MongooseGA

iTrader: (6)

I have an oppurtunity to start some monthly weekend auto-crossing. Obviously I don't have the experience to actually compete- it's a club that just runs for fun and there's no prize involved except for a trophy paid for by the entrence fees.

I'm looking to have new wheels, rubbers, and the Tein SS system installed by ChrismaHanaRamaKwanzamaDan time this year. I'm leaning towards these because I have no need for anything engineered more for track than street. It's all adjustable, so it works for me.

But, I've never known anyone personally to track an automatic- especially one that weighs as much as our cars. Besides the shifting, what's different about it and a 5/6 speed? I've been told it's a PITA to auto-x a slushbox.

I think I read a while back about a guy driving his stock SC400 off the Lexus lot and winning some kind of track event... not too sure though.

Any tips? Criticism? Money donations?

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

When Reggie (football player) got his SC400 in the early 90's, they took him out to a track and auto-X'ed him long before auto-x was named.

He fell out the passenger side after they stopped and laid on the ground screaming "OH MY GOD".

He loved it Who remembers that?

Carbon J

iTrader: (3)

You talking bout Reggie that played for your Vols?

MongooseGA

iTrader: (6)

Noone else has tracked their 400?

Nomis

I used to Auto-X a Miata a few years back. After seeing an '84 Ford Pinto making laps around the cones - I knew then that you can Auto-X anything . I also saw a BMW 5 series as well. Just take it to your local event - don't try to be a hero, and I gaurantee you will have a great time!

Xevuhtess7

i have autox'ed with an auto v6 camry, a bit lighter but by no means nimbler than an sc. i just kept my tranny in 2 so it only uses 1st and 2nd gear. its pretty difficult to get the car to kick down a gear when you need it to which will be quite an annoyance. good luck though

jag_600

I am a casual AutoX'er, if there is such a thing, just leave it in 2nd and turn the traction control off

I am running a staggered setup 275/40-17 in the rear and 245/45-17's in the front. The car has the stock suspension so she does wallow and roll quite a bit, but I'm able to run mid pack with the Porsche's and Beemer's I AutoX with.

Xevuhtess7

jag, what tire pressures do you usually run? i started off with about 38psi all around and playign with things from there but im on stock tires and wheels

VJ RC51

there was a racing series that used the SC400 in road racing.. it didnt do half bad, dont ask me what series it was, i dont remember.. but it was on TV and i remember them making a big deal over it

Inabj2

First tip get best tires you can afford.

Second leave the tranny on 2. DO NOT TRY TO SHIFT FROM 2 to L you will upset the car massively and will just lose massive amounts of time doing so. On the start put it on 2 power brake it and leave the tranny alone do not shift at all!

I autocrossed an SC300. thats an automatic and thats even worse due to no low end torque. Heres a tip the throttle is counter intituitive. When you let off the gas because the car is understeering it will rotate nicely and now you will be squealing on all the tires. But if you invested in a good set of tires dont worry itll hold. The SC handles very nicely and youll be surprised how fast you can turn. But as soon as you let of the gas dont play by the rules of manual or a car with instant response and hit the throttle progressively as you would on such a car while nearing the apex.

Rather let off the gas slightly if YOU MUST. Then immediately instantly smash it backup again to anticipate the delay you will get while the power travels trhough the torque converter and the slushbox itself. By the time it hits youll be near the exit anyways.

If you maintaind your brakes your car should have rather decent brakes take advantage of them! Brake late as possible and as little as possible. Its fun to surprise the courseworkers thinking that my boat will understeer massively but make it just fine albeit noisely.

When you let off due to a turn due so quickly.

You still wont brake any records since the tranny is a HUGE HUGE drawback, the chassis itself even with its soft suspension is well extremely good. The car rotates when you want to if you know how to drive it and equip it with good tires.

With street tires a sc300 with no low end and wont kick down on exit speed on F Stock i got a pax score of 840. You should be able to beat that since you will have way more low end torque then me. But once I get a 5 speed installed youll be done for!

If you dont do well dont get discouraged practice practice practice. And heck find the fastest driver and ask him to drive your car and just watch him. I was able to pick up 3 seconds by doing just that. And did best his time (time he got on my car) after watching him drive my car.

If this is your first event youll be doing period then disregard what i said, just put it on 2. and drive your goal should be not to get lost and get a feeling for the car at speed.

jag_600

I running Goodyear F1 GS-D3's on TT wheels. The tires have incredible grip, the last time I ran the course was wet and it was lightly raining, I smoked a lot of cars that usually beat me in the dry.

I've run 30-38lbs depending on the conditions, normal street driving I'm at 36lbs. You just have to try different ones. As mentioned above knowing the course and how your car reacts is the biggest part of it. After that is just practice, practice, practice.

Good Luck!

Inabj2

Wow your lucky, for now im still in my stock wheels so far I fitted the falken azenis grbetas 451s just slightly smaller sidewall. I still likethem a lot though.. for the money i paid for them. So far I experimented with 34 all arounds and 34 rear 36 front, so far 34 has reacted better. Out of curiousity what class do you run? Im looking at the rule book and as long as I dont upgrade my wheels looks like I could go to the STS class which is even more forgiving then F stock... So Ill get rewarded for messing with the suspension and putting bolt ons?. But I guess if you have a 400 you wouldnt be able to pull this off.

And mongoose before you go out and spend all sorts of money on mods, don't. Learn the car stock first, this will be the fastest way to learn. You wont possibly be able to take full advantage of the car with suspension work if you didnt know what were the old limits in the first place. Even with the stock suspension you will be susprised how well the SC handles with good tires.

Instead what I would do if I were you is invest the money on a good autox school most places should have one right before the season starts and is fairly inexpensive. Another excellent school is the evolution courses comes in 3 phases each phase an entire day and is about 200 dollars a phase. I taken phase 1 and 2. And its the best car related money you could ever spend.

Xevuhtess7

i strongly agree with inabj2 on the idea of learning the car in its stock form first before modding it

SCV8

AutoX is sort of like tennis; you don't need to hit it super hard, just hit it right repeatedly and you'll win.
First time I went to an autoX was in '82 or '83, and was a small event with a BMW 2002, Datsun 510s, a Camaro, and an Opel Ascona. My Uncle was hosting the event, and he let my dada run his new Monte carlo around on the whitewalls just for laughs.

MongooseGA

iTrader: (6)

Wow, this thread blew up more than I thought it would.

Thanks to everyone.

On leaving the tranny in 2- how fast will the car go like this? I've always been kind of hesitant going more than neighborhood speeds while in 2 or L. Will it make it through the ~60 MPH straight-aways? Maybe I just got some sort of idea in my head when I was much younger about this.


I guess I'll give it a shot on the stock car. I'd like to upgrade the brake, sway bars, and install coilovers. I'll probably leave it at that.

How much wear will one day put on the tires? I'll be running non-staggered, if it matters. Brake pads?