"...Not gonna go an faster in this car without taking out your wallet..."

[Racer Boy]

How much track experience do you have? From what I've seen on this forum, I know you have a few track days with the Boxster, but what about before you got the Boxster?

It's nice to hear that you've maxed out with your car and you need something faster, but I'm skeptical of someone that doesn't make their living racing saying something like that.

Most people will benefit from more track experience before starting to sink money into the car. If you have less than say, 10 track days, I'd recommend that you concentrate on your driving before dropping serious coin on the car.

As others have mentioned, it is easy to quickly get to the point of having to decide if your car is going to be a street car, or a track car. It's tough to find a car that is good at both.

[maytag]

Originally Posted by Racer Boy

How much track experience do you have? From what I've seen on this forum, I know you have a few track days with the Boxster, but what about before you got the Boxster?

It's nice to hear that you've maxed out with your car and you need something faster, but I'm skeptical of someone that doesn't make their living racing saying something like that.

Most people will benefit from more track experience before starting to sink money into the car. If you have less than say, 10 track days, I'd recommend that you concentrate on your driving before dropping serious coin on the car.

As others have mentioned, it is easy to quickly get to the point of having to decide if your car is going to be a street car, or a track car. It's tough to find a car that is good at both.

I don't think I've "maxed out", so much as I'm frequently hitting the limitations. (not constantly)

Previous experience includes 20 years of Superbike racing / teaching. You might be surprised how much of those are transferable skills.
I've always had a theory (that Michael Schumaker and Valentino Rossi sort of proved for us a few years ago) that a guy who can race bikes, can also drive. The reverse isn't always as true, haha. On a bike, you learn to manage traction intuitively. You learn lines, and you learn to use visual cues. You know how to find the right seam in the asphalt to hook a tire and help you turn. "Understeer" is very scary on a bike: pushing the front is less forgiving on a bike than in a car. Oversteer is more natural for us, but still something you manage carefully with the throttle, because a high-side crash is always looming. Trail Braking is an everyday thing for us as well.

In addition to that, I've been through a Bondurant school, years ago. I've held a "high speed" record with the Richard Petty Driving Experience in Vegas before, (!! haha.) (no, I don't think much of that is transferable whatsoever, haha). I've been through the Ford Performance Mustang Racing school many years ago.

I guess what I'm saying is: I'll never think I know enough that I can't keep going faster by having somebody help me, and improving the driving skills. I'll never reach a point where I think that the smartest way to go faster isn't by tuning the driver instead of the car.
But I've been around the block enough to know that there comes a point at which money is ALSO well spent on the equipment. I've been the guy who was the frustrated racer because I couldn't go as fast as the guys in front, until I got the same equipment they had and then magically I was the guy in front. That helps me recognize the value in being the guy on lesser equipment while I learn.... but it also illustrates that there is a point at which, all else being equal, the equipment matters.

I'm older now. I'm less patient. I wanna shorten that curve, hehe.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by maytag

Previous experience includes 20 years of Superbike racing / teaching. You might be surprised how much of those are transferable skills.

I believe it!

For comparing times - I don't know which category of Boxster is best for me, sometimes I think F class would be the closest match, but I like to use Spec Boxster times to compare my times with, at least it gives me something fairly constant to compare to.

For example, at Roebling the SPB record is 1:23.602 and my fastest lap there is 1:26.326, so that is 96.85% of the record. Then I look at some other tracks:

• Roebling - 1:23.602/1:26.326 = 96.85%
• Sebring - 2:29.109/2:43.698 = 91.09%
• Road Atlanta - 1:38.834/1:49.171 = 90.53%
• Carolina Motorsport Park - 1:47.67/1:58.87 = 90.58%

So either I am ahead at Roebling, and a lot slower everywhere else, or else Roebling has a low SPB record

I don't get to Road Atlanta, Sebring, or CMP very often, like once every year or so, and when I do I usually pick up 2-3 seconds, so maybe after a few more times there I can whittle down and get closer

If I can get to 96% of the SPB record at those other tracks, I should be able to run:

• Sebring - 2:33.9
• Road Atlanta - 1:42
• CMP - 1:51.18

But those times look pretty optimistic to me, which maybe means that Roebling has a slower SPB record. Or maybe I just need to pick up the speed more there

I use Rennpoints, and here are the SPB records at UMC:

PCA Class Records

Looks like a 2:18.252 set last year, the lap you shared in the other thread was a 2:22.54, which is (in seconds) 138.252/142.54=97% so by my metrics that is smoking fast!

[maytag]

Originally Posted by steved0x

....... which is (in seconds) 138.252/142.54=97% so by my metrics that is smoking fast!

