Miata rally project
 

So I can't afford pro rally, and I can't afford a rwd mk II escort rally car. I love driving with the top down, so the best solution is a somewhat compromised miata rally car project. We are talking about SCCA rally cross and a few occasional Road rally's (Tsd) events, plus an occasional drive into work in the summer months or when the mood suits me. Starting point is a nice rust free 1990 miata......

Be prepared to replace parts on the suspension almost every weekend. It will be ok for a while but everything will break. I help a friend with his FWD SCCA rally focus and we are forever beefing up control arms and mounts and anything you could possibly think of. It is a lot of fun but I never know so much stuff could break on a car. Other than that have fun and wear a helmet.

Ha! I rally crossed a friends with studded snow tires. Possibly the most fun I've ever had. Cheap too. He was lowered with a lip and on bilsteins. If I was starting from scratch, I'd throw snow tires (you're not supposed to use studs) on and possibly wire in a toggle switch for the windshield washer fluid, with straight water for the muddy courses. And of cpurse gut the crap out of it. Use wheels you don't care about, like crappy daises or steelies. We dented our steelies and had trouble seeing without washer fluid. Had to purposely drive in the big puddles to "wash" our windshield.

Such a cheap sport to "mod" your car for, gotta watch those disposable parts like Sean said.

Oh, and don't roll you windows down when it's muddy, open the door to give the timers your ticket, we learned that the hard way...

Nice. I should be starting my BP powered 240 rallycross / rally thread soon.

So what are weak suspension points on a miata ?

Stock swaybar endlinks are really thin and can snap, control arms can bend...that might be all you need to worry about.

We break some of this stuff with grippy tires on a road course. Sliding sideways in some dirt puts a different kind of stress on the suspension.

I'd focus on protecting the radiator, intake, shocks (rubber boots?), and oil pan.

Thanks ! I already made a skid plate, so sump is protected....I have used wire mesh to protect the radiation on past Tsd cars, that seems to work quite well. I'll be on the lookout for some spare arms, is it fronts, or rears (or both) that trend to go ?

Rallycross coming up this weekend.....lets see how she goes...

Momo race seat installed, still a bit high and upright, will have to consider how to lower it further.....maybe removing the rear feet. I have kept the seat sliders, last resort would be to loose these also, but I'd like to be able to retain some easy adjustability....

Let's have some pics already.

What's your location?

Good luck with the race.

Here goes ! Pics from last September during Press on Regardless

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360885438

Did you get a turbo in yet?

I see you are registered for the Great Lakes Championship in a couple weeks. I'll be there with my co-driver.

Nope, no turbo yet....just planning 1.8 rebuild now, progress has been very slow....what are you running in at the rallycross ?

Red turbo Miata with the white hardtop.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1373371928

Were you the one I was talking to at the winter event at I-96 Speedway?

my gawd that looks like so much fun

Swaybar mounting points at frame are weak on road course cars but would be even worse on yours. Heavy duty mounting brackets are available in the aftermarket. I would use strong springs and raise the ride height.

You're assuming that you want to run sway bars in this application.

I run no front or rear swaybar. Stock MSM springs 220fr/170rr with no increase in ride height.

Although the Detroit region events are usually on slightly smoother sites than I run on so a front swaybar might be good; I would have no concerns about the mounts being too weak.

Understatement of the year ! :rofl:

Ahah, yep, now I remember..... Funny, I can remember cars, no so good with names ! Should be fun ! Hopefully a bit more grip this time !!!!!

See ya there !

Hood venting...
 

So I've been getting a little warm at freeway speeds - the coolant, not me, so after some experimenting determined the skid plate is likely not letting the air entering the engine bay out sufficiently. So like many on this forum it's time for a hood vent. After much procrastinating, and inspired by midtenn (nice work by the way !) I've decided on a drop vent style.....

The 1st cut is always the hardest, somebody once said......probably