blakey72 Posted August 27, 2022 Posted August 27, 2022 I'm keen to have go on the track and was wondering if anyone does track days or actually races a dedicated car? There's not much around here so I'd have to go either Melbourne (Sandown, Phillip Is.) or Adelaide.
sloper Posted August 29, 2022 Posted August 29, 2022 A friend of mine is building up a VH GrpC to race at the moment, could put you in touch? Another friend owns a couple of historic race cars, parade laps only. Had the Grp3 on Sandown a few years ago 200kmh down main straight, threw the clutch to put it in 5th. No 5th in a 4speed box, back in 4th to 6000rpm, and it was still pulling. regards Bruce
ArthurDent Posted August 31, 2022 Posted August 31, 2022 On 27/08/2022 at 7:02 PM, blakey72 said: I'm keen to have go on the track and was wondering if anyone does track days or actually races a dedicated car? There's not much around here so I'd have to go either Melbourne (Sandown, Phillip Is.) or Adelaide. Do you fancy Hill Climb? Think of it as a short one way uphill challenging track. There are some facilities a tad closer to you at Mount Leura (Ballarat), Mount Tarrengower (Bendigo) and One Tree Hill (Ararat). https://motorsport.org.au/events/venues/victoria
JB82 Posted August 31, 2022 Posted August 31, 2022 I've done track days in my cars, and also own a race car. I would recommend hiring a prepared race car for a track day/event. In my experience you will get a lot better value for your money. 1
frankn Posted September 12, 2022 Posted September 12, 2022 Used to do track days at Mallala SA, you can still pay and join an “open day” and mix it up with others. The days I attended were usually organised through the tuning shop that looked after my car. That way we had some control over who was on the track. I’d agree with other comments, try a day or two with instruction 1st before jumping into an open day. Hill climbs can be a lot of fun and there’s generally a few local tracks.
murrmax Posted September 23, 2022 Posted September 23, 2022 hire a track car, unless you have done some mods if you have an ok car you will shred your road tyres , brakes and who knows what else ...not to mention dealing with terminal understeer $800 for a hire car for a day sounds good value ..but yeah a dedicated track car is the way to go 1
PicoWattson Posted February 16, 2023 Posted February 16, 2023 Rob Roy revival back on again in March.
joz Posted May 8, 2023 Posted May 8, 2023 So anyone been doing any track days recently? Thinking about one at PI sometime this year, got a bit of a bug for it doing one at Sandown recently. Not a prepared track car but a blast nonetheless. Now thinking about about something more track focused for the kids and myself.
PicoWattson Posted May 8, 2023 Posted May 8, 2023 No track days but will be taking my homebuilt around Winton at lunchtime on the 28th. 3
Luxmaniac Posted October 31, 2023 Posted October 31, 2023 I did Winton earlier this year and will be fanging around Calder on Nov 12. I built my car for drifting but haven't the heart to trash such a tidy old EA so now I do track days instead. I'm in to it for less than $5k and while it isn't super fast in a straight line I've focused on the suspension and handling to make the most of where the real fun is - in the twisty stuff. Best part about it so far? Lapping faster than my girlfriend's dad (in an E36 M3) 2
joz Posted October 31, 2023 Posted October 31, 2023 15 minutes ago, Luxmaniac said: I did Winton earlier this year and will be fanging around Calder on Nov 12. I built my car for drifting but haven't the heart to trash such a tidy old EA so now I do track days instead. I'm in to it for less than $5k and while it isn't super fast in a straight line I've focused on the suspension and handling to make the most of where the real fun is - in the twisty stuff. Best part about it so far? Lapping faster than my girlfriend's dad (in an E36 M3) The twisties is where the fun happens, straight line speed does get a bit boring after a few laps. Well not if you’re racing but if your out just having fun.
caminperth Posted January 21 Posted January 21 On 8/5/2023 at 9:17 PM, PicoWattson said: No track days but will be taking my homebuilt around Winton at lunchtime on the 28th. Digging up a very old post here - this was my Uncle's car I inherited when he passed away. I sold it sometime in 2015 or 2016 and would love to know where it lives now.
