You know how it is when a mate has his nose put out of joint and you really struggle to stop yourself from laughing your arse off, well I had one of those moments today

 

 

A month or so back a mate of mine jumped in the shortie' for a lift, so naturally I let him witness a bit off SWB twin turbo VG power....considering the shortie' is fairly stock, by his own admission, he was impressed!

 

 

anyway, a mutual Kiwi friend last December fulfilled his mid life crisis dream of owning a big Aussie V8 by shelling out a fortune on a tidy example of its European cousin, the LS3 powered 6.2ltr VXR8.

Ever since he parted with his hard earned we've all been ripping him about his 'big lardy arsed Vauxhall'.

To be honest it's not my cup of tea but you've got to love the sound of that big old V8, but I'd never let him know that.

 

well yesterday he offered the same friend a lift in his VXR8 and gave him a demonstration of 6.2 ltr NA V8 power.

He didn't take kindly to being told "Pez's little black car is faster than that"

 

talk about red rag to a bull!!!

 

He came to my house for a brew this morning and before the kettle had even boiled, the challenge was set, his VXR8, my shortie, Santa Pod 1/4 mile as soon as possible to settle this once and for all........

 

 

well I really struggled not to laugh, nothing to do with the challenge but because he is so serious about it and is genuinely hurt by our friends comment.

 

I fully respect the power and torque figures of his motor and wouldn't know how the zed would fair but I had to accept just to calm him down

 

So here we have it, a genuine challenge......VG30DETT vs LS3

 

I feel that maybe a few tweeks (and some discreet choice goodies') are in order just to give me a fighting chance

 

 

this could be interesting!!!!

430 bhp vs 275-280bhp........................ LOL dead man, your torque 260-280lb/ft his at least 400lb/ft. not worth the race.

 

 

 

No, just checked my pulse...I'm still alive mate....that's twice now you've had me worried and checking to see if I'd died without realising it!

 

Definately worth putting them head to head down the 1/4 mile though.

 

at the end of the day the power/torque figures are all in the favour of the V8, exactly as expected, however if I can keep the zed looking stock but discreetly close the gap with a few bolt on's and a re-map then it should be a closer run thing and as stated previously, launch practice and tyres could make a bit of a difference as well

 

 

positive thinking

 

 

but if it get's spanked then so what, it's a 15 year old 3ltr V6 pitted against a brand new 6.2ltr V8....there's no shame there

Strip your interior for pod, but be careful it's not too tale end light as you might not be able to put the power down but saying that the strip is all sticky and if you do the little spin in the sticky patch that helps also. Good luck!!

 

I have recently been in the same boat. Someone was telling me how he would beat me someone else overheard and before you know it we have to race at pod to settle it. V8 Supercharged Toyota Soarer, i think it's a TRD modified one with a few extra mods.

 

You could shoot a shot of nos down it but expensive layout and to keep topping up. You could get a boost controller or the boost jet mod to raise the boost a little.

 

Oh yes and remember to let lots of air out of your rear tyres, not too much but a fair amount. this did help my time, it allowed me to launch the car at higher rpm without the tyres spinning as much and the tyre walls twist which takes some of the danger away of damaging other parts.

 

I also i have methanol injection kit for sale, which would help, run more boost safely and higher octane.

 

Also if you have bigger wheels, change back to the stock ones if they are lighter or smaller.

 

They also say at pod, when the lights go orange you go, by your reaction time it's green before you blink, go on orange :P

 

We need to see the video ;)

haha i said sticky patch :P

and...

 

If pod is your first time...

 

It may be worth both having a practice run first, but not go all out as you don't want him to see your best time. This will help you lots as your first time might be nervous with all the people watching. Then your second run, the nervs will have settled.

 

 

Good luck....!!!! :D JDM for the win!

One other thing....

 

couple fuel stops before you run fill it with Shell Vpower to ensure you have a tank with only Vpower, when your at pod, don't have a full tank. have enough for you to run and get to a station after. You can even fill a Jerry can and leave with a friend if you need extra fuel to get to a station after you have ran.

Cheers for the input mate, good tip letting the rear tyres down a bit

 

The white rims on the zed at the moment are 18" 1 piece forged Volk's and they are easily the lightest rims that I have. Currently running on Pirelli P zero's all round (275 front/235 rear).

 

I have considered fitting semi slicks but that could always be used as an excuse 'should' the zed come out on top and I want the result to be definitive, so I reckon we both run with the tyres we've got.

 

The VXR8 is running stock 19" rims, fitted with 275's rear (I think Dunlop's)

 

 

I've dug out the boost controller from the attic (Greddy Profec Type S)

and aim to fit it on the weekend.

The only down side is that unlike the Profec spec 2, it doesn't have an LCD display

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 201114 yr by jap.slapper

Another one just popped to mind...

