For me, I'm not tracking my car because its the only car I've got. Something happens to her on a track where my insurance will not cover the damages I'm screwed.

I dont think you're an idiot in the first place lol.

What I do think is that you're crippling yourself with your own mods.

Intake and exhaust does NOT mean you need a tune, so that excuse is out the window. Fearing for the safety of your car since its your only one IS a valid concern before hitting the track. And that is why you don't drive "at the limit". Driving "close to the lmiit" is STILL an exciting experience, especially your first times out. And the best part? You still wont be near the limit likely because you'll be scared shitless lol.

But I think you're setting a bar WAY too high. You're basically saying, "I dont want to JUST be knowledgeable...I want to learn how to do everything, right off the bat". Yeah well no **** haha - everyone wants to get the most out of each event. But you must start at the basics, and that means going slow. And with what you have done to your car, you can go do that right now without fear of "losing" anything. Besides, you can either gain much by going out and doing it, or gain absolutely nothing at all by sitting here and saying you only want to go out and get all or nothing.

By this time next year I should have a house and a dd that's not my Z. I'll sell you my base wheels then which I have basically new summer tires and fairly new winter tires still. oh and tpms

This is why I say you don't understand what I'm saying. I'm not saying I want all or nothing. I'm saying that I don't wanna go do one event and be happy. Or a few events as me in my car. I'm saying I want to keep going. I want to compete. Eventually I'll have a 2nd car and that will be taken care of. Eventually I'll have everything done the way it should be done. But it's all in steps. I would like to go beyond me with in an instructor and get to the point to where the instructor feels comfortable with me alone in the car on the track, then get to the point to where its me with multiple cars At speed. Then Racing. And keep going. I'm not saying all or nothing, I'm saying if I go once, then I have to do it again, and better the next time. And so on lol

Again I can't explain it in words to where those more knowledgeable on the mechanics and physics and experience on a track will understand, so I'll just say that you're right, you know the track and you're my go to guy when I have a :confused: moment.

I had wondered where Bobo went for the last hour or so... Now I know :bowrofl:

That shouldn't be a problem. I would imagine I will even spend some time in 6th and 7th LOL.

Basically what you're saying is you want to be like every weekend warrior out there. Which means you start with HPDE and progress. Then maybe when you have enough money to support it you buy a 944 or a spec miata or something to race wheel to wheel.

What's wrong with weekend warrior?

Actually I was just talking about not having any physical space to store them since I live in an apartment (and someone's bumper is taking up a lot of space in my room ;)). I would have the same issue with a spare set of wheels. I should also have a house by this time next year which would solve the problem.

No need to get a separate set of wheels if I don't need them. I can just keep one set of wheels and then swap tires as the seasons change. If I decide to get some new wheels, I will probably get something that can fit a wider tire on it.

Did I say anything was wrong with it? No. I didn't. I just meant what he wants to do is like every guy out there and he needs to just go out and do it and work towards his goal.

After two or three tire changes you'd have paid for a set of used wheels in mount & balance fees.

No... that's not what I'm saying. :facepalm:

true dat. not to mention the inconvenience of getting it done.

Do you have any idea how much practice it takes to get into wheel to wheel racing? Because you'd better start now. This isnt Gran Turismo - do a couple "license tests" and bam, we'll throw you on the track. We're talking YEARS of HPDE's to get really good. Thousands of dollars just in HPDE's to hone skills.

And the worst part? Some people just can't do it. They weren't born to be the next Senna and no matter what, they simply cant do it. I'm not saying this is you, I'm just giving fair warning.

Your car wont be any more ready, save for track-prep mods. You wont be any more ready until you convince yourself mentally that you can do it. Until that happens, it simply wont happen.

Also, you wont drive alone your first weekend out. If you desire to, you're a fool. If your instructor lets you, he is a fool.

:shakes head:

Cwiz sounds to me like you should sign up for Skip Barber or a similar driving school.

I know it's not something that would happen in 1 week, month, year, or multiple years. But that's what I'm saying, I want to climb that ladder, however long it takes to GET to that point ONE DAY. To be able to have that accomplishment.

Right, it will take a lot of time/effort/money to get there. I'm doing it as best I can with what I've got. What I don't have are experienced people around me that I can ride along with to gain the knowledge, so I research and read what I can from those that do on here. It's not the best case scenario, but it's doing the best I can with what I've got. Sorry if I do things out of order.


