Import Tuner goes in search of extreme Gs as we test our Nissan 240SX on the Skid pad and the racetrack in stock configuration. Then we install a high-quality suspension package and dare to compare the test results.
The Car
Our test car is a well-used, but not abused, 1996 Nissan 240SX SE. We started out this "canyon carver" transformation with our test-mule in totally stock configuration to get firm baseline numbers. It's always a good idea to minimize the variables when performing tests of this nature, so we decided to carry out our tests on a racetrack and skid pad, and we also decided to employ the services of a professional driver.
Our choice of racetrack was a no-brainer. The Motorsports Ranch is a first-class facility located about 15 miles south of Fort Worth, Texas, and is a firm favorite of road racers in the Southwest. The track is a 40-ft-wide, 1.7-mile torture test for the chassis and brakes, and features a wide variety of turns and elevation changes. The combination of flat-out high-speed straights and very technical sections demands the most from the car and the driver. Track knowledge is, as is the case at most racetracks, very important and total precision is the key to setting a decent lap time.
We turned to pro-racing driver Jeff "Hound Dog" Harrison to provide the skills to test our 240 at the limits of adhesion, and more importantly, to give us the feedback we needed to maximize the potential of the S14 chassis. Jeff has extensive experience in a wide variety of cars and has raced on many tracks in the United States and Europe with great success. This experience is an invaluable asset when searching for the last 1 percent from a car without actually pushing it too far. The last thing we wanted to do was trash our daily-driver 240, but we did want to push the limits as far as possible. Jeff would not disappoint us!
Test 1: The Skid Pad (stock)
The skid pad is without a doubt the best place to measure a car's lateral performance. We opted to use the 200-ft diameter pad at the Motorsport ranch. Before Jeff started the test session we double-checked the tire pressures and gave the car a last minute check-over.
From the sidelines, Jeff's first few laps were spectacular if nothing else. Our 240 was obviously way too soft and body roll was extreme. As Jeff built up his speed the tires howled in protest, and the inside rear tire struggled to stay on the pavement. Jeff was busy making minor steering corrections and throttle inputs in an effort to keep the car in shape. When he pulled in we made our calculations and were surprised to see that our test mule had pulled 0.86g in a counterclockwise direction.
Jeff gave us his initial impressions: "The car is heavily undersprung and the sway bars are almost ineffectual, causing it to understeer pretty badly. It's a pretty good chassis, though, and once the car is settled it's fairly easy to hold a line using the throttle. The stock tires are obviously a limiting factor, but overall I am impressed with the car's capabilities."
We ran the same test again in the opposite direction and ended up with a 0.85g result. We then played around with the tire pressures with no improvement at all, so we settled for a very reasonable 0.86g.
Test 2: The Race Track (Stock)
We really didn't have high expectations as we headed over to the Motorsports Ranch road course, but we told Jeff to drive as hard as he could without sticking his neck out too far. Jeff pulled out onto the circuit and ran a couple of warm-up laps before he got serious and put the pedal to the metal.