[sleepystarz]

Title says it all

Finally got my GT-R end of September and proceeded to break her in for 4 days and 1000 miles. I've done 3 track events and 1 autoX since then and the car is nothing short of amazing, definately more than I expected.

Anyway, after the autoX and 2 trackdays my front oem Bridgestone runcraps were looking terrible. I switched to my set of race wheels and tires used on my supra and 240SX - custom color "mag blue" TE37 in 18" along with a set of Michelin sport cup R-compounds in 265/35/18 and 295/30/18. Goddamn do they look funny on the car, but GODDAMN do they make the car lap faster!!! 100lbs lighter than the OEM package as well.

All trackdays were done at my local 2.3 mile track called Mid America Motorplex and my previous best on the street tires was 1:42.8 - We had over 50 cars at the track that day including Z06s, a modded GT3 Porsche and lots of other cool cars and I'm happy to say the GT-R ran the fastest time all day.

After switching to the 18" TE37s and R-comp tires (my only mod) I returned for one final session last weekend before they closed for the winter. Track temps were really cold and air temps were 34 degrees all day but I managed to better my time down to 1:39.7 which I'm very happy with considering what the Z06s run out here, heh. That's a full 3 seconds quicker on the r-comps, no other changes to the car besides maxing the front camber on the stock arms and re-setting toe to zero. There's more time to lose also since the track was so cold that day.

Just thought I'd share my track experience after getting the car and getting the chance to beat the hell out of her. The first set of pics are from our big event when I was on street tires with the porsches and vettes, the second set is during the last track day. The car comes with a bit of understeer dialed in from the factory but I found this Michelin setup helped a lot.

My setup for next year will be perfect (19" wheels w/ Hoosier 295/30/19 F ... 315/30/19 R).

Enjoy! Billy

EDIT: Already got a couple PMs about exact wheel specs, forgot to mention that. They are the 18x9.5 +22 fronts and 18x10.5 +15 rears.

 

[sleepystarz]

And here's the pics with the 18s. Funny, I have more pics of my car on the track than I do parked, and more miles on the track than I do street...hey, this is what the car was made for right?

 

[Neoseven]

You sure you listed those 18" tire sizes right? That a 7% difference in rolling diameter and if so, you are going to toast your diffs. Hope you meant 265/35/18

 

[sleepystarz]

You sure you listed those 18" tire sizes right? That a 7% difference in rolling diameter and if so, you are going to toast your diffs. Hope you meant 265/35/18

Typo indeed, tnx for pointing that out. It is in fact 265/35/18 sport-cups on the front.

 

[MindlessOath]

user neoseven tried some new rims with michilin shoes like yours. said they were not for this car. he didnt try them in 18's so that may have made alot of your differnce.

the hoosiers will likly b better, but who knows. "will" a user that goes by the name of underpressure on these forums is using 18's and hooseiers, he has tracked the car and has great things to say about them. his car is also being modified for race only (in my opinion ) by "ma-motorsports" so alot of cool things if you want to contact them you will be happy to hear the stuff they are working on!

please message these two guys for more info (unless they chime in).

BTW those rims are simply awesome on the R35!

 

[PHoliday]

Wow those look tiny. Great times though.

Looks like you would practically scrape the bottom of the car when going around corners.

 

[Tom_GTR]

Wow those wheels look VERY small on this car!

 

[Neoseven]

Mindless, I tried PS2's. OP is on Cups, that's an entirely different game. I bet they perform great. I am being stubborn and waiting for those Bridgestone 20" R Comps to get here. Till then, I will struggle along on Dunlops.

 

[Neoseven]

Every time I see 18's on a GT-R I think of those low riders with hydraulics, you know where they put the small tires so they can bounce the car up and down.

 

[sleepystarz]

Thanks for the info Mindless.

PHoliday - you're right, it gets pretty close to dragging now w/the reduced height, especially the sideskirts. My 19" setup will raise it back up a little but she is getting coilovers, bucket seats, and exhaust for next year.

Ya like Neo said above I'm on the Michelin sport cups which are r-compounds (dot race tires). They perform worlds better than the stock bridgestones and yeap, they look TINY on the car heh. Another plus side about this setup is it lowers the gearing which also helped improve my laptimes. I was getting into 4th and 5th a lot more after switching wheels.

My 19" set is Volk RE30s 19x10 +30, 19x11 +25 in special order matte black. I'm getting a set of Hoosier R6, also r-comps, in 295/30/19 and 315/30/19. The cobb tuning R35 is actually running the exact same 19" setup. I ordered the wheels long before we knew what offsets would fit the R35 for race rubber so I got real lucky and was glad to see the 19" RE30 setup I chose does indeed work on the R35 chassis w/ race tires.

 

[sleepystarz]

Neo, the oem dunlops are for sure a decent tire. I wish mine came with those instead of the bridgestones. The front pair wore down and chunked pretty bad after 2 hard trackdays.

Another huge advantage besides the extra grip is the weight. OEM tires as most of you know weigh 40lbs a piece so there's a lot of rotating weight lost...my TE37 setup being about 100lbs lighter

 

[flyfast]

3 seconds a lap!...NICE! I love the wheels but 18 are to small for the R35.

Does that S2000 really need that 747 aileron back there?

 

[Lue]

wow, 3 sec/lap is phenomenal! I can't wait to get to the track next spring!

 

[sleepystarz]

^^^ Much obliged, thanks guys. I plan to document my laptimes at this same roadcourse after each mod I do, should get pretty interesting

This car is so great to roadrace and so easy to drive consistently fast.

Next will be the 19" Volk RE30s and Hoosier 295/315, then MCR track-spec coilovers, then a pair of lightweight bucket seats and Ti midpipe/exhaust which will ultimately take off another huge chunk of weight while also giving the very under-rated benefits of bucket seats (for track cars anyway).

 

[Arsinek]

ya 19s might be a little better. those te37s sure do look sexy though.

good stuff, looks fun.

 

[Arsinek]

why not get the magnesium wheels from rays? =D

 

[Shinkaze]

3 seconds a lap!...NICE! I love the wheels but 18 are to small for the R35.

Does that S2000 really need that 747 aileron back there?

Actually they do. I've talked to a few S2000 owners and they are in desperate need of it.

 

[timechaser]

So... with a large enough wingspan and a nice ramp - can they fly?

 

['Q]

Good Stuff! Thanx for sharing 'em pics.

Didnt expect 'em to look THAT small. However thats not important, 3 seconds is a huge gap!

 

[mcduck]

That's awesome! Do you happen to know the actual times other cars were running? Curious how far ahead of the pack you were.