[Davidrobles2016]

Ok Alfa 4C Family.
-For the past two years I've been saving enough cash for upgrades. If you had the cash and time to Upgrade your 4C, what would the Mods be? Please read below for my wishlist to take the 4C to the next Level.
-Please reply with your wishlist.

1) Big Turbo upgrade (350-450 whp)
2) Turbo manifold ( if needed to fit the new turbo)
3) Water/Methanol injection kit
4) High Performance (HP) fuel delivery system
5) Fuel injectors
6) HP Cams
7) Racing Pistols, rods, valves
8) Suspension ($2k-$3k Max)
9) HP brakes and rotors
10) upgrade trans components to handle the power.
11) a Shop that can install and Tune (need a 1-stop-shop) looking for someone that can do all in less than 60 days.
I already ordered a spare clutch, so that one can get upgraded.

At some point I will upgrade the wheels to run 305s. I currently have Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 275/30 ZR19. Feel free to direct message me with a quote.
Also comment if some of the Mods are plain stupid so I can remove it from my list of Mods.

 

[cipsony]

What are your current mods?

 

[Davidrobles2016]

I am sure the majority of these Mods already exist. I don't mind ordering all the components and wait until I have everything ready.
Any advice on which shop or website has the best of each item? Do you guys have any of theses items already installed?
The whole Budget for the builds is 15K. I understand that some of these mods have priority over others. I am also aware that the limit to our cars is the Tiny Turbo and the Trans.

 

[Davidrobles2016]

What are your current mods?

I currently have the following:
-Tork Motorsports (TM) Tune
-TM cold air intake
-TM down-pipe and exhaust
-TM upgraded intercooler.
-TM motor-mount
- Pogea Boost Pressure Hose

 

[Alfanut]

Uniballs first before anything else. You can’t truly enjoy performance without control.
Like another recent poster, you haven’t said how you intend to use your 4C, nor described the roads on which you drive....I’d go tyres (Michelin PS4S or Continental Extreme Contact) and suspension...probably Ohlins if they have fixed their top-mount issue....Then consider engine performance mods if you must.

Just an aside, two of your recent posts have had to go through approval. Are you using your work server? Unless a moderator is watching, your posts may not appear or at the very least be delayed.

 

[lpspeedster]

Uniballs first before anything else. You can’t truly enjoy performance without control.
Like another recent poster, you haven’t said how you intend to use your 4C, nor described the roads on which you drive....I’d go tyres (Michelin PS4S or Continental Extreme Contact) and suspension...probably Ohlins if they have fixed their top-mount issue....Then consider engine performance mods if you must.

Just an aside, two of your recent posts have had to go through approval. Are you using your work server? Unless a moderator is watching, your posts may not appear or at the very least be delayed.

Let me add, with all due respect, something that my Mechanic told me when I brought him a slew of parts (Turbo Tie Rod Ends, Adjustable links, etc) for my air cooled 911 in the late 80s early 90s:
"Sir, I can tell you have carefully thought this out and have purchased all the requisite items that I also would do on Scotty's (Goodyear) car...I could make a fortune on you, but might I suggest you TAKE SOME F....ing TRACK DRIVING LESSONS before you venture out on this limb, you will be quite SURPRISED that those idiots in the Fatherland ACTUALLY KNOW a thing or two about cars...." We are still friends to this day... lol

 

[Davidrobles2016]

Let me add, with all due respect, something that my Mechanic told me when I brought him a slew of parts (Turbo Tie Rod Ends, Adjustable links, etc) for my air cooled 911 in the late 80s early 90s:
"Sir, I can tell you have carefully thought this out and have purchased all the requisite items that I also would do on Scotty's (Goodyear) car...I could make a fortune on you, but might I suggest you TAKE SOME F....ing TRACK DRIVING LESSONS before you venture out on this limb, you will be quite SURPRISED that those idiots in the Fatherland ACTUALLY KNOW a thing or two about cars...." We are still friends to this day... lol

The track driving lessons are a definite......I plan on taking those to improve my skills....I bought the car 5 years ago and 36, 000 miles later I feel pretty good when I have my late night runs on the street 😜.
Another reason why I just bought my third set of tires.
-I just feel like I have outgrown my 4C with the current Mods.

