Street and Strip Car???

[Bartman]

I read a good article in European Car Magazine the other day, and I thought it would be good to post here for discussion. http://www.europeancarweb.com/features/epcp_0908_bmw_325i_bimmerworld/index.html

The issue is when does your street car turn into something that doesn't work well on the street anymore. There are many things that can be done to make a car faster and handle better, but there's usually a price to be paid.

 

What do you think?

[Arif]

Interesting read. For example, I always thought that coilovers fell into the race car category and decided to go with Tokico Illuminas and springs. To be honest I've never driven in a Z with coilovers so not sure how true the above assumption was.

But never the less it is important to decide what you want your car to do and realize the tradeoffs that decision implies.

[stony]

I didn't read the article but i can tell you from experience that one persons idea of what a street car is depends on how tolerable that person is to comfort level. To some just the fume problem most Zs experience is enough to make people not want to drive on the street. where a person like myself would have no problem drive cross country in my Z which is a purpose built drag car. just have to wear earplugs ;>

[Ferrariferg]

I'm with Stony.

[Bartman]

Interesting read. For example, I always thought that coilovers fell into the race car category and decided to go with Tokico Illuminas and springs. To be honest I've never driven in a Z with coilovers so not sure how true the above assumption was.

But never the less it is important to decide what you want your car to do and realize the tradeoffs that decision implies.

I don't think that using coilovers and Illuminas are race car category items...that is unless you use really high spring rates. Suspension stiffness and compliance is definitely something that requires a trade-off decision, other items include seat belts/harnesses, roll cages, sound, heat, etc.

[MAG58]

I've always thought coil overs were not a "race-only" item, as like it's been said before, you can make the springs as supple as you want. Big ol' springs may be a race only item, unless you enjoy having your dentist's work examined every time you go for a drive.

 

However, I do hold the belief that heim joints are more of a race-only item, at the very least not a DD item. It stiffens up the suspension points sure, and it provides tons of adjustability, but from my experience with heim jointed mini's, the gook and grime that comes from service as a DD just degrades the heim joints faster than, say, driving for a day then doing maintenance on your track day or weekend cruiser which keeps all that crap out of your joints.

[Hugh]

I've grown a little older and a little more lazy when it comes to rolling a race car down the street.

 

I'm trying to balance the two right now, and will eventually have to have a dedicated race car. As I build my current Z, I'm always taking basic comfort into consideration.

 

When I built my 180sx in Japan, I went all out on most stuff. I got whatever was within my budget that would make me go as fast as possible. I wound up with an insane car that everyone loved, until they drove it. Then it was nothing but complaints about difficulty and discomfort. It was loud. It was a little rough. I managed to keep it from rattling through careful choices of bushings/mounts/etc... but there was no mistaking the noise that came from my diff, tranny, wastegate, exhaust. I had no AC, no power steering, etc... the list goes on as I traded comfort for speed.

 

In the Z, I felt the stripped-down style that it came from the factory in suited the street/race car well. You don't have too many comforts to lose. As long as you keep a reasonable suspension and drivetrain, you can pull it off. When you get unreasonable, many people will find they grow tired of daily driving it.

 

Sometimes I get in my wife's stock Miata with suspension and wheels and think this could be smoother if I left the suspension stock. Then I drive it... and its a lot of fun.

 

Then I get in my Honda Civic. It's so smooth and easy going. I almost yawn and pass out at the first stop light.

 

There has to be a balance, or you have to be willing to put up with whatever you put into your car. As said above, tolerance varies.