bigdeano

Ah was not aware your 2.5L you're running right now was out of the black car. That right there is a big part of the swap haha. So yeah I think it'd be cheaper and quicker in the long run to go ahead and drop that 3.0L into the black car then strip it, throw in the cage, suspension, LSD, wheels and tires and hit the track. That also lets you enjoy the gray car in the mean time

333pg333

That's true Rod, and the object of this post and overall exercise isn't just to beat these guys. More to make the next step. I have been resisting the whole cage thing, but this is really the only way to progress I believe. Put it this way, would you install my incoming engine into the Grey car or leave it as it is for now and work on the Black car over the year?

Chris White

Lots of good advice from John (and others)...always work on the nut behind the wheel.

That being said....Street car "not equal" Race car (sorry, cant find a not equal symbol!)
Everything between a street car and a race car is a compromise.
From this and all your other threads I think you are really ready to make the jump. Most of us have been there, I learned the hard way and started with a nice street car, added more power, add more handling and added a lot more stone chips – eventually it made the change from a fast street car to a slow race car. I say slow because it was not a purpose built track car – it just plain weighed too much.
The main element to a good track car is minimum weight. Every pound off the weight helps.
The second element is set up – a track car is set up for one thing, the track. No compromise in alignment for tire life or spring rate for “pot holes”. You don’t have to make all the adjustments to your street car for a track day (that is really nice!) and you don’t have to fret over the sound of a stone hitting your street car at 150…!
I am assuming that your new engine will get a dry sump….that can be put into a street car….but what a pain in the *** that is.
I see a track car in your near future….give in to the dark side!
BTW – I just dropped off my old street car for a repaint and track ‘ding’ removal. It will be nice to have it back in street trim again.

thingo

Once you have the other engine I think it would be pretty hard to resist putting it in the grey car, either engine I think you will continue learning things by driving the grey car, finding what makes it faster and how you prefer it to feel.

333pg333

I think you're bang on there Chris with that comparison to your experience. Many of us go about this completly backwards in making a road car into a tracker.
This motor actually has a highly modified wet sump as it was going into a road car, but I have most of the components for the dry sump kit so I think we may revert to this, although this wet sump will provide excellent protection from oil starvation.

I can keep the Grey car as it is for some time before making any hardware changes from it to a trackcar. Going to have to dig for some more dollars.

Trucho-951

If you don’t own this set of books already, please look into getting your hands on the “Speed Secrets: Professional Race Driving Techniques” series. These books were recommended to me by Mr. Ken Myers, a professional driving coach, a few years back. I’ve got to say, I think they are worth their weight in gold.

Plus, this great reading material is a lot cheaper than your next mod will be.

Chris White

I think you will find it a lot more enjoyable – the car becomes a lot more focused when it has a single purpose. It also allows you to focus better on driving it. Most people treat a dedicated track car differently – you have no fears about driving it really hard because that’s its job. As you are sorting it out you don’t worry about driving it on Monday. You can take all the time between events to tweak it.
The other nice benefit is that you won’t put extra time on your expensive engine. 100 hours on a track engine can get you a couple of seasons….100 hours on a street engine is over pretty quick.

evil 944t

What to do next? I would drink xxxx beer and forget about it.

CPR

Pat,

First I think you are selling yourself short. I have watched all of your videos....the early ones to the most recent, and have noticed a significant improvement, and I do not hink you can attribute all of that to the upgrades. I think you have become alot better.

As I am not a "true" racer (see stereo thread ), I cannot understand fully your plight with having to make these types of choices. But one very important item has to be incorpoarted no matter which route you choose...Will you have fun doing it?

And in the meantime, keep posted your vids!

Tom M'Guinn

I suppose it would not be helpful to suggest you simply find slower competition?

My motor was at 450rwhp when dyno'd, and certainly making more now. I am not much of a track guy, but if I were, I bet it would be faster around the track with less power, and more tire/suspension/brakes. It's a pure blast to drive, but on tight twisties, it feels a bit like a fighter jet on an autocross course.

JET951

We can actually add another car into this equation. Patrick and us went halves in a LHD 1991 S2. no sunroof. unregisterable. body wise its almost perfect. nice paint. and some parts that we can sell off. it has the 968 hatch spoiler, S2 3ltr engine, perfect black interior.maybe, we get an engine for the black car, swap the black interior into it off the S2, fix the paint up and sell it. this can then help fund the S2 into trackwork. It is LHD so Patrick would need to get use to that but im sure it wont take long.

evil 944t

If its unregisterable, how will he get it to the track, is BA going to sponsor this car with a shiney new trailer? I know where you can get a real low profile trailer.

nah, why can't you source some used RHD parts and convert it? I would assume the tub has all the same mounting points.

JET951

it will end up having to be trailered. i would like to get a new trailer, but on the flipside. Anthony the appretice mechanic next door just bought a new trailer for his vintage holden show ute and has said we can use it when we want.

how much work would be involved in converting it. does the pedal bbox just bolt in? i will look into this option. we have easy access to the RHD crossmember.

evil 944t

I'm not sure but I would assume the mounting points are there. If not, you can always use a Tilton style setup and get some real braking action. I guess you need to see if the steering column can be mounted to.. I'm not sure if the chassis is gonna work, you'd have to crawl under there and see.

Cool on the trailer. Perhaps you can get a shop trailer and write it off as a shop tool?

JET951

well why not. its all tax deductable