nbast

I'm doing some SCCA autocross and an occasional track day with my G37x coupe.

I am planning on keeping my car for a long time, and want to do what I can to prevent premature wear from these activities.

I think a transmission cooler is the first thing I should add. I know Stillen makes one. Are there other brands I should look at?

What else should I do? At this point, my skills are not up to the car's ability, and I'm not looking to increase performance.

OB G

iTrader: (11)

I don't think you need to worry about all those accessory items yet. Take the car to your first event and drive it. Learn your car. Autox sessions are like 3 minutes in length so you shouldn't really have to worry about overheating.

The most beneficial mods you can do (IMO) are sway bars and a nice set of tires. Also if you haven't noticed already, our cars are heavy so don't feel bad if you aren't as competitive as some of the Evos, STIs, Miatas, and Minis.

Just have fun. Also, keep in mind the more modifications you have, the higher the class you'll fall into.

nbast

This is my second year at it. I did several autocrosses last year, and a two day HPDE at Watkins Glen last year. I'm more concerned with wear/heat from track events.

Here's my car at Watkins Glen last year:

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

Transmission cooler and a dedicated set of track rotors/pads would be a good start to prevent undue wear IMO. Good tires and sway bars for performance. Take a look into a DIY transmission cooler, buying all the parts from a source yourself and simply assembling it. It'll be cheaper than buying a kit form a vendor like Stillen even if you use the exact same parts. Consider a good used one form a reputable source to a save a bunch of money, there's at least one for sale int he classifieds. Search this forum, 350Z forums, and G35 driver for info on our car and it's cousin, the principles are the exact same but they've don it a lot more than the G37 crowd.

soundmike

iTrader: (6)

I agree. If this is your first time out, or even your first few times, if you don't get cocky about being at a track, you will never push the car beyond what it's capable of in OEM form.

You should try it out a few times, in a sane manner, and learn the vehicle dynamics. This also allows you to learn of the nuances and educate yourself on what can be done to improve certain things. Going all out on mods for your first couple of times isn't always the best idea.

It's akin to why newcomers to the sport should *never* put on race tires -- they will overwhelm you. They do hold full corner loads better, but aren't as communicative when they break loose. Non-race tires may not be as sticky, but they typically give you warning before it breaks loose.

Also, do note that some brake pads work better for AutoX than they do track (and vice versa), same with tires and practically any suspension mod you make.

If one were to nitpick, even a difference in track layouts will require tweaks in your setup. The set-up i use at our local track would likely not hold up very well in a track with many elevation changes and more than a couple hairpins after a long straightaway, or a combination of the three in short succession.

Once you get up to speed, or even at your first few sessions, talk to the instructor and other drivers. Most are typically very happy to help you get the most out of the car while keeping you safe. Plus, they'll know more about the track and its nuances.

p.s. General guideline, not necessarily aimed at OP. OP, get coolers, the VHR seems to benefit a lot from them. Perhaps even brake ducts.