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A not-really-competitive SM-ish NA6 track build
I've had a grand time doing an all-out turbo build in my other build thread HERE. Learned a lot about maintenance, fabrication, tuning and cars in general. Also fell in love with the track, and have gotten 30+ track days under my belt in the last 3 years.
Alas, I got a Cayman and no longer need a mixed-use street/track machine. I wanted to turn my attention to a 100% track Miata focused on safety and reliability, and maybe get into racing down the line. It would be fun to get into time trials or some of the endurance series like WRL, ChampCar or even vintage racing. It would have been more work/money than it's worth to put a cage into my current turbo Miata and put it back to something resembling race spec, so I'm going to sell it off. In the meantime I found a good starting point for a new build locally. It's a 1993 NA6 with a clean title, no rust, never wrecked, really well done cage and brand new SM suspension. Has original motor with 220k miles, but compression is 170psi in all cylinders. It is 98% of the way to being a NASA Spec Miata, all it would need is wheels and tires, fire suppression and ballast. It wouldn't be competitive against a well-built NB SM, but it was priced right and seems like a good starting point for my needs. I also seem to have an affinity for underpowered, tired, old shitboxes so this should be right up my alley. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...add8152c9.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6859d8b8c.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7c79ac8f7.jpeg Initial plan is to keep it a Spec Miata and just get everything 100% right. If I decide my longer term classing aspirations do not include SM, I have all the bits for a really nice 1.8L NA build. No plans to turbo this one. This weekend I changed the oil, brake fluid and coolant. Initial impressions are that the ghetto depowered steering rack sucks and needs a proper depower. The motor timing is nowhere close to where it needs to be, and there's no timing mark on the pulley so I'll have to find TDC and set that correctly. Otherwise, the car is pretty much right. It has the loathsome VLSD, but it had no problem locking up yesterday when I wanted to play in a parking lot and burn up the 9 year old tires. |
Nice to see you progressing along the MT.net circle of life.
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Thanks Efini. I'm looking forward to doing a straight ahead track build- hopefully the tracks open up soon and I have a chance to run it this season.
Current priorities are baselining maintenance and addressing anything that's broken or not to spec. Most obvious issue is that there was a ton of thumping and popping noises coming from the rear end during driving. I tracked it down to two issues: one of the rear sway bar mounting studs was broken off, and the weird/loud custom exhaust was clanging into the rear subframe. I had to take off the rear exhaust anyway to get access to the sway bar stud. The culprit: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4bc673c7a.jpeg Ground it off, drilled it out and put a bolt in its place. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...26ccdfba2.jpeg Finished product: https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ecfff410d.jpeg The exhaust hangers looked to be original to the car, and were, uh, flaccid. I replaced them all. The exhaust that I took out was really loud, and it still bumped into the rear subframe even with new rubber hangers. It just so happened that I had the original stock exhaust from my other NA6 outside in my shed. The only problem is that all the studs on the catalytic converter were broken off during removal. I started grinding and removing those studs to replace with bolts, but after an hour and four drill bits I gave up. It's damned near impossible to drill through that much metal with a hand drill. I checked out the local Miata FB site and found a guy selling an as-new 1.6 Magnaflow cat for small money. I picked it up, and put the whole stock exhaust back in. You just can't argue with OEM fit. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...585273406.jpeg I finished the day by changing the differential fluid and setting engine timing. There was no timing mark on the main pulley so I pulled the #1 spark plug and used a stick on the cylinder to identify and mark TDC. I then found out that the base timing was actually retarded a few degrees from TDC, which is why the motor felt so gutless. I set it to 12 degrees advanced and took a drive. In homage to the MT.net circle of life... the thing that struck me the most is how right Mazda got it with these cars in the first place. It had been a long time since I've driven a totally stock 1.6L, but it's a great little runner. Stripping the interior of these cars has the immediate benefit of dropping a bunch of weight, but also makes the whole car feel more rowdy- even the stock exhaust sounds kinda ballsy. I had a great time running the motor out to the rev limiter and doing parking lot donuts on the 8 year old tires. |
Of all the car projects, dealing with safety equipment is my least favorite- especially for race cars that need to pass tech. Ideally this car could race in SCCA or NASA SM, SVRA, or ChampCar. Having built a Lemons car from scratch and installing safety in my last Miata, I at least feel like I have a bit of relevant experience. The right approach to building a race car is to pick your seat, figure out the best way to mount it for driver ergonomics, then build the cage around it. Unfortunately I'm doing this completely in reverse. I'm 6 feet tall, 210 lbs so I can fit in a Miata race car comfortably but it takes a lot of careful planning.
