That's right, our first NASA track event is rapidly approaching, and I really want to be ready this year. Last season, I started with just a good thorough check of the car and a new set of brake pads.
I've already written up my race seat and harness install, and my homefabbed brake ducts aerodynamics (soon to be updated) but here's what's kept me busy lately.
After installing koni strut cartridges, whiteline "control" springs and Noltec camber/castor plates, I needed an allignment. A shop was recommended by a fellow NASA guy down here in NM, and they knocked out a perfect track/street friendly set-up. I told them what I wanted and they gave me exactly that with as close to zero toe and cross camber numbers possible.
www.chetswheelallignment.com A well deserved plug is shown below, along with the allignment specs.
This weekend I installed a ceramic coated highflow crossover pipe from Grimmspeed, along with port matched, polished, and coated manifolds. The workmanship on everything was beautiful, the fitment on the non-flex crossover perfect.
www.grimmspeed.com. The install was pretty straight forward, except I forgot how much of a bi-atch the o2 sensor on the passenger side manifold was. Took a couple of hours, the trick was starting at the UP side leaving everything a little loose, until all the pipes were lined up, then tighten it up, reinstall heatshields, and go driving to cure all that nice new ceramic coating.
I also installed Perrin's rear subframe bushing and lock bolt kit, to give the rear handling a little upgrade. My car's just a stage two with a large TMIC, but I was experiencing a pretty good thunk back there between 1st and 2nd, plus anything I can do to stiffen things up will pay dividends on track. The hardest part of that install was getting the studs out of the differential housing, but a little well directed anger did the trick.
Last week I was stuck waiting for all the parts I just installed, so I took the time to give the brakes some attention, by completely changing out the fluid with ATE superblue, and giving the calipers a fresh coat of ceramic paint (red) My front pads were pretty shot, so I put in my back-up set (Axxis ultimates) that had about 2/3 meat left. I'll probably run the first event with those, and am debating EBC yellow stuff or Hawk HP + for my next set.
I also pulled the stock grill and made one out of the same screen that's in my hood scoop and brake duct covers. It looks pretty tough, I'll post up photo's soon. One other thing I had to get corrected, were my maps from PDX tuning.
www.pdxtuning.com I did some data-logging and they made the revisions needed. The car is running great and I think the only thing I have left, is getting vinyl made for my newest sponsor
www.paradisepower.net oh, and perfecting the front lip and checking this and that, ordering another set of race tires etc. etc........
)- had them jet hot coated too. I looked at headers, but adding top end and sacrificing low end wasn't worth the tradeoff for me. "Fixing" the oe manifolds was the better choice 
Torque wrench envy maybe. I think there are support groups for that.
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