 

[RKBerta]

Simply adding a bunch of upgrades may or may not give the results you are looking for. First you have to tell us what you are going to use the car for....if mostly street with maybe 3 track days a year....what you have is already perfectly fine. Once you get beyond those mods you may find that you create a Frankenmonster not suited for street or track.
I echo the above advise plus:
1. Check alignment
2. Go to an advanced driving course
3. Do a few track days with what you have.
4. Take another advanced driving course....version II as it were.
'
Once you determine if you want to continue tracking and do it MORE than a couple of times a year you can start using what you learned thus far to determine what to upgrade...BUT ....only do one or two at a time so you can get used to that and refine those items to learn how they work on your car.

Now you can go o the next level and do the same thing...one item at a time.

Never make tons of changes at the same time as it will make it next to impossible to determine what is working and what isn't and likely all those changes will cause some negatives in handling, performance, etc. and you will have a heck of a time figuring out what is causing what.....and you end up with a nightmare....expensive nightmare.

If you decide to install all of those mods plus that engine rebuild but are only going to use it around the street....you have probably ruined the car....it will be far less practical (as if a 4C ever was), more prone to mystery problems, and ends up as a garage queen as you will be afraid to take it out due to reliability concerns. And worse.....the value of the car, if you decide to sell it, will be greatly reduced.

You asked about a major engine rebuild. That is really stepping into a $$$ black hole. If you go down that route there are few people with the experience with 4Cs that can do what you want. You can't just tack on new pistons, cranks, intake, cams, etc. All of that has to have all the computers tuned to work together by an expert tuner. That requires many hours $$$. There are a hand full of people on our Forum who have gone down that rabbit hole. You may want to get their input.

 

[Davidrobles2016]

Simply adding a bunch of upgrades may or may not give the results you are looking for. First you have to tell us what you are going to use the car for....if mostly street with maybe 3 track days a year....what you have is already perfectly fine. Once you get beyond those mods you may find that you create a Frankenmonster not suited for street or track.
I echo the above advise plus:
1. Check alignment
2. Go to an advanced driving course
3. Do a few track days with what you have.
4. Take another advanced driving course....version II as it were.
'
Once you determine if you want to continue tracking and do it MORE than a couple of times a year you can start using what you learned thus far to determine what to upgrade...BUT ....only do one or two at a time so you can get used to that and refine those items to learn how they work on your car.

Now you can go o the next level and do the same thing...one item at a time.

Never make tons of changes at the same time as it will make it next to impossible to determine what is working and what isn't and likely all those changes will cause some negatives in handling, performance, etc. and you will have a heck of a time figuring out what is causing what.....and you end up with a nightmare....expensive nightmare.

If you decide to install all of those mods plus that engine rebuild but are only going to use it around the street....you have probably ruined the car....it will be far less practical (as if a 4C ever was), more prone to mystery problems, and ends up as a garage queen as you will be afraid to take it out due to reliability concerns. And worse.....the value of the car, if you decide to sell it, will be greatly reduced.

You asked about a major engine rebuild. That is really stepping into a $$$ black hole. If you go down that route there are few people with the experience with 4Cs that can do what you want. You can't just tack on new pistons, cranks, intake, cams, etc. All of that has to have all the computers tuned to work together by an expert tuner. That requires many hours $$$. There are a hand full of people on our Forum who have gone down that rabbit hole. You may want to get their input.

I really appreciate your insight, you have a great point. The driving courses can definitely teach me to do more with less.

 

[DrPyro2k]

I'll echo some of the comments that several users have stated. As I have recommended before, taking HPDE classes with a reputable organization will help your lap times more than performance upgrades. (Porsche Club, BMW Club, or other organization that focuses on education, search forums to find a good one) I had a nice comparison between myself and my brother driving my 4C. I was a good 10-15 seconds faster on a 2 minute track. It all comes down to comfort and maximizing performance. His is in Blue, mine red...

IMHO, Power should be the LAST upgrade you make. I would suggest the following order (for track use)
1) Brakes
2) Uniballs
3) Seats & Harness
Then perhaps
3) Suspension, swaybars, & Tires
finally
4) Power...

 

[Mahjik]

My two cents from someone who used to go mod crazy (I used to own 3rd Gen RX7). I ended up modding the car so much that it really wasn't that much fun to drive.