Here is the whole setup as it came to me: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fab638639.jpeg The seat is a 15" Ultrashield on stock sliders and factory mounting humps. There are a number of issues with setup as it came to me: - The sub straps for the harness were not properly installed, and were attached to the same points as the waist straps - the seat did not have a back brace - While I fit in the seat pretty well, I was sitting way too high. - The seat wouldn't go back very far due to interference with the roll cage, and my legs were very cramped in the foot well. The cage install was not going to make it easy to get the seat far back in the cockpit. I was worried that at a minimum I would have to cut out the additional up-high harness bar, and possibly re-do the main hoop diagonal brace as it extended so far behind the drivers seat headrest. First priority was to get the seat lower though. Before cutting out the seat humps I figured I would try a flat bracket mounted to the humps. I had one around that I made previously, but it took substantial modification to make it work for this purpose. Not pretty, but effective. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...68b1cec4c.jpeg This actually worked very well and got me to an appropriate height in the car. Next challenge was getting farther back. Turns out that the interference with the seat was not from the harness bar or diagonal, but from where the door bar connected to the main hoop. I decided to notch out that part of the seat for clearance. Hole saw and cutoff wheel: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...49089cadc.jpeg This allowed me to position the seat another 3" further back, which made it pretty much perfect from an ergonomic standpoint. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...502182053.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fbf9dcb1d.jpeg Turns out the harness bar is at exactly the right height, and the lower bar can be used for the back brace. I still need to install the sub straps. Last job of the day was to replace the hardtop's window seals, which were missing. Pretty important because I store the car outside. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...168ce86e9.jpeg |
Shelter At Home is a great way to get car projects done. I'm bored out of my mind, so might as well get this thing ready for the track.
It looked to me like the clutch hydraulic components were all original to the car. As these are a known point of failure, I replaced the master cylinder, slave cylinder, and stupid coily line with a braided steel one from 5x Racing. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0b326f560.jpeg I forgot how much fun it is (not) to get this little bastard out of the back of the engine bay. Definitely a job made for people with little elf hands rather than my big meat fists. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...168fd471c.jpeg |
I just signed up for a track day in June, so it's time to move this project along. I hate dealing with the safety equipment because it involves a million tiny, painstaking details, so last night I committed to knocking it out so I could move on to other things. I completed the following items:
- more fabrication to the seat bracket to make attachment points for harness sub straps - planned and cut holes in the seat and seat cover for the six-point sub straps (seat previously had only the hole for a five point sub strap) - installed I/O Port back brace on seat - adjusted and re-installed harness straps - installed SFI roll bar padding - installed Longacre rear view mirror All in I bet I have 20 hours of work committed to the safety equipment. It's nice to have it done, and I feel good about it. I'm very comfortable in the car, and the equipment is much better installed than what I had in the last Miata. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...93aa151cf.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2d099b480.jpeg |
I feel you on the safety stuff...I think only electrical work is higher on my “Things I don’t want to work on” list
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I might even like electrical work more than safety to be honest. I have a lot of experience with electronics though.
Meanwhile my 15x7 MOMO Podiums and SM7 takeoffs came in. I’m almost ashamed to put such sexy wheels on such an ugly car. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4bd3c69e7.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...be3df58c8.jpeg |
The biggest remaining job was fixing the ghetto looped-line steering depower. The car has 220k miles and the tie rod ends were also shot, so I just rebuilt the whole rack with new parts. After the proper depowering and before installation:
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1b36adcc5.jpeg Installed with the steering rack spacers from 5x racing: https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5ed303f5f.jpeg I also installed the Bauer extended lower ball joints while I was in there, and replaced the shot bearing/hub on the driver’s side. I picked up some Kosei K1 15x7 wheels from a drift kid locally, and got some 195 RS4’s to use for heavy lapping and rain. Took the whole mess down to the guys at Gran Turismo East to mount the tires and set the alignment. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...11ee6a8a6.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0e38f3549.jpeg The setup feels really good, and it’s almost track ready. First track day scheduled for 6/6 at Barber, I can’t wait. |
Getting ready for track day ar Barber this weekend. The car didn’t have an undertray when I got it, so I found one locally. Before I put it on, I figured I would get rid of the coolant and go with 100% water and water wetter. While the coolant was drained, I figured I would do some more deferred maintenance- replace thermostat and gasket, cut radiator hose to correct length, and wrap crossover pipe with DEI foil tape. The thermostat housing was full of this nasty white crap...
