The Official 370Z Autocross Thread

[AutoX Z]

First of all, had a great time up in Nebraska meeting all the Z people and chatting it up. Sorry if I seemed alittle stand-offish, just focusing on the competition.

The car ran really well the first day up until me and my co-driver's final runs. I ran wide on the final turn and picked up a bunch of crap on the rear tires which then made the rear start snapping out in the slaloms on the next run. A wild ride, but not the fastest way around the course. After reviewing the video we left maybe a half second out on course and could have turned a 60 flat if everything had gone right.

The second day we just couldn't quite get the course figured out it seemed. We were much further back from the miata's giving up 2 seconds to the leader. It had also started drizzling before my last run, which was my fastest, so who knows what the car really could have done on that course.

When all was said and done I ended up 4th, my co-driver 5th (beat him by 0.021 seconds), behind three of the best drivers in the sport. Very pleased with our result but can't wait to make a few adjustments and take it to the miata's next year.

Here are my fastest raw times from each day, had a cone on my day one fastest run.

Day 1:


Day 2:

[cotizi]

so my co-driver took a look at my AX tires after our last event and said that he thinks the rear tires are wearing towards the outside edge versus the center or inside section. He thinks i should try and adjust the rear camber a little.... thoughts? im running 18x10.5" with nismo suspension and a 20mm spacer

anyone else AX NOT is CS?

[ChrisSlicks]

I never had a major problem with rear roll over but grip did improve a little when I increased rear camber to between -1.7 and -1.8 (basically max) in stock configuration. After that the inside and outside were wearing about the same.

[ResIpsa]

Could anyone help me out? My auto-x club, Capital Driving Club, does not use SCCA classifications.

However, I signed up for the October 9, 2010 SCCA event at Fed Ex and I am not sure what class I should be in.

My modifications are:

1. Oil Cooler.
2. Brake Ducts.
3. Carbo Tech Pads.

Thanks in advance.

[ChrisSlicks]

Pads are free. Oil cooler and brake ducts technically bump you to SP even though they don't enhance your auto-x performance. Given the limited mods you could run stock and nobody would care, I doubt you would get any challenge unless this was a regional event.

[cossie1600]

dont ask dont tell!

[ResIpsa]

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

Pads are free. Oil cooler and brake ducts technically bump you to SP even though they don't enhance your auto-x performance. Given the limited mods you could run stock and nobody would care, I doubt you would get any challenge unless this was a regional event.

Thanks for the response.

Actually, I had the date wrong. It is the Washington D.C. Region SCCA, Inc.
WDCR Solo Championship Event #7 Autocross/Solo II on Sunday, October 03, 2010.

I am running on street tires (RE-11's) and I doubt that I would be fast enough to bring on any unwanted attention. But I don't want to cause a scene.

What do you think?

[cossie1600]

you will be fine, just dont say anything

i dont know what your skill level is, but its going to be a uphill battle with no slicks regardless. the re11 can definitely hold its own, but just not against a6s

[ResIpsa]

C Stock it will be!

Thanks for the help.

[MC]

here is my most recent video... i know not a 370z but i feel at home here so enjoy

went into limp mode with a clutch overheat for 3 secs at 1:45 but still salvaged the run

[cossie1600]

Was it really a two minute course? Holy $hit.

[MC]

Originally Posted by cossie1600

Was it really a two minute course? Holy $hit.

yeah like 1:45-1:50ishish i think that run was 109 seconds with the limp mode.. my best was a 106 sec but like i said i went on the wrong side of a gate so DNFed....

we do two of those a year.. they are called trialcrosses around here and you can get up to 70ish mph... the others are the usual 30-40-50 sec courses...


a long course like that is hard on the tires and its alot to mentally remember... you can hear my passenger say all the way over as i he was reminding me of a gate that i had missed the run before and i forgot it was there and just made it straight line

[cossie1600]

I do have to admit. THe course was a typical airstrip course. It had way too many slaloms, not enough of other things. I was getting dizzy rocking left and right watching your video.

[ChrisSlicks]

Looks to be a similar size to the course we run, except we use 3 runways so we don't have to do double backs. We used to make them really long, about 2m30s, but now we probably average 1:40 to 1:50. It does take it to the next level in terms of car abuse and driver memorization skills. For the first 3 runs you gain 6psi of pressure each run, without a cooler oil temps hit 260F each run. If you co-drive in the same run group you hit limp mode.

[cossie1600]

You guys are lucky, this is the BS we get here locally.

YouTube - Tom driving the 370z

On a side note, how much camber can you guys get on a stock car? I havent done an alignment, but just curious to see what I will see on the machine.