Think about how you use the car and what would make it better for that use. If not, you could end up creating something that you don't enjoy. I've now gotten to the point where I do smaller modifications to my cars and just enjoy them "as is". When I sold my E46 M3 to a "middle man" (probably was a bad idea), the new owner tracked me down on Facebook and was thanking me for thoughtful and useful modifications. I think that also made the M3 an attractive purchase where as the overly modified RX7 had to sell at a severe discount as most buyers didn't want something that far from stock.

 

[4C ALFA]

A few years ago I attended a track day at Monticello Motor Club, which is a couple of hours north of New York City. There were four of us on the track that day. Myself and another driver, we were both 1st time track novices. And then there were 2 guys from Brazil who did race, back in Brazil. We all had the same cars (Jaguars). I thought that their cars had much more HP than ours, but they were the identical to the ones that we had.. They could carry so much more speed thru the corners than we could, that it would not have mattered if we had twice the HP that they had. They still would have blown us away. It would not even be close. Forget the Mods, and use the cash for drivers school and track days.

 

[DrPyro2k]

@4C ALFA - LOL, it looks bad when I get blown away by a "lowly" Miata in my 4C. He is a friend of mine, and was MUCH better at corner entry then I. So I have lined up behind him multiple times to get better. He is a hell of a driver.... On the other side, another of my friends has a GT3 RS on Trofeo R's. I turn about the same lap time as him.

 

[lpspeedster]

@4C ALFA - LOL, it looks bad when I get blown away by a "lowly" Miata in my 4C. He is a friend of mine, and was MUCH better at corner entry then I. So I have lined up behind him multiple times to get better. He is a hell of a driver.... On the other side, another of my friends has a GT3 RS on Trofeo R's. I turn about the same lap time as him.

Hahaaaa.....how about climbing all over a 993TT (402hp) with an unmodified 3.2l Carrera 231hp) through turn 5a/5b at Mosport to be BOTH pulled down by a slightly modded 914 (120hp) because he had an even better line than either of us...LOL !!!

Note to self: Need more track time and LESSONS

 

[Max Tayant]

My personal advice/experience.
started track days with no prior experience. Started with light engine mods (ecu tune, intercooler, intake exhaust). Then as I got faster on the track, came specific needs, mainly a good seat with harnesses to hold me better, upgrades pads, lines and race brake fluid. Then as I got faster I felt the need for more grip so I upgraded my uniballs, then new wheels with slicks, then I felt I needed better suspensions so I just received mine. My biggest advice is to upgrade your car one thing at a time, as your experience increase. This way you understand the implication of every single mod. If yo do it all at once, I’m afraid you’ll get lost and if you have to troubleshoot something you won’t be able to know where the issue is coming from. Steering wheel and gearbox cooler are also pretty good track upgrades

 

[RKBerta]

Sounds like a bunch of us read from the same "bible"

 

[DrPyro2k]

@RKBerta - I think that is because that a whole bunch of us have learned "the hard way" that the 4C isn't the easiest car to drive on the limit. A few careful mods, make it much easier and a far more balanced car. Power, happens to not be one of those mods... Alignment (with or without Race Blocks), Seats/Harness, Uniballs, & brakes (Pads & Fluids) are the first....

 

[Schwab44]

Sounds to me from the above opinions the Italians know a thing or two about cars as well....
I believe this is why they didn't go with a 2.0L. At the limit the car does get a bit unsettling.
Step 1. Add downforce!

 

[bsinnott911]

Sell the car and buy a purpose built race car. Way cheaper to start with something designed from Day 1 to do only one thing, go around a track, rather than turn something compromised into a tool that it's not. And if you like the immediacy and excitement of the 4C you'd flip out if you got into a Elan DP02, a Radical or an Atlantic car. A well-driven $20k Formula Ford with 100hp is faster than 99% (and more fun than 100%) of road cars around most tracks

 

[DrPyro2k]

@bsinnott911 - Quite true.... Myself have been looking seriously at getting a dedicated race car. There are lots of great choices in the $100k (and cheaper) realm. My main goal is safety, simplicity, and "hardened" components. It won't be cheaper, but..... I have lusted after a Porsche GT4 Clubsport, Wolf GB08, Radical RXC, and many more....