i was wondering out there if anyone knew what the best set-up is for the '84-'86 2+2 chassis?? or if there is any difference besides wheel base when it comes to the 2+2's VS. the Coupes...
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2+2 Chassis Set-Up
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the weight distribution difference is like 1% and the overall weight is about 150lbs more
if you want to auto-x, you're gonna need many changes, the first being stiff springs (like tss sells) and big swaybars (like msa sells) .... if you're smooth you won't need fancy shocks, but it's a good idea to upgrade to match the springs
and replacing anything rotten like rubber bushings, and giving your front tires some negative camber somehow
the rest is you learning to drive
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don't fall into the trap of having to have better product to improve your bad driving
like I often repeat, I drive a k-car with soft springs (sagging in the ass) and blown shocks all around.... and I can handle most every driver on the road with it
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like I often repeat, I drive a k-car with soft springs (sagging in the ass) and blown shocks all around.... and I can handle most every driver on the road with it
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no it's not, I drive the piece of crap to it's limit
I wonder if you are actually at the limit of your car? and if you are, how much of that is due to the driving style and how much is the car?
my point is that my car doesn't ride on rails, the suspension bangs and clunks, the tires scream, and yet because I've learned how to be very smooth I don't upset the car, the spring rates suck and swaybars non-existent, but I don't suffer from huge body roll, I use it to my advantage
learning how to balance weight transitions is the single most important aspect to driving a car agressively, and it is better to learn on a soft wallowy car so that you can take advantage of a better car when you can
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i agree about learning the weight distribution of your car, and i've had plenty of practice with that. but it doesn't stop with the suspension, as you should know. it has a lot to do with shifts, gas pedal use, brake use, etc. but i know and have people who can agree that i've pushed my car to it's limits with the stock suspension that using stiffer set-ups would be the wiser.
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I autocrossed my 84 2+2 for several years. The first year it was bone stock with 10yr old goodyear eagles. Body roll, massive understeer, tire squeel the works, but I had a blast.
I started improvements with a set of used panasport race wheels and some race rubber that a friend said would take 10 seconds off my times. In fact it took off 8 seconds and I suddenly became competitive in G stock. From there I replaced the original springs and shocks with Eibach progressive rate springs and Tokico blues, a swaybar off a 88 turbo along with its LSD and the car became faster. Now I was winning G stock locally. A few tweaks to the engine and I am no longer in G stock and not competitive in ESP.
The car is way to heavy and underpowered to be competitive in G stock or ESP and the Turbo is just as bad because it gets kicked up to BSP.
I told my wife (it is her car) that it had to go on a diet. With 85K on it and in mint condition that wasn't going to happen. So It has been retired to the street where it rides and handels like a dream.
I went out and bought the lighest Z made, an 84 slicktop coupe. Put it on a diet, installed ground control coilovers (500 lb front and 70lb rear springs) with koni adjustable shocks, MSA front sway bar, made the rear camber adjustable, added new Kumo's to the panasports, and tuned the engine using NisTune.
Now it handles like a slot car and is a threat in ESP.
As G-E said you have to be smooth or it still understeers. I benefited from those early years in the 2+2....and how much HP do you have at 0 boost
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Morgenstern wrote: anyone in here tried BFGoodrich Radial T/A's??
All I will say is that I notices a BIG difference when I installed V rated tires on my 2+2. Like I said BIG difference.
Beyond the obvious I may suggest that you get a bit creative on stiffening you chaise. I actually did this out of ignorance but it worked great on my 2+2. (this will probably work the same on a 2 seater)
There is a heat shield above the rear trans and drive shaft. On my last Z it wasn't there so I figured that there were supposed to be more than one of the cross-members running across there since I saw open bolt holes. So I got some aluminum angle (1/2") and set out to install 3 "replacement" cross-members. Well, little did I know at the time, but the Z31 only has 1 of these cross-member type braces and it is back towards the differential. :shock:
Adding more rigidity to the frame of a Z31 cant hurt if you are looking for better handling. I did play around with the idea and removed the added braces. I did notice a difference in how the car handled in hard cornering. I reinstalled the braces very quickly after that. The difference was very noticeable to me.
On the next car I will be enhancing the accidental idea I came up with before. 8)Just stand back and throw money.
Performance costs money.
Reliable performance costs more.
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