Question of Ability to track a car...Could it be possible?

Excuse the garbled mess of a Topic name, but I own a 2004 Hyundai accent... It is unfortunately a automatic. Well as the question says, would it be possible to track this car? It has been a number of years since my last track day (2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5Rs Sold 08/2006) and I am getting anxious to get back out onto the track. The 4-speed auto can be dropped into 3rd gear by turning off the overdrive. The brakes are crap but could easily be upgraded and the car is low on weight... I might have gone crazy with this thought. My local track is Mid-Ohio

I don't see why not. I would invest in a larger trans cooler for it though and a P/S cooler or a flush with the really high temp Amsoil P/S fluid.

No reason you can't as long as it has the required safety equipment.

A couple of years ago there was an Accent that raced in local ChumpCar events. So yes, it's definitely possible.

Can you? Yes.

Should you? No.

Is this the place to help you do it? Absolutely.

I thought we were going to be talking some mad lo-jack.

I run an '05 Malibu at VIR several times a year. Might not be the best idea if it's your daily driver but otherwise have fun.

Heck, I wanted to convert a Tercel to track use.

Do it.

It has been a while since I posted; so long story short is I own a automatic 2004 Hyundai Accent that I would like to set up for track events. I already have KYB Excel G struts, but need to find a good set of springs, thinking Eibach (Discontinued but could maybe find) and then there is BG springs, but quite low on a already low car... Now I am having trouble finding brake pads for this car... I really do not want to run $200 custom pads. I was reading some chump car forums and they are using Raybestos pads for their race car. Should I convert the rear brakes to disc or keep them drums? drums seem to have good surface area for braking but get disgustingly hot... Trying to find a good, but cheap wheel for this car seems to be a challenge as well... simple 4x100 bolt pattern so I am wondering if a honda wheel would work... I am wanting to run a 15x7.5" wheel but not really sure if I could get the proper back spacing on the wheel... Found a set of Rotas 15x7.5 but for a Miata used for $200 including somewhat worn tires.

Would you also recommend doing a full flush of the transmission fluid to go with AmsOil or Royal Purple Full Synthetic ATF fluid? but I am wondering if that would help keep the transmission cooler alongside a transmission cooler.

Excuse my rant; just would love to make this happen if possible for next year's season.

Fr3AkAzOiD wrote: I run an '05 Malibu at VIR several times a year. Might not be the best idea if it's your daily driver but otherwise have fun.

My fiancé thoroughly enjoyed watching you flog that thing around the track. (Assuming that was you, TrackDaze end of May?)

No specific advice about the Hyundai, but back in the early 1400s when I was doing trackdays, to me the coolest car out there at Nelson's was a Mercury wagon with SHO running gear.
As a lover of wierd cars, I love it when people do something out of the ordinary, whether or not it's a good idea.
So yes, do it! Take pictures and video!

Stop over-thinking this.

• change brake fluid to racing brake fluid
• buy extra pads, know how to change them
• check wheel bearings/ball joints/etc
• check belts, hoses and replace anything that looks borderline. If it's a leak or impending leak that could dump enough fluid on the track to wreck someone... fix it.

Make sure the car is in good enough shape to stay at redline for 2hrs in 4 sessions for 2 days and sign up. You can have a lot of fun in a POS car that shouldn't be doing what it is doing.

unevolved wrote: Can you? Yes. Should you? No. Is this the place to help you do it? Absolutely.

^^^^This.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Stop over-thinking this. You can have a lot of fun in a POS car that shouldn't be doing what it is doing.

Yes. Agree. Just go have fun. Run what you brung. I take my DD to the track once a year and I just put some Hawk HPS pads and fresh fluid in the brakes. They work great. Yes, its an automatic though it does have an autostick function. I just have fun and focus on driving clean lines. Properly done you will surprise a lot of people.

You can track anything, but if you have a moderate skill level it's going to be frustrating to drive. You'll wind up being "that guy" that holds everyone else up because the car's abilities simply won't be able to cope in anything but the slowest run group.

IF the car has adequate tires that actually work and IF the brakes are better than I'd expect and IF the thing will actually pull itself out of a corner decently, then maybe it will be fun for awhile. I think you'll quickly grow tired of it's shortcomings though.

I think the main question is the automatic transmission. A Cooler was mentioned. Yes definitely . Also change ALL of the fluid, not just what is in the pan. Of course a new filter.

In my experience, "that guy" is usually somebody in a Cobra replica with 500 HP who creeps throught the corners and jets away on the straights and will not even consider breathing his massive engine and waving you by. I am not bothered by new people in funky cars on skinny tires, who must be followed through a corner now and then. Big deal. Especially since a lot of those drivers eventually start whistling through the turns quite briskly. And, there's nothing wrong with the slow group.

Get the trans cooler.

chuckles wrote: In my experience, "that guy" is usually somebody in a Cobra replica with 500 HP who creeps through the corners and jets away on the straights...

Go around him on the outside?

I know that I am probably over thinking this... I found cheap pads that should be good for the track, the springs need to be replaced as they are starting to rust pretty badly. Tires are the issue here, the original 13 inch tires are terrible and provide no stability in a corner. I was thinking cheap 14 inch steelies from a Honda with used race tires (As I know someone who races a honda)

The slow group is not the worse thing in the world; I am just happy to be out on the track. It will probably eventually bother me not having the manual transmission. I have the ability to force the car into 3rd gear (4 speed auto) to get out of corners quicker. My local track is Mid-Ohio so I do not think I would have any troubles seeing 100+ mph on the straights.

I just miss being on the track, I used to track a 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5Rs that was a hoot to drive...

91RSImpulse wrote: I was thinking cheap 14 inch steelies from a Honda with used race tires (As I know someone who races a honda)

I wouldn't run R-comps, if that's what you meant.

Change all the fluids with good synthetic stuff, flush the cooling system, add a good sized trans cooler(you want to cool the fluid going INTO the radiator, not out), bolt on some cheap UHPs and go for it.

In reply to jstein77:

No passing in corners where I run track days. Only one car-to-car contact there in 20 years.

You can, however, do the standard "back off to let him go, get a run and pass him on the exit."

http://youtu.be/2g5MErEAboE

Just watch this. Go drive and do as little as you can to the car, just make sure it's safe.

ross2004 wrote:

Fr3AkAzOiD wrote: I run an '05 Malibu at VIR several times a year. Might not be the best idea if it's your daily driver but otherwise have fun.

My fiancé thoroughly enjoyed watching you flog that thing around the track. (Assuming that was you, TrackDaze end of May?)

Yes, that was me.

jstein77 wrote:

chuckles wrote: In my experience, "that guy" is usually somebody in a Cobra replica with 500 HP who creeps through the corners and jets away on the straights...

Go around him on the outside?

Cole Trickle? Is that you?