David A Posted January 21 Posted January 21 (edited) I used to own an Alfa Romeo GTV-6 back in the 90's which I took on track days and hill climbs. The engine was stock (other than extractors and a Remus sports exhaust), though the suspension had a fair bit of work done to it, incl: lowered sports springs, Koni yellow shocks, 28mm torsion bars, uprated bushes, a lowered rear roll centre with front and rear negative camber, along with Simmons wheels and Yokohama 205/50 tyres, uprated brake pads and Dot 5 brake fluid, a kevlar racing seat with Sabelt 5 point harness and Momo steering wheel. The car also had the body kit from the Ignis Alfa Romeo GTV6 driven by Hugh Harrison. The car handled well in that spec, and due to it's almost 50/50 weight distribution, could be 4 wheel drifted through a corner on the throttle. But to be a good track day car, imho it really needed the 3.0l Busso V6 and gearbox from the 164 QV, wider rims and 225 tyres, bigger brakes, braided brake lines, and an LSD. Still, it was a fun, if unreliable car in the above spec. Edited January 21 by David A 2
joz Posted January 21 Posted January 21 (edited) 1 hour ago, David A said: I used to own an Alfa Romeo GTV-6 back in the 90's which I took on track days and hill climbs. The engine was stock (other than extractors and a Remus sports exhaust), though the suspension had a fair bit of work done to it, incl: lowered sports springs, Koni yellow shocks, 28mm torsion bars, uprated bushes, a lowered rear roll centre with front and rear negative camber, along with Simmons wheels and Yokohama 205/50 tyres, uprated brake pads and Dot 5 brake fluid, a kevlar racing seat with Sabelt 5 point harness and Momo steering wheel. The car also had the body kit from the Ignis Alfa Romeo GTV6 driven by Hugh Harrison. The car handled well in that spec, and due to it's almost 50/50 weight distribution, could be 4 wheel drifted through a corner on the throttle. But to be a good track day car, imho it really needed the 3.0l Busso V6 and gearbox from the 164 QV, wider rims and 225 tyres, bigger brakes, braided brake lines, and an LSD. Still, it was a fun, if unreliable car in the above spec. Have taken the Mistress to the odd track outing. This was a few years ago at Sandown. mines the silver one. Edited January 21 by joz 1 1
David A Posted January 21 Posted January 21 (edited) 37 minutes ago, joz said: Have taken the Mistress to the odd track outing. This was a few years ago at Sandown. Nice. Is that a 996.2 Turbo? Have you done many mods to make it a better track day car? Without going silly with money, I wouldn't mind a good low km's MY04.5 BMW E46 M3 with Auto/Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) & upgraded Tractive semi-active suspension. Ps: I heard a rumour the Sandown racecourse has now been permanently closed? Edited January 21 by David A 1
joz Posted January 21 Posted January 21 1 minute ago, David A said: Nice. Is that a 996.2 Turbo? Have you done many mods to make it a better track day car? Without going silly with money, I wouldn't mind a good low km's MY04.5 BMW E46 M3 with Auto/Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) & upgraded Tractive semi-active suspension. Yes a 996 Turbo but .1 Honestly, to out drive that thing you're a better than driver than me. No mods specifically track focused other than lowering and was toying with the idea of coilovers though (oh and some braided brake lines). Track days for me were just fast practice laps for fun and no attempts at racing. Though I did run a sports exhaust and a mild tune to free up some 40/50 extra ponies. Though atm a love it for car club outings and some country twisties with a few other guys every few weeks. the car was never about drag racing for me. 1
