mods for a entry level clubsport car

[LEAKER]

So I'm going to be starting clubsport events shorty in my celica. So far I will be stripping the interior down to dash and seats basically. Removing the bodykit and fitting a factory bumper back on. Fitting a fire extinguisher. The vehicle has extensive engine reliability mods running on std power so should be fine although I will be fittinga oil cooler. Question is what else is recomended for reliability. Things like fuel surge tanks and alike. Are these necessary for clubsport stuff? Also I currently have reclining bucket seats but I suspect getting some fixed back would be ideal?

[2jayzgte]

I'd start with the best tyres you can afford and a either pad rotor calliper or disc upgrade whatever the wallet can afford to do grip and brakes at the track you can never have enough closely followed by some driver training if available.

These above things will make your track experience a very enjoyable one just like the reliability mods you have suggested.Good luck and have heaps of fun.

[sergei]

Get better brakes. ST165 and ST185 suck for braking. At least better pads.
Don't worry with surging, just run more than half tank.

[LEAKER]

I have new brake master, new hoses, slotted front rotors, bendix front pads bendix ultimate rears...... plus mine is factory 2 pot front.
Do I need to go better or would that suffice for now?

[Leon]

Make sure you leave the driver's doorcard in place, and if you're pulling out centre console bits make sure that you remove or cover anything with pointy stabby bits. Oh, and keep the factory heating / venting / cooling system in place ... cos one of the rules is that you must have an effective method of demisting the windscreen, and you wouldn't believe how many competition cars curse and swear their way through winter at events ... it's *very* difficult to make a demisting system that is 1/4 as good as the factory one. So one of the most common things that people regret doing, is pulling out the factory heater. Especially in Wellington. Brrr.

Surge tanks usually aren't required in a standard car, unless it's something well known to surge. Plus, they're a bit of a bitch because you need to have any fuel system parts separated from the driver's airspace. So you'd need to have anything like that completely boxed and sealed.

Most common blooper known to happen in new competition cars is battery relocated into the cabin, without following the (very strict) regulations for batteries in the cabin. Pretty much 100% of street cars with batteries relocated end up needing work done before competition use.

5.5 Batteries: Are defined as either ‘dry cell’ or ‘wet cell’ and shall comply with the following:
(1) For all batteries the live terminal shall be adequately insulated, and
(2) For Series Production vehicles:
(a) Where the battery remains in the original position, the original fixations may be
retained, or
(b) Where the battery is moved (from the original location):
(i) It shall be mounted on a flat metal base, and
(ii) Be secured to the bodyshell using at least two(2) insulated metal straps
and four(4) bolts of minimum specification of ISO 8.8 M6.
(3) Specifically for ‘wet cell’ batteries relocated in the cockpit the following applies:
(a) The battery shall be secured as per Part One Article 5.5(2)(b), and
(b) Shall be contained in a leak-proof box that is vented to the vehicle exterior.

http://motorsport.org.nz/sites/default/ ... ch%20A.pdf

I'd say that the best thing to start out with on a club car is the handling, tyres, and the brakes. Standard power does tend to add a lot of reliability.

[LEAKER]

Oh yeah I forgot I would have an issue with the battery venting. Cheers leon.
The engine was completely rebuilt 2000k ago with steel head gasket, race bearings and new everything else, oil pump etc so I'm sure it will be sweet from that point of view.
Very interesting news about the door cards and venting. I will definately leave that alone then.
I'm running light weight 17s with OK tyres. Would you reccomend going 16s or just upgrade the 17" tyres?

[Distrb]

for clubsport, just get your car to comply with schedule A (that leon linked earlier) paying particular attention to the bits leon mentioned as well as the rules around seats (you mention you have aftermarket recliners)

then once you comply with schedule A, put your money towards entry fees and go out and do as many clubsport events as your budget allows. Dont concern yourself too much with trying to mod the thing if you dont know what type of events you want to specialise in (if any at all) as clubsport event speeds and surfaces vary greatly and you dont want to go down a modification path which limits the events you want enter

[Leon]

Find out what tyres and at what cost you can get in the size wheels you've got, then make the call from there.

Also it's going to depend on how serious you decide you want to $pend.

If you're ok with running road rubber at first, then run what you brung. Then if you decide you're liking the events, and want stickier rubber, then investigate what size tyres are good bang for buck.

I ended up upgrading my AE92 from 14 to 15" rims purely to get access to the Kumho C03 rubber that can't be gotten in a 14. However be warned, with club cars you tend to accumulate a bunch of different wheels and tyres.

I think I've got at least four complete sets of wheels and tyres for the Corolla at the moment.

Oh, and also, what Andrew (Distrb) said ... there's no substitute for seat time, so enter quite a few events to find out what it is that you like doing. As he says, you might end up wanting to do different events than you think.

So it'd be bad if you race prepped your car to do circuit racing (big brakes, mega hard suspension, ultra light everything), only for it to turn out after a few events that you love gravel ... suddenly needing small brakes to fit under smaller wheels to suit rally tyre sizing, different suspension etc.

There's absolutely no worries at all in running a standard or near standard car. I mean we have everything from full on Group N Rally cars, down to a stock standard Honda City running at our events. There's no time for elitist nonsense in clubsport stuff, it's just for fun after all.

