Track day preparations

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bennygsr

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Joined
Apr 10, 2006
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I have for a long time now, been debating on a range of a numerous options: Sell my 95 GSR with 160k's, buy a genuine Evo 1-3, keep the GSR, sell it and buy an evo 9 with obviously a fair amount of additional cash.:confused: I have more recently decided, I would like to start doing some more track/club days / hill climbs and motorkhanas etc and am leaning to keeping the GSR.

So here are some of my following conclusions:

I probably can't afford to track and potentially stack a 9 if I went down that path. The additional safety for daily driving and warranty etc would be useful, but blowing 30 extra thousand is not the highest priority.

My GSR is still reliable, and useful for daily driving the relatively short distance to work, and still being able to use it to get to work is what I would like to do (i have a liberty wagon for longer journey's more practical things)

So. My questions are as follows:

Is the stock 4g93 going to be "reliable" enough for more regular track days? I know that many here are building dedicated track cars from genuine Evo's, so do I have the wrong base car for future competition/ upgradeability Perhaps it might be cheaper just to wack a 4g63 and some evo calipers in for better stopping /reliability?

A cage is something I would like to do, as priority no.1 is safety (even though I would need a new engineers certificate) But I don't want to put one in the GSR, and then say: Oh shit, i've overkilled the GSR, when I could get evo 4/5/6 cheaply, which might be more suited to the track.

So finally,
can I use my stock (evo front mounted) GSR as a track car /daily driver on a regular basis, or am I asking too much? Or am I better off starting with an Evo 4-7 and kitting that out over time instead, which is perhaps more future proof?

Sorry for the million questions, :confused:but I am just trying to give some background and look forward to any ideas.:)

Thanks
 
how about importing an evo 3? they are around 7 - 8k, and would be more reliable then your gsr. maybe even tow the evo to the track days with your gsr?
 
There is no problems with the cc lancer base they are the lightest out of the lot. i agree with olly you can race/rally import an evo 3 for 7-8 grand, or if you want convert your gsr and have the best of both worlds. With a roll cage it depends on how serious into track days you want to get. Alot of (non cams) drive days dont require to have a cage, but some cams events you need to.
skuz
 
 
Hey Bjorn - how goes it?

IMO if you're going to get serious into track days, hillclimbs and other competitive events, you'd be best getting a dedicated car and leaving your GSR as it is so that you have a nice, reliable daily driver.

If you imported a race/rally E1-3 (even a 4 or 5 if you could find one cheap enough) you wouldn't pay rego or insurance on it and if you stacked it or had it off the road for an extended period of time due to modifications, repairs etc - you could still get to work and out and about in your GSR.

Just my two cents - I think you've got a really nice, neat and reliable ride atm and I KNOW from experience that if you take a nice, neat and reliable ride and start f*cking with it - it'll turn into a money pit that is hardly on the road and will cause you more grief and stress than joy.
 
Before you do anything and spend any money go and have a run in your current car. Only go as fast as you feel comfortable with and see if it is something you want to continue at.

My first few events were in a GSR with just lowered springs and some stickier road tyres. That is all you need to compete, you won't be super quick compared to the guys in EVOs and GTRs etc but it will cost you less if you do have a small accident.

It is all about having fun and beating your previous times. If you decide you then want to get serious go out and buy a car or even better a car someone else is selling so you don't have setup costs and go from there.
 
I agree with the comment about buying a dedicated track weapon, when it breaks/you break it you're not relying on it to get you to work. Plus having the GSR as your daily you still have something with a bit of poke to get you around.
 
I will be looking at something in the very near future, but mine will have to be registered. Can't for out the money for a car, then for out more for a trailer, then another bit for a tow car. I know some of you can do tricky things like trade plates, but i don't have the contacts for that.
 
Where does one look to buy / import a track car? I've not seen evo 3's for 7-8k ?

As I have the Liberty, I probably can afford to lose the GSR for a period in the event of something unfortunate occuring. (obviously I'd rather not!)
The dedicated track car did cross my mind, but as said by Skanky Joe, I would then need a trailer, and towing the track car in the liberty does mean the missus won't have a car when I want to go driving - and that won't be acceptable.

Hypo, I've done one 2 drive day's now, and despite ending up in a barrier at Sandown, I'm pretty keen to do it once every so often.

say I stick with my GSR? What are the most important upgrades if I put safety, then reliability 1 and 2?
 
If you're looking to do some track days, the Evo is a far superior platform, but more expensive ofcourse. The GSR is admittedly lighter, but you sacrifice a hell of a lot of good parts to do it.

If I were in your position, I'd sell the GSR then jump on an Evo V, VI or VII from Japan, change the brake pads, fluid and lines...which is essentially all I have done to my car...and go from there.

I wouldn't be too concerned with reliability unless you overheat something, go beserk with modifications or don't keep the maintenance up to it.

My 2 cents :)

Cheers,
Chris
 
bennygsr said:
It's ok guys. I've found what I need :D

http://www.carsales.com.au/used-car...te_id=0&Make=MITSUBISHI&R=5998202&sort_type=2
Click to expand...
Now just a little reminder for you to take your hand off it
yes.gif
 
Speak to Andrew at CVAP and get some EVO twin piston front calipers and a bigger brake booster (both of which he has on his website) and pick up a Cusco brake booster support bracket.

Throw front and rear strut-braces on it to compliment your Tein setup.

Then I'd replace the TD04 you've got with a TD05-14B and wind some more boost into it.

All the above mods shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg or keep your car off the road for an extended period of time and the benefit you'll get from them will definitely be noticeable when you drive it, even as a daily.

IMO your GSR is an excellent platform to start from and the 4G93 engine can hold up to a bit of punishment (from what I've seen of my mate's one). Drive it until it dies then upgrade to a '63.
 
This is what I was leaning to most recently.... the brake calipers make sense.

As for the turbo, I just don't want any more lag. GOt a little bit more from the intercooler.
 
When I went from a TD04 to a TD05-14B I noticed a bit more lag in 1st and 2nd gears, but the responsiveness in 3rd improved heaps and was was much more useable in that you could hold it longer before the turbo ran out of puff.

IMO the car felt a lot 'stronger' and steady in all gears when I put the bigger turbo on.
 
ENGINR said:
When I went from a TD04 to a TD05-14B I noticed a bit more lag in 1st and 2nd gears, but the responsiveness in 3rd improved heaps and was was much more useable in that you could hold it longer before the turbo ran out of puff.

IMO the car felt a lot 'stronger' and steady in all gears when I put the bigger turbo on.
Click to expand...
i agree with Shane.
i found that that the bigger turbo brings on a little bit more lag,
but the power gains that you get from it far outweight the lag.
the td-04 lost power too quickly whereas the 05 14b held the power for much longer over the rpm range.
good cheap upgrade
 
Those pics are very cool! Love the silver 9 (ooops... 9's)
Thanks for all the opinions. I can see the merit in changing to an evo - maybe even a 7. I don't like them as much as the 9 looks wise, but they seem to be pretty good bang for buck at the moment - about $25k

However, putting evo calipers in the GSR, getting a 2nd set of rims for some semi-slicks (my stock 14's don't clear the calipers do they?) will still allow me to have some fun for about 1-1.5 grand. So unless I change my mind again (!!) this is my probable option
 
Mate - upgrade the brakes and turbo, wind up the boost a bit and have a blast burning out the tyres you've already got on the 16" OZ rims.

IMO that's the best and cheapest option to keep your car and have alot of fun in it without breaking the bank.
 

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