Snowy's R35 Targa Testing And Development

[Snowman]

So - as some of you already know after a short hiatus I've jumped back into an R35 GT-R. This time with Targa Tasmania as it main goal.

Its a 2007 JDM formally piloted by giant from these forums. The beauty of this car for me is that the annoying parts have been done (cage, race seats, fire bombs etc) but the rest of the car is pretty stock standard with the exception of an exhaust (which is no longer with-in the Targa regs so needs to change) and a Cobb.

So I thought I'd start this thread up as a log of the development of this car, some of the testing results we find, and also as a guide for anyone else ever thinking of building an R35 for Targa. Unlike say the awesome Superlap builds we have a fairly limited list of things that can and can't do so our objective is to build as good a car as we can within those rules. As a consequence what I will try and do is explain why we have gone in some directions where the current common options may differ.

As a very quick summary I will list the basics of what can and can't be done for an R35 Targa car.

Brakes are free (that means you can do what you like as far as mods go)

Suspension - shocks are free. Arms however must remain standard.

Wheels - only 1 inch variance from OEM allowed (so no 18's running good R comps like RE55's, A050's etc)

Engine + turbos must remain factory.

Exhaust - 80mm max OD.

Fuel system - we can change the fuel pumps on R35's but can't change injectors. So no E85.

Aero - must remain OEM. You can replace the bonnet, boot, wing, skirts with different material but must retain OEM shape.

Weight - minimum weight is 1740kgs.

So the initial plans are to fix the exhaust, get the car tuned properly and then we can start really testing the handling side.

This past weekend I took the car out for its first real run at Phillip Island raceway (I had done a day at QR but was just putting around given the distance from home).

Unfortunately I've discovered the car has some form of engine knock / miss. Not sure what it is but it doesn't seem to be a tuning issue as even with 25% race-fuel (Martini 110) and just the Cobb Stage 1 tune the knock is still there. So the guys at Racepace will try and nut this problem out this week. But in-case anyone out there doesn't know this little fact - if you have a Cobb Accessport with the latest software and you have your boost gauge on your MFD (doesn't matter if its part of the 6 gauge screen or the 3 gauge screen) and you see this flashing white - that is Engine knock - which is not cool.

Anyways, despite this little issue I still went out and did a few laps in the car even though I really couldn't give the car any WOT. But what I was able to do was give the car a few laps on some old worn OEM Bridgeston RE070's and then a few laps on my old very worn Targa A050's (on 18's) just so I could compare the balance and the grip of the car with both types of rubber.

Here's a video of a lap on each set of rubber.

The major thing I found with the old OEM rubber was it had poor initial turn in where you really needed to get the weight forward to turn in - and then you had to steer it a lot with the back of the car in the slower/mid speed corners. But the car was REALLY well balanced on the R comps. I was surprised given we only had 1.9 degs neg camber on the fronts, and given the state of the tyres, and dead stock suspension just how well balanced it was to be honest. The other noticeable thing was how much better the car was "geared" with the smaller diameter wheels. It's a real shame we can't run them for Targa - but for anyone doing other track work you'd be mad not to go the 18's option. (Also for what it is worth I was running 18 x 10.5 + 15 TE37's but I think +22's would be prefect. But brake clearance was great)

So the next main test for me will be to get some new good rubber that is Targa legal and see if any can come close to the feel of the A050's. I've ordered a set of the new Dunlops and a set of Toyo R888's and will do some meaning full back to back tests on the same day to see what results we get.

[Beer Baron]

cool story snowman. lol.

seriously though good idea to post a thread on the mighty targa build. bummer it has a noise though. hope that gets sorted fast.

I'm looking forward to see what you think about tyres etc. I really noticed the gearing difference too when watching in-car of handbrakes 35 at EC vs my own experience there. with his 18s it was almost perfectly geared for the track (would be the same at PI I reckon as they are both fairly similar overall).

[Snowman]

Yeah Richard the car was definitely better ratio'd through turns 9,10,11,12 and to a lesser degree in 4,5,6.

But it's possible with some extra grip this might reverse - will have to wait and see.

But the objective is to get the car into the 1.43's @ PI in full Targa trim.

[PHaT MR30]

Hey snowy, I thought you could apply to Octagon for a variance in wheel diameter??

Jonesey and Alford ran 18's last year im sure??? or is this a new rule?

[N1GTR]

Out of interest, before your R34 was retired what was its best lap around PI?

[Snowman]

Timmy - not sure what Alford ran but Jones ran 19's (P Zero's)

Steve-o. My best at PI was a 1.47.1 - but that was a LONG time ago in the blue car and on rubbish tyres. I never went in the White car but I reckon a 1.45 was possible. Mind you if the engine wasn't playing up on Saturday I'm sure a 1.45 was easy done with this new car with just the A050's - which is pretty amazing I reckon given it was running low power and otherwise stock! These things really are an awesome bit of gear.

I'll be back there in Oct for the PIARC weekend so we'll see if I'm right.

[Marlin]

I've just read you sig Snowy! lol

You'll be bloody hard to beat in an R35 at Targa Tasmania mate, considering in a dirty old R34 you came 2nd this year, and 4th at Targa High Country last year!

LMAO... what's with that!? And how does Herridge feel about it?

[Snowman]

God - not you too.

Where did you finish your last Targa? 3rd or 18th?

[Marlin]

Me too?

THIRD baby! haha

And one year we WON it, by a country mile!

[Snowman]

Exactly

I wasn't competing against Herridge so he has nothing to worry about.

But next time.....

[paulR32gtr]

dirty old R34

Hey watch it lol! I scrubbed the crap out of that dirty old 34 yesterday... its actually looking quite clean

[Marlin]

Haha, I knew that would bring you out of the woodwork Paul hehe

[Marlin]

Exactly

I wasn't competing against Herridge so he has nothing to worry about.

But next time.....

Blah blah next time

Seriously though, when I'm at BBQ's and spruking about "achievments", I risk inducing nausea and tell folks that yes, we came 18th outright, but in fact we were third in our Class! haha (Just saying 3rd sounds heaps better though )

Anyhoo, sorry to botch up your R35 thread mate.

[Snowman]

Hey mate - I was on the same podium with Herridge and we both had plates saying 2nd and a big bottle of champagne.

You'll never be able to tell me I came anything else but because that was my only focus for the race! There is no such thing as an overall prize / trophy in that event.

Now with this new car the eventual goal is Targa Top 10 but a desire is for a Top 5. IN MODERN.

But the first main goal is going to be Superlap Clubman Class next year in a car that is either fully Targa spec or with easily swapped mods (such as we may look at E85 for Superlap).

[Roy]

Best thing about the R35 is I know nothing about them other then if I am servcing and it breaks; the best place for me will be the pub...not under the bonnet.

Any chance you can run this thing as a Spec V or something and get some goodies for it....after all its an auto AWD so must needa bout 1200hp to be entertaining to drive

[Marlin]

i still chortle when I read your last sentence Roy

[Nee-san]

In targa, can you use Ballast to meet minimum weight requirements ???

[Marlin]

Yep.....

[Snowman]

Yeah you can.

You can move fuel tanks, batteries, etc as well for weight balance if you like.

[Nee-san]

Strip car

ballast for Targa

remove ballast for time attack

Snowman wins club sprint class

????

Profit

Would it work ?