for all you track nutters..

[chrisvtr1989]

im going to be building a track car over the next few months and just want to clarify a few things..

i only plan on doing track days not competitive racing so therefore will all my stuff( seats, cage) need fia approval? also things like helmets etc
is there any links to important info for things like db levels, things i can/cant do etc.. any help would be kind?

[Alanapone]

Trackday sites usually stipulate noise levels... around the 100 db mark from what i've seen the few times i've looked

[chrisvtr1989]

ye i always thought around the 98db level tbh. do they do testing before you go on?

[Reechard]

Noise levels vary from 98db to 105db depending on the track from my experience.

Helmet wise you need one on every track now I think.

If you plan on going to the Ring you need the cage and seats to be fia approved incase the check your car.

[paulydixon]

If you're not competing in any form, then you don't need a cage or any of that. You can turn up, full seats, standard ride height, and still drive around in circles :)

[Steve]

MSV now state you need a certain helmet and not just any old helmet/bike helmet to do some of their tracks.

BS6658 Type A/FR
BS6658 Type A
SNELL SA2005
SNELL SA2000
FIA 8860-2004
SFI Foundation 31.1A, 31.2A

However last time i was at cadwell in March, they never checked.

[chrisvtr1989]

If you're not competing in any form, then you don't need a cage or any of that. You can turn up, full seats, standard ride height, and still drive around in circles :)

cages and seats are just for look are they?:homme:

[chrisvtr1989]

any websites i could read up apart from google lol ?

[Steve]

cages and seats are just for look are they?:homme:

on this forum especially, most of the time yes.

[Steve]

any websites i could read up apart from google lol ?

trackday websites like javelin normally have a FAQ
Knockhills website does, although its pretty laid back up there so not the best of examples.

Go on the actual circuits forum and there is normally FAQs.

trackdays.co.uk i think have one to.

As pauly said, as long as your cars road worthy you just need a helmet, drivers license and go tbh

[chrisvtr1989]

trackday websites like javelin normally have a FAQ
Knockhills website does, although its pretty laid back up there so not the best of examples.

Go on the actual circuits forum and there is normally FAQs.

trackdays.co.uk i think have one to.

As pauly said, as long as your cars road worthy you just need a helmet, drivers license and go tbh

wow cheers. like said though ill want to be going nurburgring and different tracks, i dont want to turn up and sent away as i dont have certain things. guessing each track has different procedures/rules?

[CampDavid]

What you need to do is spend as much money on making a track car, go really big on the spec, take forever making it, run out of cash then sack the whole thing off at a massive loss. That's the way a lot of people on internet forums role.

Or buy a mechanically sorted heap, buy helmet, book track day, go

I'm going with the later option this time round :D

[CampDavid]

You are more likely to be told to do one if you turn up with a track prep'd car. A poorly fitted cage or loud exhaust is a no no.

[CampDavid]

I can haz track heap

http://thumbsnap.com/s/j1VRPsaV.jpg

[Dom]

Bedford Autodrome has a 105db limit, they also do track sessions for learners where they get a guy to talk you around the track in your car, its alot cheaper than most other places as well :y:

[Steve]

wow cheers. like said though ill want to be going nurburgring and different tracks, i dont want to turn up and sent away as i dont have certain things. guessing each track has different procedures/rules?

nope. as said basically aslong as your cars road worthy.
Nurburgring you see plenty of standard cars going round.

[Steve]

imo go with a standard car then decide what mods you want.
Dont fuck around with budget shocks either if you decide you want some.

[paulydixon]

Chances are it's going to get pranged at some point too so mincing around in something that stands you at thousands also makes no sense!

I remember Crossie crashing his at the ring, and i'm sure the cost of getting it home was so big that he just took out of the car what he could and left the rest over there.

So like everyone says, cheap car, road worthy, helmet = done.

:)

[Dom]

Chances are it's going to get pranged at some point too so mincing around in something that stands you at thousands also makes no sense!

I remember Crossie crashing his at the ring, and i'm sure the cost of getting it home was so big that he just took out of the car what he could and left the rest over there.

So like everyone says, cheap car, road worthy, helmet = done.

