So if the 6 piston Brembo calipers only marginally increase bite and thermal resistance, then the question becomes, "why would anyone blow $2,400 on these calipers for our cars that use the stock rotors?" Especially since the middle brace makes it impossible to change pads without removing the entire caliper.

 

Bragging rights. Appearance. Delusional rationale.

It's all relative... why does anybody do anything to their cars? I mean, who here hasn't done something they don't need and doesn't really help matters on the street, or on the track?

 

It's long, it's expensive, it's work and it's fun as all get out.

• Short weekends are twelve hours long, usually eight on Saturday and five or so on Sunday. I never ran a true 24 hour race and never wanted to. I like my sleep. Then there's the car prep before each race.
• Current FIA (or is it SFI? Check their web site) suit, helmet, HANS, gloves, boots, underwear (if you buy single-layer suit), entry fee for each driver and entry fee for each car. Then add consumables, lodging, transport, radio gear, etc., etc.
• Even a "$500" dollar car will have a full roll cage, race seat, current harnesses, window net, fire extinguisher, biggest brakes you can fit, widest wheels that'll fit, best 190+ tread wear tires you can buy, cost of decorations (run Chump Car if you don't want to run art cars). A less expensive effort will use stock pads, rotors, wheels and tire size but do not expect to be competitive.
• In fact, don't expect to be competitive at all. Then you can have fun. Winning is accidental, almost.

Cost was the biggest reason I stopped. I'm not well-heeled. Four races, two blown engines. First time I autocrossed, I thought that was the most fun you could have out of bed. I thought the same after my first HPDE. I then thought that after my first session in Lemons. It's a bit intimidating your first time out on the track in anger but pretty soon you get comfortable at speed with a hundred of your best buddies. Soon enough, you start plotting passing situations and how you can "legally" hold up another car from passing you.

The worst thing about Lemons is you or your team making mistakes (touching another car, going off track, that sort of thing) because you get black-flagged and have to spend time in the paddock doing stupid penances instead of building up your lap count. Another reason to run Chump Car.

 

That's all. Imo, and I can be opinionated 😉, the 6 piston calipers bring nothing demonstrable for 99.999% of drivers. Assuming a little more caliper piston area, slightly longer pedal travel, and therefore a slightly longer modulation range. Something no one will notice.

 

That's what I was thinking. I guess I will have to find somewhere else to blow $2k on car parts.

 

That's easy, More track days!

 

Exactly!

 

I have brake cooling ducts on my radar. The damn stillen kit is pricey though..

 

They work pretty well on my sedan and the tubing is pretty durable. Maybe you could buy just the brackets that direct the air directly to the center of the rotor (probably the most important part), but knowing Stillen they probably only sell it as a complete kit.

 

Oooh you have the stillen kit? Post some pics of that sexy upgrade lol.

Q: Did you have to hack up your washer fluid resivour for the passenger side for the stillen ducts?

 

I was able to go around the washer fluid. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of pictures because the tubing gets hidden pretty well. I removed my fog lights for the air inlets.

Here you can see the back of the bracket that mounts to the hub to direct air into the center of the rotor. You can also see it mounted to the green Tein coilover.


The opening of the tubing is hidden behind the foglight opening. I put a mesh cover on the opening to keep rocks, etc. out.

 

That's really nice man! I like that install inside the fog housing, looks good. Maybe i should just fork out the money for the stillen after all. Its also awesome you were able to fit it around the reservoir.

My only fear for the money was tearing from hard cornering and rubbing as well but its held up for you so that has me feeling more confident in the product now.

My brakes were smoking during lap sessions last year so i kept giving them a rest in between laps... so something needs to be done this year


^ Unhappy brakes lol




Anyhow thanks for sharing!

 

The Stillen tubing holds up really well. I tried making homemade systems on other cars and they always tore to pieces in the winter. I finally got one tear in the stillen tube after a few years use. The trick is mounting the tubing in the right spots and turning the wheel to the extreme left and right to make sure it doesn't stretch too much, bind up, or rub on anything- especially the wheels.

What kind of pads were you using on track? I assume that is what was smoking.

 

Your assumptions are correct. Those were just a fresh set of stock Sport pads. I wanted to see how the car took a day of laps before deciding on upgrade priorities. I had done my brakes not long before deciding to go anyhow so i wasnt going to replace with hawks only 2 weeks later.

Since then I did the stillen oil cooler (oil was getting hot so problem solved now) . Im going to run a set of hawk pads once the season starts again but i definitely am feeling some brake cooling cant hurt. For 400 bucks canadian it seems worthy since now i know the ducts last (thanks to you). Also sport bumper has no fogs so im not sacrificing anything there.

You grabbed the 370z stillen brake cooling kit im assuming since there is no G specific kit.

 

Yes, I grabbed the 370Z kit from Z1 motorsports. I used to run hawk pads at track days too. I switched to Carbotech though and really like them better. They seem to last longer and are a bit easier on the rotors. It might be worth checking them out.