My NA becomes a track car (Build thread)

[ThePass]

Originally Posted by TSR85

Nice build. Im digging the diffuser too!

Quick question, Im kinda liking that dash guage pod, which one is it, or were did you get it from?

Thanks!

It's just the regular black gauge pod by autometer: http://www.autometer.com/cat_mounts.aspx?sid=49
I think I ordered mine from Summit Racing.

edit: I might have misunderstood which gauge pod you meant. If you mean the dual pod in the center of the dash, it's a dual pod for a mustang: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-10001/
-Ryan

[TSR85]

oh, I meant the dual pod above the eyeball vents.

[astroboy]

Glad to see this car is making it to the track. Once you get comfortable with its manners will you add the diffuser to see how much benefit there is to having it? Also has this thing been corner weighted?

[000FWHP]

wow i am really really really liking that rear side exit exhaust, looks awesome though, keep it up!

[ThePass]

Originally Posted by astroboy

Glad to see this car is making it to the track. Once you get comfortable with its manners will you add the diffuser to see how much benefit there is to having it? Also has this thing been corner weighted?

As long as I want to stay in Mod class for Miata Challenge (which I do), I can't take any points for rear aero.
Mod is a really interesting class - the current fast cars in it are basically a spec miata on much nicer suspension and tons of grip - 15x9's and NT-01's. However, my car fits in the same class and has significantly more power, same wheels, but less grip (RS-3). Theoretically, these two very different setups might be fairly equal overall.
I'm going to focus on reducing drag with some work on the front for now.
Haven't gotten around to weighing the car..

[mrsuave]

Always wanted to see your car since you live in san diego! car is looking good.

and i like that sticker " Save weight. Drive naked"!

[Minute Man aka PC]

Awesome project!

[Bobodahunk]

i want my miata at the point yours is...its an inspiration

[weemanch]

i am curious about your exhaust reminds me so much of a tvr.

[astroboy]

Originally Posted by ThePass

As long as I want to stay in Mod class for Miata Challenge (which I do), I can't take any points for rear aero.
Mod is a really interesting class - the current fast cars in it are basically a spec miata on much nicer suspension and tons of grip - 15x9's and NT-01's. However, my car fits in the same class and has significantly more power, same wheels, but less grip (RS-3). Theoretically, these two very different setups might be fairly equal overall.
I'm going to focus on reducing drag with some work on the front for now.
Haven't gotten around to weighing the car..

Interesting, you should look into getting it cornerweighted to make the most of your setup imo. Nevertheless it is good to see your car competes well against the others.

[the_stig]

Sup Pass, I came over here from your link on mt.net in Pusha's quick disconnect bumper thread. Love the rest of your car even more. Whats the deal on the body kit? Is it all Racing Beat?

[ThePass]

hey stig, thanks. Actually, the bumper is a Chaser chin molded into an oem bumper, and the sideskirts are chopped and reshaped Wizdom skirts. The rear bumper is... 40% of a stock bumper

The RB sticker is just there from back in the day when I liked stickers and I've got a few parts of theirs on the car..

[735e32]

Looks great!

[XDEEDUBBX]

very nice car. Keep up the good work! And good luck to you on the track, im very jealous!

[the_stig]

For the diffuser, what and how many supports did you use? And did you just have to cut the outer and inner part of the bumper or any frame or unibody?

[ThePass]

Originally Posted by the_stig

For the diffuser, what and how many supports did you use? And did you just have to cut the outer and inner part of the bumper or any frame or unibody?

Four supports/struts along the rear edge. I cut three brackets for the struts to mount to to out of aluminum angle stock, bolted those to the diffuser, then built the struts from threaded rod, nuts and washers, and aluminum tube. The struts extend through holes in the floor of the trunk. This way, the height of the rear edge of the diffuser is adjustable - just move the nuts on the threaded rod.
At the centerline, I riveted a U-shaped aluminum stock across the diffuser to give it rigidity. This extends past the sides of the diffuser a few inches, and mounts to a stock tab on the rear of the wheel well where the wheel well meets the rear bumper skin.
At the front edge, I riveted an aluminum angle stock width-wise across the diffuser, again for rigidity, and cut/bent two brackets which come off that angle stock and mount to the two lower sway bar bracket bolts.

