Track prep
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 225
Likes: 1
Track prep
Just did my first DE and now I got the bug(no harness yet!). I feel like I need to upgrade brake pads? Anyone else do this? Also what is your guys opinion on the fabspeed cold air kit? Worth anything?
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,764
Likes: 27
I have a handful of DE days under my belt so I am clearly not an expert but I think you should get a CG lock and just keep DE'ing to gain more experience. I wouldn't mod the car at all before at least advancing to the next group.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 823
Likes: 152
From: Lansdale, PA
Congrats on getting the bug! It's a great place to really enjoy your car's performance and potential.
My .02, swap your fluid for Motul RBF600 or equivalent and put in a set of Performance Friction 08 compound pads. As long as you have a good set of performance tires already on the car (Super Sports, RE-11, etc) it will be VERY capable in just that configuration. Don't get hung up the other cars as there will always be someone faster. Just enjoy the experience, your car, and work on improving you.
The street and track are two different worlds and catering too much in either direction will leave you longing in one place or the other. Just enjoy with those minor upgrades for the time being and if you find you absolutely need more, I would honestly just buy a track specific car. It's too slippery a slope with a road car.
I have the Fabspeed cold air kit on my car. While I can't say it adds any additional performance, it does contribute a nicer sound. Which for the money it costs seems worthwhile to me. Unnecessary perhaps but a relatively cheap upgrade in the Porsche parts world.
Hope it helps, and enjoy out there!
My .02, swap your fluid for Motul RBF600 or equivalent and put in a set of Performance Friction 08 compound pads. As long as you have a good set of performance tires already on the car (Super Sports, RE-11, etc) it will be VERY capable in just that configuration. Don't get hung up the other cars as there will always be someone faster. Just enjoy the experience, your car, and work on improving you.
The street and track are two different worlds and catering too much in either direction will leave you longing in one place or the other. Just enjoy with those minor upgrades for the time being and if you find you absolutely need more, I would honestly just buy a track specific car. It's too slippery a slope with a road car.
I have the Fabspeed cold air kit on my car. While I can't say it adds any additional performance, it does contribute a nicer sound. Which for the money it costs seems worthwhile to me. Unnecessary perhaps but a relatively cheap upgrade in the Porsche parts world.
Hope it helps, and enjoy out there!
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 127
Likes: 2
The Fabspeed cold air kit doesn't make any noticeable performance gains but makes the car sound a lot deeper and throatier. You can special order it in black if red isn't your thing.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 152
Likes: 2
Your car looks the same as mine, except for rear LEDs! Welcome to the world of high performance driving. You got some great advices already. Make sure to go into an event with your oil level at max to prevent any possibility of starvation. If your sessions are over 10 mins long, you want to start lowering tire pressures as well. Couldn't tell you what to aim for as they depend on brand/model you use but it'd be several psi lower than what's on your door frame.
Newbies Hospitality Director
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 18,084
Likes: 43
From: Winston-Salem, NC
OK, with all that said, you need to start looking for a GT3!
Trending Topics
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 15,362
Likes: 198
From: Tampa
While new to the track and on street tires stay on street pads. Stay away on the Fabspeed intake...it's not a cold air intake,,it heat soaks. Your stock air box is a true cold air intake and flow plenty of air for you stock engine.
Rennlist Stories
The Best Porsche Posts for Porsche Enthusiasts
Porsche Reveals Coupe Variant of the Electric Cayenne With a Fresh Look
Verdad Gallardo
10 Porsche Colors That Have More Personality Than Most People
Verdad Gallardo
Guntherwerks' Final Speedster Creation Is the Ultimate Porsche Restomod
Verdad Gallardo
10 Reasons I Hate Going to the Porsche Dealership (& the 1 Reason I Stay)
Joe Kucinski
Porsche Shakes Up The Nürburgring Lap Record Table Once Again
Verdad Gallardo
6 Ways the Porsche 911 GT3 S/C Redefines Performance
Joe Kucinski
10 Wildest Homologation Specials Porsche Ever Sold
Verdad Gallardo
Super Rare RUF BTR III Comes Out of Hibernation, Looking For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Porsche Opinions That Can Start a Fight
Joe Kucinski
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,029
Likes: 13
From: SF Bay Area
But seriously, it is great fun and a lot to be learned about yourself and the car. Lot's of good advice here and elsewhere in Rennlist (see GT3 forums and Racing DE forum), but I'd have to say before you go spending a lot more money on stuff, get some lessons, more than just what you may need to solo and advance to the next run group. I've been DE'ing and time trialing for many years off and on and I still like to have an instructor ride with me a coupe times a year. Especially on new tracks or new track conditions. The choice is yours but for my money instruction is the best bang for the buck. As for brakes, I find the OEM Porsche pads and rotors fine, but I do swap out OEM brake fluid with ATE Type 200 racing fluid (gold or blue). And if you do your own brake work (pads, rotors, bleeding, etc) you can keep costs reasonable, well sort of reasonable.
