Thirdgen Firebird vs SC400 and MKIV Turbo Supra on a road course.

Hey guys, it has been a while since i had something to post about.Today i do have somthing that you may find interesting to share. Me and a good friend have been arguing which of our V8 GT cars would be faster on a Roadcourse all winter.

He has a SC400 that we picked up Running terribly With 190,000 hard miles on it, for $400. After swapping one bad ignition coil The 1UZ Toyota V8 was purring like a kitten. His plan for the car is to make it a Low buck racecar to compete in the Lucky Dog racing series Here in the Pacific NW. After the Mods, it is still under Challenge budget. I call it the Dorito.

Mods to the SC400 are:

Completley gutted interior.

Sparco Racing Seat

Poly A-arm bushings.

Fresh Rotors and Hawk Pads all around.

New no name Highperformance all seasons 225 50 16 all around.

All other areas stock.

My Firebird is a 1991 5.0 with TBI and a 5speed. I call it a "Poor Touring" Car. I have been autocrossing it, running it at track days and drift events for the last 12 years. I have less than $3500 dollars in the car including purchase price. I drive it to and from events (400+miles) It's never let me down. In part due to the fact that it is stockish as well except for

WS6 Sway bars and springs with Polybushings and endlinks

New Aurburn racers LSD with 3.42 gears

Upgraded Stoptech front pads. Rear drums (Yes Drums)

KYB Gas adjust shocks (rear only, front blown)

7yr old Hankook RS2 Tires 245 45 16

Catback Exaust with Flowmaster Muffler

After months of smack talk we both signed up for a Track Day at Oregon Raceway Park. A freind with a MKIV Turbo Supra showed up as well. After some Shake down sessions we finally got all three cars out at the same time.

So Who was faster? you'll have to watch the Video :)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/lUKbcqK6LCY

That course is interesting. It's reminds me of trying to make courses in the GT6 Course maker in hilly terrain, it seems like the game ALWAYS put the apex of the corner at the peak of a hill! Looks like there may be a few of those there, particularly what looks like the last corner.

Your friends drifting expo in the Supra was entertaining, looks like one of those hill crests did bad things to his braking dynamics.

That looks like a fun course. As far as the cars, seat time prevails etc etc. What rpm do you shift your tbi 5.0 at?

In reply to Vigo:

I usually shift at 4500-5000 RPM. power falls off at about 4500. This was the first time both

of us had run Oregon raceway park, and i am hooked! The layout and crazy elevation changes

makes it fun for cars like mine with less power.

In reply to aircooled:

There are definitley a couple of blind apex's! I think you are right, that crest at speed and

His ABS not working led to the drifting expo.

Looks like a lot of fun!

One thing that will make you go quicker overall... Keep both hands on the wheel at all times except shifting.

Also, pull down on the wheel, never push it over the top.

Those 2 points can drop seconds from your lap time.

wvumtnbkr wrote: One thing that will make you go quicker overall... Keep both hands on the wheel at all times except shifting.

I also allow my students a waving at pretty girls (or boys if that's what they're into) exception to the both hands on the wheel rule.

In reply to wvumtnbkr:

Thanks for the advice.

I've been kicking myself,for not keeping both hands up on the wheel. it's easy to forget when your all amped on track. have fallen back into my bad habits over the winter.

About the pulling down on the wheel only, do I just shuffle my hands down to get back on center? My steering has a ton of play.

If the Supra driver wasn't positively railing you other two he was the weak link, not his equipment.

The course looks like fun!

Not in a place to watch the video now, but I must say that that is an interesting crop to run together.