SKYHI Motorsports - NB SE MX5 Time Attack car
 

Hi Guys,

I bought this car just over two years ago, with the intention of taking it for runs on the weekend around the local mountain ranges, and a number of track days around Brisbane, Australia where we live. In those two years, life has changed a lot for me, progress has been slow, and our focus has shifted a little. I've really started to appreciate the Time Attack scene around the world, and have decided to concentrate on competing in the local series, with the hope of one day getting the car to a level where I can compete at National events and maybe even WTAC in Sydney in the Clubsprint Class.

Enough about my hopes and dreams though, let's move onto the car :)

It was a very mildly modified car when I first bought it, and had the following:

AEM CAI
Begi Intake Pipe
Turbosmart BOV
Turbosmart MBC
Full exhaust (unknown at this stage, but apparently NitroDann muffler)
EBay Intercooler
SAAS boost gauge
TrackDog front splitter
BD Roll Bar
MCA Blue Coilovers (9kg front / 5kg rear)
DBA 4000 T3 front and rear rotors
QFM A1RM pads all round
Front tow hook

This resulted in approximately 180rwhp at the wheels on 98 octane fuel.

Since then I've done I've concentrated on replacing the ECU and few other things to get a safer tune and added some new wheels and tyres just to get me out on track. The current mod list is as follows:

Megasquirt Pro PnP ecu
640cc EV14 injectors
NitroDann Airbox and filter
Mac Valve for boost control
Turbosmart BOV
Full exhaust (unknown at this stage, but apparently NitroDann muffler)
EBay Intercooler
Nitro Dann clutch upgrade
NitroDann catch can
Mazdaspeed engine mounts
SAAS boost gauge
BD Roll Bar
Sparco Sprint seats
OMP six point harness
900g fire extinguisher
MCA Blue Coilovers (9kg front / 5kg rear)
DBA 4000 T3 front and rear rotors
Brake master cylinder brace
15 x8 Advanti Storm S1 wheels
205/50/15 Yokohama AD08R tyres.

Apart from that, it's a stock car, and makes just over 220rwhp at the wheels on 14psi of boost and 98 octane fuel.

Current plans are to keep it road legal and registered, and drive it to and from the track to compete in the Street Car class of the QLD Time Attack Series,
Series details: TimeAttack
Class rules: TimeAttack :: Series Rules 2018

The next phase will probably involve taking it off the road and building it to WTAC Clubsprint rules:
Class rules: http://www.worldtimeattack.com/downl...int%202018.pdf

We had our shakedown last month at a Time Attack event, and eased our way into learning the car. Only got four sessions on track in the afternoon session, but it was enough to finish second in class, and only 3 tenths of the winner, so encouraging signs. But where to from here?

I was looking at this list of mods as the next step in developing the car, but would appreciate your input:
ELBJs - as the current front camber is limited to 1.9 degrees.
Braided brake lines
Upgrading coilovers to MCA XR series (10kg front / 7 kg rear)
AC delete and ducting around the radiator.

The coilovers weren't at the top of the list, but a cheap second hand set has come up for sale.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ea70037f27.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...72a911ad59.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e6604207d3.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...09688b5033.jpg

220rwhp, BHP is a much lower number.

Dann

Yep, don't know what I was thinking. Edited for accuracy :)

Welcome! If you have been lurking, you will know there are a few of us here... and that it is a great resource for big hp cars.

I know exactly what you mean about life changing, a lot of my plans for my car are on hold while I wait to see how my budget survives a couple of unexpected hits, and maybe a couple more to come. But I have a Club day at Wakefield this Sunday to keep my seat time up, and work on my times. With a bit of luck the tuner will be coming down to look at the logs and do some tweaking.

Thanks Gee Emm. Yeah, been lurking for a bit and noticed a few names, but had to look at your signature to work out who you were on the Aussie forum :) Lots of knowledge here, especially when it comes to prepping turbo cars for the track. Hopefully it will save me a bit of heartache along the way.

Good luck at Wakefield on Sunday. Who's your tuner?

Thanks! It could be a good day for turbos, we are having a run of minus temps overnight, with clear sunny days with an air temp in the teens or lower. As long as the track can get a bit of heat into the semis I will be happy.

The tuner is Ed Lee, from Autotech.

Welcome. Very clean car.
I'm struggling with the dyno plot: so it's showing HP and boost? if so, was boost intentionally kept low in the midrange for some reason?

I tuned it, yeah its got a stock motor and just to keep it super safe and linear also.

Dann

As Dann said, it was a safe tune for the track. It works well on the track though when shifting at 6800rpm in 3rd, 4th or 5th, as your at 5000rpm or higher and at full boost for the next gear.

Oh man. What a solid looking car.

What turbo and manifold are you running? I don't think I saw it listed.

And no reroute? You're able to keep it cool on track without a reroute and using the stock radiator?

rtc, it's an MSM, in Australia it's tagged as an SE but is not related at all to the SE the US market got. So, it's got that crappy IHI turbo, spools slow and makes crap power.

Haha........yep this :) Stock engine, IHI turbo and manifold.

No reroute as yet, just a near new standard radiator. It's winter here so temps are around 23 degrees C or 73 F, so I'm able to get 3 or 4 hot laps and keep it under control for now. I'm about to do an AC delete to remove the condensor and get some more air through the radiator, but I will be doing a new radiator before the summer hits. I'm not 100% on the reroute as yet, it seems there are different theories on whether it's required on not on these engines. Thoughts?

Hah! I had no idea that the nomenclature worked that way. Oops!

Thanks for helping clear that up for me.

Haven't had a lot of spare time of late, and as usual, trying to fit in a few things just before a track day.

Last weekend I finally found time to finish installing the MCA X-R coilovers. These have the default 10kg front springs, 6kg rear springs, and valving. They should be an improvement over the MCA Blues that came out, and hopefully help eliminate the bit of understeer we are currently experiencing, given the difference in spring rates front to rear is less than it use to be with the 9kg front and 5kg rear springs.

Attachment 228686

The other thing I wanted to do was remove the AC, and in particular the condenser. As I'm currently still running the standard SE radiator, I wanted to give it as much air as possible to keep temps under control. I also took the opportunity to try and duct a bit more air through the radiator, by placing a piece of coreflute from the undertray to the underside of the radiator. Want to keep the heating, so everything under the dash has remained for now. Hopefully this will do the trick until I get around to installing a new radiator.

Attachment 228687

lastly, I also took out the electric aerial for a bit of extra weight savings. Eventually the head unit and the speakers will come out as well. Nice little grommet to seal off the hole.

Attachment 228688

All in all managed to take 12.6kgs in weight out of the car :)