I'ma add this to my signature line, hahaha. Thanks, Steved0x, for feeding the ego. hehe :-)



So:
Would y'all agree with my choices if I were to make the winter mods look something like this:
- new Coilovers
- LCA & a Proper alignment / setup
- Sway bars.
- Diet and Exercise. (!!)
- Tires


IF you DO agree, then here's the next points of discussion, as I see them:

Regarding Coilovers:
We mentioned Ohlins R&T, because I'm familiar with them. I know they're expensive. Is there somethung out there that will give me a better COST:BENEFIT ratio? Maybe provide 90% of what the Ohlins will do, for 50% of the cost? I know that sometimes that last 10% is the most expensive....

Regarding LCA's & Alignment / Setup:
Is it possible to setup the car for the track, mark it, then set it up for the street and mark it again, so that I don't have to live with a setup that sucks at both things? Something I can wrench back to street-settings before leaving the track, maybe? Or have y'all found a happy-medium that's competent and capable at both?

Regarding Sway Bars:
GT#? Tarrett? Talk to me, goose!(s)

Diet:
I'm serious! But also, weight-loss was mentioned as an alternative to adding HP. I know I can shed some lb's from the exhaust. Everywhere else I look, it seems to be 2 or 3 lbs, max. I know those add-up, but dropping 20lbs off my BUTT would be more effective, hahaha. What's another good weight-loss program for a still-street-car?

Tires:
Here's where I'm getting some conflicting opinions. Help me reach a consensus? I'm already running a set of wheels dedicated to track tires only. they are just a cheap / ugly set of twists, or whatever they're called. They are staggered, not square. I thought square was considered "the ticket", but now I'm hearing other opinions? What are the pros / cons here? what's the trade-off?

Thanks again to all of you. this is helpful.

[rastta]

Originally Posted by maytag

I'ma add this to my signature line, hahaha. Thanks, Steved0x, for feeding the ego. hehe :-)



So:
Would y'all agree with my choices if I were to make the winter mods look something like this:
- new Coilovers
- LCA & a Proper alignment / setup
- Sway bars.
- Diet and Exercise. (!!)
- Tires


IF you DO agree, then here's the next points of discussion, as I see them:

Regarding Coilovers:
We mentioned Ohlins R&T, because I'm familiar with them. I know they're expensive. Is there somethung out there that will give me a better COST:BENEFIT ratio? Maybe provide 90% of what the Ohlins will do, for 50% of the cost? I know that sometimes that last 10% is the most expensive....

Regarding LCA's & Alignment / Setup:
Is it possible to setup the car for the track, mark it, then set it up for the street and mark it again, so that I don't have to live with a setup that sucks at both things? Something I can wrench back to street-settings before leaving the track, maybe? Or have y'all found a happy-medium that's competent and capable at both?

Regarding Sway Bars:
GT#? Tarrett? Talk to me, goose!(s)

Diet:
I'm serious! But also, weight-loss was mentioned as an alternative to adding HP. I know I can shed some lb's from the exhaust. Everywhere else I look, it seems to be 2 or 3 lbs, max. I know those add-up, but dropping 20lbs off my BUTT would be more effective, hahaha. What's another good weight-loss program for a still-street-car?

Tires:
Here's where I'm getting some conflicting opinions. Help me reach a consensus? I'm already running a set of wheels dedicated to track tires only. they are just a cheap / ugly set of twists, or whatever they're called. They are staggered, not square. I thought square was considered "the ticket", but now I'm hearing other opinions? What are the pros / cons here? what's the trade-off?

Thanks again to all of you. this is helpful.

On the Ohlins R+T's. Call Performance Shock in Sonoma, ask for Beau. I know the price just went up - but they are around $2600 or so. Call. The other thing you need to consider is if you plan on moving on to a race series with the car later. If you are, you probably should only put parts on it that meet that requirement or can be upgraded. If you don't plan on racing - you have a lot more options. The option here would be to buy Bilsteins with Spec/Boxster springs. They aren't any cheaper than the Ohlins though - maybe a couple hundred. Beau can help walk you through the alternatives - they service and sell most of the top major race brands. If you aren't going the spend the money on Ohlins or Bilsteins, just keep your struts and puts some stiffer springs on it, don't waste money on cheap coilovers.

The same goes with the Elephant Racing LCA's - can't use em in Spec, but I can in my cars class. Either way - getting adjustable LCA's is pretty much necessary, even for a street car. Track alignment set ups are dependent on tire temps and pressures as well as well as wear. What I've found is about one-half degree less camber in the rear than the front. Always zero or toe out at the front and toe in at the rear.

I'd leave the sway bars stock for now. Then as you learn what the car is doing with the coilovers, you can see if you even need bars, a front and/or rear. You can plan with shock settings to vary stiffness at this point.

As with Tires - Spec Boxster has a specific tire and size. If you may go that route probably best to use those now. Otherwise NT01's are the alternative.

Lastly - if you start modifying the car to be like a spec boxster - you have a lot of data on track times etc. for that class, if that matters to you.