Turbo Terror Jul 24, 2008
We took our freshly turbocharged 1994 R-package Miata out for some exercise at a local autocross last weekend. We were disappointed when the other drivers we were expecting in our class didn't make it to the event, but we had a hell of a good time on course in their absence. This was mostly a toe-in-the-water exercise, since the car was still sporting tires left over from the budget tire test.
Despite the commuter-grade rubber and 130,000-mile fresh suspension components, the Miata performed beautifully. The power delivery from the Flyin’ Miata turbo kit felt very linear and easy to control. It allowed for the same throttle-steering fun of the stock roadster, but multiplied by a factor of five. Our challenge was to adjust our driving to take best advantage of the turbo power.
Thanks to a lack of competition, we took a first-place trophy by default. We were more gratified by our place on the PAX index results: We landed somewhere around the 40th percentile. With lots of room for improvement in both technique and preparation, we're already chomping at the bit for some more seat time.
Putting the “Street” Back in Street Modified Feb 11, 2009
Our 1994 R-package Miata is one of the fastest examples of Mazda's little roadster we've ever driven--and we've driven quite a few of them. We've taken this car a step or two beyond stock, however, by adding a Flyin' Miata FMII turbo kit. The car now proudly lays down 238 horsepower to the rear wheels thanks to a Garrett GT2560R turbo. The Flyin' Miata FMII kit provides a very high power level with a broad torque curve to match.
We recently acquired a set of Bilstein Coilovers to improve the suspension. We'll be working with the Miata suspension gurus at FatCat Motorsports to help us maximize the effectiveness of our new equipment while maintaining a street-friendly ride.
Ultimately, we want this car to put the "street" back in the SCCA's Street Modified class at the Solo National Championships. We're curious to see just how well a truly street-driven car would fare against a field of thinly-disguised racers.
Gangsta Wrapper Apr 16, 2009
We've been making a lot of small improvements to our turbocharged Miata project car. This week, we used the new Titanium Exhaust Wrap from Design Engineering, Inc., to contain some of the heat emanating from our Miata's downpipe. The benefit of this is twofold: Not only does the wrap reduce heat transfer to surrounding components, but it also helps the exhaust flow by maintaining higher temperatures inside the pipe.
According to DEI's Web site, the Titanium Exhaust Wrap is made using pulverized lava rock that's been extruded into fibers and woven into the wrap material. This new process raises the wrap's temperature rating to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 30 percent higher than that offered by conventional wrap materials. Installation is also a little easier than with competitive products; DEI says the wrap doesn't need to be soaked in water before installation to achieve a tight fit.
The wrapping process was pretty easy, since our downpipe is a much simpler shape than an exhaust manifold. All told, the job only took about an hour. We didn't have any trouble, but you may want to wear gloves during the installation if you have sensitive skin.
We've also been meaning to replace the Miata's engine mounts. Since the downpipe is out of the car, we'll give that job a shot this week. Watch for more updates as we make progress.
Gaining Grip Aug 3, 2009
After more than a year of enjoying big turbocharged power with our Miata on an otherwise stock suspension and commuter-grade tires, we've finally upgraded the running gear of our car. The factory spec R-package suspension had held up well and was free of squeeks and rattles. On the other hand, the factory springs and shocks weren't prepared to handle the sort of power we were making with our Flyin' Miata turbo setup. The setup could be kept under control for street driving, but it was really out of sorts on the autocross course. Fear not, however, as we used this opportunity to evaluate a few different aftermarket solutions in our quest for a dual-duty street car.
