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I have access to a free one or the other but I can't make up my mind. My intend is ITS at the local track Waterford Hills. The 280Z is bullet proof but the brakes are weak and I doubt it's able to run with the 325's and RX7's. The Alfa would make great power in IT tune, low unsprung weight, great brakes, etc. But it's a bit of an oddball with little development with a weak tranny and no real options for a limited slip. Any thoughts?
Same boat as you, JH which is rare. Weld the diff, that is what I did although I haven't driven it to see how that works. Get the Alfa, more diversity equals more fun and interest.
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Ron
http://www.gt40s.com
Lotus Turbo Esprit
BMW E36 M3
RF GT40 Replica
Jensen-Healey: IT prep progressing!
Don't know any Z guys, but we have a customer in the Milwaukee area (Mike Cudahy) who has a well developed Alfa. I believe it is a Prod car. It was written up in a recent issue of SportsCar.
Contact Mike for details on the "Oddball" thing.
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Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com
There are LOTS more performance parts for the Z than for the Alfa.
The 280 isn't the best "Z" to run in ITS, but I think that Ground Control (Suspension) and Rebello (Motors & Trans) would have more go-fast parts than supplies for the Alfa.
Just my $0.02 worth
I do know of at least good "builders" of alfa's here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Tim Linerud
San Francisco Region SCCA
#95 GP Wabbit
http://linerud.myvnc.com/racing/index.html
By the time you are done with your first season, the initial purchase price of the box that you put all of your racing money into will be a relatively minor piece of the budget.
Given this, I'd discourage anyone who asked from building what they have or what they can get for free. Particularly with an older car, you aren't going to use many of those parts once everything is said and done.
If you DO want to run a Z-car, you should be able to buy a prepared one for WAY less money that it will take to build.
K
Build whichever you will enjoy racing. I've always been a fan of the GTV6.
Ed
The GTV6 has the ultra cool factor. We have one here in the Houston Region.
But, be prepared to do a lot of your own development. There should be plenty of development parts for the Z without having to pay a bundle.
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George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com
Bobby Bitterman out of Alabama is an Alfa guy and used to race a GTV6. If anyone knows how to contact him it would be a very good source of info.
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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
ITS Honda Prelude (no longer for sale, I think)
I don't know much about Alfa's, but I can say that the 280Z wouldn't be my choice.
I raced a 75 up till 95 in ITS, and even then it wasn't able to compete very well with the lighter 240's or the RX-7's.
It has the same brakes as a 240Z, yet is carrying an extra 400lbs over the 240. Getting a 280 down to minimum weight won't be easy, since you have those big bumpers and a few other pieces that increase the weight that you can't legally get rid of. Not to mention the old FI system which is not easy to modify or diagnose problems.
I'd suggest finding a car already built, you'll end up spending much less in the long run. I spent nearly as much building mine as what most 240's were selling for at the time, and ended up selling it for 1/3 of what I spent building it.
IMHO, the GTV won't cut the mustard. 3.0 Milano can do it, but the 2.5 just won't make the grunt.
In a perfect world, build the Alfa. Hire a guy full time to do all the legwork and build and testing. And be prepared to have a really cool but not so competitive car that won't be woth what a front runner is worth.
That's an extreme, sure, but developing your own out of date car can be 3 times the work that building a known model is, and THAT is twice the work and $ of buying a built car.
Make your choices, but do so knowing the pitfalls.
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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
[This message has been edited by lateapex911 (edited August 31, 2004).]