Preparing The Car For Motorsport.

[KezR33]

Hey guys,

I'm a complete rookie when it comes to motorsport but I'm looking at getting into it more. My total motorsport experience equals a bunch of DECAs with SAU (motorkhana for non Victorians).

I've recently picked up a 180sx with all the fruit (bigger turbo, brakes, Cucso diff, suspension, etc), put a good Cobra seat into it and am looking to get into some more serious motorsports. The car is registered and I'd like to keep it that way in the short term as I do not have space or the money for a trailer & tow car. The car is NOT daily driven, in fact its never driven on the street unless attending an event or heading to the mechanics. My budget is limited, I bought a 180sx as I figured they were a cheap, good entry car for the expensive world of motorsport.

So my questions are two fold:

1) What do I need to do to my car before heading out in terms of maximising my own safety and the cars reliability?

- From what I've read I'll need a decent oil cooler, rocker arm stoppers, a harness & harness bar.

- Do I need a cage? If so what type? I've read a bit about half cages being almost useless and you're better off just waiting and saving for a full cage (and paying for a decent one).

- Is there anything else I'm missing?

2) What is the next step after DECA?

- I'm up for trying anything: drag, drift, circuit, etc but ideally I think circuit is ultimately what I'd like to do.

- What's a good event for learning? Something with in car instructors, etc.

- Again on the cage question, for what events do I really need a cage and what type of cage? Not from a event requirement perspective, but simply trying to protect myself - when do you feel a cage is needed?

Thanks guys.

[evil_weevil]

Supersprints would be the best and cheapest step from deca.

Doesn't require cage.

If you want to go further you need to look at what car you have can be classed as.

As a tip, I gave up tracking my 33 cause there was really no class/point unless I had 11ty billion dollars. Went with mx5 as cheaper and can enter many series and events and classes.

With the 180 I would...

Either take it somewhere or do it myself

But do...

Fluids such as coolant change, oil and filter, fuel filter, bleed brakes and change pads and rotors.

Then see I'd you can enter any supersprints at winton, PI, sandown etc if you want to sart in a comp/series.

Then enjoy it!

[hrd-hr30]

do a fluids change as evil suggests. I don't think there's any need to change the pads and rotors unless they're worn and need doing. Any of the 280mm brake combinations work OK for track use. I've used sliding calipers (Cefiro I think) and S14 4spots both on 280mm discs, and 296 R32 GTR alloy 4spots on my 180SX and I couldn't tell any performance difference between them.

I ran a 180SX at sprints for the last 3 years. For similar reasons - a cheaper car that went OK without risking the nice Supra I had before it.

Rocker Stoppers: You don't need them unless you're revving over 8000rpm. Mine made the usual 200rwkw and was rev limited to about 7500. I shifted probably before 7. I didn't have rocker stoppers. It copped some limiter bashing at dirt track days. No problems. A baffled sump is needed more than rocker stoppers IMO. The cheap copy sump worked OK for me, but required some mods to fit.

Oil cooler: yes - they're cheap insurance.

Harness: I ran a race seat and the normal lap sash belt. My car was registered too. The only road legal harness is a 2" 4pt harness. It is difficult to mount a 4pt harness properly so that the lap belt stays over your pelvis rather than riding up over your abdomen when you tighten the shoulder straps. IMO a lap sash belt is safer than an incorrectly fitted 4pt harness. Either use a 5 or 6pt harness or just keep the lap sash IMO.

I also wouldn't use a harness and race seat without a cage. One or the other is OK, but the combination of both can be a problem if you do roll over.

Cage: full cage can't be legally registered under NCOP (not sure if that is adopted down there?). My cage wasn't road legal though. It was just a jap bolt-in cage that was inthe car when I bought it. I left it there because I figured it was better than nothing, and at least added some extra rigidity to the chassis. A half cage and removeable intrusion bar can be road legal, and a useful addition for both safety and rigidity.

Cages are not required for CAMS sprints for road registered cars. Unregistered is a different story.

[Leroy Peterson]

most SAUvic endorsed track days has a driver training group where an experienced member/driver jumps in the car with you to give any pointers and safety tips or assistance. it's a great way to start out a first track day

[ssxRicho]

There are a number of companies in Melbourne that do cage work. Fabrications, Trackart and DS Industries come to mind straight away.

I don't see anything wrong with the safety of a half cage from a club level motorsport point of view, especially if it has side intrusion.

You'll need a radiator and oil cooler and because SR, the rocker arm stoppers. You will also want to make sure the car is tuned and healthy, this includes any bushes and ball joints.

Get a set of good street tyres Yokohama AD08 or Hankook RS3.

Then you can hit up a Driver Dynamics track day first or go straight into club level in the driver training group.

Our next track day is June 16th then July 20th.

[KezR33]

Car is sorted for basic maintenance with full fluid change and re-tune by Ace. Also has all new bushes and Nismo engine mounts courtesy of the previous owner.

I think I will get rocker arm stoppers as they seem cheap for the peace of mind.

As for the oil cooler, do you guys have any recommendations on what to get? I was suggested a second hand high quality unit with that will increase my total oil by a litre or so, but I can't seem to find any.

As for brakes, I don't think I'll ever have issues, they're stupid big.

In regards to the harness/roll cage unsure how effective a bolt in half cage is in an accident. From I've been told it'll do one of two things:

a) The accident will be so minor that the car's factory body will keep me safe.

b) It'll be so bad that I'll wish I had a full cage.

I understand a full cage is not legal, but that's no issue. This car is very rarely driven on the street and I'm willing to accept that risk, especially if it's for my safety. I really like the idea of side intrusion bars too, especially when drifting with other people on the track.

On tyres I have a set of RSR's at the moment which I'm content with until I better learn the car, last thing I want to do is lock it up and destroy an expensive set of semi's.

Finally I like the idea of driver dynamics. I might hit up one of their days then get into SAU/WRX days next year. May also look at a Vicdrift day as I've been told being able to drift is an excellent skill to have in almost any motorsport, at least in regards to understanding how your car will react and developing quick reflexes to catch and control it.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[Roy]

Ok, you need fluids and a good general service where they look at the condition of your fuel lilnes, brake lilnes, cooler pipes, location of loom next to any mods to exhaust dumps etc. Check thed condition of your coolant hoses etc. Condition of rod ends, suspension bushes etc etc. Life of brake pads etc?

All that up assuming your car is fine should probably be around $500.

Tyres? Anything used so that it doesnt have full tread blocks to walk around on and strip/throw around the circuit.

Thats it. Just get out there and start enjoying it. Even good drivers go out there and are miles off what the car can do and having tyres which dont cost the earth without loads of grip help you feel the car under you and be smooth...and mos importantly do lap after lap