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Willis' 350z TRACK//DAILY//GT//NUR


WillisRR

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I meant to add, in my opinion any more than a 25-30mm drop and it has a negative impact on your handling so might be worth resisting the urge to slam it to the floor!

 

And keep some front to rear rake.

However I reckon he'd know this already :)

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Oo would love to! Always up for a friendly battle :)!

 

Can't make it i am afriad, hava a rally day booked inn the MX5 on the 7th then 19th at Cadwell, then off to Nurburgring a few days after for 10 days so already using too much holiday days used and to be honest it's going to be an expensive month as it is haha!

Edited by WillisRR
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Yeah, it's a top track! Yeah just got on the power a little early. Had been pushing very hard to be fair and got most of the track optimised (to the best of my ability). That corner is one that tricks you into thinking you can go faster. Have run wide before in the summer and nothing bad happens but in the winter with so much water logged mud it spat me out big time haha!

 

Love it, makes you feel alive!

Edited by WillisRR
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Mate of mine who has my old VXR220 outbraked himself on that corner once, put it onto the wet grass in a spin and went sailing straight across on the track the other side of the banking... VERY lucky there wasn't anything on that side of the track!

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Amazing weekend in the 350. Spent Saturday driving through Snowdonia in mixed conditions. Managed to finally get the drone out along with lot's of nice chase/follow footage which i will put up soon on IAG.

 

Then Anglesey track day take 2 on Sunday! A very wet morning which allowed me to have some right fun getting reacquainted with some powersliding and skidding about as it had been a while! I hadn't got a chance to fit the Teins and the soft chassis really fought against me trying to gently transition the mass of the car between drifts etc. I wasn't to know at that point how lucky it was I hadn't fitted the shiny new dampers!

 

 

 

The weather changed at lunch and saw the track really dry out fast so i started to knuckle down and try and set some clinical/clean faster laps... I was pushing hard, the car still plagued with understeer meaning i could find the limits of most corners safely and relatively easily. Front camber arms I now feel are essential to improve this, the front end really does wash out far too easily.

 

We had seen many people fall off throughout the day. The grass was insanely waterlogged. When cars went off they were digging a foot into the mud, nasty stuff but that wasn't going to happen to me was it now hahaha.......

 

As I pushed a little harder into the first corner i noticed a damp patch half way through the corner exit. This damp patch moved the car a foot further over to the right, it was at that point i realised if i keep my foot in I am going sailing across the grass. I back off, but it was too late. The rear outer wheel loaded up with the cars weight using most of it's grip soon lost all hope when i hit the grass and spat me off royally! I made peace with the fact I was going in the barrier very quickly.... massively surprised when it ended up spinning in line and coming to a stop 2 ft off impact!!!

 

In hindsight I should of stopped trying to save the corner and focussed on saving the car. Straightening the wheel as i hit the grass may have made things a little less of a close call, but like Ekona said, that could of lead to a head on with a car on the opposite side of the track. It was such a fine margin and things happen fast!

 

 

Luckily no damage, just a very filthy car!

 

I am loving the 350z on track now though. The confidence it gives you is brilliant! Only complaints as previously said was body roll and poor front end turn in. Both of which will be cured when the Teins go on and front camber arms are purchased. Only other thing i am itching for is a proper mechanical diff, something like a 1.5 way Kaaz looks very good for the money. Factor in the rebuild kit, labour and chuck in a final drive because why not and you are talking nigh on 2k though. Even with that cost involved I think it would be a great package for the money invested in it!

 

The brakes were ok. I didn't feel massive confidence in them but i wouldn't slate them either. Consistent though on longer stints. The only odd thing was a horrid brake judder that would come and go. Say on a ten lap stint, they would only judder between laps 3-6. Going to have to try and work that out!

 

Also purchased a tyre pressure monitoring system for the car. As all i seem to play about with is dampers and tyre pressures it is nice to be able to adjust the dampers with the EDFC and monitor pressures in real time without having to get the gauge out after every stint.

 

Will update with full vid in the next few days :D .

 

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Edited by WillisRR
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Luckily no damage, just a very filthy car!

