from one side to the other. If I get it, I will ease off slightly...but I can keep that 10% slip for quite awhile so I know the brakes aren't kicking in.

my LSD is fine, as I can induce both wheels to spin and drift the rear at will...my car only has 6,000 miles.....and only 4 auto events on it with a single driver

[ChrisSlicks]

Originally Posted by pgrmstr

Hmmmm.....perhaps I am staying under the "lots" of wheelspin threshold...as in the difference of rotation from one side to the other. If I get it, I will ease off slightly...but I can keep that 10% slip for quite awhile so I know the brakes aren't kicking in.

my LSD is fine, as I can induce both wheels to spin and drift the rear at will...my car only has 6,000 miles.....and only 4 auto events on it with a single driver

Sounds like your diff is okay then. My car also only has 6000 miles but closer to 20 events and so far seems to be holding up.

I only see the wheel slip light in certain corners that lighten the rear wheel, but it was definitely easy to reproduce on race tires especially on the first run. After the tires had some temperature it didn't seem to be as frequent.

[Ruff]

Originally Posted by pgrmstr

yeah, I noticed that......course dependent situation? Or are those guys that fast? Having run both the 350z and the GXP, how do the two compare on course?

They are THAT GOOD. I drove the wheels off the 350z last year and I wasn't even that close to Heitkotter last year at Nats. Given that the 370z is probably far superior to the 350z, I still think the car has a huge chance though. Without having driven it, I can't comment on to wether or not I feel it could be an overdog.

So the GXP vs Z comparo: The GXP feels nearly as quick as the Z, except the Z has much longer legs and I have to shift to third on nearly any autox course (we shift to third around 52 mph, top of 2nd isn't much higher, and the car makes way more power shifting to third rather then hitting redline in second). But other then that, the GXP can nearly hang with the Z in acceleration, due to its short gearing (which is also its downfall as stated before). Now in terms of handling, it's omg, this thing is ridiculously amazing compared to the Z. First off, the GXP has fully adjustable suspension along a wide range of adjustments. (factory camber, caster, and toe adjustable). We have the front at 3 degrees negative camber iirc, turn in is crisp, steady state cornering is on par with the Z (this is the Z's strong point, put me in a sweeper in the Z and I could kill most stock cars) and the ability to get on the throttle is slightly better then the Z's. Where it really kills the 350z is initial turn in, and in quick transitions and slaloms. The Z really shows its weakness when you need to quickly change direction, etc. It's due to it not having enough negative camber, and its slightly long wheelbase. Lastly it being slightly heavier then the GXP (2960 on the scales at Wendover iirc). And lastly, the stock diff in the GXP is amazing, where as the Z is ho-hum. They aren't on the same level in terms of autox, hence the reason the Z is classed lower. No doubt in my mind, I am way faster in the Solstice.

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

Yes my VDC is off, but even with VDC off traction control can kick in if it sees a lot of wheel spin at the rear wheels. I only see it kick in if I get inside wheel spin, if both wheels spin then it doesn't kick in. Perhaps your stock VSLD is toasted and has turned into a peg leg? A few of the track guys have reported killing theirs. Mine still works but I haven't had any co-drivers.

You must not be disabling it all the way, cuz every 350z I've driven that was VDC equipped, you could completely disable the VDC and TCS.

[AutoX Z]

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

Yes my VDC is off, but even with VDC off traction control can kick in if it sees a lot of wheel spin at the rear wheels. I only see it kick in if I get inside wheel spin, if both wheels spin then it doesn't kick in. Perhaps your stock VSLD is toasted and has turned into a peg leg? A few of the track guys have reported killing theirs. Mine still works but I haven't had any co-drivers.

That's the "electronic" diff kicking in. Even with the vdc disabled this program keeps running and helps the crappy diff by applying brakes to spinning shells when the diff can't keep up.

[ChrisSlicks]

Originally Posted by Ruff

You must not be disabling it all the way, cuz every 350z I've driven that was VDC equipped, you could completely disable the VDC and TCS.

Originally Posted by AutoX Z

That's the "electronic" diff kicking in. Even with the vdc disabled this program keeps running and helps the crappy diff by applying brakes to spinning shells when the diff can't keep up.

Yep. Can't kill it completely without disabling the Bosch module under the center console.

[AutoX Z]

On the way home from the blytheville tour. Coned both my fast runs on both days and ended up in 5th, codriver snagged the last trophy spot in 4th. Overall the car totally had enough speed to win but we both let it down again. The course was transition heavy with some good opportunities to use the power. There was a big turn around sweeper that was pretty much on the limiter the whole way round. First day it was left handed and ran it with 1/4 tank no problems. Second day it was a right turn and we had to keep more than 3/4 tank to prevent fuel cut.

All in all a good weekend and might be motivating us to get some ast's since were right there with the other cars, just need to stay off the damn cones and put some clean times down.

[pgrmstr]

Originally Posted by AutoX Z

On the way home from the blytheville tour. Coned both my fast runs on both days and ended up in 5th, codriver snagged the last trophy spot in 4th. Overall the car totally had enough speed to win but we both let it down again. The course was transition heavy with some good opportunities to use the power. There was a big turn around sweeper that was pretty much on the limiter the whole way round. First day it was left handed and ran it with 1/4 tank no problems. Second day it was a right turn and we had to keep more than 3/4 tank to prevent fuel cut.

All in all a good weekend and might be motivating us to get some ast's since were right there with the other cars, just need to stay off the damn cones and put some clean times down.

Good showing! You had some good raw times for sure on both days and could have been in the hunt. Had the NE Divisionals this past weekend, did ok on day 1, still left some good time out there, was standing in 1st by about .4 and then drove like crap on day 2.....and after working the 4th heat, I saw where I was slow compared to everyone else. I just wasn't pushing the car....driving the conservative approach and it cost me. Need to get it right for the contingency paying events just around the corner...

Looks like Adam did real well the previous week....although he was in a Pontiac, but will give him his cudos FTW! Nice drivin RUFF