Making a Nismo a Track Beast
 

Ok everyone so I just got my Pearl White new 370z Nismo :happydance: But I have a problem, I have 20k and want to make it a track car. So whats the problem? Well I don't have very much knowledge with Z's or well cars in general.:p I have learned a ton from these forums but still I don't know a lot. So what would be a good way to go to make a good track car with 20k? I know a lot of people on these forums go the F.I route. But that wouldn't work well with a track car would it? I would think it would overheat way too much. And also I'm not DD'ing the car. Only time I would use it is too track and on the weekends for cruises and such. Thanks everyone:tiphat:

Pads + lines + fluid + oil cooler.

Buy a helmet. Sign up for some HPDEs.

Go slowly. Listen to your instructor. LEARN.

Once you get a good feel for the car and become more confident in your abilities you can start evaluating what you would like to do with the car to make it better.

Do not spend money on the car other than oil cooler and brakes.
Spend your money on instruction and seat time, then you can move into adjusting the physical car.

I agree with these dudes.

I also agree with those guys. The best mod Is the driver mod :tup:

I have a motorcycle helmet (Does that work? It's a really nice one?) And I'm taking driving classes.

Depends on the track/event rules. My guess is probably not.

I don't think they'll let you use a motorcycle helmet, but you can rent racing helmets at most tracks, I believe.

Other than the obvious driver improvements. I'd say brakes, suspension and breather/exhaust mods and weight reduction. Going with forced induction is uneccessary to turn it to a "track beast" although it would be fun see

Yeah I sorta forgot to erase the "Track Beast" In the title. Since I know that it would take probably around 30-40k to make it a true "Beast":p But I'm surprised you didn't mention cooling. Since that was going to be my #1 focus. Oh and is oil cooler on the '12 models decent? Or would it be worth it to replace it? :tiphat:

For track use you are going to want a large enough air cooler. Probably a 24+ row Setrab.

I went to spring mountain a few months ago. I drove a zr1, and could not keep up with the instructor...in his stock + pilot sport 2 tires Camaro SS.

Thats amazing and truly does show how powerful a good driver is. But I am already in a driving school currently, and would just like to know. Can you make a track monster and not go f.i? If so what would be the most important upgrades? Or would F.i. be smarter for my budget?

it all depends on what you want from the car...but realistically, if you want a true track monster, going FI is not in your budget for the build. A reliable NA build can easily deplete your 20k budget.

Yeah true I may sell my z06 too help fund this project further. I think I'm gonna get the basic performance parts with the starting 20k, then do the interior, audio, and advanced performance stuff with another 30-40k from the z06. Then I will be satisfied with it. Oh and what's NA mean? Sorry all I found from google was Narcotics anonymous:bowrofl:

NA=naturally aspirated.

You're 16 right? :confused:

Got a Z06 as a present for turning 16. Now bought the Z with my money and am modding it with my money. DDing the Z06 is hard so I have an old chevy that I DD. And I don't wanna sell a present so I guess my Chevy is the DD, Z06 is for Dragstrip, and the Z for the track. But yeah i'm 16.

Stillen Gen 3 Dual Intake Kit
GTR Red Start Button
CSF Upgraded Radiator
Quaife Differential
KW V3 Coilover
Hotchkis Sway Bars
Z1 Motorsports 34 Row Oil Cooler Kit
Motordyne ART Test Pipes
Brembo 15" 6 Piston Break Kit
Amuse Brace Bar
Fast Intentions Catback Exhaust
Bride Stradia Lowmax Seats
Zele Titanium Shift Knob
Deatsch Werks 300+ LPH Fuel Pump
Stillen Lightweight Pulley
Braile B106 Battery
This is what I came up with for my starting build. In total its around 17k. Not including shipping and install. IDK if I missed something important, but will probably order everything within this week. But I think I may skip on the coilovers or the Brembos. Will the brake upgrade help that much? Thanks. Oh and if I get a chance I'll post some pictures of the z06/z.:yum:

would love to see pics :)

/\/\

Don't do that.

Buy the oil cooler. Get a good set of track pads. Look into fuel starvation and get that figured out. Then buy great tires and save the rest for the time being. You'll be able to spend or invest it in the car. But figure out what you NEED before writing the checks. Once you learn the car, you'll know where the money will make you better enjoy the car.

Buying differentials, coilovers, sways, and so on is a way to adjust a car you aren't familiar with. How do you know those parts will make you enjoy the track any more?

Get seat time, then start to spend your money after you've done a dozen events and know what you want to adjust about the car.

