After waiting nearly two months to find a break in my crazy schedule, I escaped to the track tonight. I've actually been dreading this because I've never run the car and you never know what to expect your first time out. The only performance mod done to the car is the 350Z intake pipe.

Conditions today were decent, though not ideal. The track sits at 1100', temps were in the low 70s, humidity was in the 30-40% range, baro at a favorable 30.20. Calculated density altitude was 1,850'. I rolled into the track early so I could prep the car and make a couple passes on street tires before trying out my barely used drag radials from the Maxima. I removed my tools, DRs, and spare and my way to line. The all season crap Bridgestone Turanzas EL42s were at 34 psi. The engine was still baking hot from the 30 minute drive to the track. I got to the start line, put the tranny in manumatic mod and selected 2nd, and turned off the traction control. I rested my foot on the brake and gave it just enough gas to reach about 900rpms. The lights on the tree came down, I mashed the gas and instantly released the gas. The car instantly hooked up and slightly bogged then finally recovered by 3500rpms. I manually held 2nd to an indicated 6400rpms and shifted which forced the shift at 6800rpms and then held on and watched the scenry since there was no more shifting to do I made my run and was like "that didn't feel terribly fast". Maybe it's because there is absolutely no drama in the launch compared to my Maxima? I got my slip and my jaw hit the floor:

14.67@97.23 with a slow 2.34 60'

14.7s@95mph were my goal with the car in it's current state. That was easily exceeded. I instantly got back in line and knew the car could go quicker with a better launch. This time I held the brakes longer increasing the stall speed of the launch. The car felt pretty good off the line and barely chirped a tire, but the lack of drama on launch told me it was another 2.3. I got the slip and crapped my pants:

60' 2.215
330' 6.197
1/8 9.420
MPH 76.30
1000' 12.183
1/4 14.497
MPH 97.59

This F-ing car is quicker than my Maxima was in the same type of conditions and it's only .18 and 2mph slower than my Maxima did in 50 degree weather, with race gas, and no passenger seats!!!!!!! I was blown away. I would have never thought this car could go 14.4s nearly stock at my track. It far exceeded my expectations.

I parked the car and decided to swap the drag radials on and let the car cool. An hour later the lines were long which forced me to idle for nearly an hour before running. I got two passes, both of which were lower 14.5s@96mph with 2.19-2.22 60 foots on the DRs. I know the car was really hot, but I was convinced the 2.5" shorter and 13lb lighter DRs weren't helping me like I thought they would. I think they're actually too short and are effecting the gearing in a negative way.

So there you have it. A 14.6, 14.4, and two 14.5s out of a basically stock G35 sedan AUTOMATIC!!!! The 14.4@97.5 corrects out to a 14.1@99.6mph on a sea level track. I'm convinced this car can do lower 14.3s@98mph+ in cooler air.

 

Nice runs Dave ... Wow on the trap speed. I actually didn't think it would be that low either, since your track doesn't seem to be the best with its little altitude deficiency. Your car is a mnoster up top .. and you said you thought the Maxima was better. I think as you stated it's the lack of drama with the launch. Case in point, I drove my friends LS2 the other night and it just didn't feel that fast, but the speedo was telling me different, RWD is great but we all knew that, just thought we were cool with all the excitment at launch with FWD.

DRs helpd 60's but hurt 1/4 .. has to be the gearing. Not sure but does the traction control still act even though the switch is off, isn't tehre a fuse you could pull?

 

That was my personal best time in my auto 350Z! Good job!

 

I was surprised by the topend power too. Back to back runs on a hot motor and I almost got 98mph. I knew the car had a strong topend, but I thought it would be closer to 95-96mph or so at this elevation. Honestly, I was just praying for 14.8@95mph just so I could match what my buddy runs in his 99 Lexus GS400. He's now crushed to know that I'm almost .4 and 2.5mph faster than his 300hp GS400 of which he's the quickest GS at our track. The lack of drama on the launch, the overall quietness during the run, and no more manual shift lunging, make for decieving runs. Strong linear power with a flat torque curve makes for very decieving power because the power starts strong and ends strong just like you noted with the LS2. When I had my modded 94 Z28 with the LT1 motor, I swore it felt faster than my buddy's 99 LS1 Z28. Yeah, I was wrong. I ran 13.7@101mph and he did 13.5@103mph, stock. My 3.0VQ was strong, but it lacked the torque surge of this 3.5VQ which is motivating an additional 300lbs in weight too.

My best on the DRs was a 2.18 which was fractionally better than the 2.21 I did on the EL42s. My 330' foots were no quicker and after that the car slowed down compared to the stock tires. The shorter DRs also forced a 4th gear shift about 100-150' short of the finish line. I'll give the DRs one more chance later in the year. I turned the VDC off, but the TC "slip" still came on when I was trying to clean off the DRs at the line. On launch the tires didn't spin so the "slip" light didn't come on. You can remove the ABS fuse under the hood which will completely defeat the TC and ABS. I didn't see the point though since it wasn't hurting me on the launch.

I'd venture to say the track was hooking good, but it's hard to say because I'm so use to launching with FWD and dealing with all the spin, wheelhop, and torque steer to get a decently low 2.2 60'. Just like in my Z28, low 2.2 60 foots don't feel near as fast in the G as they did with my Maxima.

 

Thanks! The quickest auto 350Z at my track is doing 14.2@96mph. The 6 speeds are getting 14.2-14.4@98mph. I guess I'm right in there with them.

 

Nice! AND you can drive 4 of your friends too!

Did you power brake at launch?

 

1) Foot on brake
2) Bring up the gas to 800-900rpms to remove driveline slack
3) When the 2nd set of ambers came on I mashed the gas 100% and almost instantly released the brake. The rpms flashed to around 2000.

 

Good runs Dave, and I am impressed that you got the best times with the all season EL42s.

 

Nice Dave...


signed,

Crushed GS400 AKA(Dale)

 

I guess I will always be right behind you. In Maximas and other 4-doors.


D

 

You're such a dork. You know that if you were to swap your stock 16s on instead of the 18s, take out all the crap in the trunk, along with the intake/ECU you just got, you'll be walking me at KCIR.

 

If the drag radials are a lighter tire/wheel, and your 60 foot is less with them, it wouldn't make sense that the 1/4 takes longer...

Are you sure that the lower final drive ratio effect from the smaller drag tires isn't causing an extra shift before the traps? Something isn't right.

 

Read my post above, the shorter DRs were forcing a 3-4 shift about 100-150' short of the finish line. With the stock 17s, I was tapping the rev limiter in 3rd just after the finish line. I think the DRs were too short to be of any real benefit even though they are significantly lighter than the boat anchor 17s. I was really hoping the extra torque multiplication of the shorter tires would help things out. The car was baking hot when I had to run my DRs so maybe that is one reason I was no quicker and 1mph slower. Traction wasn't a problem for the EL42s so obviously I couldn't put the DRs to any real use, traction wise. When Fall rolls around, I'll try them again because I'll most likely be pushing an additional 15-20whp and maybe then I can use the traction advantage of the DRs, especially in cooler 40-50 degree air instead of 70s.

 

Congrats with your times! I found out by lowering the rear passenger tire a few psi less than the drivers helped. Also, by hotlapping my car produced the best times.

 

DaveB - I only read your initial post - I guess you figured it out.

BobbyD - does your car have an LSD?