Slug Dub's NA

[ManiacLachy]

Awesome roadtrip! I'm glad the car was well behaved for the trip

I want to do a nice long trip down south one day, though I doubt my girlfriend could handle that long in the MX-5. Some really nice photos in there too, I loved the shots at the Apostles.

[Magpie]

Nice write up. Sometimes I miss doing what you just did in your MX5 However, it will be behind the Amarok again this Sunday on its way back to Sydney, returning on Tuesday and hopefully at the mid-week sprints on the Wednesday.

[slug_dub]

Stuff and things over the course of the last few months...

Driving to the coast one day one of the spark plugs decided to end its life. Thanks to Steampunk who brought down some emergency items we were able to fix it on the side of the freeway.
My only slightly annoyed face


Finally made it to a trackday this year... Lakeside in late July. I put in some QFM AR1M pads. Wow they can stop the car good! The car now can certainly outbrake my bravery, so will have to work on that. I was able to borrow some R888s for the day, so in combination with the new pads the car was rather good, no PB's but a 1:08 for the day.

The NA6 didn't have quite as good a day... it now has an RB dual tip catback exhaust, and the polyurethane hangers melted over the course of the day, so some replacements were borrowed from Sonke who had to finish early (thanks Sonke!). Also, that car seems to vent a bit of fuel out of the cap which is annoying.


Enlisted Rupewrechts help to procure a few more rarities for the motherland:




I'm on a bit of a drive to get the interior sorted by finishing the drivers doorcard, and putting back together all of the crashpads... SOON™!!
Polished the horn button as a start


Also got some RS caps for the aircon panel.


Fitted stainless lines over the weekend.


Looking forward to tax tiiiiimmme...

[slug_dub]

Had the Nitto Neogen tyres changed out for 595RS-R in 195/50 this morning. They should hopefully keep up with the braking. Next comes the bravery.

[Trackphotos]

With enough bravery, those pads will outperform the tyres pretty quickly. Every time I switch back to RSRs from my nt01s, I can't help but lock them up easily where they wouldn't even be close to locking on the nt01s.

[slug_dub]

Ross that was definitely my experience with the Neogens! I've also got another set of wheels in the works for something grippier still (NT01's are on my mind too actually!) as it is definitely time for dedicated track wheels... something like that is always going to make other tyres seem less good under braking though. After driving the Neogens at Morgan Park I definitely wanted a bit better for the road too.

I will be on the 595's for at least next upcoming track day so I'll be able to gauge if there is any advantage over the Neogen's.

I've not been disappointed with the Neogens really, on the road they have been really good (almost as good as what I remember of the KU31), and with the Bendix Ultimate pads both those tyres seemed a good match for the power and grip.

[slug_dub]

Well quite a bit since August...

After Lakeside in July I changed to 595RS-R tyres. I do like them a lot.
Drove QR and then Morgan Park and the car has been feeling very good. Ross is right you can still outbrake the tyres but it is much better.

So I went on a bit of a bender and started sorting out parts for the next bunch of changes.

A second set of wheels for track. I went with some ATS DTC 15x7 +20 from Rupewhrecht. 5.5ish kg and I think they look great... downside is they rub a bit Guard roll should sort that out. Haven't sorted tyres for them yet. I may have to keep the Wats for the track though to handle the full loading up of the suspension, as its not that stiff a setup.





Sorted a less banged up driver side guard too you may notice... its been repainted before so doesn't have the black strip at the bottom. it was an improvement only in that it hasn't got a smoosh.

Nabbed a bunch more things to sort out the interior that I haven't gotten to yet, though I did put a stereo in the car at last. Feels weird to have music in it after not having any for the entire time I've owned the car!
Nabbed all the bits I need to get a computer going in the car; Adaptronic e440, MTX-L and an IAT sensor.
Nabbed a reroute kit.
Nabbed a 4:3 Torsen diff

And then I went and steered it into a cement wall at Lakeside this week



Came out the top of Karussel a bit wide and left the track, but tried to get back on too early. Slid across the right side and sideways into the wall just past the marshall's lookout. Well, I know now what to do if I do that again, but I hope I don't do that again. I wasn't that much off the track but I didn't handle it right.
No physical injuries to me, just the disappointment of killing my car.

I broke both wheels on the driver side (my lovely Wats! *sniff*).
Bent the crap out of the front control arms (which hit first).
It looks like the rear control arms are ok and the bushes took all the force, but won't know til we unbolt it all. The upper arm here is about 2mm away from the shock body but didn't hit it (phew).
There's lots of scuffing on the underside and a little bit pushed up around one of the floor drain grommets, but its not structural.
The motor was popped out of the passenger side engine mount, but everything is still inline and the car started, ran, and changed gear ok. its just all tipped over to the right a bit.
In the boot the right side of the boot opening is ok but the left side is kinked inwards a bit. In the floor of the boot a round cap of sheet steel welded around the joining of several pieces of sheet has popped up. Its just rearward of the shock mount but inboard inline with the box tube underneath... that doesn't bode well for straightness.
The door has scuffing but doesn't appear to have copped much, and the front and rear bumpers are just scuffed and probably ok, but the rear and front quarter panels are farked.



Pretty much all of my bolt on mod stuff is ok and I can reuse it all.
So I am on the hunt for another car. May Slug8v2 be even better. May I stay away from cement walls in future!

[ManiacLachy]

Daaaaamn

You know, MattR has a very nice red NA for sale ;)

[corners]

Daaaaamn

You know, MattR has a very nice red NA for sale ;)

Pretty sure thats long gone.

[ManiacLachy]

Pretty sure thats long gone.

Really, didn't it just go up? Anyway, if that's the case just go talk to Timk and step up with the big boys

[corners]

Pretty sure thats long gone.

Really, didn't it just go up? Anyway, if that's the case just go talk to Timk and step up with the big boys

My mistake I was under the impression it had sold long ago

[Magpie]

If you are coming out to dodgy day you can have a look at the shell there maybe some bits you could use to fix yours. I should be finished with it by the end of December, its sole purpose is to be used to help rewire/depin the loom for my car so you could consider making an offer for the shell

Could arrange a 2 day special Dodgy Day early in 2016 to do a transplant.

[ManiacLachy]

Mark, I thought you were gonna turn that shell into a turbo track car? Why do you tease me?

[Magpie]

Probably because the shell can be road registered if needed and if it is gone from the shed I won't get grief from the other half. I have asked the Son if he wants to help build a MX5 track only car and when he realised that he would be responsible for not only 50/50 of the costs plus 50/50 of the running expenses his attitude mellowed. Simply the Father is not going to fund the Children anymore! Plus it could help out slug_dub and keep his costs down (as well as mine).

I have been offered a KR250 and this would make a much better project than a turbo MX5!

[slug_dub]

Mark I can't do this dodgy day unfortunately, but will check in with you about the shell soon as I continue to explore all options... I hadn't forgotten that you have it there.