Building a $50K Track Tool to beat $500K Track Tools

[RYU]

If I ever get some time i'll have some made. They will disqualify you from pretending to play crash dummy with your NSX though but will be structurally sound.

Here's a pic of the one I made for my rear bumper. You can either make one yourself (STMPO was the only guy that sold them) or find an NA2 rear bumper beam which came in Aluminum from Honda. For the front you have to make it yourself. All were steel. Some on here make them in CF but I feel they have to be in Alum for structural rigidity.

 

[1K2GO]

Thanks RYU, any idea what the weight savings is on those compared to oem?

 

[TURBO2GO]

Its a huge savings I think I can still get some from Ross.

 

[1K2GO]

Its a huge savings I think I can still get some from Ross.

Yes please! I wanna get that! I wanna get that! let me know, thanks! :biggrin:

 

[RYU]

you don't seem like the DIY kinda guy but there's a DIY thread on here I can't seem to find at the moment. It's actually quite easy.

 

[1K2GO]

you don't seem like the DIY kinda guy but there's a DIY thread on here I can't seem to find at the moment. It's actually quite easy.

You think I have servants waiting on me hand and foot or something? I can only wish...

I love getting dirty and doing my own work, except when it comes building & rebuilding. That, I leave for the rocket scientists. My father was a brilliant mechanical/aerospace engineer and I spent my entire upbringing learning from him. We built everything in our garage from vintage sports cars, kit cars to airplane restoration. Ask Shad what a PITA I am in his shop, always snooping and sniffing around looking for hidden secrets of speed. His shop is a goldmine and my heaven.

My philosophy has always been; why pay someone else to screw it up when I can screw it up for free?

I've R&R'd the rear bumper a couple times (boat anchor). When You find it, please forward.

 

[RYU]

LOL!!!

and here I was being jealous that you had the option to pay people to do your bidding when I can't!

Agree, though.. no one can screw it up as well as you can!

The rear is a 3"x3" 1/8" square tube. I forget the exact length. You can use a thicker walled square tube for added strength and weight. You'll need a 1"x1"x12" piece for the license plate mount. The holes need to be aligned and tapped (the only PITA part)

The front can be done with a 4"x4". I forget the exact length but it needs to be short and just barely the length of the main frame supports. No need to tap any thing for this. Just align and drill the mounting holes properly.

 

[illwillem]

Ive ditched mine all together, front and back as part of a larger scheme to have a fully frame mounted splitter, since there is nothing solid forward of the radiator support to mount anything too I used a 3/8 steel flat to tie the frame together then mounted the splitter and radiator induction fully to that, it save a TON of weight and is now a functional areo peice, i went back and fourth on it being a part of the crash structure (so is the spare tire and bracket that i ditched as well) I understand the associated risk in removing them but think they are mitigated when I went to full HANS devices helmet 6 pts and a HANS seat.

 

[1K2GO]

Thats a sweet setup Will, keep us posted on your progress. I'm sensing the safety police are about to descend on us... Look busy!

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I'd settle for 100 lbs.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Ive ditched mine all together, front and back as part of a larger scheme to have a fully frame mounted splitter, since there is nothing solid forward of the radiator support to mount anything too I used a 3/8 steel flat to tie the frame together then mounted the splitter and radiator induction fully to that, it save a TON of weight and is now a functional areo peice, i went back and fourth on it being a part of the crash structure (so is the spare tire and bracket that i ditched as well) I understand the associated risk in removing them but think they are mitigated when I went to full HANS devices helmet 6 pts and a HANS seat.

Spare tire and bracket are NOT part of the crash structure. That is from the mouth of one of the Japanese engineers that designed the NSX. He dispelled that myth which seems to still live on for people that did not see the Q&A session we had with him.

 

[NSX2play]

I would love to lose another 200 lbs. but I'm not willing to delete my A/C, heater, audio, interior. This is still a "street legal" car and my philosophy of 'drive to the track, kill them all, then drive home" still goes.

Everything else is on the table including:

airbag (wheel & bag are deleted)

TCS

ABS

Suggestions?

Not to be too personal, but do you need to lose a few pounds? :smile: I know that I would be a bit faster if I dropped the 15 or so that I didn't have 20 years ago!

BTW, I totally agree with your philosophy. The NSX is such a great daily driver, it is a shame to turn it into a track only weekend plaything.

Ive ditched mine [my front bumper bar] all together, front and back as part of a larger scheme to have a fully frame it save[d] a TON of weight and is now a functional areo peice, i went back and fourth on it being a part of the crash structure I understand the associated risk in removing them but think they are mitigated when I went to full HANS devices helmet 6 pts and a HANS seat.