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...92f2d6d16.jpeg ... but I didn’t find it anywhere else. After doing my chores: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5650ecd2a.jpeg Sooner or later I’ll put a real radiator in there. For now, the cooling is dramatically improved. Maiden voyage on Saturday. Can’t wait. |
Track day with JustTrackIt at Barber yesterday. 92 degrees and humid, meaning that it felt like about 150 on the tarmac.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...69de722c8.jpeg I brought along a buddy with similar driving skills to co-drive. He was in Intermediate 1 and I was in Intermediate 2. This was the first track day at Barber since it was repaved. The new surface is great but there was no rubber on the asphalt yet. We ran our first sessions on RS4's and it felt a bit slick. Before our 2nd sessions we put the Hoosiers on; it is the first time that either of us had driven on them. What an amazing difference! The car went from feeling jumpy/jittery on the RS4's to feeling planted and confident on the Hoosiers. We were pulling 1.4 G's in the corners and there was more traction than we were using. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f6a9eb5cf.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c4d820f67.jpeg The track day was JAMMED, busiest one I've ever seen. My session was loaded with fast cars and drivers; other than a swapped NC, I'm pretty sure I was the only car in my session with less than 300hp. I wasn't quite the slowest guy in my session, but pretty close... it was hard to find clean laps with so many point-by's. I knew the track pretty well in my turbo Miata, but in a SM with no power and more grip I had to completely re-learn the track. As the day went on, my buddy and I started feeling the car and our lap times dropped dramatically. In each pair of sessions our lap times were within a second of each other. Overall it was an amazing day. We flogged the car through ten 25-30 minute sessions and it performed flawlessly. It was great to co-drive with another guy of similar skills. Because we were in the exact same car, we were able to look at data and coach each other in areas where one of us was faster than the other. I probably learned more yesterday than I have in the previous five track days, which was the whole point of getting this car in the first place. |
Congrats....gotta love it when things go as planned.
How’d your cool-suit setup work? |
Regarding the cool shirt, I made a critical planning error. I have the system with the soft-sided nylon cooler bag, and I figured I would just strap it down in the passenger seat well with bungee cords. Unfortunately when I did that, it no longer sat upright and the pump went dry. Thus, no cool shirt for the sessions. Which sucked because that car gets SCREAMING hot inside. I have a stock exhaust with catalytic converter; the transmission tunnel was so hot I could probably fry an egg on it.
So, next steps- real SM exhaust and fabricate mount for Coolshirt cooler. |
For me...a cool suit setup is a firm requirement for any track days or races in the South from about May to Mid October. I imagine Barber in early June was pretty brutal.
