I went to a local auto-cross this past saturday with my friend and his 89 vette. Neither of us had ever raced our cars before, so it was very exciting.

Anyway, we posted some of the slowest scores, not surprisingly, it was our first time. Although, I did keep pace with my friend's vette (he was only a second faster).

I already have 235/55/15 tires, although they arn't very good. And I have fairly new KYB shocks, although I hear alot of ppl don't like them.

It felt like the nose of the car tended to drift when I pushed it around the corners, and in general, the car just felt like it was being pushed around by it's weight. It was tough to take corners fast.

Are there any kind of braces I can get that may help? Anyone have any tire recomendations? I am still a student, so I dont have THAT much money, but I do need to get new tires soon. Oh, and does anyone have any driving tips?

My car is basicly stock, 3.1, 5-speed.

The Auto-crosses are hosted by a club at my school. It was a lot of fun, so I think I'll keep attending. And surprisingly there are quite a few domestics out there, so Im not too out of place.

 

I started to set mine up for it, however I took up two hobbys at the same time. Other takes more time and makes money so SCCA is slowly taking a backstep.

If you go to my www button below, you can see the mods I started to do.

Quick list of some.
Wonderbar (TDS is good bang for buck)
Subframes (spohn seems to be best for twistys)
keep your old tires, put them on some light alum rims of same specs. New tires actually do worse. Then keep tabs on your air pressure.
Strut mounts (I dont have these, but hear they are huge difference)

However, a good driver makes tons of difference. The car is like a surgons tools. You can do the job with basic tools, but the better the tools the better the job.

 

Thanks!

Oh, and about the tire pressure: does lowering the tire pressure on your front tires help with traction at all? I realize I dont want to roll the tire off the rim, im just talkin about a few psi lower than the recomended. Would that maybe keep my front end from sliding as much?

 

Wrong way, go up with it.
You dont want the tire to roll ANY!

 

Absolutey - seriously consider putting much more air in them than you would ever think about on the street, like 45psi or so, maybe even more depending on what the max pressure rating is on the side of the tire. Like Dale said, this will prevent the tire from rolling under and give you quicker turn in.

 

ok cool.

Thanks

 

I autocrossed my wife's sixer a couple weeks ago and had a blast.

Suspension consists of farily fresh tierod ends, adjuster sleeves, idler arm and centerlink. Poly control arm bushings front and rear, fresh balljoints. KYP AGX struts up front and gas-a-just shocks in the rear. Stock small RS swaybars that I want to upgrade. EIbach Sportline springs listed for a V8 application, so everybody spazzes out and says "OH NO I CAN'T PUT THEM ON MY V6" but they work fine, I left out the isolators front and rear. Ride is a bit harsh and you have to watch driveway entrys and such if they are steep but not too bad. Tires are inexpensive Kumho Ecsta 711's in 245/50/16 mounted on '90-'92 Z-28 flat spokes.

Car fell into SCCA G-stock category, I'm sure the springs could have kicked it up into a different class but it's not like anyone cared that day. Car is an automatic, which for a beginner like me was great, I left it in L2, course was maybe 5/8 mile and the longest straight was maybe 60 yards. I inflated my tires to the 42psi max.

It took a couple laps to get it down, but the best technique for me was to race up to the turn, lay on the brakes then turn the wheel and hammer on the gas. With power in it bit and turned, lift and it understeered. I was pleased that the stock disc/drum setup did not fade at all in my short runs, I just resurfaced the rotors/shoes and replaced the calipers/wheel cylinders and flex hoses with reman parts.

Three cars in G stock that day, early '90's VW golf, and Nissan 240 Sx, the Golf driver was a regular and good, don't know the Nissan driver but I came in second.

 

Sent you an email- Video attached

Pictures from that day showing some of the other local TGO members that showed and ran in their V8's agaist my V6. The closest TGO member was 4 seconds behind me. My best was a 63.3 and the next best TGO member was a 67.2 and so on.
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=309504

I love this quote-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by cali92RS
Nah dawg...I'd rather have a real driver piloting my craft...one that doesn't come in second...
I know how to contact Dean when the time come's
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And the results post showing not only submissions and enlightenments, but also actuall results of all 9 of the TGO members that showed up.
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=306260

They weren't even close to my little underpowered V6

 

Dean knows his stuff
AND
The "suspension" is a package deal.
Meaning IF foundation ain't secure, rest of ride is so squirrley.
Commitments do equal dedication and funds.
PS Sometimes it's easier to just go striaght (drag racing) then turn at the end of the straight road.
Both equally fun.
Having done both, I can say that.

 

Have not gotten the email yet but it's possible my firewall blocked it.

I don't have any plans of going nearly as radical as Dean's suspension and brake setup as of now- I do need an adjustable PHB to realign the rear axle properly, I want some SFC's, and will make my own strut tower brace. The rear is and has been emitting a low howl since forever, and when it gets opened up I'll do a limited slip. I will need this once someone in FL (Hint! Hint!) gets my "hairdryer installation tubing" to me.

 

I never sent an email to you.
I sent it to the guy that started this post (Coolant)

 

Let this be a lesson to all when you are being arrested or posting on a message board...
Anything you say can be used in a future post.

 

 

First I would like to reply to the original question of how to improve the car for autocross. I have been autx in my TA for three years now and really enjoy it. The to biggest changes that you can make with the car are shocks and tires and next would be swaybars. The best autox tire seems to be the Kumho V710 but I think that if you can only have one set of tires that Falken Azenis are the way to go for a 15" wheel. They are cheap and sticky but will wear kind of fast on the street. For shocks I use Koni yellows I have never used AGX nor do I plan to. Put a monster sway bar in the front ( I have a stock hollow 36mm) Hollow bars are roughly as stiff as a solid br that is 1 or 2mm smaller; the math is a bit deep but it is true. The rear is a bit tougher to dial in but used ones of different sizes are cheap and easy to find. Also an agressive brake pad helps with our little brake rotors. I like to use Hawk HP+ but they dust like crazy. The rest is fine tuning that can wait until these things are done. Also look at the rules that you need to comply with before you make changes.

Dean I have been wondering how that autocross event went. I see that you are using a new sign on name which explains why I have not seen you posting recently.