matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

GReddy now at 19psi peak, tapering to 14psi at redline. Going to work on the taper this weekend and try to get it to hold 15-16 across the board without such a big spike.

And start saving for pistons/rods lol.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

If you really want that turbo to hold boost to redline, look into getting a new WGA. I had a "helper spring" on that kit for a bit, and it DID work, right up until 200 miles down the road the springs tension was lost due to heat cycling.

Virtual dyno looks awesome.

I've acquired some more parts for my 1.8 recently, i'm sure i'll see you this year when i go to pikes peak .

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Had not thought of the helper spring. Looks like it would have been short lived anyway.

I played around with the tune again and got it to a place where I'm actually happy to leave it. Can't believe I'm saying that. Rejigged timing and fuel, dropped peak boost to 17psi, tapers to 15 now, and the virtual dyno shows 243/211. Time to hit the DynoDynamics around the corner and get an actual number before things go boom.

Also, I picked up a Vibrant #1793 (18"x4") resonator for $45 shipped and installed it last weekend in the stock cat location. Peak noise didn't drop as much as I'd hoped, but it did move the annoying 4K rpm resonance down to 3K, which means I can have a normal conversation at 70-80mph, and is a win in my book.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Picked up some bnib FM sways a couple weekends ago for $160 and put them in last Thursday after work. It's the most I can afford to do with the suspension for a while (really, REALLY want new springs/shocks), and then without any testing/reconfiguring entered my first SCCA Solo event lol. Turns out that the FM suggested soft front/middle rear setting feels good on the car, very neutral to barely pushing at the limit. I may take both bars up to the tightest setting, but I'm inclined to leave it as-is for a while.

Was able to get out and hit some familiar canyons yesterday. The car corners much flatter than with the stock bars (duh), I can feel what the tires are doing more clearly now, as opposed to being clouded by the body roll/momentum changes, and I'm carrying more speed into and out of corners as a result. Really excited to get on a real track (read: Solo was pretty boring) and see how it feels.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

I've been considering sways as well. Do you think this would be a good mod for my car? I was thinking something like wheels/tires first, then sways, then aligning and cornerbalancing the car to at least get the most from what I have.

Neat update.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Yeah, I'd say go for it. I put sways on my last Talon, and it even helped to tame that fat pig lol. Just driving around town I find myself pushing the car harder to see what it'll take.

What's your gripe with your wheels? Aesthetics? Weight? Size...16's, right? If they aren't boat anchors and you can get good tires for them in that diameter, then I'd probably go sways. I remember that you said my car felt like it had more body roll than yours, now I think you'd be surprised at how flat it is.

If you are still on the fence you can drive it if you make it up for Pikes Peak again this year. Up until now my mantra has been "horsepower, not handling", but I really feel like this is a mod I ought to have done earlier on now that I have them installed. Fairly inexpensive even at full retail, and totally worth it.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

All of the above. Really this is what I have going on.. The wheels are shittay honda boy wheels from probably the late 90's. I very much regret buying them in the first place, let alone buying tires for them. At this point the tires are about 4 seasons old and suck anyways, the wheels are fugly/heavy/bent/etc. and I hate them. I really want some of these new konig 15x8 wheels in the 12lb range, and get some decent tires for them. That is my plan at least.

Sway bars in comparison are cheap though, so i may just do both. I'd really like to go with a nice suspension, but that just isn't going to happen. Not that I really hate my setup personally, considering my driving skill is nowhere near the limit of the car now even.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Braided steel brake lines and Motul fluid from 949 went in yesterday in an attempt to further improve brake feel. Test drive proved inconclusive, may need to bleed the master.

PRO TIP, and I almost discovered this the hard way having never changed brake lines before. Pull the hub to full opposite lock before you tighten everything down on the front lines or you are going to make a

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Yeah, had the same deal when I installed my braided lines. make sure they clear everything and fit properly. Did you do the clutch "curly q" line too? Going to a braided line on that one makes a huge difference if you have a heavy clutch.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Oh yeah, so is this thing still running well?

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Nope, no curly-Q line replacement, but I've got the shorty braided one that replaces the rubber portion in the garage lol. I have an FM1 so clutch action is cake.

Brakes feel better after another drive, pedal is a little higher than before, and pretty firm. Have not beaten on it yet, though.

Got sucked into working on this instead: taking my spare hood down to raw aluminum. Was thinking of going polished for a long time, but now a brushed finish sounds more appealing. Top spot was about 8min by hand, bottom was about 4min with random orbit sander. Just got back from Ace with a shitload of pads

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

So just spent about an hour-fifteen on the hood. If Chaste White is the shittiest of all Miata colors, Brilliant Black must be the stoutest. This is where I got after all that time with 60 grit paper...only through the paint. Still have two layers of primer to go through, but they are looking much thinner than the paint itself. Obviously have some low spots, but we've got a PDR kit at work that I'm going to try out. Plus leaving it a matte finish will help hide my ameteurish bodywork lol.



Bueno. Loving it. Gonna do a timing belt soon and install an adjustable cam gear on at least the intake to try to get a little more spool and midrange out of it. But otherwise it's peachy.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Picked up a 6 speed today! Got it for a song, claimed to be from an MSM, will be calling Mazda tomorrow to verify through the VIN (tag is still on the case). It is super clean and looks like it's been opened up in the past, but the input shaft spins freely and it shifted into every gear. I'm going to make an adapter for the input shaft and spin it up/row through it before installing it in, but it seems to be ok. Guy I bought it from had it as backup for his race car so I'm ***-uming it's good to go.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

-1 for ricer hood, +2 for 6 speed goodness!

J/k, brushed will certainly look better than the polished look I've seen everyone else do. I really like the solid blue look, but it looks like your keeping the oem blue hood so that's good.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Yeah, the jury is still out on the hood until I install it. I made more progress on it today, sanded through the second primer coat and about halfway through the first, and all the way to bare metal on about 20% of it. I still think it'll look good brushed/matte. If it looks ghey I've at least got it stripped for more blue. My current hood looks like a golf ball haha and after some PDR love this one will be pretty smooth.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

What rear end are you going to run with that 6 speed?

In for super low gearing, lol.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

4.1 that came with my Torsen. From what I've read not a horrible combo, will bump me back up to the RPMs area at cruise where my 5spd/4.3 was. I can live with it until something taller comes along.

timk

Haha cool to know you can fit a gearbox in the passenger seat spot!

I put a BP block on its end inside a plastic crate and it fit on the passenger seat nicely. Made sure as hell the seatbelt had it secured properly!

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Yeah for sure. I even belt my grocery bags in place haha. Apparently a trans will fit crossways in the trunk as well, but I didn't want to get to the guys house and find out otherwise.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

I need more pics of the car to determine how the hood looks, does not look half bad in that picture though.

What wheels are those?