Minimum for track day.

[fatoni]

I don't need to be fast. I just want to know what the least prep is required to have a platform for getting miles on track and maintain a reliable, predictable experience.

[Code Monkey]

An open mind, everything else is optional:

Motul brake fluid.
Chalk for marking tires and a tire pressure gauge.
Portable tire inflator.

After a weekend or two, better brake pads.
Needle tire pyrometer if you want more accurate tire pressures and temps.

After another weekend or two, an oil cooler.
More camber in front.

[finch1750]

If you plan to do multiple track days I would get an oil cooler straight away. It doesnt take a lot to get our temps super high

[NoHaveMSG]

Tire pressure gauge
Helmet
Water and Snacks
Torque wrench

I'd also recommend:
Cheap portable harbor freight air tank.
Change to high temp DOT 4 fluid

[Lynxis]

Basically what Code Monkey said.

You should read the first 4 posts in the sticky in this subforum by CSG_Mike titled Quick and dirty guide to track prepping your car.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25485

Keep the car more or less stock the first day or two although you should upgrade brake fluid to something decent at least. Motul RBF600 is cheap and effective but I found it's compressibility degrades after you've gotten it really hot so partial bleeds may be required after each track day. You can also consider getting some dual purpose or entry level track brake pads. Hawk HP+, Ferodo DS2500, EBC Yellows, Project Mu HC800, Winmax W3. Those class of pads should be fine as a novice with an otherwise stock car.

Also considering that you're in SoCal and I expect you'll be tracking in obscenely hot ambient temperatures, you should get an oil cooler. You can skip it for your first day as long as ambient temperatures peak in the 80s that day and you give the car plenty of rest but if you decide you want to go to the track again, you should get one before you do for sure.

Past that, you can start with some camber bolts and see how much negative camber as you can get up front. Expect *maybe* -1.5, and run like that until you kill the OEM tires.

That's a good starting place for your first season or two anyway.

[Hades]

Better pads + fluid
Oil cooler highly recommended

[fatoni]

I guess I should have stated that I have been to the track a handful of times before in miatas and an old ae86. I was just curious about the car. In my head I was thinking tires, oil cooler, brake pads and fluid, and whatever it takes to get a desired alignment. What's the consensus on the pads vs BBK?

[Code Monkey]

Get the pads first; if that does not help, a BBK.

[Hades]

From what I've read, high performance pads perform similar to a BBK (at least with stock tire size). With a BBK you'll mainly just be saving in consumable costs (but costs $2k+).

[kch]

Brake fluid and pads. If you've had any prior track experience, the stock pads will fail rather quickly.

Stock tires are good to learn on, but that would be my next upgrade after pads/fluid.

[TofuJoe]

I would add an OBD dongle and Torque (Android) or DashCommand (iOS) to the list so you can monitor temperatures.

Other than that, previous recommendations for pads & fluid and oil cooler are spot on.

[Lynxis]

Originally Posted by fatoni

I guess I should have stated that I have been to the track a handful of times before in miatas and an old ae86. I was just curious about the car. In my head I was thinking tires, oil cooler, brake pads and fluid, and whatever it takes to get a desired alignment. What's the consensus on the pads vs BBK?

Ah that changes things, you'll definitely want pads, fluid and oil cooler at a minimum. As you mentioned, alignment hardware is also a great idea. RLCA for rear adjustment and you'll need camber plates if you want more than about -1.5 in the front.. and if you track this car regularly, you will. I ran -2.2f/-1.7r last year and had a tiny bit of outer camber wear on my tires so I'll be stepping up to around -3f/-2r this year though some people warn may still not be enough but I'm hesitant to go higher because it's my year round daily driver.

At NA power levels, the OEM brakes should hold up to track work as long as you run appropriate pads and fluid. A BBK is more for long term consumable savings than anything else on a NA car. Rotors and pads are typically similar in cost to OEM and last longer so you'll save over time. That said, experienced drivers running really sticky tires can definitely overwhelm the stock brake system to the point that a BBK is needed. Or just do it #becauseracecar

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by fatoni

What's the consensus on the pads vs BBK?

Pads unless you plan on hitting the track with the car over 2 dozen times, you can get good enough pads to beat on all day long, the only objective advantage of a BBK is cost reduction.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94608

[Thorpedo]

No oil cooler here, no problem. I run a quality 5w30 and have great luck with oil pressure. I'm assuming most people here are recommending an oil cooler due to pressure problems? Run a quality oil and the temps aren't a problem.

Otherwise, if you're a good driver who is going to push the car, you'll probably overheat the brakes (depending on track design).

If you're going to have the car for a while, and if you haven't done your trans/diff oil recently you may as well grab Motul Gear 300 and change it.

Bluetooth elm327 and torque to monitor temps.

Forget BBK for now.