I'll be a Road Atlanta racing next weekend...cool suit is gonna get a workout! |
The idea of this car is "reliable momentum car", but the fact is that it's really low powered and every little bit of power helps, within the SM rules. A few years ago the rules changed and permitted 1.6L cars to grind the big ugly welds out of the exhaust manifolds. This reportedly gains you ~2hp. It just so happened that I had an extra stock 1.6L exhaust manifold in my shed from my last car, so I got a die grinder and went to work. Here is the problem with the stock manifolds:
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a111222f1.jpeg The new Makita 18v brushless die grinder I bought is AWESOME. Made this a very easy job. I ported the collector exit and welded back the heat shield bracket that had broken off: https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7ce623289.jpeg Then I lapped the face with 220 grit wet/dry and ported the runners. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7510ddea7.jpeg I also ordered the Kooks Ti-Speed SM exhaust. It doesn't add much HP but reportedly adds a lot of torque throughout the whole RPM range and should also drop a few pounds of weight. After building a turbo car it seems a bit ludicrous to be working this hard for 3-5 hp, but in a 100 hp car that's a 3-5% improvement so I guess it's not that ludicrous. |
It feels wierd taking this off and not putting a turbo there.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d7253b2b6.jpeg Alas, I put in the ported header then the Kooks exhaust. Holy crap is this thing LOUD. #racecar https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...26f1bc7fd.jpeg |
My biggest problem at the last track day was that I had nowhere to put my Coolshirt cooler. Today I fabricated a mount for it with some scrap steel I had lying around.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...003ddb0d2.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...154183d96.jpeg It bolts to the passenger rear seat humps. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ea3e5370b.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6f77fcf72.jpeg The cooler is held in place with elastic cords. Overkill? Maybe, but I’m actually pretty proud of it. My fabrication skills continue to improve with each project like this. |
I was getting pretty tired of my towing situation with the van and tow dolly. It towed fine, but loading/unloading the car four times every weekend was wearing thin. I got rid of the van and got this 2013 F-150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost and a trailer brake controller.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ec156f538.jpeg Then I found this trailer. It's a junker but the price was right and the bones are good. Fairly new tires and brakes on the rear axle. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f50f5a0a6.jpeg It didn't come with ramps, so I found these ATV ramps on FB Marketplace super cheap. 7' long, rated to 3,000 pounds, very light weight. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5d0db1522.jpeg It didn't have rear tie-down points, so I fixed that. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ff59906df.jpeg Also added a spare tire. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1894eaf27.jpeg The Red Rocket loves its new home. It will be nice to just hitch up the trailer and take it to the track. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...da38b803c.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1eb2f2da3.jpeg |
Damn, good for you. I am searching for pretty much the same setup. Truck looks mint.
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I’ve been giving more thought to my future plans for this car. I’d like to get my comp license with NASA this fall/winter spring, but I don’t yet have the skill to race SM, at least competitively. I’m still several seconds off of race pace at most tracks, and I know my tired NA6 wouldn’t really do well against well prepped NB’s. The hard reality is that I really don’t have the time to race either, and don’t foresee that changing in the near future. It seems like the next best step for me will be NASA Time Trials.
I’ve thought about pulling my motor this winter to deal with a bunch of maintenance stuff. In addition to the motor having 220k miles, it also has the original clutch and motor mounts, both of which are tired. I’m starting to research how to build the best TT6 car than I can. I have all the parts I need on hand to do a killer 1.8L build according to the “Emilio” recipe, although I will use a BP4W head instead of VVT. Anyone know if a 1.6L SM chassis with a built 1.8L motor would fall into TT6 or TT5? |
TT6 all day. There’s nothing about your plans that would bump you to 5.
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I went to a PCA event at Roebling last month in my Cayman. Since it was my first time at the track I put myself in Novice group and worked with an instructor all weekend. Holy cow, my driving improved by leaps and bounds. In my quest to move towards racing I realized I would like a lot more time with instructors in the car. The SM didn’t have a passenger seat, so this weekend I set about my least favorite job and installed the seat and harness.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f719d6bcd.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fc789ba71.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0d9ed3475.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0de31ead0.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...34db1ab2f.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1d336e7e0.jpeg Another nice development- I joined an auto storage facility that has a nice work area and two post lift. Will be much easier doing big drivetrain stuff this winter. Doing tires and brakes on the Cayman: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c0b4054d5.jpeg |
Wanted a secure way to put my wheels/tires on the trailer for weekend trips. Fabbed up these handy stripper pole/wheel mounts for the trailer.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...830268244.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1b2041254.jpeg Last weekend I crewed for my buddy’s 1963 Morgan at a VDCA race. It was awesome, exactly the type of racing I want to do. I decided the best playbook is to get my SCCA comp license because it will let me race anywhere. I got my physical and applied for the novice permit; plan to go to SCCA race school in Feb. Because I need to complete a few SCCA races to get my full license, I’m keeping the car as a Spec Miata. Apparently the SE region has a SM-SE class that is specifically for 1.6 cars. |
Originally Posted by Schroedinger
(Post 1587074)
Last weekend I crewed for my buddy’s 1963 Morgan at a VDCA race. It was awesome, exactly the type of racing I want to do. I decided the best playbook is to get my SCCA comp license because it will let me race anywhere. I got my physical and applied for the novice permit; plan to go to SCCA race school in Feb. Because I need to complete a few SCCA races to get my full license, I’m keeping the car as a Spec Miata. Apparently the SE region has a SM-SE class that is specifically for 1.6 cars. |
No two ways about it, this car looked pretty ghetto. The race numbers were peeling off and the paint was a nice chalky pink color. I finally broke down and worked on the appearance a bit. It may not be faster but it looks faster.
