New NB guy from the twin cities(MN)
 

Hello there.

New guy from the cities of Minnesota. I picked up my 2002 SE in Florida this last April and have enjoyed it quite a bit so far while participating in a few track days, a few autocrosses and a lot of scenic detour drives.. I had put off joining here due to having convinced myself money grows on trees and that I can afford to carry out a well sorted K-swap. Well *SPOILER* money does not in fact grow on trees and if I want to go faster I'm going to have to build in increments. So here I am.

It's my current goal to use the TSE kit in my attempt to see ~250 on the stock block. I intend to get there in increments. I'm going to do my EMS, clutch and whatever else I can use now in the first phase of building, move onto getting a turn-key kit sorted for phase 2 and dial everything in and get it track safe for phase 3. Im joining here to partake in some relevant dialogue involving all the things that I'll come across on my way to achieving that goal and of course troll through the FS sections for things I can use.

Here's some vehicle history(and pictures) for your enjoyment.

Current car: 2002 SE with ~110k miles so far. Basics equipped as of now. Fortune Auto 500 coilovers, RB header, forget the exhaust as it was on there when I bought it, roll bar... little stiffening bits... etc...?
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...997cee95db.jpgOn the way home from Jacksonville FL. Had to take the opportunity to visit the tail of the dragon.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ea10504e94.jpg
Introducing the car to it's new favorite past time. For-fun autocrossing.


Continued on next post due to it no longer letting me add photos.

The most recent car before the Miartar: 2013 BRZ all the basic bolt-ons, tuned on E85. Loved this car, would have another some day. Sold due to buying a home.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3fa268305b.jpgSitting pretty before getting out on MN's biggest road course.


My first fun car: 2003 Acura RSX-S, the car that started this ridiculous hobby. Most of the friends made in my RSX days are still my best car friends. I still hang out on Clubrsx .com for more of the day than I'd like to admit.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c0aa23f74e.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fd2d795d45.jpg
The honda buddies and I at one of two big import track weekends in MN


Anyways thats about it for the intro. Look forward to being a part of the community. :party:

Welcome to the forum.

You definitely need better suspension. The pics make it obvious. Maybe wait on buying a 450whp turbo to get a measly 250whp and instead buy Xidas or even Bilsteins and decent rate springs? Maybe buy a used turbo setup better suited to your needs for a lot less? That turbo kit is huge overkill for a stock block or a 5 speed.

Thanks for the welcome.

The first picture is with stock suspension. 2nd is with the fortune autos. I do wish I had gone with stiffer spring rates(9k7k iirc, would have been better off with something closer to 13f 8r. Result of a lot of speculation reading) and I have yet to do sway bars. I do like fortune auto though they felt great on the brz with more properly fitted rates. In time I may do something with them to compensate or replace them but thats what I have for now. I have no aspirations of being legitimately competetive any time soon. I know to most, fortune auto is an alibaba.com come up, and thats fine but I've enjoyed their product. No, theyre not not xida/fox/ohlins/etc... But theyre not shit either :o

As far as the kit, I intend to buy once there. I know you were illustrating a point with that 450 figure but thats a hell of a lot of work and cash beyond any average Joe to see on the 6258. On that turbo, ~250 seems like a sweet spot for starters. I have a 6sp as well. I've read(here) that the torque figure is the first factor to worry about and have more reading to do before those goals/restrictions are decided.

I feel like I've read quite a bit but yeah, much more to do.

I couldn't disagree more. It's perfectly fine on a stock block. You run a low-boost can and it makes 200whp and 190wtq which is perfectly fine on a stock block. OP has an SE which came with the 6sp, so he's fine, but you can run 200whp through a 5-speed as long as you're nice to it.

The 6258 will spool up faster than a 2560R, so it's the better turbo option regardless of your power goal. Just because it's capable of 400whp+ doesn't mean you have to take it there. There are plenty of folks using my kit to build 200-250whp setups.

Well the short game has changed for the car. The gleaming weight reduction issue is currently in the way.

I have the 2002 SE which came with every weight addition they had to offer. The car weighs a porky ~2700 with me in it, w/t the roll bar. Im roughly 230# these days. I could potentially make it down to a healthy 210 but that leaves a lot of mechanical meat to cut away.

PS/AC is obvious, seats are also low hanging fruit, I'd like to get a straight pipe made for track days only, I've deleted the IM bracket as well as everything not entirely necessary from the trunk...

From there, Im curious what else there is that isn't entirely necessary. Its a street/track car with very little regard to street comfort. I'd be fine with most anything short of gutting the interior entirely.

