gaius49

I had heard occasional references to this site, but never actually looked into it. WOW! Seems more knowledgeable and more performance oriented. I recently started really getting into theory and implementation of engine design and this seems like a great site. Thanks to everyone involved.

BenR

iTrader: (2)

I hope we can live up to expectations! Of course part of it is your knowledgeable contributions.

FRT_Fun

iTrader: (19)

Clearly you haven't seen the "pop goes the engine" thread.


I'm new myself, but welcome

gaius49

thanks all, I'm looking forward to a fun time.

Rafa

iTrader: (22)

Welcome.

We're only missing pics of your ride.

l_bader

...or at least details in your signature.

Welcome.

- L

y8s

iTrader: (8)

there is not nearly enough hazing in this thread.


welcome to the forum. we will live up to the expectations if you aren't lazy.

gospeed81

iTrader: (51)

Welcome to the real Miata forum.

Please continue to post floormat questions on the "other" forum...we can help you with most everything else.

So what are your turbo plans?

jayc72

iTrader: (14)

Nudes of girlfriend or mom, whoever is hotter. Or BAN.

Quality Control Bot

iTrader: (3)

Welcome to the forum

Rafa

iTrader: (22)

**** you gospeed!

gospeed81

iTrader: (51)

couldn't resist...I love Barca

Rafa

iTrader: (22)

Yeah I know. It's all good. I like you even with that handicap!

gaius49

Let me solve that right away. This is a pic from this summer from a nice squiggly road near my house back in Ca.

And another from a trip through the mountains this winter.

thymer

iTrader: (5)

word

gospeed81

iTrader: (51)

Nice, I forgot how good the tan and whites look. Kind of a softer look, but works, and gives the car a little elegance without being gaudy.

So when you say: "theory and implementation of engine design," do you mean that in a graduate level ME course kind of way, or are you still reading up on where you want to go with a turbo install?

FRT_Fun

iTrader: (19)

Is it just me, and it definitely could be, but are those tires directional.. and facing the wrong direction?

btw I love the white and tan look.

Project84

iTrader: (2)

Dude, the fronts are facing the opposite way the rear are. You may be right.

FRT_Fun

iTrader: (19)

Heh, yea looks like the rear wheels are backwards, and the front (at least LF) is okay, just swap the rears and should be good to go.

gaius49

Holy hell, your right! Well I am running new tires now. That could explain the nice oversteer... Hmph. I didn't actually drive it much during the summer, most of the time it was up on jacks while I worked on it. I probably put in about two or three hundred hours bringing it back from the dead. New shocks (AGX), tie rods, tie rod ends, clutch, plugs, wires, brake pads (tried Hawks, switched to Porterfields), calipers, SS brake lines, 10 alignments, tires, tranny oil, top, seats, paint work, fuel filter, air filter, lots of oil, cleaned the butterfly. And I polished the car with three grades of polish from Griot's for about 40 hours with a non-orbital power buffer, and lots of wax.

This summer I'm replacing all of the suspension bushings with new Energy Suspension Poly bushings from FM, depowering the steering rack properly, replacing the engine mounts and the diff bushings as well as the steering rack bushings. Also, I'm changing the timing belt, accessory belts, cam seals, front crank seal, valve cover gasket, CAS o-ring, and all of the HLAs.

In terms of theory and design, I'm a physics major, sadly my college doesn't offer engineering. I recently read the romance of engines, as well as "car suspension at work: theory and practice of steering, handling, and roadholding". I found a great book about the development of racing engines at coventry climax that opened my eyes to the technical elegance of high performance engine design. Overall, I think I have caught the car bug...