 

I am loving the 350z on track now though. The confidence it gives you is brilliant! Only complaints as previously said was body roll and poor front end turn in. Both of which will be cured when the Teins go on and front camber arms are purchased. Only other thing i am itching for is a proper mechanical diff, something like a 1.5 way Kaaz looks very good for the money. Factor in the rebuild kit, labour and chuck in a final drive because why not and you are talking nigh on 2k though. Even with that cost involved I think it would be a great package for the money invested in it!

 

The brakes were ok. I didn't feel massive confidence in them but i wouldn't slate them either. Consistent though on longer stints. The only odd thing was a horrid brake judder that would come and go. Say on a ten lap stint, they would only judder between laps 3-6. Going to have to try and work that out!

 

Also purchased a tyre pressure monitoring system for the car. As all i seem to play about with is dampers and tyre pressures it is nice to be able to adjust the dampers with the EDFC and monitor pressures in real time without having to get the gauge out after every stint.

 

Will update with full vid in the next few days :D .

 

 

Nicely put together vids.......wish I knew how to do that!

 

Was a pretty close call with your spin glad you only need a pressure washer to put it right again! Was especially lucky the front end got on the grass before it came back round!

 

Glad you're enjoying the Zed on track, I've always been impressed with mine considering its such a pie eating bus. I've never suffered from such bad understeer like you've mentioned and always felt the front ends been good, some corners required a bit of trail braking to get it backed in a little to keep it neutral but its never properly ploughed on to the point I've been left waiting to get back on the power. (I'm sure you have but thought I'd mention it as a thought) Have you checked the bushes on the front sus are in good shape? The Zed front setup is quite unique and leans on the bushes more than most so your geo goes straight out the window with a bit of load through it and may account for excessive understeer. Considering you're on AD08's and 245 all round too, which I found a really nice setup to the point that when these tyres are done I'll be flogging the 19" LMGT4's and going back to 18" on the front at least

 

Replacing the diff is something you wont regret either, pricey but as you say well worth it. Get on the power loads earlier, no inside wheel spin just drives out the corners so much better. I binned the standard diff after my first trackday in my old 350z and didn't even drive my new one before I replaced it for the os giken unit.

 

Brakes have been covered a lot on hear recently but with a few changes and proper pads the stock brembo's are well up with dealing with a standard power car.

 

I also fancied getting a tyre pressure monitoring thing for the very same reason but how accurate are they given that I've found 1psi difference can change things so much..........I'll be keen to see how you get on and find it compared to good ol fashioned manual gauge.

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Stupidly LUCKY! But we all need a bit of luck some times!

 

Thanks re the vids :). I don't have much time to put them together but I do what I can in the few hours i spend on the review vids. Just uploading the Anglesey full review which i am mega happy with. Will post it up once uploaded.

 

Put this quick Blyton Second Shakedown vid and a Consumables vid up the other day>>

 

 

 

 

Totally agree with how impressive they are. I think i tarred them with a 'heavy lard' brush but when you look at the weights of even things like the lotus Evora it really isn't a heavy car. Pretty much same power and weight as an M3 E46 and no one ever complains about them being heavy... the lightest M car at that point!

 

Very good point regarding bushes, I actually mention this in the Anglesey review vid i am uploading as we started to get some odd vibration. Extremely impressed with the brakes for what they are, EBC orange stuff pads, ATE fluids, Brembo High Carbon discs, braided lines and rebuild calipers.

 

Regarding Understeer, i am unsure whether it's just because I am used to a more aggressive and agile set up. I run massive camber on MX5 and MK, maybe I am asking too much, nothing camber arms and a good look over the bushings won't sort in time for Nur though!! Fast approaching now! Cant wait! Maybe another Blyton Benchmark day once the Teins and Camber items go on :)

 

Will let you know what i make of the tyre pressure monitoring too! Look forward to seeing your progress mate, your car was the first build thread i read from page one to current state. Everything you have done is spot on and what i would love to do given a larger budget. A proper mech diff is a must i agree! I have said to myself i will do it if i still have the car at the end of the year in time for the winter track time 'season' as after Nur the 350 won't get any action as it's time for the MK to get some hammering haha! Still impressed with how for my 350 has come on in 3 months of ownership since i bought it completely oem haha.