-Lighter radio?(bose-ectomy with something halfway decent/cheap as a replacement)
-Lighter battery(lower on the list given price/pound)
-Gut the doors(need to look further into what is actually removed)
-hardtop acquisition/soft top removal(hopefully for 2020 season)

Specifically curious as to the things under the hood that can go. I havent seen any threads as to emissions components. I know I can probably get away without the cruise control.... Or if there's anything else Im missing.

Anyways, if anyone could take a minute to point me in the right direction, I'd very grateful. Cats all around to contributions :)

***Or if someone knows of a pretty conclusive DIY guide somewhere that advises in stages.... that would be really neat. Surprised one doesnt exist or not that I've seen.

I'm feeling a bit spoon-feedy today, lucky you. Some google-fu would return similar results.

https://www.miataturbo.net/race-prep-75/where-remove-weight-track-only-car-50385/

I considered posting a pic of a spoon ^_^ The trouble Im finding is everytime someone's asked similar/specific questions the entire thread is derailed within two posts and people get stuck on completely irrelevant topics.

At any rate, thank you. Ill dig in there. "Race prep" is a good alternative term to search for. I was going to go look at specific classing prep info as well.

A cat for you, sir.

2900lbs with you in the car? that means the car is 2670. thats mighty heavy....

how are you measuring weight?

i weighted my 2002 turbo miata at a truck scale, and it came in at 2500lbs. turbo/rollbar and all.

and i thought that was heavy. but 2670 without a turbo sounds too high.

my car has zero weight reductions, full interior/PS/AC etc...
no spare tire, no jack.

I had borrowed corner weight scales. I cant remember exactly how full, but the gas tank was around 3/4 (+~60 pounds).

I was in disbelief as well. I weighed myself on all 4 scales individually to make sure they were right.

I have pictures somewhere.

****Nope my bad, I found the pictures. I had remembered incorrectly. The car weighed 2450 on the scales & nearly 2700 with me in it. Rather than 2700 & ~2900 w/t me in it.

Good call out. I really had to dig to find that picture.

You're a big boy Kevin.

I struggle with that whole "bought the wrong car" dilemma often @ 6'3.5" ~230#

When I get around to buying the seat it'll be the kirkey road race seat mounted to the floor. Should work out... maybe? I think it will.

Unless you meant, "you're a big boy, go search" lol in which case I know it seems a little needy, I've been perusing around to not much avail. At least I didnt create another thread.

I was doing the math on the weight when I said you were big. I'm 6'1" and 185. I use the Kirkey pro drag with the rear of it bolted to the floor and have room to spare. You should be fine. Everything about the car fits better with the Kirkey. It went from cramped legroom and windshield header in my way to more than enough legroom and being able to reinstall the sun visors and use them. I did add a steering wheel spacer to make everything just right but Kirkeys are awesome and comfortable. And you can strategically place additional upholstery foam right beneath the cover if you want more lumbar or something. Or you can move it around on long trips.

I hadnt gotten to the part of the sun visors and I was already thinking about that, reading your post haha... That does sound nice. What did you use to prop the front of the seat up? I need to work something out for a different steering wheel as well. Something smaller in diameter and/or a little further protruding wouldnt be a terrible thing.

I used the front stock mounting points and 1 inch wide metal strips running front to back. They intersect with a piece of 1 inch square box tubing running left to right beneath the front of the seat as a spacer. The strips continue towards the rear and are bolted behind the seat but could just as easily be bolted through the seat at the rear. I have removed the rear seat humps from the floor. I think there were pictures in my "Slow Torture" build thread.

The winter to-do list for the miata is getting longer and longer.

- port match and install new manifold(along with dealing with all the differences from the old manifold. Still unclear as to all that includes after realizing there's a lot difference in sensors and vacuum lines)

- build intake

- depower rack

- remove PS(and maybe ac, still undecided there/I forget if deleting one means deleting both)

- build an exhaust for track days only

- delete everything in the bay that's either redundant or no longer necessary(no clue on this one)

- seat(getting less and less likely as the other things pile up http://forums.clubrsx.com/images/smilies/baller.gif )

- harness bar weld in (contingent on seat)

- injectors/pump/lines/regulator/fuel rail for e85 which is plentiful around here (makes sense to do while Im in there now but less likely at this point http://forums.clubrsx.com/images/smilies/baller.gif)

- work out the lip & splitter/tray mounting

- Build rear spoiler on the spare trunk

- buy / install MS3

I need a slave driver....

WTB: slave driver/life coach