By the way, where did you DE ?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 225
Likes: 1
I did the DE at blackhawk farms. Doing another DE at autobahn country club in a couple of weeks. I have started to view the gt3 forum. Those guys aren't much help. They tell me not the mess around with mods, go with one mod only, the RS! I really don't want to sell my 997.1 cause I love it, probably not smart to have 2 911's?
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 10
From: Maryland
i would do at least 5-10 events before you even think of modding. there is no point at the novice level. mods might help you go faster, yes, but will not help you learn. it's like having your dad do your algebra homework for you but where is he when you need to take the test?!? (what...? reaching too far with that example? 
)
learn to drive the car as is. once you get near its upper limits, then mod. just trying to save you some $ and help you learn the right way.
)learn to drive the car as is. once you get near its upper limits, then mod. just trying to save you some $ and help you learn the right way.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
I did the DE at blackhawk farms. Doing another DE at autobahn country club in a couple of weeks. I have started to view the gt3 forum. Those guys aren't much help. They tell me not the mess around with mods, go with one mod only, the RS! I really don't want to sell my 997.1 cause I love it, probably not smart to have 2 911's?
If I can make it to the Autobahn DE event I'll look out for you.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 15,362
Likes: 198
From: Tampa
^ yes this is good info....
as far as alignment you can help tire wear some and gain traction but you can't do to much with stock suspension parts. However use the max amount of front camber as you can get which will be right at -1 degree of camber, zero toe in front....for the rear...(if you get -1 front) go with -1.5 rear and no more than 2mm toe in per side on rear.
After you go solo and start using r-compound tires you will need more camber and will need to get front lower control arms that are adjustable to acheive this. Being your car is AWD you will need to be careful with front camber due to front drive shaft. -2.5 front and -2 rear is good starting point but depends on tires, driving style and the track you drive on. DocGTO over on the Turbo forum has good info for AWD 997's. Again this is way down the road for you...just go drive the car for now, change the oil every 3 or so events, bleed the brakes and think about going to a better brake fluid like Motul RBF660 provides.
as far as alignment you can help tire wear some and gain traction but you can't do to much with stock suspension parts. However use the max amount of front camber as you can get which will be right at -1 degree of camber, zero toe in front....for the rear...(if you get -1 front) go with -1.5 rear and no more than 2mm toe in per side on rear.
After you go solo and start using r-compound tires you will need more camber and will need to get front lower control arms that are adjustable to acheive this. Being your car is AWD you will need to be careful with front camber due to front drive shaft. -2.5 front and -2 rear is good starting point but depends on tires, driving style and the track you drive on. DocGTO over on the Turbo forum has good info for AWD 997's. Again this is way down the road for you...just go drive the car for now, change the oil every 3 or so events, bleed the brakes and think about going to a better brake fluid like Motul RBF660 provides.
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,164
Likes: 675
From: San Carlos, CA 94070
Totally agree with the last three posters. I have now 45 track days under my belt and here's my advice:
1) Change your brake fluid to ATE Super Blue
2) Eventually get some good track pads (Pagid Orange or Yellow, don't get Pagid Blue, they suck)
3) Get a good set of Nomex racing gloves, IF there's a fire the most important thing is that you can open the door quickly to get out
4) Get a CG-lock
5) Attend as many PCA track days as you can. PCA has the best instructors IMHO
That's it. Do not make any other changes, until.....
My very first track day (in a Boxster) was at Thunderhill and I thought I drove the wheels off the car with the 2:28 I posted as my fastest lap time. A year and 8 track days later my lap time was 2:15, without any mods, just with more experience.
Learn to drive the car and when you reach the stage that you really can't improve anymore then here's the list of mods:
1) Track alignment
2) dedicated track tires/rims
3) GT3 or GT2 race seats + 5 point harness + harness bar
4) GT3 sway bars
5) PSS9 or PSS10
Forget all the other "go fast" parts, they don't provide enough bang for the buck.
1) Change your brake fluid to ATE Super Blue
2) Eventually get some good track pads (Pagid Orange or Yellow, don't get Pagid Blue, they suck)
3) Get a good set of Nomex racing gloves, IF there's a fire the most important thing is that you can open the door quickly to get out
4) Get a CG-lock
5) Attend as many PCA track days as you can. PCA has the best instructors IMHO
That's it. Do not make any other changes, until.....
My very first track day (in a Boxster) was at Thunderhill and I thought I drove the wheels off the car with the 2:28 I posted as my fastest lap time. A year and 8 track days later my lap time was 2:15, without any mods, just with more experience.
Learn to drive the car and when you reach the stage that you really can't improve anymore then here's the list of mods:
1) Track alignment
2) dedicated track tires/rims
3) GT3 or GT2 race seats + 5 point harness + harness bar
4) GT3 sway bars
5) PSS9 or PSS10
Forget all the other "go fast" parts, they don't provide enough bang for the buck.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,466
Likes: 2
From: Pacific Northwest
Nothing wrong with 2 911s if you can swing it. I tracked for over a year with my C4S before wife game me the ok for a track car. I am loving the transition between the cars and from PDK to manual in the GT3. Good luck. Good coaching/instruction is the best mod you can have along with the safety-related ones IMO.