[TTEETT]

As he said, just run it as is in a couple of events and find out what you like, I built my car specifically for tarmac and now wish I had of started with a gravel set up or a different car, you may get out there and decide that your car sucks and want to build something else.

Best start with:

Club Membership.

Clubsport Licence.

Fire Extinguisher with two straps mounted properly to the floor, you can find info online but you need correct bolts and washers etc . Would suck to turn up to an event and not be able to race.

I would invest in a basic race suit, gloves, boots and a quality helmet, possibly a neck brace because when you crash and catch on fire it can be painful.

This should clean you out for a while but is where you should spend the money first.

[STR]

Club Membership.

Clubsport Licence.

Fire Extinguisher with two straps mounted properly to the floor, you can find info online but you need correct bolts and washers etc . Would suck to turn up to an event and not be able to race.

I would invest in a basic race suit, gloves, boots and a quality helmet, possibly a neck brace because when you crash and catch on fire it can be painful.

This should clean you out for a while but is where you should spend the money first.

^This.
And definitely figure out what events you like, then angle the car towards that. I bought a car set up for rally sprints, and have spent the last 18 months and several thousand getting it to do what I want (circuit stuff).
I don't regret it 'cos I learned an awful lot about my car (esp suspension setup), but I probably could have saved a few Gs by figuring out what I wanted to do first.

Oh, and if you figure out autocross / gymkhana stuff is your cup of tea, I'd recommend going for a hydraulic handbrake, they're awesome! (Although will require certification)

I think I've got at least four complete sets of wheels and tyres for the Corolla at the moment.

Amen to that. I've got 3 sets of wheels and 6 1/2 sets of tyres in the garage at the moment.

[Adoom]

I would just make sure the car will pass scrutineering, by complying with schedule A.

Do a few events.
After a while you will find the limitations of your car. When you do, upgrade those bits.
If you just randomly upgrade stuff BECAUSE RACECAR, you may find you are spending money on things you don't actually need.

Depending on how aggressively you drive around corners, you will probably make a real mess of normal road tyres in a day.
I also vote for some semi slicks once you have done a few events.

[TTEETT]

Hydraulic handbrakes are nice, but I would say not something you need to spend money on initially, I do lots of gymkhana/graskhana/gravel events with various car clubs at clubsport level and most of the time the winning cars don't even have them! Most of all you need the skills, the toys come after when you develop the skills.

Nothing like being schooled at a clubsport event buy a guy in a 1970's Mini when you are driving flash looking Targa car, brings you back down to earth quite quickly

[STR]

Hydraulic handbrakes are nice, but I would say not something you need to spend money on initially, I do lots of gymkhana/graskhana/gravel events with various car clubs at clubsport level and most of the time the winning cars don't even have them! Most of all you need the skills, the toys come after when you develop the skills.

That's a good point. Sorry, I wasn't suggesting it's something to be done initially. Just said it 'cos I love my one. It flatters my average - poor skills in those events (at least until I stall and/or spin during 2nd half of the turn! )

[strx7]

What type of events are you wanting to do?
Motorkhana
Autocross
Tarseal Sprints
Gravel Sprints
Circuit Sprints - if so, which tracks

on a circuit you will experience things you wont do at other events, ie: oil surge, lack of/cooking brakes, cooking tyres etc.


The 2013 Clubsport Champs are in tauranga next March, come for a play.....

[TTEETT]

Got any more information on that event?

To the OP

Would be also quite good to find out what events are going on in your own town if you were looking at entering clubsport events, a few mates and I I have done the Fiat Car Club Tarmac series and its great, you get to do a whole host of events.

[Leon]

He's been pm'ing me about local events, joining the car club etc

So that side of things is underway.

[Leon]

The 2013 Clubsport Champs are in tauranga next March, come for a play.....

Maybe start a new thread some place about that event ... cos depending on the composition of surfaces being used etc, you'll get possibly 8-12 guys and girls from HCCC (several of which are Toyspeeders) missioning up to that one.

[1I1]

Seeing as theres some people here in the know - would I expect to be turned away if I was to turn up to scrutineering because of seat/seatbelt arrangement?
Recaro fixed back seat mounted using genuine side brackets onto vehicle specific Recaro rails. Using the stock 3point belt which the buckle is off the rails as per factory. Belt doesn't run through the harness holes as it sits across my fat gut quite nicely.
Worst case I can run it by a local scrutineer pre-event just to be sure.

[Mr Ree]

I think you should try and feed it through the harness holes, so its securing you at the hips, rather than across the thigh supports and your stomach.

At first, its a bit of a wriggle to get all bucked in, but once you have done it a few times, its fine, and you can tell by how much tighter it holds you in the seat that its the right place for the seatbelts to be routed.

[strx7]

The 2013 Clubsport Champs are in tauranga next March, come for a play.....

Maybe start a new thread some place about that event ... cos depending on the composition of surfaces being used etc, you'll get possibly 8-12 guys and girls from HCCC (several of which are Toyspeeders) missioning up to that one.

as Soon as we finalise the infomation for it, I will post the info.
The motorkhana and autocross will be held on concrete & tarmac at BAYPARK, the sprint on the sunday will be 5 laps of the Baypark Speedway track with a couple of chicanes thrown in for good measure.