Edited by WillisRR
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I always call mine "The pie eater" but it was 1505kgs on the scales with half a tank of fuel and before I swapped the seats out so its a sub 1500kg car now and as you say when I briefly considered M3's E46 at 1500+ and E90 at 1700+ with no one saying anything about it! Even hot hatches are touching 1400 ish these days.

 

The amount of movement in the factory bushes is criminal, definitely a decision was made for comfort over performance at Nissan HQ. My chassis is night and day different for rebushing it.

 

I regularly drive my brothers Vxr220 on track fitted with Nitron 3 way race sus with track geo and my 350 doesn't feel understeery after hopping out of that and back into mine.............feels MASSIVE but not bad mannered or boring. For what they cost a few choice bushes are well worth it, especially at the 'Ring with the huge high speed crests and compressions etc. Always good to get a pre 'Ring track day in just to check everything out.

 

(Shameless pic of Bro's VXR No.10 and the only Moonland Grey they produced..........he's had it since the beginning of 2006!!)

 

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Cheers, appreciate that. I really like doing all the work on my cars and so this time round I thought I'd share it and I'm glad people are enjoying reading through it.

Nothing stays standard for long, especially when you track it!! Enjoy all your toys!!

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The amount of movement in the factory bushes is criminal, definitely a decision was made for comfort over performance at Nissan HQ. My chassis is night and day different for rebushing it.

 

Totally agree - you just have to be careful as to what you select and where.

I've gone from rubber-poly-metal.

Downside to metal is the slight harshness and occasional rattle over some surfaces.

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Which bushes are you referring to out of interest? Something like this from H-Dev or is there specific bushes that are more responsible than others? http://h-dev.co.uk/product/superpro-350z-front-rear-running-gear-bush-kit-kit5261k-rg/?v=79cba1185463

 

Great topic WillisRR i replied in your Pistonheads topic before noticing this topic.

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I have a couple for sale here btw - new/used:

http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/107093-brake-pads-poly-bushings-arms-etc-for-sale-new-used/#entry1604324

 

I can't really answer that because it depends on some parts.

Some arms I bought had metal bushings on them already, so just buying a whole kit doesn't make sense if you are changing parts after lowering it.

You'll have to plan out what you're doing.

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All i know is people keep saying 'banana arms' lots haha!

 

Yeah i will have a look and see which ones look important and get them done when the camber arms and teins go on... Might as well do it then!

 

Sagara, thank you, yeah that kit looks mega, goodbye another grand haha!! Think i will try and just do the minimal/important ones (not that they are all not important).

 

Ekona, butcher, love the velises. BRILLIANT cars and have nearly bought one on several occasions. Always wanted a k24 honda powered exige s1 style car. Would of bought a catD elise with a blown rover motor and then built it from ground up if i had the chance. Silly money these days.

 

A friend Dan has had two vx220s recently. Both 2.2 with aftermarket chargers on and nitrons too. Mega bit of kit!

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Banana/Compression arm has got to be done as it takes such punishment. I'd say that one and the rear diff and subframe bushes make the biggest differences to the handling but then while it's all apart it seems daft not to do the rest as you go. More money and time as always though. SPL's in a few choice places, Whiteline and Superpro for the rest I went with and am happy with.

 

VX. Elise are great fun especially with 300Hp, AP brakes and Nitron shocks.......its a little missile!

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Thanks for the advice re bushings, goin to be a busy few weeks! It always surprises me how much track car build/projects quickly escalate and eat away free time and money 😭 All part of it i guess haha!

 

Finally got round to uploading the full Anglesey review and a little vid of just track footage...

 

 

 

Edited by WillisRR
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Thanks for the advice re bushings, goin to be a busy few weeks! It always surprises me how much track car build/projects quickly escalate and eat away free time and money 😭 All part of it i guess haha!

 

Well I always work out how long I think it's going to take and cost then double it (and with more recent mods treble it!!) and I'm usually far closer to the reality.

 

We wouldn't do it if we didn't love it though eh!!

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