Our first step was pretty obvious; rolling around on $60 budget tires wasn't going to cut it among the fast cars in the SCCA's Super Street Modified class. The fastest choice for tires would have probably been Hoosier's 275/35R15 A6, but that tire is more of a purebred than the the hybrid street and competition solution we wanted. Our dual-purpose tire dilemma was solved with a set of Nitto NT-01 tires in the large but reasonable size of 225/45/15. We wanted to leave the Hoosier option open, so we decided to try a set of 949 Racing's 6UL wheels in a massive 15x9-inch size. Incredibly, even in a 9-inch width these wheels weigh less than 13 pounds. They're designed specifically with Miatas in mind, so these wheels are about as big as you'll be able to fit under an early Miata without significant modification. They can accommodate the Nittos or the Hoosiers without any fuss, so if we decide to take the car to a national event we can go with even bigger, stickier tires.
We liked the fact that the factory Bilstein shocks had held up to more than 100,000 miles of wear without failing, so we decided to stick with their products on our project. We installed two different sets of Bilstein-sourced coil-over assemblies on the car. The first was their premium PSS9 coil-over set. The second was the Fat Cat Motorsports Variant coil-overs; the FCM units use custom valved Bilstein shocks mated with stiffer springs and adjustable spring collars. We wanted to find the best handling solution that wouldn't jar our bones during trips around town, and only testing would help us find it.
We also upgraded the anti-roll bar to a Racing Beat tubular unit that we sourced from Good-Win Racing. We anticipated a marked increase in grip, so we also included Racing Beat's reinforcement blocks to keep the anti-roll bar mounts from tearing under load. (We've seen this happen before on Miatas that are capable of huge grip, and it doesn't look pretty.)
Look for the complete review and test results in an upcoming issue of Grassroots Motorsports.
Dressing up for Solo Nationals Sep 2, 2009
When we first picked up our 1994 Miata, we were completely enamored with the car's sharp handling. We considered using the car as a platform for an E-Stock autocross effort, but couldn't resist the temptation for more power, so it become the test subject for a Flyin' Miata turbo kit installation.
We recently upgraded the suspension as well, and careful setup has led to a really fast little car that still works well as a daily driver. In fact, we think our project might be the fastest daily-driven autocross car in the country.
To prove our claim, we're going on a road trip. Our quest will take us from the sunny shores of Daytona Beach, Florida and across 1400 miles of America's heartland. When we reach Lincoln, Nebraska, we'll compete in the 2009 SCCA Solo National Championships.
Our Miata will compete against Vipers, Porsches, RX-7s and Corvettes in the SSM class at Nationals. This class is among the fastest at the event, and competition for the top spot is sure to be close. We don't really expect to come out on top, but we think we can finish ahead of the other daily-driven entrants at the event. If we're wrong, we'd love to find our more about the car and driver combination who are fastest.
As a final preparation for Nationals, we've given our Miata a layer of war paint. Well, war vinyl in this case; our car's new look comes courtesy of Bob Stephens and the crew at Bargain Signs in Clearwater, Florida. Our Miata's paint is still in good shape, so the idea of using a wrap makes good sense; it allows us to completely change the car's appearance while preserving the car's original paint.
We got a little creative with the wrap on our car, and the "High Octane" nose art is a particular highlight. The piece was originally painted by artist Peter Ledger at Castle Air Force Base in 1989, but the work was lost when the KC-135 that served as its flying canvas was deployed for the first Gulf war. We had a very personal connection with this portion of the Military community, so we asked Peter's widow, Christy Marx to reproduce Peter's work on our car. Peter was a motorcycle racer and lover of speed, so Christy agreed to let us reproduce his original art from a photograph. Thanks, Christy!
The Bargain Signs crew did a terrific job on the design and installation of the wrap, using a simple squeegee and occasionally waving a propane torch to shrink the material into place. The process only took about 7 hours to completely install and should last at least 5 years, even if left outdoors under direct sunlight. The finished material is hard to identify as vinyl until you're within reach, and we loved having the freedom to make the car look however we wanted without risking the original paint. The vinyl is also easy to clean with water or a spray detailer.
We look forward to putting up our best effort at the Solo Nationals, so wish us luck for next week's big event. We'll try to have updates while we're on the road.
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