I really hope you also installed a full roll cage to go with that six point harness and HANS device. Otherwise you risk serious spinal injury in a rollover.

 

[TURBO2GO]

I really hope you also installed a full roll cage to go with that six point harness and HANS device. Otherwise you risk serious spinal injury in a rollover.

Benefits outweigh the risks. By a long shot IMHO. I would take my chances with a helmet, harness and HANS with no cage over a 3 point, airbag, and no cage. It's an incremental increase in safety. Alos, T cars have a stronger A and B pillar than coupes.

 

[1K2GO]

Not to be too personal, but do you need to lose a few pounds? :smile: I know that I would be a bit faster if I dropped the 15 or so that I didn't have 20 years ago!

I am a competitive cyclist and work very hard keeping 'the wingnut behind the wheel' tuned up. I am slightly over 6' and range between 160 to 170 lbs. and there's nothing on my body I'm willing to part with that will increase my performance or lower my lap times. :wink:

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T cars have a stronger A and B pillar than coupes.

Are you inferring that targas are safer than coupes??? Or could this be because you don't have a roof that is an integrated part of your chassis's structure?

How about a poll? :tongue:

 

[NSX2play]

I would take my chances with a helmet, harness and HANS with no cage over a 3 point, airbag, and no cage. It's an incremental increase in safety.

I agree that it would be an incremental increase in safety in a front or rear end collision but it is an incremental decrease in safety in a rollover. A three point is designed to allow the driver to fall sideways into the center of the car in a rollover and thereby avoid a spinal injury. With a HANS device, six point harness but no roll cage, that isn't going to happen. To paraphrase Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry "Do ya' feel lucky today?"

 

[1K2GO]

I warned you the safety police were imminent! This is not the place for debates about roll cages, pro or con.

Sorry to have to have to pull rank here guys. Please take this diversion elsewhere.

Back on topic: Whose got some alloy bumper beams for sale?

 

[Stephen@NCAutoUSA]

Have you checked with Ross at Stmpo yet? He may have a rear floating around still.

 

[1K2GO]

I have not but I like the way you worded that.

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Thanks Sduffass, hiding in plain sight on his website: stmpo.com

Saves 15lb. over the oem rear beam.

Who's got a front beam?

 

[cantdrive55]

I agree that it would be an incremental increase in safety in a front or rear end collision but it is an incremental decrease in safety in a rollover. A three point is designed to allow the driver to fall sideways into the center of the car in a rollover and thereby avoid a spinal injury. With a HANS device, six point harness but no roll cage, that isn't going to happen. To paraphrase Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry "Do ya' feel lucky today?"/QUOTE]

I dont agree. Ive been in over 10 rollover accidents on the street and have never once seen the roof cave in. In a 3 point i fell and hit the roof upon rollover. Maybe im extremely lucky i didn't get hurt..who knows. I definitely believe the driver is a lot safer in a racing seat and harness w/o a cage then in a 3 point. Sorry this is off topic i know but i has to chime in

 

[1K2GO]

 

[illwillem]

Hah. 1K called it. I held off on jumping in, there are PLENTY of threads on this topic on this forum alone this should not be one of them.

 

[1K2GO]

As discussed on another thread, I modified my front fender liners to better accommodate the Nitto NT01 235/40/17 front tires. I had to remove the top/middle portion and used 3M undercoating to fill the gaps. These tires will still rub at full lock but for track usage they work fine. Best street-able DOT race tire I've used so far. I've got 9 sessions on this set and they probably are only good for a few more. @ 2850lbs / 400whp, my car is not easy on tires. YMMV

 

[TURBO2GO]

I'm sorry did I say something wrong?

 

[1K2GO]

I'm sorry did I say something wrong?

Who you? nah, must have been some other notorious post whore who just can't stop himself from beating that dead horse one more time... That doesn't resemble anybody around here... :tongue:

 

[NSX2play]

I warned you the safety police were imminent! This is not the place for debates about roll cages, pro or con.

Sorry to have to have to pull rank here guys. Please take this diversion elsewhere.

Back on topic: Whose got some alloy bumper beams for sale?

Fair enough, you started this thread, so I can restrain myself..... but 'safety police' - ouch. :tongue:

Regarding an earlier part of your thread. Why the StopTech BBK and not Brembo BBK? Was your decision solely based on cost? What about Brembo's significantly more substantial track record? Or that their calipers are narrower and allow an offset closer to OEM?

 

[scammy]

Thanks Sduffass, hiding in plain sight on his website: stmpo.com

Saves 15lb. over the oem rear beam. (great product)

Who's got a front beam?[/QUOTE]
Procar used to do an aluminium front beam as well as his carbon one