And I never said my first weekend I'd do all that stuff, of course the instructor would be an idiot to let me free reign my first time. But again, you're assuming I wanna go from now to Indy in one week. This is not what I'm saying!! :(

After 2 or 3 tire changes, it'll probably be time to get another car :p

I'll look into it more when it's time and I have some space to actually put them.

:iagree:
If you look at Senna, Hamilton, Alonso, all of the young and talented F1 drivers, they were all driving for years in their teens, karting and such.

I'm actually not looking to do wheel to wheel. Most likely, I just want a controlled environment to enjoy my car at 7/10ths or more driving. Somewhere to tighten and tune and enjoy this little slice of heaven that Nissan pooped out on my chest.

hey blades....when you dipped your wheels did you tape off the valve stems ? hard to tell in your pics.

Chris, the fact that you cant verbalize what you're saying means that the way Steve and I are interpreting it is EXACTLY how you're saying it. We both are reading it exactly the same, and you're saying we're wrong, but you can't explain how.

You want to go out on the track, but you dont want to go out on the track. The reasoning behind that is a mystery apparently 8P

That's all I want to do. Couple HPDEs a year to enjoy the car and learn to drive better ... legally. Controlled and safe.

I'm trying to explain it, but because I don't have the experience you do, it's hard to put it into words you would understand and not look down on me for.

It's not that I don't know what I want to do, its getting others to understand it.

Basically the point is 1 HDPE or similar event wouldn't be enough. I'd want to keep going. And there isn't $$ for that. So it's better for me not to do it until I can at the rate I want to, than do it, love it, and not be able to enjoy it AT that rate that I want to.

Nope I just sprayed them too. Though if you do decide to plasti dip your wheels, make sure you do several coats on each wheel in all areas. I didn't do enough on mine and they are starting to peel. I had like 4-5 coats of black on each wheel. I would recommend like 6-7 or even more.

Same here.

Skip Barber would definitely be a solution - expensive, but a solution. Not his own car, and good instructors.

But DELAYING your first HPDE is not going to get you to that point any faster. If you have the money for a single HPDE or Hyperdrive, then do it. Dont act like you need to be doing ****-tons of HPDE's to be effective. I've done 1 HPDE per year max, so far.

:iagree: x100000000000000000000

That might be enough for you... lol I would want More.

:iagree:

$50 bucks to do a Hyperdrive and gas to get there. Priceless. :tup: Come to Summit 28 April so I won't be the only Z.

So it looks like Carbotech does make brake pads for the base brakes, but I don't see the base versions on Z1's website. Going to PM them and see what's up. Would the SS lines help much? It's only like $100 more.

Again, setting the bar too high. You want all or nothing. I PLAN to do more than 1 a year, but military and monetary limitations have held me back. Yet I've still gone, and I still have learned a ton.

Yeah they arent used to selling Carbotech's for the base brakes. They can probably order them for you.

You DO NOT need SS lines, at all. Dont even worry about them.

SS lines will help with pedal feel more than anything else. The lines won't expand under pressure so the pedal will feel firmer.

Like Bobo says, they are not a NEED.

And your funding is higher than mine, which is why I haven't been able to yet. One day I'll have a secure income stream, then I can look to doing them frequently.

Thank you sir! :tiphat:

:iagree:

This is the problem. You need to be realistic and do what you can within your means. If that means starting slow then start slow.

But you've set your bar so high, that you'll be spending thousands a year on HPDE's.

Answer this, Chris: when do you HONESTLY think you'll have that kind of income, to handle the amount of HPDE's in a single year to satisify your needs?

Now answer this: When do you think you'll be able to fund 1, maybe 2 HPDE's in a single year?

:iagree:

Ok sounds good then. Just saw that a lot of people opted to get them when they upgraded to the akebono kit so I thought it might be good.

I like to think there's nothing wrong with having a goal you can 'One Day' achieve.

Hell I never thought I'd own a 35k dollar sports car either. But I did it.

So I set the bar high, it's what I do. I don't see anything wrong with it. It's not like I'm just gonna go out there and do my thing and tell the instructor to stfu. I'm gonna be listening intently to what they say and teach and tell me to do. Not to mention asking them hundreds of (hopefully intelligent) questions.