David A Posted January 21 Posted January 21 (edited) 3 hours ago, joz said: Yes a 996 Turbo but .1 Honestly, to out drive that thing you're a better than driver than me. No mods specifically track focused other than lowering and was toying with the idea of coilovers though (oh and some braided brake lines). Track days for me were just fast practice laps for fun and no attempts at racing. Though I did run a sports exhaust and a mild tune to free up some 40/50 extra ponies. Though atm a love it for car club outings and some country twisties with a few other guys every few weeks. the car was never about drag racing for me. Having fun is what it's all about. And your car gets around the track pretty well in stock form. If I was going to track a 996 or 997 Turbo, my short list of mods would include a full Kline Inconel exhaust, MCS suspension, BMC Sports air filters, Surface Transforms rotors, Pagid brake pads, Hel braided brake lines, Bridgestone Potenza Race semi-slick tyres & a mild tune by Evolve Technik. Edited January 21 by David A 1
joz Posted January 21 Posted January 21 (edited) @David A oh yea, the sports exhaust is a Kline here. I spoke to Peter Fitzgerald at Evolve while he was still with us about a tune but in this case I went with a bunch called Underground as the tune was custom and not of the shelf. But yes semis certainly make a difference but unless you have a spare set of rims to change out for every outing I preferred some Michi PS4s’ . Brakes I kept stock as was the rest of the car as it was never meant to be a comp car. But yes you can get carried away with mods, suspension, bakes, seats and harness can quickly add up and all without any HP gains. im still toying with the idea of a semi track car but with a much smaller budget. Remember no insurance if you bend it on the track Edited January 21 by joz
David A Posted January 21 Posted January 21 @joz Yeah sad news about Fitzy. He was a top steerer and top bloke. Re: the tuning shop you used, were you referring to Underground Performance in Cheltenham? Anyway I've saved their details for future reference. Personally if I had the money, i'd own 3 Porsches incl: a Cayenne Coupe, 997.2 911 Turbo and 981 Cayman GT4 Clubsport manual with PCCB brakes as my track day car, then do the above-mentioned mods to finish it off. PS4S tyres are good in the wet, but go off a bit quick on warm track days. Hence you really need 3 cars . 1
David A Posted January 21 Posted January 21 (edited) 1 hour ago, joz said: @David A im still toying with the idea of a semi track car but with a much smaller budget. Remember no insurance if you bend it on the track My vote for a fast road/track day car on a relative budget is a good low km’s MY04.5 BMW E46 M3 with Auto/Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG). You can pick up good examples from about $80k now. Edited January 21 by David A
joz Posted January 21 Posted January 21 10 hours ago, David A said: @joz Yeah sad news about Fitzy. He was a top steerer and top bloke. Re: the tuning shop you used, were you referring to Underground Performance in Cheltenham? Anyway I've saved their details for future reference. Personally if I had the money, i'd own 3 Porsches incl: a Cayenne Coupe, 997.2 911 Turbo and 981 Cayman GT4 Clubsport manual with PCCB brakes as my track day car, then do the above-mentioned mods to finish it off. PS4S tyres are good in the wet, but go off a bit quick on warm track days. Hence you really need 3 cars . Yep Underground Performance in Cheltenham, having a AWD dyno just made sense at the time for remapping. Yes if only $$ was not a limiting factor. 1
maximus Posted yesterday at 01:34 AM Posted yesterday at 01:34 AM @jozim still toying with the idea of a semi track car but with a much smaller budget. Remember no insurance if you bend it on the track Get one of these......won't swallow the tarmac like a 911 but will go around the crappy drivers, prodigious grip and handling on rails. Bulletproof engine and gearbox, cost is brakes and tyres. found all the info via the Lotus boys. 1
joz Posted yesterday at 01:53 AM Posted yesterday at 01:53 AM 17 minutes ago, maximus said: @jozim still toying with the idea of a semi track car but with a much smaller budget. Remember no insurance if you bend it on the track Get one of these......won't swallow the tarmac like a 911 but will go around the crappy drivers, prodigious grip and handling on rails. Bulletproof engine and gearbox, cost is brakes and tyres. found all the info via the Lotus boys. I have a close friend that has a CS for the track , loves it. 1
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