How should I spend US$2000

[expat]

I intend to start some track racing at the Zhuhai International Race Track in China as of Feb. 2003.

I'm on a tight budget and only have money after saving. No Visa card debts ever again!! (Famous last words)

I've right now got about US$2000 to spend in car preparation. I don't expect to push really hard at this stage as this will be first foray into Porsche racing.

So far I have the following mods.

Strut Bar
New Bilsteins
Turbo rods
1" rear spacers on stock wheels
New magnecor wires
Cat bypass
Just completed general tune-up and service.

Everything else is stock.

I know seat time is the best investment but beyond that I'm sure you guys can suggest some extra prep. work/equipment I can perform/install.

Sway bars, torsion bars, race seats, wider wheels, brakes....what are your recommendations?

Thanks for your imput.

Cheers
Mark

This is on my 87 3.2 Carrera ROW

PS I should say that I'm not looking for major engine work at this stage. I have bigger plans for that towards the end of next year

[Chuck Moreland]

I'd start with brake reinforcement

- Get some good street/track pads, porterfield etc
- High temp fluid, ATE Super Blue/Motul

Oil cooling

- Duct some extra air to your cooler, open headlight bucket/valence panel
- Extra cooling if you are in hot climate, finned oil lines/valence cooler

Get some safety equipment.

- Helmet
- 5 point harness
- Roll bar (especially since you have a cab)

If you care about your paint job

- Magnetic hood bra
- Regular vinyl bra

Get a racing shell

Budget some tires, even if you stay with street tires you will wear them fast

If you have any money left, get some torsion bars and new bushings all around.

[Jeff964]

Hi Mark,


If this is your first outing to the track, I would upgrade the brake system. I think one should learn the track well before going all-out. That's when accidents occurs; inexperience and speed never mix. Just ask some veteran ZhuHai racers and they'll have many stories to tell you.

Brake pads and brake lines. Drilled brake disks are also a good option with a good set of 2nd-hand factory Turbo calipers not hard to find here. I've heard stories that Porsches with stock brakes lasted only five or six laps around ZhuHai. I am sure after a long journey to the track, you don't want to only drive a few laps and have to be sidelined due to brake fade.

Next, tires. Michelin Cup Sports are currently the hot tires among HK Porsche owners here. 17" will cost around HKD7000. If you plan to use it, order it at least 6-7 weeks before the track date.
Speedline down in Causeway Bay is currently out of stock for 17". After my S02 wears out, I will install them. They are great for street use as well, but probably not daily usage.

Mark, I hope this will help you narrow down your choices.

By the way, I tried to email you through your NTPO website, but the message bounced back to me. Is there another way to contact you, besides Pelican, so that we can talk more about Porsche driving in HK. I have a colleague who owns a 1985 Carrera, running Cup Sports, who loves to drive around HK for no reason as well. Maybe, we should hook up some time and talk Porsche. Pelican-HK meet?

Have fun,

Jeff

[expat]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for info. Sorry about the mail box being full. The limit is pretty small. I'll clear it in a minute.

I'm running stock wheels (Fuch) so the tyre size will remain at 16". Any recommendation there?

As you and Chuck have suggested, I think brakes are the money spot for the moment. Mine are only stock and not too good.

Definitely lets get together for a drive. I know a few others who'll join in (outside of the PCHK) - always looking for an excuse to go driving. Also agree we could establish the first Pelican HK drive day. I'll wait for your email - I'll post you a pm with another email address too.

Ok back to the task - lets say I've already budgeted for the brakes, what next? All ideas appreciated.

Cheers
Mark

[juan ruiz]

You are half way to be able to install a Turbo C'MON just hang in there just a bit longer then come in to the DARK side

[RoninLB]

if new torsion bars are expensive, then at least torsion bar bushings..they're small bucks and not a complicated install for you to do............Ron

[APKhaos]

Mark,
I'm guessing you are contemplating DE-type track days, as distinct from balls-to-the-wall racing, right?

On that basis, your stock 87 Carrera is a great car for the first couple of seasons, without serious [spendy] modifications.

Brakes: Your stock brakes are more than adequate, assuming your rotors are OK [not badly worn/warped].
- Kool Kevlar [Porterfield RS-4] pads from Der Six Enterprises $180. Great pads, very rotor-friendly.
- Flush and replace fluid with ATE Blue $10/qt.
- Maybe rebuild your calipers - new seals $50

Suspension: Careful suspension upgrades will transform your car. Your stock suspension in soft, and set for inherent understeer.
- Stock rubber bushings are probably dead. Replacment with street poly bushings will really improve things, and make the car feel tighter, without adding harshness.
- Turbo tie rods if you have spare $
- larger torsion bars [28/22] make a HUGE difference [again without making the car harsh - surprise!]. Try to find used bars rather than shelling out for new.
- Ride hight and alignment - get the car down and dial in some decent -ve camber settings. Lots of advice in past threads.
- Larger sway bars can wait until 'phase 2' - you want decent bars - the low priced bars tend to bind up rather badly.