Before: https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b5248ba8c.jpeg After: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...afef75b7f.jpeg |
With a 1.6 you need all the drag reduction you can get. Looks nice!
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Trying to get the car ready to tech in the spring. I needed to install a fire extinguisher within reach of the driver on a metal bracket. The trans tunnel seemed like the most convenient location. The extinguisher doubles as a handy arm rest, plus now I won’t burn my hand on the tunnel after a summer session. The bracket was $25 on Amazon and is actually really well made.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0976ba00f.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7edf51ae9.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bea8d7b61.jpeg |
Shiny cars are always faster.
It is known |
I did not know about this thread until now. Very cool progression you have going!
Think you'll keep on the SM path? |
Yeah, the plan is to keep it SM for the foreseeable future. I want to race it in SCCA SM-SE (1.6L class) and the SVRA 1.6L class, which gives me some pretty firm constraints for the build. The work I'm putting into it and getting a logbook with some races in it should help build the value. In a year or two I can decide whether I want to stay where I'm at, move to an open class like ITA or ST6, or sell it and get a really well developed NB SM. I'm pretty new to racing so I think the only way I can learn is to start racing more.
Next big decision I need to make is what to do about the rear end. It has the stock 1.6L VLSD which doesn't LSD at all, I'm picking up the inside wheel in tight turns and it's costing me time. I need to decide between dropping a Cusco into the 1.6L diff, which is theoretically faster but less durable, or just swapping in a 4.3 Torsen, which is theoretically more durable but less fast. |
More work on the safety equipment. Installed center net:
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0250538c0.jpeg I need to get some of those clamping collars to keep the straps from sliding around on the cage bars. Also installed window net: https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0369d70e3.jpeg |
Originally Posted by Schroedinger
(Post 1589075)
I need to get some of those clamping collars to keep the straps from sliding around on the cage bars.
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Decals applied. Starting to look more like a real race car.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e014b5180.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...609f491b1.jpeg |
What seat back brace is that?
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Originally Posted by Z33Taxi
(Post 1589731)
What seat back brace is that?
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Nice looking interior, and great job on revitalizing the paint
I need to get some of those clamping collars to keep the straps from sliding around on the cage bars. |
Originally Posted by Icedawg
(Post 1589775)
Nice looking interior, and great job on revitalizing the paint
Not sure if it will look up to snuff for the nice interior you have built up, but I just use exhaust clamps on either side of the belts to keep them in place. |
The open trailer was a step in the right direction but I was tired of loading and unloading wheels, tools etc. every track day. Since I store the car outside I also wanted something a little more weather tight than a cover. So today I sold the open trailer and stepped up my game.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e8a70cd55.jpeg 8.5x20 with V nose. So much room for activities. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fa189b52a.jpeg The F-150 tows it great, although it’s a little thirsty. I got 10mpg @70mph coming home with it empty. The previous owner bought it to move two years ago and it’s been sitting ever since. I had to fix a broken wire for a tail light but otherwise It’s literally brand new, just like off the dealers lot. Many projects to come- paint and floor, a rack for extra wheels, tool storage, etc. |
The front hub/bearing that I replaced with el cheapo hub six months ago is already making noise after only 4 track days. I tracked down the TurboKitteh approved Centric Premium hubs, and repacked them with Redline CV-2 high temp grease with the good instructions I found here. This is the kind of job that takes two hours the first time and 15 minutes the 2nd.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...34f5d2e42.jpeg |
Are you using a weight distributing hitch with the new trailer? If not, I’d highly recommend it...even the one Harbor Freight sells is well worth the money.
Nice trailer! |
Originally Posted by Efini~FC3S
(Post 1592094)
Are you using a weight distributing hitch with the new trailer? If not, I’d highly recommend it...even the one Harbor Freight sells is well worth the money.
Nice trailer! Which slit did the electron pass through? |
Originally Posted by Efini~FC3S
(Post 1592094)
Are you using a weight distributing hitch with the new trailer? If not, I’d highly recommend it...even the one Harbor Freight sells is well worth the money.
