New to FT86 - track/street questions

[boze_man]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

How extensively do you see yourself modifying it? stealth track car to start...want some limited street driving to enjoy as well.

I started with a base model. This is the result. watched the other day!...looks like the curbing unweighted the rear on the GT3 and he lifted?

agree base model way to go...been a loyal toyota owner for a long time, now just gotta find an 86

[boze_man]

Originally Posted by HKz

I would only get a new one if ya got the money to blow..

I wish...will have to check with my accountant (wife).

or as the dude says..."By the way, do you think that you could give me that $20,000 in cash? My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax bracket"

[Tristor]

Originally Posted by boze_man

thanks for the choices...will add to shopping list

Sorry, I don't know any shops in South Jersey specifically.



I definitely agree with you on FT86 vs Miata. I almost bought the new Miata RF, and I went with the 86 instead because it felt remarkably similar in handling performance but looked better and I (maybe a bit irrationally) hate convertibles, even hard tops. Found out later from some track buddies that they'd had Miata RFs and traded them in for FT86s, or to acquire an older car (S2000, NA/NB Miata). For the price differential, the FT86 is just better at this point in time, although the new 2019 Miatas got a power boost which might help since they still weigh ~300 pounds less from the factory.


Of course you can't fit a full set of wheels/tires and a tool bag into a Miata on your way to the track like you can an FT86


On the necessity of an oil cooler, it really depends on how hard you're pushing the car and what the weather is like. If you are an experienced track driver I feel like you'd need the oil cooler right out the gate. These cars run hot on oil temps and tend to have somewhat scary oil pressure drop offs as that happens. In Texas this summer I was seeing oil temps >270F before I added an oil cooler... anything above about 240F is definitely causing a pressure drop on 0W20. You may be able to get by running a heavier weight of oil (5W30 or 5W40) in the interim, but before long no matter what you'll need the oil cooler. Might as well get it done right off the bat and potentially save your engine some heartache.


Yeah, people have gotten the GT3 ducts working although I don't really feel like this car needs brake ducting with stock power. But maybe I'm just not a good enough driver on grippy enough tires to make it necessary yet.

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by boze_man

thanks for the choices...will add to shopping list

To answer your quoted questions some:

Yes, people have used the GT3 ducts on various platforms. Not much exact data, but for $30 don't think they hurt
Yes, an oil cooler is needed.
AZP Installs is in Jersey, not sure exactly where though.

[boze_man]

Originally Posted by finch1750

AZP Installs is in Jersey, not sure exactly where though.

gracias el presidente

[Shark_Bait88]

For the first few track days, I'd argue an oil cooler isn't needed. I've done 6 without one, though I added one this year, and know of somebody else (much faster than me) that did significantly more track days before adding his. When I say it isn't needed, I mean that it's not a guarantee you'll have a catastrophic failure. But it's still a good idea.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by boze_man

gracias el presidente

AZP Installs is good.

Pads, fluid, oil cooler. If the plan is to track the car somewhat often, just get the oil cooler from the start and you will have 1 less thing to worry about.

Bonus points for a basic alignment with camber bolts.

From there...so many ways to go, but that's the way to start.

- Andrew

[atomicalex]

Headed out to Grattan on saturday, thank you for all the replies here as this will be my first day out with daBRZ.

[TommyW]

Originally Posted by boze_man

Initially would run the car stock and only upgrade brake fluid and race pads. Anything else?

Keeping it stock for your first few go outs is a smart move. With the stock tires you'll get to understand the slip angles at a much lower speed and get used to the overall, basic feel.

Since you plan on continuing tracking I WOULD think about an oil cooler, new pads and fluid as you mentioned asap

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by atomicalex

Headed out to Grattan on saturday, thank you for all the replies here as this will be my first day out with daBRZ.

Lets get you just the basics first, as mentioned in the post above this one.

Oil cooler, brake pads, brake fluid.

PM me.

[TommyW]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Lets get you just the basics first, as mentioned in the post above this one.

Oil cooler, brake pads, brake fluid.

PM me.

These cars are pretty sorted right out of the box. These mentioned improvements and THEN better tires and wheels and that will be 90% of the whole program. I'd concentrate on driver mods more than throwing more parts on the car. Once you can take the car to its limits with proper rotation etc then and only then would I start adding more shiny things

[dpaqu]

I bought a base 2018 86 for $2500 off msrp in July. I've taken it to two track days at Summit Point and one at Dominion. It's addicting. I Upgraded brake pads/fluid and factory wrx camber bolts. It seems to be working out well. It is my daily and has 10k mi already (100mi commute). I am running Motul 300v 5w-30 and don't plan on an oil cooler until the warranty is up.

I considered a Miata but my head rubs. Tracks don't like them without rollbars anyway. Considered FiST as the rebates were stupid. From an autocross point of view I should have gone that route but the seating position doesn't seem right. Consider a pre 2017 86 if autocross figures prominently in your future. They have there own class that jives with popular mods.

Driver mod is the program for 2019 My plan is 6-7 hpde next season with as many autocross events as I have time. I've read that sim racing and analysing datalogs and video is helpful. Thinking Aim SOLO dataloger and a real computer w/sim wheel pedals ect are in my future.

I'm also crewing for a champ car and spec944 teams. Just to get a feel if W2W is my scene.

Hopefully that info helps inform your decision.

[GrandSport]

If you need an oil cooler, you need an oil cooler. No difference in not running one on the first track day or the 15th track day. They're cheap and easy to install. I dont know why you wouldn't.

There are definitely cheaper ways to go faster than the FT. However, a lot of those ways aren't cheap to run. You could go buy a bone stock C5 but your consumables will be high. Light cars and low power cars make for cheap consumables.
I've only done one day in an FT, but from that day and from what I've read, I'd expect consumables to be about $125-150/hr- about the same as my Miata. Basically, one set of $900 tires every 4 track days tires, depending on where you drive and how hard (and if you have camber plates). All the other stuff is pretty cheap per hour, especially if you upgrade to a BBK up front. In contrast, my C7 is about $450/hr. I'd venture to guess it's very similar, maybe slightly lower, on a C5. Call it $350/hr.
Neither of those figures include engine or trans or diff wear- which I assure you is about 5-10x higher per hour on a heavier, more powerful car.

I can afford a lot of $250-300 track days. I can't afford nearly as many $1000 track days.
Add up consumables to get a real idea of what the cost is. 20 track days a year on my C7 probably means about $20k plus half an engine and half a trans. In two years when I'll certainly need a motor and a trans, I've probably spent $60k .
In the FT- I'm looking at $6000 for year one. After year two, with a new engine and trans I might be at $15k. That's $45k difference over just two years.

Also, the FT is a LOT of fun, and that's the end goal for HPDE. I've driven a lot of fast cars, and they can be fun, or they can be a handful (and sometimes, both). Fast car doesn't mean fun car, nor does it mean a good car to learn on. The best thing I did to lower lap times in the Vette wasn't private instruction or more seat time in the vette. It was driving the Miata.

In all honesty, it wouldn't surprise me if my BRZ was within 3 seconds of my GS on the same tires. Granted, the BRZ is gutted, caged, coilovers, etc and the GS is stock. I'll drive my GS at tracks like Circuit of the Americas, but for club tracks, it will be the FT (or Miata) almost every time. THAT is why I got an FT over a C5 or C6 or Cayman or something. I can afford any of those cars. I can't afford to run them. And that's something you should STRONGLY take into consideration before starting with any platform.

[dpaqu]

Interesting numbers. What is cheaper than a FT? How much more are HPDE than W2W? I have a buddy who says his spec 944 isn't costing him more to run than his Corvette was.