 

If you have coilovers set them to a stiffer setting your car will not bog down and much and you will get off the line quicker.

 

You have to also to take in to consideration although the VXR8 has faster posted figures it requires a better driver to get a better time In a more powerful car, because if you have a car which when you drop the clutch and does not spin the wheels on the line it's allot easier to get your best time the car is capable of but if you have a big V8 with lots more power and torque the wheels will spin and it will take a better driver to get the most out of the car.

 

Don't think i can think of any more, i'm pretty much all out now.

lookin to show pics of my 300zx, any ideas how to...??

Cheers for the input mate, good tip letting the rear tyres down a bit

 

The white rims on the zed at the moment are 18" 1 piece forged Volk's and they are easily the lightest rims that I have. Currently running on Pirelli P zero's all round (275 front/235 rear).

 

I have considered fitting semi slicks but that could always be used as an excuse 'should' the zed come out on top and I want the result to be definitive, so I reckon we both run with the tyres we've got.

 

The VXR8 is running stock 19" rims, fitted with 275's rear (I think Dunlop's)

 

 

I've dug out the boost controller from the attic (Greddy Profec Type S)

and aim to fit it on the weekend.

The only down side is that unlike the Profec spec 2, it doesn't have an LCD display

 

 

 

 

I can't remember from memory but VPower is the highest octane rated fuel at the pump or the same as Tesco 99. It's either 100 ron or 99, can't remember.

 

The higher the octane the more power your car will produce.

 

This is why the myth came about Import cars are faster and have more power, well yes in japan they will do as japan fuel has a much higher octane rating than we do in the UK and ours is higher than in the US.

 

VPower also has better additives than Tesco 99 which is the next best fuel which help to keep the engine clean.

 

I wouldn't bother with slicks, your car might be put in a different class, non road legal class. if you have semi slicks for road then you should be ok, but like you say it's a excuse if you win he can use.

With running around a bar boost with a remap, filter, zorst etc I recon it will be a fairly even sprint! :scooter:

 

The VXR8 lists a 0-60 in 4.9 secs, my zed with the above mods & a few more had a timed 0-60 of 4.7 (best time)

 

go for it!!

 

V power is a higher octane fuel to allow you to run slightly higher boost without detting.

 

should be interesting! :thumbup1:

Another one just popped to mind...

 

If you have coilovers set them to a stiffer setting your car will not bog down and much and you will get off the line quicker.

You have to also to take in to consideration although the VXR8 has faster posted figures it requires a better driver to get a better time In a more powerful car, because if you have a car which when you drop the clutch and does not spin the wheels on the line it's allot easier to get your best time the car is capable of but if you have a big V8 with lots more power and torque the wheels will spin and it will take a better driver to get the most out of the car.

 

Don't think i can think of any more, i'm pretty much all out now.

 

 

That's a very good point and I was thinking about this earlier.

 

I've got all the DW/SPL/Tein adjustable suspension and steering kit to go on this summer and was planning on getting that lot fitted to the shortie' eventually.

I wasn't going to do it before going to the Pod but if I were to fit the Tein coilovers that I've got upstairs for the reasons that you've stated mate then I might as well get the whole lot done at the same time, pretty much a week earlier than planned.

 

The zeds sitting a bit high on stock shocks at the mo' so it needs the coilovers fitting, but I understand that the whole geometry of the car would then be thrown out of sync and the adjustable kit will need to be fitted to correct this.

I though the opposite for drag launches - stiff suspension can cause it to hop - a softer rear will cause the car to squat down at the rear transferring more weight to the rear wheels allowing it to launch quicker??

 

never tried myself so maybe wrong but would make more sense to me! :)

When you mentioned V Power earlier I had a bit of a brain melt, sorry.

 

I used to run my other zed on V Power but have been running the shortie' on regular unleaded so far.

 

When I get the zed mapped up at Protuner it'll be running on regular fuel, I'm assuming that it would still be good to run V Power for the short duration at the Pod without any adverse effects?

Thought you would want the rear suspension quite soft for a quick launch? To aid weight transfer to the rear? Never hurt the Escort Cossie..

yeah softer the better :)

Update on this....

 

I was sat down this morning having a brew with my mate Scotty (the VXR8 owner) when he brought up the subject of our head to head at the pod. As far as I'm concerned it's only a bit of fun so suggested that we attend the upcoming RWYB day.

Initially he thought this was a good idea, but then started to back track; nothing at all to do with his lack of confidence in his cars performance but more so the fact that his anti-petrolhead girlfriend had just moved in and she hated anything to do with racing and it was their first weekend together yada, yada

 

 

I gave a bit of a ripping but left it at that

 

As we were leaving I offered him the keys to the shortie' and told him to take it for a blast to see what he thought

 

 

5 minutes later he returned and I half expected him to slate it but fair play to him, he admitted that he'd really underestimated the zeds performance and that the twin turbo setup really did make quite a difference.

