If you were going to set up an AW11 for circuit...

[the_random_hero]

Hey guys, looking for some different opinions. I'm looking to buy a stocker NA AW11 to build into a track beater in the next month or so and looking into what other people would do. I want to leave the engine stock while I build up a decent blown 4AGE (twin screw, not SC12/14) so I'm concentrating mainly on suspension and weight mods.
I've sort of got a plan of attack in my mind, but want to see what you all think. Budget is.. flexible.

[MR22ZZ]

so what's your question?

[the_random_hero]

If I wasn't clear enough, what would you do in order to have a highly reliably and circuitable car?

[MR22ZZ]

To be honest, with the AW11 you can leave it stock and have a damn nice car for circuit work which will run reliably weekend after weekend as long as it get's the regular servicing after every few track days.

They are great fun even with the NA engine so your plan works great to learn the car and it's characteristics. The best way to learn the car is to just get out there, change things around and see how it reacts with your style.

They are very good car for learning set-up as they are much like an open wheeler in that respect. You have a lot of variability with camber, castor, toe on the suspension geometry with a good, usable range of movement. Add adjustable sway-bars and you can change how the car reacts to turn-in and mid corner stability.

Just get in there, learn and enjoy

[Gary]

if i were doing the same

id have a good look at it how it is first, make sure the cooling system is doing its job properly, id check out oil system and make sure that's doin alright too. id replace filters, oil, coolant, plugs, leads and leave it at that for now. if its a reasonably healthy engine, laughing

then for some bush action. work out which adjustable bits you're getting for the car's suspension (LCA's/whatev), then suss out all the other bushes and likely replace em with urethane ones. id probably tighten up the rear end further while i'm there with a nice swaybar and associated urethane bushes

then hit the track, tear ass around and find out whats missing from the car. then work to improve whatever is annoying (ie, brakes hopeless? engine cant keep its temp? suspension a bit flobbery? getting some body roll? etc)

then sorta go from there. if you want more power, figure out what sort of power you'd like. need more low end torque? more top end power? need a better exit out of corners, or are you admiring the scenery on the straights?

or you could just build the car using lots of nice shiny strut braces and multipoint braces and half cages and D2 coilovers and jap 'racey' wheels, and a polished t88 or something on your 4A. results might leave you scratching your head though if you follow this path

[Rex_Kelway]

The following:

- Bucket seat
- Better steering wheel

- Slightly more noise (stock cars can be hard to hear inside a helmet)

- Trackday pads and with new slotted discs
- Good brake fluid

Leave everything else stock, providing its its in good nick leave the suspension stock too.

If you find that you do need new suspension, don't bother with wanky coilovers or other gay shit, just get a set of good dampers and new bushes.

Rex used to use his S/C AW11 for quite a few trackdays, basically just as above. It was an absolute riot, dead reliable and faster than many were expecting.

It actually taught Him two valuable lessons first hand:

(1) How good a stock, natural sports-car can be.
(2) The massive difference between grip and handling

He has another N/A car that will be exactly the same.

[SuperDave]

As Dylan said run it stock, then upgrade the parts. This way you will find out if the changes you made were indeed better or money wasted.

Good springs and struts will be the same as 'coilovers' provided you get good spring rates, so might need to do some research and experimenting. As for slotted discs, myself personally, I don't like them on track cars. I have seen plenty of them break/crack at the slots. I don't have an AW, but using proper track pads I have no issues over decent stints with my factory discs.

[trdee]

i wouldn't bother with a twinscrew, or even the s/c. if you want to race an s/c then buy an s/c. I would leave your n/a engine as is bar maybe an upgraded intake/exhaust.

As for suspension, don't bother with coilovers unless you're buying something of excellent quality (and $$$) because all the cheap setups work less well than the koni shock/eibach spring combo, so just get that instead.

Other than that, run some good brake fluid and pads, and GOOD TYRES!!!!

[the_random_hero]

Thanks for the advice guys The idea with the engine was for way down the track when I can afford to build a good engine without skimping from the beginning and I've got a good deal of experience driving the car. I've only been on a track twice, once in a BMW M3 I wasn't allowed to do more than 80 in and in my parents AE92 Corolla. I had so much fun and it's something I really want to get into - plus it will probably save me occasionally driving like a nut on the roads.
Now it's just a case of finding a good stock example to play with. I want to do a fair bit of weight reduction as AW11's are a bit on the portly side for a little old 4A.