Nice trailer! |
That's a nice trailer. I wish I was closer to you, I would have bought your open trailer. Struggling to find one locally at a decent price.
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I listed it for a couple hundred $ more than I bought it for and I had like 50 offers in 24 hours. Must be a shortage on cheap open trailers right now. Oddly I bought my new enclosed trailer from a private seller for about 60% of retail, it is 2 years old and had only been used once for a 500 mile house move. It's literally like brand new. That was definitely the exception though, I've spent a few months looking at overpriced trailers that were rode hard and put up wet.
I ordered the Huskey Center Line TS weight distribution/anti-sway hitch for 600-800 lb tongue weight. Wasn't cheap but I'm guessing it will be well worth the investment. |
Trailer work day. Started by hanging some E-track and shoring beams to make a tire rack.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...385a10c58.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...53b79cdf5.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fd7b7ef44.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1db26caac.jpeg Looks like it will fit 2 3/4 sets of wheels. Guess the last wheel is going on the floor. Next I needed to add some tie-down points under the tire rack for the front wheels of the car. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e4394912f.jpeg The trailer didn’t come with any spare tires, so I bought two off of Amazon and mounted them on more E-track. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c04284e59.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...26084afc7.jpeg Finished up by putting a 120v power connector in the wall so I can bring power into the trailer at the track. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...299a0c940.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b9e041e3a.jpeg |
are you going to do one of those bed elevators so you can sleep at the track and stow the bed away?
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I think for now my plan is just to sleep on an air mattress on the floor.
Installed the Husky Centerline TS weight distributing hitch today. Took a few hours to install but it really is a night/day difference in how the trailer tows. Rock solid at 70mph even in gusty wind, and better braking, https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...19821ad37.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...760bc4df0.jpeg Trailer is totally level, and the rear of the truck doesn’t squat any more. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c89cce7f1.jpeg |
Race school and my first race are in 2 1/2 weeks. I’m trying to get my annual inspection and logbook done before then, so I’m mostly chasing a bunch of little details to make sure I pass inspection. First problem was the kill switch not working- the battery was always on no matter what position the switch was in. I replaced the switch and it fixed the problem. While I was at it I made sure all the terminals were taped or heat shrinked, and put a plastic cover on the positive battery terminal. I’m not sure why these switches aren’t more durable, we went through three of them on our Lemons car too.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3875ff146.jpeg Next item was to deal with the door releases. The car came to me with the factory door handles dangling from the release mechanism by the steel rod, hardly ideal. I replaced this mess with vinyl coated braided steel cable. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...757761958.jpeg Last project for the night was to install the very GCR-compliant R Package front lip. Not required to pass tech but it may buy me 0.1 seconds off my lap times, plus it looks cool. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...179bb0d20.jpeg |
I’ve wondered the same thing about kill switches...I think a lot of people don’t realize they are a wear item.
I always kept a spare in my parts box when doing enduros. |
Originally Posted by Efini~FC3S
(Post 1592666)
I’ve wondered the same thing about kill switches...I think a lot of people don’t realize they are a wear item.
I always kept a spare in my parts box when doing enduros. |
Last few details before SCCA race school and my first race this weekend. Replaced the stock radiator with a Koyo as well as all the coolant hoses.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3c1ca2c01.jpeg Installed Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator. Set to stock pressure for now. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...62111cd47.jpeg Adjustable end links: https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ace50b0a6.jpeg Had to mount transponder. Eventually I’ll do a hardwired install but for now I’ll run it on the battery. This spot in the wheel well looks as good as any. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f8589541b.jpeg Since I have to pass the annual inspection and get a logbook, I took it to Atlanta Speedwerks for a full inspection and setup. They patched a few openings in the bulkhead, put on some SFI rollcage padding, and did a full corner weight and setup. Got everything packed up, headed to Roebling tomorrow. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bf6423893.jpeg |
Good Luck this weekend!
