Brickmiata Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 So, I know this project is a little far off the beaten path around here but I thought I'd do some sharing anyway. A few years ago I picked up a seldom used '91 miata with low miles and quite a few electrical problems. I fixed the electrical problems, drove it for the summer and then sold the hardtop for $1200 and bought a ford ranger to take winter duty (also for $1200). I actually just sold the ranger to a friend to buy my money sucking comanche! Before putting it away that year, I participated in one autox and got completely hooked. Over the winter, the car lost a few hundred lbs in the form of power steering, a/c, lightweight battery, lighter wheels, sticky tires, all new poly bushings and a few other small suspension items. I then drove it like that all of this last season with little change. I also competed in around 10 autox events this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Looks like a clean MX5 you've got there. Nice work. :thumbsup: I had a '97 that I sold to fund my Comanche. They are fun little cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I mean who can fault you for owning a Miata? Everybody's happy to see a Miata. I mean, look at it! It's the best! It's the best! Number 1! It's number 1! It's always number 1! You drive a Miata cause it's the best, and you deserve the best! Relevant: You'd be surprised how not far off the beaten path this is. There's a guy or two on here with an MR2, and at least one guy prepping an MJ as an autocrosser. Cool stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 IF I owned a Miata I would do something like this to it... https://www.staceydavid.com/projects/19427/banshee-2299 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted December 28, 2014 Author Share Posted December 28, 2014 Haha idk about the body change but I would love a monster miata. These are going in next 700lb front 450lb rear 4" pinch weld to pavement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big66440 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I mean who can fault you for owning a Miata? Everybody's happy to see a Miata. I mean, look at it! It's the best! It's the best! Number 1! It's number 1! It's always number 1! You drive a Miata cause it's the best, and you deserve the best! Relevant: You'd be surprised how not far off the beaten path this is. There's a guy or two on here with an MR2, and at least one guy prepping an MJ as an autocrosser. Cool stuff! How much coffee have you had ? :rotf: :rotfl2: :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjy_26 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I'm the dude with the Mister Dos. It's an 85 AW11 with a few touches here and there. BTW, I ADORE NA MX-5's. There's something about driving a slow car fast that you can't get from anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted December 31, 2014 Author Share Posted December 31, 2014 I'm the dude with the Mister Dos. It's an 85 AW11 with a few touches here and there. BTW, I ADORE NA MX-5's. There's something about driving a slow car fast that you can't get from anything else. Agreed. Older mr2 is one of the few cars I've never driven around an autox course. Would love to. I've heard great things about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjy_26 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 If you like NA's, you'll like AW's. The power delivery and, for lack of a better term, tossablity is very similar. The differences that I found is that when you push a MX, it will progressively give up grip and then transition into understeer if you push it too hard into a corner. The AW will have higher limits, but there is not a lot of progression from grip to slip at all. One second you've got all 4 tires hooked and you're holding the line, the next second you've got the rear coming around hard and you have to downshift and punch the gas while in opposite lock just to come out of the corner. The AW is more dramatic, but the MX, to me, is faster around a track (for most drivers) and arguably mlre enjoyable on back roads. With the AW, you have to be on your toes constantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjy_26 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 BTW, I love the stance on yours. What wheel/tire combo are you running? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 BTW, I love the stance on yours. What wheel/tire combo are you running? Those are 15x7" 6ul's from 949 racing with 205/50/15 Dunlop ZII's. The tires have about 15k of hard driving and close to 20 codriven autox days on them so new ones are in order come warmer weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjy_26 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Nice. Thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 The plow and snowblower are now out of the way and the car is up on stands in the center of the garage getting coilovers, endlinks, a 1.7lb battery!, some seam welding and some creatively unseen weight reductions (an obsession of mine that will include lighter fasteners where possible and even a lightweight horn). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Well, I took an hour last night and tossed in the rear coilovers. The shocks, shock bushings and springs that came out are actually all the original 1991 parts! Last year I changed out the strut mounts for the aftermarket ones you see because the originals were in rough shape and making noise but I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of the suspension and wasn't quite there financially yet. Also removed the rear sway bar. I am using a higher rear spring rate to manage the body roll but with the goofy viscous limited slip (class restrictions prevent something better), removing the rear bar will help the inside rear tire achieve more droop travel and hook up better on corner exit. Once all the work is done, it will be off for corner balancing and a race alignment as well as some dyno tuning on the megasquirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Well I got a new race day battery yesterday. Weighs less than all those size D batteries we used to need for our stereos :thumbsup: The one on the right is the old daily battery. That one is a pig at 4.5lbs! Haha. The race battery is 1.6 lbs and the tape measure is there to show the laughable size. This battery weighs 1/30th the monster I put in the MJ for plowing. Hoping to get her back holding her weight up and rolling again by sunday. Lots to do and not a lot of time to do it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnj92131 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 IF I owned a Miata I would do something like this to it... https://www.staceydavid.com/projects/19427/banshee-2299 Look up "Monster Miata". Same Ford V8 conversion set up. Done by a place in San Diego County years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COMJNUT Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Flyinmiata.com That was the website that I drooled over when I owned my miata. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Flyinmiata.com That was the website that I drooled over when I owned my miata. Been looking at their "Happy Meal" clutch and flywheel kit lately. Wouldn't mind dropping 10-15lbs of rotational weight when I finally kill the little stock 1.6 clutch launching at the start of one of these autox. Their aluminum front calipers are drool worthy also but after buying the XIDA coilovers last fall, lightweight brake parts won't make it into the budget for a while yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Put the tiny battery in Then I threw in the front coilovers Last I adjusted ride height close to what I'll be running this season. Tomorrow I'll take it out of the garage for the first time since October I think. Next week it will be corner balanced and realigned so I have until then to try to remove a little more weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 what are the rules for stripping off weight? I'm guessing you can't simply yank off the doors and fenders... or can you? I'm thinking Ariel Atom here. if it's not essential drivetrain, it goes in the pile! :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 The rules have a lot of room for weight removal but are restrictive in what has to stay. All body panels must be original, All interior panels must be there including carpet, dash etc. Trunk carpet has to stay but radio, seats, spare, tools and battery can all change or be removed. Wheel and tire weight is unrestricted. Suspension components may me changed, as can exhaust from head to tail pipe. If there isn't a rule specifically saying it has to stay, it comes out of is changed/modified to save weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 trunk carpet? :hmm: um, do they give a reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 trunk carpet? :hmm: um, do they give a reason? Technically the class is a Street Touring class which means mods are allowed but the spirit of the class is to have street cars racing on street tires. The rules have gotten a little odd and apply to different cars in slightly different ways.. for example, aftermarket steering wheels are allowed BUT if the car came with an airbag, it must always have an airbag which limits the selection severely for cars with airbags. Suspension and engine management are other topics that are frequently debated as megasquirt ecus are allowed (in the stock ecu casing) but they aren't "street legal" and yes, I have one. My coilovers alone cost more than I paid for the car which I would never do if it was "just a street car" but to be competitive in the "street class", that's what I've got :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickmiata Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 Spent last Saturday cleaning every inch of both the Miata and the comanche. Sunday was an autox and the nice shiny finish has a cone scuff or two already but here's what it looked like Saturday night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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