Don't See This in Subaru Dealerships Every Day

[Steve201brz]

That's an awesome back story and welcome to the club! Nice quote in the sig btw @REAV3R lmao

[thill]

Loved the backstory, welcome!

[Kids Heart]

Originally Posted by Sterling Doc

The back story.

I've been racing this 944 Spec Car in NASA for the last 7 years:



After 7 years, and 2 National championships, and kids getting busier, it was time to take a year or two off from wheel to wheel racing. So the race car sold (in hours!), but I still want to have a car I can track from time to time and hang out with my old buddies.

If there is one thing I've learned over my years of racing, is that light is right. It costs exponentially more to track a heavier, higher HP car in consumables - tires, brakes, and things that break.

The 911 was a 2002 Targa - great car, and I did have it on track once at Road America. At 3,200bs+, and with a huge glass roof, it's not the right car for the track. While it was reliable, maintenance cost a fortune. Also after 2.5 years, I'd scratched the itch for a 911 pretty well. A Boxster Spyder or Cayman R is still too much money. I looked into a used E46 M3, Lotus Elise, C5/C6 Corvette. After driving the BRZ (and FRS) I was smitten, and the thought of another high end used maintenance/consumables whore was suddenly a whole lot less appealing. Huge fun for the $$. It still fits the kids on occasion, I can slap some Blizzaks on it, and hoon it in the winter, and it's a very economical DD to boot. Lots of wins! Track whore, economy car, family car (in a pinch), and winter beater, and possibly future race car all rolled into one tidy package.

So I put the 911 up for sale, and ended up about even money with a new, shiney, warrantied, BRZ. 996 911's are not worth as much as you think, which is how I got into one 2.5 years ago.

In two weeks, I'll take the BRZ out to Putnam Park, and see if I can get it to go as fast as my old 160HP, 2,400lb 944 Spec car in NASA time trials. It will certainly need some better rubber to get close to my old, but highly developed 944. I am intrigued about the factory roll cage for these things in Japan. I may have some long term plans for it in that direction, but not next year - time trials only.

So that's the story:happy0180:

Welcome to the club. I cant wait to hear your race track reports.

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by Sterling Doc

The back story.

I've been racing this 944 Spec Car in NASA for the last 7 years:

After 7 years, and 2 National championships, and kids getting busier, it was time to take a year or two off from wheel to wheel racing. So the race car sold (in hours!), but I still want to have a car I can track from time to time and hang out with my old buddies.

If there is one thing I've learned over my years of racing, is that light is right. It costs exponentially more to track a heavier, higher HP car in consumables - tires, brakes, and things that break.

The 911 was a 2002 Targa - great car, and I did have it on track once at Road America. At 3,200bs+, and with a huge glass roof, it's not the right car for the track. While it was reliable, maintenance cost a fortune. Also after 2.5 years, I'd scratched the itch for a 911 pretty well. A Boxster Spyder or Cayman R is still too much money. I looked into a used E46 M3, Lotus Elise, C5/C6 Corvette. After driving the BRZ (and FRS) I was smitten, and the thought of another high end used maintenance/consumables whore was suddenly a whole lot less appealing. Huge fun for the $$. It still fits the kids on occasion, I can slap some Blizzaks on it, and hoon it in the winter, and it's a very economical DD to boot. Lots of wins! Track whore, economy car, family car (in a pinch), and winter beater, and possibly future race car all rolled into one tidy package.

So I put the 911 up for sale, and ended up about even money with a new, shiney, warrantied, BRZ. 996 911's are not worth as much as you think, which is how I got into one 2.5 years ago.

In two weeks, I'll take the BRZ out to Putnam Park, and see if I can get it to go as fast as my old 160HP, 2,400lb 944 Spec car in NASA time trials. It will certainly need some better rubber to get close to my old, but highly developed 944. I am intrigued about the factory roll cage for these things in Japan. I may have some long term plans for it in that direction, but not next year - time trials only.

So that's the story:happy0180:

I love this post. Nice to see a fellow NASA Spec racer that can appreciate light weight lower horsepower fun. I sold my Cayman R to get my BRZ.

[Sterling Doc]

Man, it didn't take long to start tinkering with it:

Ordered 17x8" Kosei K1 wheels and OEM sized Michelin Pilot Super Sports (not going larger in tires keeps me in TTE in NASA Time Trials). Down 20lbs of unsprung weight, and an inch wider wheel

Pieced together an oil cooler kit

Smaller battery for another 20lbs off.

Scheduled appointment with exhaust guy (not sure where we are going to go with the exhaust yet).




King Tut - traded in a Cayman R - I thought I was crazy!

Thanks for all the welcomes!

[Frost]

Originally Posted by Sterling Doc

Ordered 17x8" Kosei K1 wheels

DO LIKE.

I've loved Kosei K1 wheels forever. Had them on my old '87 MR2 and my old IS300. When I get a new weekend fun car, it will go on that too!

Good to see someone with actual racing pedigree say this car is awesome!

[rhoyle]

I tried something similar. Sold my Cayman S and got a BRZ Limited. It lasted 9 months before the itch got to be too much. I was trying to hold out for the 4C but Alfa keeps jerking the US market around. So I went with an Evora. The good news is that I didn't lose much on the BRZ. They've held their value remarkably well considering what they are.

There is a quality amongst the high end manufacturers that is so much more impressive than what Subaru is doing with the BRZ. The fit and finish, the lines, paint quality, etc. I missed it and while the BRZ was fine, I'm glad to be back in something mid engined and more powerful.

I hope you enjoy yours more than I did mine!

[Young_makaveli]

Welcome to the club fellow brother!

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by Sterling Doc

Man, it didn't take long to start tinkering with it:

Ordered 17x8" Kosei K1 wheels and OEM sized Michelin Pilot Super Sports (not going larger in tires keeps me in TTE in NASA Time Trials). Down 20lbs of unsprung weight, and an inch wider wheel

Pieced together an oil cooler kit

Smaller battery for another 20lbs off.

Scheduled appointment with exhaust guy (not sure where we are going to go with the exhaust yet).




King Tut - traded in a Cayman R - I thought I was crazy!

Thanks for all the welcomes!

It seems like the FR-S/BRZ has seen some success in the TTD class. Will be interesting to see what it can do in TTE instead. Part of me wishes I had built mine for NASA TT, but I would be up in the higher hp/weight bases classes now.

[Sterling Doc]

I can actually do coil overs and stay in TTE, if I stick with >200 treadwear 215mm tires, which is the (big) rub. Michelin Pilot Super Sports fit the bill, and we'll see if I can hold a candle to the R compound Miatas. My first run (and only this year) will still be on a stock suspension in two weeks at Putnam Park. I got the car down to the low 2,600's in weight with a smaller battery, and removing the spare tire, tools, rear seat, and losing 20lbs in tire/wheel weight.
I may move up to TTD as I mod the car, but that will require an E85 tune, and $$.

[Sterling Doc]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes!