Project Turbo Miata: Fire Fighting

Fire sucks, which is why almost every road racing series now mandates on-board fire suppression systems. We’re big fans of them, too, because it just isn’t realistic to think you’re going to extinguish yourself as you roll to a stop with one of those chintzy handheld extinguishers sheetmetal-screwed to your car’s tunnel.

We installed a SPA Technique fire system in our last Miata, and transferring it over to our Miata’s next incarnation was as easy as drilling a few new holes and ordering some spare tubing to replace what was damaged in the crash. Hopefully we’ll never need to use it, but if we do, we’ll be glad we spent a few hundred bucks and skipped the handheld extinguisher.

Comments

Dusterbd13 UltimaDork
4/18/17 6:11 p.m.

Can you please give more information on the design and actual install? Some of us are not bright enough to buy a pre-engineered system.

TurboFocus Reader
4/20/17 5:04 p.m.

I second this^^

SPA_Technique New Reader
4/27/17 2:44 p.m.

Thanks to Grassroots Motorsports for mentioning us and keeping/transferring this system to a new car/project. This particular SPA fire suppression system is unique to SPA, in that it has 3 forms of activation; mechanical pull cable activation, electrical push button activation & automatic activation (thermal/heat activation in the head on the end of the cyl/bottle). This is a SFI 17.1 10lb system. We also have FIA and the new FIA 8865-2015 systems. We are always more than happy to answer any questions.

Dr. Hess MegaDork
4/27/17 3:12 p.m.

In reply to SPA_Technique:

Are these a foam system or what? How do they do with fiberglass fires?

SPA_Technique New Reader
4/27/17 3:21 p.m.

This system/our Extreme line uses 3M™Novec™1230 which is considered a Halon replacement but works differently. It works primarily by cooling and works on a wide range of fires. We also do foam/AFFF (aqueous film forming foam) systems and that is used in our FireSense line of systems.