Ok, after much dithering/reading/pestering/reassessing, I have come up with the final build list/plans for my Sol.

This will be a semi DD, a track car to get me to HPDE3, and a car to take to meets. Once I get to HPDE3, I'll reassess whether I want to get a different car to be a dedicated track car. I had intended on my first HPDE event being Nov. 24, but a few things interfered, so my first DE event will be the first weekend in January. I'm volunteering at a corner this weekend, though.

Current auto - D16z, 110k miles, Del Sol (Si trim), 1995. This is what I'll be driving on the first 6 months or so.

Here's the build list:
DC Sports 4-1 header (Steel? Ceramic?)
2.5" cat - Bosal
Tanabe Hyper Medallion catback exhaust
AEM full CAI
**Hawk HP+ brake pads (Front)
**Hawk HPS brake pads (Rear)
**New Rotors (Autozone)
**Earls SS brake lines
KSport pro control damper system (coilover shocks)
5Zigen ProRacer GN+ wheels
Megan Racing upper strut bar (Front)
CF Hood
B18C (GSR) full swap, Hmotors
AEM CAI
ACT HDSS clutch (Possibly Centerforce)
Exedy Flywheel
Short throw shifter
Chip mod/tune
One of the more subdued front bumpers (Mugen style), side skirts, rear lip
Paint job
Radio/rear speakers/front components/amp
new carpet
interior rewrap/paint
Race seats/harnesses

(** = already purchased)

I'm getting the KSports and the 5Zigens for a pretty good price, running 10k rates all around.

Stage 1 (December)
Install brake upgrades, wheels (Dunlop DZ101 tires), ksports, new spark plugs, dizzy, fuel filter, replacing pedals (Current ones are just bare metal, all the rubber has worn off them).

Stage 2 (January)
Carpet, Dynamat, rest of stereo (Head unit already installed), alarm system

Stage 3 (June? ish?)
GSR swap, intake, exhaust, dyno tuning

Stage 4 (Aug)
Body kit, hood, repaint. (This might possibly go as stage 3 in Mar/Apr, dunno yet)

Stage 5 (Sep/Oct)
Interior rewrap/paint (Also, this may come earlier depending on $$ and ambition)

Other possibilities - CTR pistons, Skunk Stage I cams, Skunk Cam gears, dyno retuning

John

 

you dont need all that for hpde. i'd put good pads, lines and fluid in teh car and a good suspension. then use all that saved money to do more events and learn how to drive. making the car faster is only gonna make things harder to learn. learn to drive a slow car fast. then you'll be fast in anything.

 

it is good to have a plan of attack....

but you need seat time....

seriously there are very very very few people that can out drive their car the first weekend on track

get time and more time and more time in the seat. learn how to drive it as it sits without all the suspension work, and remember....you have to be willing to write that car off everytime you put your car on track!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Aodhan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ok, after much dithering/reading/pestering/reassessing, I have come up with the final build list/plans for my Sol.

This will be a semi DD, a track car to get me to HPDE3, and a car to take to meets. Once I get to HPDE3, I'll reassess whether I want to get a different car to be a dedicated track car. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I would spend time and money on track time ONLY.

And start figuring out what you really want to do with the car.

For example I wouldn't go putting a bumping stereo system in a car that you will take to the track. It's VERY heavy (at least my speaker box was).... and the first time you spin off into the dirt, you will forever be vacuuming out dirt.

I would hold off building anything into the car.
Just the consumables.... brake pads, tires, gas, entry fees
then when you move up then decide is the Del Sol the car that you want to make a dedicated track car or a street/show car, perhaps you will decide to buy a built racecar...... either way I would recommed not doing anything to your car while you figure this out. Just get your *** behind the wheel at the track.....

by the way... people who have dedicated track cars or race cars spend a whole weekend removing that tar crap from inside their cars... why would you go and add a bunch of dynamat on top of that? Why the new carpet?? it's just gonna get dirty.....

You are going to get much faster with experience than you are with a Carbon Fiber hood, or an AEM cold air kit.

see where I'm going with this?

 

The swap I'm doing regardless of whether I keep the car as a dedicated track car or not. The wheels/tires/suspension mods are going on next month. That will give me 6 months of driving plus a 3 day driving school on the current engine before I do the swap (At the earliest). If it takes me a little longer, then I'll have a year of driving time before the swap goes in.

And yes, I see where you are all going with this, and I agree with some of it (Seat time, etc.)

The car will be a street/meet car with some track time. If I decide to try to get to DE4, etc. then I'll keep the Sol as a semi DD/weekender anyway, and get a dedicated track car. I don't even know if I'll be interested enough to go past DE3 on the track. I know a lot of this isn't necessary for the track, but it's also going to be a personal car.

I have the money, this is the project I'm doing, this is the car that I've decided I want for the next couple years. Guess that makes no sense to anyone but me, so be it. Apparently you can only choose to upgrade your car if you've been driving for 5 years...

John

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Aodhan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Apparently you can only choose to upgrade your car if you've been driving for 5 years...
</TD></TR></TABLE>
DWYW!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lo-Buck EF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
DWYW!</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL!

 

how much in-car, behind the wheel, track experience do u have?

 

Don't get the ProRacers. For the cost there are much lighter wheels out there. I can carry two of my enkei wheels vs one 5Zigen.

 

dont get k sports

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Aodhan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Here's the build list:
DC Sports 4-1 header (Steel? Ceramic?)</TD></TR></TABLE>
The 4-2-1 is better for most people. More torque and power under the curve. I'd use a 4-1 where ALL you care about is top-end, but that is not the case for track duty. And there's never too much torque.

If you disagree or don't care about torque, Please IM me with your email address. I have a brand new, never used Stainless Steel DC 4-1 I'd like to sell. (Pretty sure they are no longer made in SS, so its rare...)

 

torque-under-the-curve..haven't heard that term in years...basically he's talking about usable powerband. why have all that top-end power when you spend most of your time in a specific powerband. Mid-upper power is what your looking for when it comes to the track.