zbeeblebrox

ok this might be a stupid question but anyway. i have an 87 944NA. i would like to do some drivers ed/ trackdays and the such. no real compitition though. what exactly do i need to do, both to the car and throught the pca(im alredy a member). thanks for your time.

Tom

When the bug bit me I discovered all I needed was a proper (current Snell SA) helmet and to mount a fire extinguisher in the car, and to make sure maintenance was up to snuff like fresh brake pads and fluid. The best advice would be to contact PCA regions who do events at the tracks you are interested in and see what they require as this can vary from region to region.

hacker-pschorr

Brakes!!!

Everything stock should work out fine for your first DE - except the brakes. Pick up some track pads (pagid orage are very popular, last a very long time, do not destroy rotors) and do a complete flush with good fluid like Super Blue.

Make sure everything else is 100% - belts, hoses, lines, seals etc.... Nothing will ruin your day on the track faster than blowing fluid all over the place.

mitch236

Brakes are the most important item to change as was mentioned above. That is a must. You don't even need to buy a helmet yet as they can be rented. If you do want to buy your own, don't be cheap. Get a quality helmet and be sure it fits properly. Find a local shop that tech's race cars and take your car there. You will need to have the tech sheet signed off anyway. If the shop is honest, and if they have a few race cars there they probably are as the crooks don't last long, they will give you good advice. Don't do any performance mods until you have quite a few days under your belt and understand what you want to achieve with mods. Stay on street tires. Drink alot of water. Have a great time!!! I can tell you as an instructor, if you want to learn don't try to go fast. You will get better quicker if you take it easy at the beginning.

Be safe. Be responsible (for you and your instructor and everyone else). Have fun!

JCP911S

Good advice above. If you are not a PCA member, you should join, and I suggest the first events be done with your home club as it is nice to have some familiar faces to help show you the ropes.

Also, Green run groups are often over-subscribed, and some clubs give preference to home region applications. Subscription instructions are usually on your regions web site, and you can also contect the Track Chari or Chief Instructor with questions that are not delt with on the web.

Tyupically the club will have a list of approved shopts to do Tech... so you typically need ot use one of them unless there is a geographic issue... in which case contect the Tech Chair to clear it.

I absolutely concur with the brake suggestions above... street fluid and pads are not up to track use.

MomentumGuy

Big 3rd on the brakes. On my '86 944 I have steel brake lines in addition to the upgraded pads and Super Blue Fluid (kept stock calipers). Last week when I drove my brother-in-law's stock 944 I couldn't believe how mushy the brakes felt compared to my setup - even on the street.

Mechanical items aside, the best thing you can do is work on the loose nut behind the wheel and listen to your instructor. If you think your instructor is giving you too much feedback (I had an instructor once that had improvements for me on every corner), then work with them to identify the most important items. Chances are those will be the things that make you a safer driver first, and then a driver that goes fast safely.

Hope this helps, and as before - have fun!

luckett

Some of us norcal guys are headed down to buttonwillow on June 10/11. You can sign up here:
https://www.nasaproracing.com/nasa_e.../?event_id=378

Here is some info on DE events:
http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/index.html3

Around here, you can drive almost every weekend if you want to . The PCA events are less frequent. Many other track orgs to go out and play with.

If you need to borrow a helmet, let me know and I can set you up with a loaner.

PM me for more details.

zbeeblebrox

that would be awsome cept for school. damnd intersession. althought the NASA way seems acctually quite easy. i will have to look into it. thanks.

Az3ar

Look at this thread

https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-and-drivers-education-forum/277134-track-time-watkins-glen-july-3-4-a.html

Z-man

Just a suggestion: before heading out to a big track & a DE event, my suggestion is to attend a couple of local autocrosses or attend a car control clinic. Though it is not required to do autocross and/or a car control clinic, it certainly prepares the driver.

Now many here argue that AX and DE are two totally different beasts, which in many aspects, is true. However, in many ways, autocross helps prepare a driver for the bigger, faster stuff on a much slower, much cheaper, much smaller scale. I have seen those who have AX skills progress quicker along at DE's than those without.

Just my $0.42,
-Z-man.

luckett

It's a long drive to Watkins Glen from CA...


+1 on the autocross idea and there happens to be one in norcal on June 10th. There is also an autocross school on Jul 22-23.

http://www.pca-ggr.org/calendar.cgi?page=autocross

AutoX and DE are very different, but the advantage of starting in autoX is that there are no walls when you spin! And you should push your car to the point of spinning to understand the dynamics of the vehicle when you exceed the traction limits. An autoX provides a safe venue to explore those limits.

M758

Many many moons ago I started by watching an autocross. The Next month I drove in one. Soon after I was hooked for the season. Then I did a DE day. From that point on it was autocrosses and DE's. Eventually I liked it some much I decided to build a car just for track stuff. My 84 944 NA was built from junk to a track worthy car. Then I got even more hooked and started instrucing. Soon after I started racing.

It sure has been fun

zbeeblebrox

while looking at brake stuff i started to wonder about pads. ive used EBC greenstuff pads on my triumph no track stuff though. has anyone used ebc pads and are they good?