:)

I saw somewhere that someone paid £4500+ to get the car back to the UK, not sure where I saw it but it was on here.. Should push the car onto a road and get AA European Cover ;) Simples

[CampDavid]

imo go with a standard car then decide what mods you want.
Dont fuck around with budget shocks either if you decide you want some.

Amen to that.

I'd also recommend only changing bits that NEED changing. A trackday car DOES NOT NEED A ROLL CAGE OR BUCKETS. You also don't need insanely hard suspension, a loud exhaust or really anything on the engine, in fact, standard is often advisable as you'll be pushing it to bursting point.

Your first day should be gentle and a novice style affair. You'll probably find that the area of the car you lean on will be the brakes. You can then uprate the pads (good if the car has decent stoppers on in the first place) or you can sport out for a decent setup, maybe with multiple pistons etc.

In short, waste no time, get on track with something standard, then evolve

[paulydixon]

....you can tell we're all old cunts in here :D

[Reechard]

Id personally recomend putting buckets and harnesses.
After a recent crash on track I didnt get any whiplash at all.

If I had the standard seats in then I am sure I would have a nice red mark on my chest.

But as said you dont need anything other than a roadworthy car but stripped, caged etc makes it feel faster lol

[harry289]

Chris, im guessing Brands hatch is your local track?
Helmet wise you can hire them at the track for about a tenner.
Noise limits are usually 105db at motorsport vision tracks.
Car wise all you need is a cheap mechanically sound car. much more fun when your not so worried about thrashing the hell out of it!
As for roll cages and safety devices, you can just turn up in a standard car and just wear your helmet and seatbelt. But don't forget anything can happen out on a track like oil and other fluids to slip on. At brands hatch there is a massive gravel trap and if you go in sideways your car is extremely vulnerable to roll over.

But imo a cheap mechanically sound car, stripped, harder springs is the way to go for more cost effective fun :)

[jonathon5]

Keep the exhaust STD if possible the noise levels are coming down all the time.

Handling is probably more important than speed

[MiniGibbo]

All you need is a decent lid, you can get one threw demon theives specially for "track days". Nice open face :cool:

Tracks differ between 95-105db static and spots on the track with fly bye tests. Fly byes are the ones to watch out for but there are tricks if you get pulled ie not full throttle out of those bends lol.

Just make sure your cars safe and solid take all the stuff out of the car you dont need, now that dosent mean seats jsut shit in the boot like old water bottles, gym bags etc etc.

A Novice day would be ideal regardless of the track and for your first time at any track no matter how many days youve done is ways a good idea to get tuition.

Its not as scary out there as it may seem :y:

[jonathon5]

If you need a cheap helmet drop
me a pm , I can get nice lids cheap

also get some race boots & gloves they help

[MiniGibbo]

Boots are for go-karts i wear my airmaxes looks good with a racesuit

Ive been dubbed "chav-stig" :cool:

Can you get "decent" cheap gloves Jonathan5 bud?

[webby]

just my opinion but i felt as though i would have benifited form a more supportive seat i found it a masse hinderence having to think about bracing for a corner. it took my attention away from driving for that split second. i will be rocking 1 bucket and a full interior on my days in furureand a standard belt after hearing horror stories of harnesses and no cage.

[jonathon5]

just my opinion but i felt as though i would have benifited form a more supportive seat i found it a masse hinderence having to think about bracing for a corner. it took my attention away from driving for that split second. i will be rocking 1 bucket and a full interior on my days in furureand a standard belt after hearing horror stories of harnesses and no cage.

A good bucket is worth 10mph in a corner.

[Reechard]

If you need a cheap helmet drop
me a pm , I can get nice lids cheap

also get some race boots & gloves they help

Wish you'd posted that sooner, just gotten a lid!
Ah well was still fairly cheap.

What gloves and boots can you get and prices?

[Alanapone]

What helmets can you get? PM me a price list if you have one :)

[gazwhittle]

if you go to the ring do you have to belt it round or can i go round at a sensible pace for my standard c2?

[MiniGibbo]

As fast or slow as you like.. You get minibuses on the ring lol.