All together, super light, very very rigid, and doesn't mount to the bumper skin at all. (which is not so secure).

I did sawzall off all of the frame that extends down for the stock tow hooks to mount to. You can see that in the picture on page 1 with the diffuser removed.

A pic is worth 1,000 words:


Closeup of the strut:

[astroboy]

As pics are worth 1000 words have any shots of it mounted (from under the car)? Also what angle did you settle on?

[ThePass]

Don't have a pic of that, and now it's off for Miata Challenge.. about 13 degrees though.

[LUV2TURN]

Now this is what a Miata should be like, excellent!

[JSanker]

Are the foglights in the turn signal location your primary source of light?
If so, how does it compare to stock lighting and what foglights are you using?

I am contemplating a similar setup.

[Mazduh]

Love your car, your doing what I wish I could do. Track events around here though are just so ridiculously expensive to get into.

[astroboy]

Originally Posted by ThePass

Don't have a pic of that, and now it's off for Miata Challenge.. about 13 degrees though.

Cool, do you by chance know what angle they are mounted at on the Loti?

[ThePass]

Originally Posted by JSanker

Are the foglights in the turn signal location your primary source of light?
If so, how does it compare to stock lighting and what foglights are you using?

I am contemplating a similar setup.

Yes, those are my headlights. PIAA-P3000's. The original headlight area is gutted - the headlights covers are just held there with aluminum brackets. Saves ~10lbs per side (factoring in the weight of the new lights), and my intercooler piping takes up that space now. Light output is plenty to get me around town. Comparable to stock low beams.

Originally Posted by astroboy

Cool, do you by chance know what angle they are mounted at on the Loti?

I don't. Some quick research on a Lotus forum would probably answer that though. I "eye-balled" it to be about the same as a Lotus.

[JJay03]

Nice job on the car I like it.

[pevosan]

I love your car

[ThePass]

Lots of minor things going on here and there.

Fixed the alternator bracket that sheared a bolt at Buttonwillow.
Painted the hood red because I was tired of the white. I used basic spray paint so it turned out pretty meh but at least it's red for now. Also painted the A-pillar black. Pics of that later.

Following pics are all crappy cell phone snaps...

Put a tow strap on the rear and used a $2 Home
Depot bathroom robe hook for a hook for it so it doesn't dangle:


Still need to get TOW stickers to point out the hook.



Made a barrier out of sheet metal for the driver's footwell so that if the fire extinguisher mount fails it can't roll forward under my feet:


Although right now I'm just running at Miata Challenge events with Speed Ventures, if in the future I attend a cheap track day that doesn't offer transponders/timing, I wanted to have a way to log unofficial times:

[astroboy]

Sweet man. I hope the bracket doesn't fail, you'd have a very angry extinguisher jamming your feet into whatever petal your foot was on. Also is the tow sticker required?

[ThePass]

Tow sticker isn't required, but in the event that I go off course, I could be sitting pretty deep in the kitty litter so I want to be sure the tow guys see that there is a tow strap under there.

[BracedEunos]

Very Cool. I like where this is going.

[ThePass]

So yesterday I raced at the BMWCCA autocross at Qualcomm stadium, and it was a great success for me!

First, the West Qualcomm lot is HUGE. Easily quadruple the size of most autocross areas. Second, the BMW guys like their big cars and big horsepower, so the course mixes traditional SCCA-like elements like slaloms and tight chicago boxes with big track-like sections like high-speed 3rd gear decreasing radius sweepers. Guys were hitting 80 mph around a turn! In short, not the normal miata-biased environment most autox's are

I'm usually in the top 10% at these events on my take-off goodyear slicks on 13" wheels, but with the turbo that setup actually shortens my gearing too much.

So, I gave my new track wheel/tire combo a shot - the 225 RS-3's and 9" 6UL's.

Won X-class (non-bmws) against a seriously fast STI and a very quick S2000 among about 15 others.

Set TTOD!!! This is a first for me in the last 5 years or so I've been autocrossing. I never expected it to be at a horsepower-dominant BMW event either. There are a lot of very serious drivers with lots of M3's on hoosiers, fully prepped Mini Cooper S's, a stripped and caged M3 with a LS1 in it, etc.

So happy right now