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I went through the SCCA Hyler Craft Race School this past weekend at Roebling. Recap:
My first step was to get the annual inspection and logbook for my car. My inspection went flawlessly until the very last thing- the kill switch wiring was incorrect, and it wouldn't shut off the car while it was running. Whoever installed it set up to interrupt the battery and two red wires from the harness that I assumed to be the fuel pump. Whatever they did didn't work. I spent two hours rounding up supplies in the paddock and trying to fix it, but I couldn't figure it out under the time pressure of trying to get to class on time. Fortunately the guys from Panic Motorsports were onsite, and they got it fixed for me in 30 minutes. I owe those guys big time. Logbook- check. The school had a pretty packed schedule between classroom, car prep and track sessions. It would have been helpful to have someone with me to focus on the car, but I got through the weekend OK on my own. The school did a good job getting us all acclimated to racing conditions and rolling starts, and I was feeling pretty comfortable in traffic by the student race on Saturday afternoon. Upon completion of the Saturday school I was permitted to compete in the real SCCA race on Sunday. I approached this race with the primary goals of not crashing and not finishing DFL. On Sunday I qualified towards the middle of the pack, which pleased me. I was very nervous about the race, particularly the start which I screwed up pretty badly. Once the brakes and tires were hot and I got my wits about me I felt pretty good and even picked up a couple positions. Unfortunately I had made a critical planning error and didn't have enough fuel for a 30 minute race, so I lost power on every left turn for the last four laps and gave back a bunch of spots. Nonetheless I finished the race with the shiny side up, and a few spots ahead of DFL. The licensing admin signed off on my full competition license, which opens the door to race almost anywhere I want to. Overall it was an absolute blast. Major props to the SCCA Buccaneer Region who put the event on, and the race teams that helped me get my car ready. I fear that I may be addicted to racing now, it is approximately 200% more fun than a track day even though I still suck at it. Much to be learned. One thing that was clear is that my car is underpowered, even compared to the other 1.6's. The motor is fine so tuning is needed. Next steps are to install an AFR gauge, get a little more aggressive with timing (currently at 12 degrees), and adjust the fuel pressure regulator to see if I can squeeze more power out of this lump. I never though I would say that Megasquirt is easy compared to anything, but it sure would help compared to the caveman tuning that I'm limited to. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f2940586f2.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f9ead5833b.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...44abcd296c.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ab4ff65b85.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ebd2de8cf2.jpg |
Congratulations!
It sounds like a very successful and exciting weekend. You have had some of the usual race weekend problems of one kind or another cropping up, some of your own making, some not. I am sure your car can be tuned to give a little more power. But even if you do nothing to it, you will find that at the end of this season you have cut seconds of your lap times, by learning from your competitors where and how to carry more speed around the corners. After you learn that, any extra power you can gain will help you, before that, it probably will be nearly unnoticeable, since it can't be really big gains in an SM class. |
PS, amazing that you are out dry track racing this weekend already, compared to our climate!
We were out racing on a frozen lake. Here is a sequence of the vertical pirouette performed by one of our Chevette racers. He stuck the landing and continued on in the race, no worries! https://www.flickr.com/photos/lsansp...ELzjEBbYPbtlg4 |
Originally Posted by Icedawg
(Post 1594209)
Congratulations!
I am sure your car can be tuned to give a little more power. But even if you do nothing to it, you will find that at the end of this season you have cut seconds of your lap times, by learning from your competitors where and how to carry more speed around the corners. After you learn that, any extra power you can gain will help you, before that, it probably will be nearly unnoticeable, since it can't be really big gains in an SM class. |
Originally Posted by Icedawg
(Post 1594211)
PS, amazing that you are out dry track racing this weekend already, compared to our climate!
We were out racing on a frozen lake. Here is a sequence of the vertical pirouette performed by one of our Chevette racers. He stuck the landing and continued on in the race, no worries! https://www.flickr.com/photos/lsansp...ELzjEBbYPbtlg4 |
Originally Posted by Schroedinger
(Post 1594233)
Holy crap, how did that happen?!?
But it usually happens from hitting a snow bank the wrong way: avoiding traffic, clipping a car stuffed in a bank and heading in yourself, sliding too far out and hitting a bank, having more traction than expected and hitting the bank at the apex, .... or the most common reason; ran out of talent at the wrong moment. |
I fear that I may be addicted to racing now, it is approximately 200% more fun than a track day even though I still suck at it. My SCCA school experience was similar in that the schedule is really built around the idea that the student/driver has a crew guy or two. I didn’t have any crew for my school either and it was stressful AF trying to get the car “Prepped” between sessions with all of 10 minutes to spare throughout the whole day. Either way, congrats and welcome to the asylum. |
Congrats on a great weekend!
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