Goodwin Racing NC going to Superlap Battle USA COTA 2020
 

Official announcement :)

Project "Budget NC" Phase TWO!

This past year we bought a junkyard NC and have been building a road map to show how you can build a quick and fun NC for a very reasonable amount that will embarrass exotic cars in the twisty bits and at autocross. We've also taken this car to the track and turned respectable times but on the big track it's clear that it's an "all the grip" car that would be happy to use more power if we had it.

For stage 2 we want to step the car's track capability up a couple notches and see if we can embarrass some exotics on the race track as well. A baseline at a local track with the car as it is now is due first so we'll get that done just after the holidays, and then we'll take you guys along as we add some power, some aero, and some additional track-focused mods to take this car to that next level.

And hmmm we should probably have a big event to take it to, don't you think? Superlap Battle USA at Circuit of the Americas is right around the corner, Feb 15-16. Our HyperMiata isn't going to be able to make it this year as we have several more big changes to get done and tested and not enough time to get that all done... so let's pass the torch to the NC! This car is already set up to run a 255/40/17 on our 17x10s - which the street class spec tire, the Yokohama A052 comes in, and with a full interior it seems a great candidate for a street class contender.

When it's all done we can take the car back to our local track for an apples to apples comparison to see where we are after all the changes. This is going to be fun!

https://www.mazdatalkforum.com/downl...hp?id=6852&t=1

Curent build list AKA "phase 1":
2006 NC we got off craigslist for $5k
Junkyard 2.5L motor
Junkyard factory LSD
Junkyard 5 speed
ACT Stage 1 clutch
RoadsterSport header, midpipe and muffler
Goodwin Racing Front Budget BBK
Porterfield R4 Pads
Konig Hypergram 17x10
MeisterR Club Race coilovers
RoadsterSport sway bars
Blackbird Fabworx black edition rear spoiler
CarbonMiata front lip
RoadsterSport lightweight battery kit

What ECU?

Is that the CameronSport rollbar or some other?

Any reason for the 5 spd over a 6 spd? Price? Availability?

That's how the car sits now. Lots of changes coming.

ECU is factory. They're tunable via EcuTek and similar. The turbo kit on the way comes with a tune, we'll see how it works and do some further tuning if necessary.
The roll bar is an old AWR unit that we happened to have lying around. With the speeds at COTA we naturally want a hardtop so DG Motorsports is making one for us now and because that current bar's rear legs go to the hardtop's rear mounting points on the body, it won't fit under a hardtop so we'll need to change roll bars. Plans for this coming month:

5 speed is cheaper,handles a standard 2.5L great and we actually prefer the ratios of the 5 in most cases. We're changing to a 6 speed with the increase in power. Walter Motorsports has put together a blueprinted/polished 6 speed for us in anticipation of the incoming turbo, and a new diff is also being built with a 3.63 to better suit the 6 speed's ratios.

Ryan, FYI you may want to update your NC roll bar offerings to reflect this: Hard dog makes an NC "hard core" bar that is ~1/2 the cost of the BBFW. You may want to have them make one for this car as it fits the budget motif (as I just did) and add it to your site!

They have had the jig for at least 4 years...

https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/i...-youtube_0.jpg

Vteckiller2000 is Cameronsport I was referring to. His Hard Dog bar is muy bueno and priced similarly to other normal Miata roll bars. I'm not sure if there is a non-disclosure agreement.

Thanks guys. As part of a safety update to make the car fit for TA competition we have a Blackbird Fabworx NC RZ bar being built right now in BFW signature blue, as well as a Sparco going in with PCI seat mounts, a a BFW fire extinguisher bracket and a 6 point harness and Halotron extinguisher donated by Hyper.

Does the Hard Dog bar pass the required safety regs?

The Hard Dog M3 Hard Core probably does.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...472020105.jpeg

Don't know. We're putting a BFW bar in it. In BFW's sexy signature blue. It's going to be great.

Sparco Evo II US that we had sitting around from one of our other projects is a perfect fit for this car, on PCI seat mount with a Sparco 6 point harness donated by Hyper:

https://photos.smugmug.com/GWR-Budge...IMG_1943-L.jpg

Had some folks asking about heights and weights of the seat vs stock:

The factory seat in our 2006 is a featherweight as factory seats go at 29.50 lbs. That's base package cloth seat.

https://www.mazdatalkforum.com/downl...hp?id=6856&t=1

Sparco Evo II US (which is not the smallest of aftermarket seats) is 19.1 lbs and the PCI bracket is 10 lbs. So we end up with a net zero weight gain for a safer setup that sits us lower and holds us in place far better. If this car was a GT with leather seats, we'd be cutting weight too.

https://www.mazdatalkforum.com/downl...hp?id=6857&t=1


It should be noted that Sparco's current crop of QRT seats are about 5 lbs lighter than this older model, so you could even come in lower.

And a good comparison of headroom between the two. Dropped a significant amount:

https://www.mazdatalkforum.com/downl...hp?id=6858&t=1

Talking with Stoptech and I can confirm we’re going to go with their C43 BBK so we can have complete confidence with turbo power at the end of the long straights at COTA. Will hammer out the specifics like pads etc once we are all back in the office after the holidays.

I cannot wait to see this car in February! I have the weekend off and everything!

Definitely sad that the HyperMiata won't make the trip but this project is awesome as well. I'd like to build one of these up as a wheel to wheel car sometime off in the future.

I'll see you there. :party:

Nice, glad you're going this year!

Current status in the engine bay. 2.5L engine, MotoEast Intake, RoadsterSport Max Power Header, RoadsterSport Lightweight Battery Kit and Aluminum Coolant Expansion Tank.
2.5 swaps are like the Millenium Falcon; "She may not look like much but she's got it where it counts." - Han Solo

https://www.mazdatalkforum.com/downl...hp?id=6873&t=1

Lots of changes coming fast in this space in January. Speaking with Fab9 about turbo, fuel, etc. and getting the details hammered out. We should see a kit here some time next week.

I'll be at COTA for superlap, I'll have to swing by and say "hi"

Lots to do between now and then but when we get to that point will definitely post what garage we're in and hope anyone who can make it out to COTA comes by!