Thoughts on what to upgrade first?

[RdGT]

I have a base 18 GT looking to do 3-4 track days next spring or summer. I'm looking to allocate enough for one major upgrade and looking into what would get me the most results. I currently have everything stock besides adding PP front Brembos.

Here are the options I was considering:
1. 19x11 square setup with new tires
2. Steeda adjustables with dual rate springs
3. Bushings/front strut brace/rigidity mods

If you had to, which would you choose?

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[Hack]

I would choose coolers or more track days over your listed items. Or save the money for consumables.

 

[EFI]

Is this actual W2W racing or TT? Or HPDE? Have you done any other track days before?

If the answer is no on the latter one, I would suggest just going out and learning the car as is and only after you feel comfortable enough that you're pushing the stock car past its current limits then go ahead and upgrade as you mentioned.

And yes to upgrading cooling first and foremost before any handling mods.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Right.

1) More track time (improve the driver)
2) stickier tires on dedicated wheels (more raw grip... if you get decent tires)
3) springs and shocks (more responsive), with swaybars
4) bushings, braces and the rest.

Driver mod is always first. Chances are the car is already faster than you can drive it. The typical advice is to run a few events before even considering changing things. Since you're thinking 3-4 days, then I'd say go ahead and spend on tires so you aren't destroying your street tires with track time, but be careful what tire you choose, many of the usual high performance tires that get recommended are not up to the demands of track abuse.

so yeah, from that list, go with wheels and tires first, but I'd couple them with some good camber plates so you don't waste perfectly good tires running non-optimal camber. Lowering springs and shocks to control them will give you a little grip from an effective wider track, but the stiffer suspension can loose you grip over rough surfaces, and you'll need to play around with the shock adjustments to find what works best. Also you're missing adjustable swaybars if you want to complete the suspension.

Bushings can help keep the geometry right, especially in the rear, but I hear the 18-19s are improved from the factory over the 15-17s that really needed help to keep the rear from moving around. They won't help nearly as much as good rubber and good springs and shocks tho.

 

[BmacIL]

Brakes first, as you mentioned.

As you said it's a base GT, getting a dedicated set of summer tires on reasonably wide wheels would be first outside of track time, but as @NightmareMoon mentioned, making sure you're not wasting them with poor static camber is a good idea. Some things you kinda have to do all at once.

 

[RdGT]

Yes I agree completely on the driver mod. I've done a few HPDE events in the past with a different vehicle and the 3-4 days I mentioned will be HPDE days. Thanks for the advice, I like the idea of using it stock and seeing how it is first and go from there.

 

[Grintch]

Right.

1) More track time (improve the driver)
2) stickier tires on dedicated wheels (more raw grip... if you get decent tires)
3) springs and shocks (more responsive), with swaybars
4) bushings, braces and the rest.

Driver mod is always first. Chances are the car is already faster than you can drive it. The typical advice is to run a few events before even considering changing things. Since you're thinking 3-4 days, then I'd say go ahead and spend on tires so you aren't destroying your street tires with track time, but be careful what tire you choose, many of the usual high performance tires that get recommended are not up to the demands of track abuse.

so yeah, from that list, go with wheels and tires first, but I'd couple them with some good camber plates so you don't waste perfectly good tires running non-optimal camber. Lowering springs and shocks to control them will give you a little grip from an effective wider track, but the stiffer suspension can loose you grip over rough surfaces, and you'll need to play around with the shock adjustments to find what works best. Also you're missing adjustable swaybars if you want to complete the suspension.

Bushings can help keep the geometry right, especially in the rear, but I hear the 18-19s are improved from the factory over the 15-17s that really needed help to keep the rear from moving around. They won't help nearly as much as good rubber and good springs and shocks tho.

Second. Only other thing is you want to go to a heavy, synthetic diff oil to delay or avoid the diff overheating.

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