Midtenn

iTrader: (15)

On my 95 when it was in STS2 trim, I always just ran OEM's up front on HP+ in the rear. I would drag the e-brake up to the line to get some heat in the rear before a run. The car always felt balanced under braking and the only issue was the HP+ dust like a mother.

flier129

iTrader: (7)

Yeah, I've dragged my e-brake with HP+ on my 94 and I do the same with the carbotechs. However, I've ran into some grid spots where that wasn't really possible. I suppose any tour/prosolo will have more than enough room.

Coming from HPS/HP+ to OEM/AX6 I really miss the initial bite of the fronts, but I definitely don't miss the retarded lock-up at un-loaded times. I still might switch back to HP+ rear, if anything they're less expensive!

doward

This is opposite my experiences. Carbotech dust has never done anything to any of my wheels, whether fully painted or machined/clearcoat.

Im really like the ax6 on the back.

flier129

iTrader: (7)

Really? Well ****, maybe it was just the way it happened. I did a hard event and then drove 3 hours in a damn monsoon........ three times within 2 months. Maybe the rapid temp change + water on the dust caked that **** on there.

240_to_miata

iTrader: (2)

If I leave my carbotech dust on my shitty C3M's when it gets wet it WILL NOT come off. Sonax gets "some" of it off.

wannafbody

iTrader: (1)

Try a Mr Clean magic eraser and see if that removes the brake dust.

FrankL

Clean the lip off the wheel, and leave the centers charcoal colored. LOL

beachshoer

Alright fellas, saw the thread and i figured this would be the best place for this question. And i figured it would probably kick up a bit of a discussion which is always fun.

I'll start at the beginning. The wife and I have been autoxing around the gulf coast region/LA/MS/GA areas for a few years in our Mazdaspeed3. Bigger turbo/ custom tuned/the works. Did well locally in the SMF class. Figured we would change up the game and get into a miata. Grabbed a 01 LS with super low miles off the lot for a steal (shes a mazda service advisor, i'm a lucky man) put in a FSB, swapped pads and had a blast for one season. Both of us missed the crazy power though. A good friend locally got tired of his built miata and offered a great deal. He's on here and some of you might know him.

The car: 99 built motor to 1.9 with VVT running a gtx2867 with a MS3, 6 speed tranny, tein coilovers all the goodies, race seats rollbar,hardtop, etc Interior is still intact.

Question is, what class would this thing fall into in SCCA SOLO and any suggestions on what to do to help be more competitive (besides seat time)????

Originally was going to be his big track car but after spinning a bearing after driving it 1k miles he's done with it and moving to a corvette. His loss, my gain.

Long time member of the mazdaspeed forums so my flame suit is on for whatever is coming my way for such a noob question

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

If it has most of the interior, and no aftermarket bracing is a ssm car. Just yank the roll bar and take the hard top off when you run.

beachshoer

No aftermarket bracing. Might be a stupid question but why yank the rollbar? For some reason I thought they were allowed or does that fall under chassis bracing and not safety equipment?

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

They are allowed, but that 50 pounds of useless ballast up high will make you slower by a measurable margin.

M.Adamovits

I know it's less likely.. But roll overs can happen at any speed. AutoX's included.

OP may want to keep it? I have one and wouldn't think of removing it.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

If you manage to roll a miata at an auto-x you deserve to be made shorter, it means you took the rally line and caught a rut out in the middle of the grass off course.

M.Adamovits

Like I said, I know it's unlikely. Doesn't mean anybody needs a broken neck/back/death.

EDIT. I also have never AutoX'd at a seriously competitive level, maybe that's worth the risk to some.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

The miata was deemed safe enough by the government to be rolled over at highways speeds (aka auto-x speeds, and if you take a trip along the rally line you're going to be going slower than that), and the liability lawyers for the scca's insurance company deems it safe, I think you're ok, its a pretty mitigated risk. To paraphase from 1, you give any real racer a choice of 2 cars, one is incredibly safe and the other one you'll probably die in if you wreck but go 2 seconds a lap faster, they'll take the dangerous one every time. You can take your half second time penalty, I'll take my speed.

tzdevill

iTrader: (1)

It boils down to personal preference. If it is the car you like it and you are not worried about the regional/national auto-x then leave it in the car. Leafy and myself, when I have my csp, are different stories, those were serious cars and every ounce counts!

mlev

iTrader: (5)

Or some sort of mechanical failure. Even with a careful check by the owner, and tech inspections, things still fail. A friend of mine had a wheel break, fell off, rotor dug into the pavement, and he went from on-the-wheels to on-the-roof instantly. No scrapes on the side of the car at all, just straight upside down. That kind of force could collapse a windshield easy.

I have a rollbar on my miata, and wouldn't dream of removing it. If you're fast enough where 50lbs is the difference between winning and losing in a SMM prepped miata, you should have the safety equipment in place, because the kinds of forces your suspension feels during autox puts a LOT of strain on the car.

A balljoint could separate, the wheel could break, it could fall off, a caliper could suddenly sieze, the pavement could give way, a noob cone ******* could be in the course and you end up doing an emergency juke to avoid... just too much could go wrong, and 50lbs isn't going to make a difference in a fully built miata. Just skip the hohos for a few weeks and lose the weight off your body instead.

mlev

iTrader: (5)

Besides, not every autox takes place in a big parking lot. One of the venues I run at, Dakota County Technical College is a big law enforcement/emergency vehicle training course, and some parts of it you're about 6" between "The fastest line" and "holy **** I'm in a ditch" and quite possibly upside down.. And if you're running conservatively enough that you can say beyond any doubt that you WILL NOT end up in that ditch, you're going to be losing more than a half-second (which is why I always do terribly there, because I'm a big, fat, *****-baby).

beachshoer

Told you this would start a good discussion. Haha!!

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

That sounds like its an issue with course design.