:iagree:

Oil cooler, pads, tires, helmet, and maybe rig up a camera mount in the car. In stock form the Z is already wayyyy better than you (or I) are.

Seat time, seat time, seat time.

/\ don't blow your wad on upgrades before you even put one wheel on track. Just do the basics, see m4a1's advice below for that, and start attending HPDE's and working on your skills. throwing money at your car before you even really know how to drive/your driving style and what you want to improve on the car based on experience etc is just dumb.

To beat a stock c6z in a 370z for track use is a helluva crazy task. I don't think you will have a very streetable 370 if you do so for under 20k.

I do it every time out. All you need is a decent driver and tires.

If I had $20k to spend I would take the best driving school I could find. Bondurant, Skip Barber, etc. With a budget like that you could probably do a boot camp of some sort and come out with multiple racing licenses not to mention that I bet it would make you faster in the stock car than with all those mods and no instruction!

A track monster is something like travis' car... you won't be driving it on the street. Drop weight like mad, put in a full 6pt cage and race seats then start working on

:iagree: For hard-core track use get the biggest damn cooler you can get, I would recommend the 34 row Z1 kit.

I agree. Avoid mods to the car in the beginning, mod the driver instead. As others have said just do the basics such as brake lines, racing pads, and oil cooler.

Once you have improved the driver then you can consider car mods that might make it better on track. Do at least 2 events then you can consider sway bars and coilovers. If you complete a full season then reward yourself with safety gear, seats, harnesses and rear 4-point cage (no full cage in a street driver). Avoid FI as it is a huge undertaking for a track car, cooling becomes a really big issue.

And a better diff, oil cooler, diff cooler, trans cooler, more power, better brakes, on and on and on. Unless you are talking a single lap or maybe two on a very tight track. Try running leguna seca for half an hour vs that z06 and let us know how a stock z on better rubber does against a z06 with equal drivers.

A beginning driver needs only the oil cooler and brake pads/fluid... just like most of the folks have said in this thread.

An oil cooler and brake pads are a must upgrade, everything else is nice but not required to do better laps than a Z06 on street tires (vs a Z34 on slicks). And in these sessions I was following and passing an instructor at WGI, who was a very capable driver. On the racetrack you win in the corners, not on the straights - on a balanced race track anyway. So yes, if you want to drop lap times quickly tires a good way to go, but I always recommend to people not to jump to race tires right away because they can hide bad habits. I'm not trying to say that the 370Z is faster than a Z06, that wasn't my point, just that tires and grip are hugely important.

I agree, but op wants a car that is more capable than his z06, from what I understood.

Pm sent.

you better have really good tires and have a better driver to make up the 200hp!

wgi has a lot of long sweeping corners, slicks help a lot. you go to thunderbolt or vir, you will notice the 200hp pretty quickly as they blow by you...

VIR is a power track for sure, don't think I could keep up there. Thunderbolt maybe.

I'd drop the catback exhaust mods, shift knob, etc. Set of long tube headers, up rev tune, Get a set of good coil overs like Motons or JRZs. kW3 s are decent for a budget shock but arent close to good 3 way adjustables, nice 35 mm progress front bar, no need for differnt rear bar, oS Giken LSD, 34 row GTM oil cooler, set of real race seats like recaros, race tech or Sparco FIA certified, good set of harnesses, harness bar or rear roll bar, some lightweight 18 inch wheels with Hoosier r6s or Good Year RS dot race tires. Good set of brakes. AM performance oil pan, nice Momo race steering wheel, surge pump (to address fuel starve issue), Rear diff cooler. 4.08:1 final drive ring and pinion gear set. Lightweight flywheel, clutch, upgraded throwout bearing,, etc, top notch racing fluids. Use the rest of your money to stay on fresh tires and fluids.

Z isn't going to be a Z06 beater but it will be fun.

you think so? Lol. My 175 WHP 2.5 liter Porsche 914/6 chasing a 500 HP 430 GT on Laguna Seca.

2480cc Porsche 914-6 vs 500 HP Ferrari F430 - Laguna Seca - YouTube

That's a good example of why he should spend money on training first. :)

The car didn't do it all on it's own. ;) :tiphat:

Pics or Shenanigans

OP, your name isn't Andre by any chance, is it? :vuvuzela:

I guess I don't understand the Nismo purchase in the first place. You were given a Z06. Why not buy a set of lightweight rims with RComps and make that a track beast on weekends? A Z06 with r-comps will toast any Z you can find.