Bigpower

This question stems out of curiosity more than anything and I appreciate that there may not actually be a right or wrong answer and possibly a little subjective but all things being equal (ie. several vehicles exactly the same but with one single variable modification) what is the single most effective vehicle modification for something like TA/Sprints where you're not necessarily out for long durations.


I've always assumed (and read) that brakes were 'the' key modification but then figure that tyres are also top of the list (in both wet and dry) as they're your only contact with the track surface. Likewise aero, suspension/geomatary, cooling, drivers seating position/security, engine, drivetrain...even wipers/de-mister etc etc


I appreciate that they are all important factors to consider but which is 'the' one absolute thing that you need to get right to ensure best chance of a decent lap time....other than driver skill obviously?

Drivers seat time.

Any physical changes that you make to the car will only be of benefit once the driver is use to them.

pablo wrote:Drivers seat time.

Any physical changes that you make to the car will only be of benefit once the driver is use to them.

I agree. Then it's tyres imo

weight loss then data logging.

Cheers for the input guys

I was just thinking the other day about Christians old zed (which I believe was putting out around 600bhp) and the UAS zed that competed in WTAC last year (putting out around 550bhp if I remember correctly). I've finished rebuilding my forged lump but now have to shell out on getting the 675 tubs sorted as the specialist that built them really fucked them up. One of the housing intakes has been milled about 5mm bigger than the other?

The engine itself though is a good strong setup and is made up of a mix match of sourced parts, including Christians old heads.

I wanted to put the question out there though in order to determine the necessity of a 600bhp + engine over stock on a track such as Cadwell

I have a bench mark in mind for Cadwell but was thinking that a well setup zed such as my current one, despite running a stock engine (with supporting cooling/intake mods), could still put in a competative time on a track such as Cadwell.

Stock engine, lots of driver seat time - no problem IMO.

Here's a real example. My time around Snet 300 in a 350 bhp M3 is the same as 600+ Evos and STis were getting in Time Attack.

may be you should enter then?

Tommy wrote:Stock engine, lots of driver seat time - no problem IMO.

Here's a real example. My time around Snet 300 in a 350 bhp M3 is the same as 600+ Evos and STis were getting in Time Attack.

but yes i agree ,my car now with a std power would allow much more time to think about things ,silly power just makes a poor lap look fast

Tommy wrote:Stock engine, lots of driver seat time - no problem IMO.

Here's a real example. My time around Snet 300 in a 350 bhp M3 is the same as 600+ Evos and STis were getting in Time Attack.

gary@apt wrote:may be you should enter then?

lol. Unfortunately the car is no more! Crashed at Oulton and broken for parts

Don't have the spare cash anymore to compete but if I did I'd be going racing again rather than Time Attack. The buzz of working through a pack of cars was arse twitchingly excellent!

Good question
All in my opinion but I'd agree with a lot of the above

1) Seat time with the caveat that you actually know what you are doing otherwise you are compounding the problem with re-enforcing bad habits; if you are shit there is no point being over confident and shit because that is just dangerous. I would always suggest getting some coaching whenever you've mad a big difference to power, visit a new track and want to get up to speed quickly etc

2) Tyres

3) weight loss

4) Suspension

5) Power.........probably last for good reason.

No need for me to reminisce but I was @ 10/10's in my old Sierra due to the above, only @ 7/10's in the GTR because I didn't follow my own rules and then about 9/10's in the M3 because I got back to basics.

At somewhere like Cadwell balance will be more important than power, and really knowing the lines will count big time. Tuition there saved me two seconds per lap and that was in a car with 150bhp per tonne.

It's a dangerous game comparing other people's lap times as there are so many variables. An honest before and after with tuition will help you enormously and in terms of value for money a day with someone like Malcolm Edeson will be amongst the best