He conceeded that he suspects that the zed would be all over the VXR8 for the most part and that he wouldn't want to bet money on the VXR8 pulling it out the bag during the last couple of hundred yards. He thinks it'll be a lot closer than he initially thought and that without the VXR8 being supercharged it might not come out on top after all.

 

We've agreed that this head to head has to happen, if not at the Pod then maybe somewhere else (I've got a place in mind) but it would have to go ahead.

 

I'm really intreagued now, Scotty's comments have really given my confidence a boost......now all I have to do is give the zed a bit more boost and we're on :punk:

Update on this....

 

I was sat down this morning having a brew with my mate Scotty (the VXR8 owner) when he brought up the subject of our head to head at the pod. As far as I'm concerned it's only a bit of fun so suggested that we attend the upcoming RWYB day.

Initially he thought this was a good idea, but then started to back track; nothing at all to do with his lack of confidence in his cars performance but more so the fact that his anti-petrolhead girlfriend had just moved in and she hated anything to do with racing and it was their first weekend together yada, yada

 

 

I gave a bit of a ripping but left it at that

 

As we were leaving I offered him the keys to the shortie' and told him to take it for a blast to see what he thought

 

 

5 minutes later he returned and I half expected him to slate it but fair play to him, he admitted that he'd really underestimated the zeds performance and that the twin turbo setup really did make quite a difference.

He conceeded that he suspects that the zed would be all over the VXR8 for the most part and that he wouldn't want to bet money on the VXR8 pulling it out the bag during the last couple of hundred yards. He thinks it'll be a lot closer than he initially thought and that without the VXR8 being supercharged it might not come out on top after all.

 

We've agreed that this head to head has to happen, if not at the Pod then maybe somewhere else (I've got a place in mind) but it would have to go ahead.

 

I'm really intreagued now, Scotty's comments have really given my confidence a boost......now all I have to do is give the zed a bit more boost and we're on :punk:

 

nice one :) Does he know that you'll be running more boost at the pod ?

 

Is it stock boost now? the difference between stock boost and 1 bar is very significant. about 1 sec of the 0-60 and 2-3 secs of the 0-100.

If the weather is OK I'm going to the pod on 1st/2nd October for a few runs and I think a few other zeds will be there. I certainly wouldn't bother with this weekend except to enjoy the show as you'll get very limited runs on the strip I've been told. Against that car I think you'd be better off head to head rather than 1/4 times then at least you'll have a chance by getting off the line quicker. Unless it's an auto of course :)

It's running stock boost at the mo' but I've got Greg's (Protuner) mobile number so I'll give him a ring in the next day or so to discuss various options.

 

I want to see what the shortie's producing currently as it's definately a lot quicker than any stock zed I've driven previosuly (and Marty will vouch for that I'm sure) but I can't see any real reason why? Other than it being fitted with a straight through decat exhaust system and induction kit (Blitz I think) it really is stock.

 

 

I then want to fit the larger smic's, Nismo 740's, AEM EMS and Greddy boost controller before it go's back on the dyno for a full map.

 

Is it really a huge nause to get the stock turbo's swapped for my larger ones?

 

I'm looking at heading off potential cooling issues created by doing all of the above and am looking at Japspeed and Koyo rads as a precaution (Japspeed is looking a good bet)

 

 

October sounds good, that should give enough time to get the work done

 

 

Oh and it's a manual

That's a good thing to hear!!

 

Z's are cool!!

I've got a carbon fibre bucket seat you can borrow if you want to shed some serious poundage, taking both seats out and the spare in the back will make a bit difference.

 

As other have said, drop the tyre pressure - it makes a massive difference and make sure you get to the start line first. It gives you the advantage you have longer to get the car set up to go rather than rushing it and fluffing your start.

 

On stock tyres you won't get any benefit by smoking them for 2 minutes, a quick spin up to get the surface warm and coated in glue then get set up at the starting line pre-staged, staged, handbrake up, as he pulls up tense the driveshaft by holding the handbreak up, button in, clutch up till it's biting then soon as you see the ambers 2 from the bottom, drop the handbrake and off you go.

 

It depends on which xmas tree lights they're using, most of the time it's red, all the ambers then green but sometimes they'll light each amber up individually before green so watch the guy in front.

 

I always found 3 clicks from soft on the back tyres, 18 psi in the tyres, 2000rpm launch on road tyres. Any more and you'll start bouncing off the line and lose valuable time.

 

Also get down and watch which side is getting a better start, you'll find the pro drag cars are launched in one lane so that side will be less dusty and more sticky from all the rubber and glue. It can give you a massive benefit. It's usually the right hand lane at santa pod

 

Hope all that gives you a few pointers buddy! :)