Wheels/Tyres: Stick with the stock wheels, and decent street tyres. The street tyres will teach you everything about your driving inputs, and scream like hell before they let go. R Compund tyres will mask many early errors - don't use 'em until you develop smooth and repeatable laps, which will be next season.
Going to an inch wider wheels will help, but not as much as the suspension and brake work. Wheels and tyres are expensive!

Engine Care: Your engine and trans are designed for track style driving, but you need to keep them happy.
- Clean the engine and trans. They rely on air cooling, and crud kills their ability to radiate heat.
- Change the oil & filter before and after every event.
- Overheating should not be a problem unless the ambient temps are fairly high. If your oil temps are heading north of 9 o'clock, then here's a two step plan that should keep 'em south:
- Remove the RHS foglight to get more air into the fender cooler
- Find some light sheet alu and fair in the area between the front bumper and the cooler to force all the air through the coooler - this make a huge difference.

Safety Gear: This should be first in the list.
- Get a good helmet.
- Your cab requires a roll bar to participate in any track events! Several vendors {DAS et al] offer bolt-in bars that use the seat belt anchor points - no welding or other mods to your car - nice!
- Given the roll bar, decent five/six point harnesses will work with your stock seats. Good harnesses add more than safety - they literally allow you to drive better by removing the need to brace yourself under high loadings.

The first thing that you will discover in your early instructed sessions is that your car is much more capable than you driving. The great news is that it is MUCH cheaper to improve your driving with more instruction, reading, and track time than to improve your car. Have fun, forget pushing hard, embrace smoothness, and you will love it.

Regardz,

[expat]

Tony - thankyou, great advice I think. Yes I intend to drive DE style - defintiely not balls to the wall.

Juan - next year . Having to turbo it here in HK is going to be more expensive - not many that I'd trust. I think I'll need to get the engine built o/s and have it crated.

I'm going to Australia during X-mas/New year so hope to check out some suppliers. Aussie guys - any advice? maybe a separate thread.

I haven't the resources to do the full install myself either, so I'm going to get bent over backwards by a Porsche techi here to do most of the install and tuning. That means a year of saving first.

(Hmmm...would it be better to import you and Merv for a month to help my plans come together.....2 air tickets, accomodation, food, drink, women, sightseeing, bail money....... )

Ok...so the list looks like this

Brakes (already have separate budget for recon.ing stock setup)
Helmet
Roll bar
Cooling
New bushings
Harness

[pwd72s]

Whatever you choose, DO NOT donate it to the Clinton legal defense fund... Racing is a much better way to throw money down a toilet!

[Mike Feinstein]

Regarding racing....I heard it put a different way:


"Know how to walk away from the track with $100,000 in your pocket?"

"Start with $200,000."

[APKhaos]

Mark,
I'll take a pic of the cooler fairing - its a very simple fab that you could do using a 15x15 sheet of 22 gauge alu, scissors, and some time. Its one of the jobs where the 'ankle grab' factor should be zero.
Tony
[ex-pat Aussie meself]

[expat]

Originally posted by Mike Feinstein
Regarding racing....I heard it put a different way:


"Know how to walk away from the track with $100,000 in your pocket?"

"Start with $200,000."

That's like what we use to say when I was sailing skiffs competitively


"Sailing is like standing under the shower tearing up money"

Tony - thanks for any help

[APKhaos]

"Sailing is like standing under the shower tearing up money"

Yes. When I was blue water sailing my family used to talk disdainfully about "BUs". A BU was one Boat Unit, or $100.

[Bill Douglas]

Mark, seriously I'd spend the $2000 on whores. I've been to HK and I think it would be a good idea.

Get out on the track and have a good time. After a while you will figure out what you need to do and when, but the best bet is to go out and take it easy, have a good time, decide how serious you are then spend money in that dierction. But Id definitely decide how keen you are before you spend the monet.

[APKhaos]

Mark,
This is the pic I promised you a while ago.
Its far from complicated - any really light gauge sheet alu and a set of tinsnips will do it in an hour.

I made up a template using cardboard first, then cut and bent the alu sheet. Use the chin spoiler fasteners to attach the front, and the lower two fastners on the cooler for the rear. The sheet is too thin to drill, so use a punch to make the holes - mine are a little ropey, as you can see!

I also cut a largish hole to provide easy access to the fog light nut. This makes it quick and easy to pop the fogger out for track days.

The fairing really works. It forces ALL the air through the cooler, and is a good 15-20 degrees more effective on hot days.

[expat]

Tony...thanks for that...grateful you remembered and bothered to post this for me.

I had to look at it for a while to work out what I was looking at

So how low under the chin spoiler does this sit? Have you got a side view you can post? Thanks in advance.

I had the whole car lowered again last week. Now sits at f/r24.00 f/l 24.25 r/r 24.00 r/l 23.75. Seems to feel a little tighter around the curves before starting to break free.

I'm still undecided but i think new sway bars are the go. Definitely rebuild the calipers, get some good pads and fluid.

I'm going to give the track thing a go and see if its what i want to do. The P-Club HK have told me I don't need a roll bar to compete so I'll take it easy for the first outing and if all goes ok then for the next outing I'll definitely get a roll bar and harnesses.

Once again guys...thanks for your advice.

Now where's those tin snips