mx5cartalk.com

hi all,

I've been on here since I bought my car 5 years ago but I've never put up pictures or info about my car.

I decided to start this thread now more as a place for Dann to document the turbo build he is doing for me but thought I should give a bit of history.

I purchased the car in 2008 as a completely stock car with 130,000kms and no air con or power steering, with the idea of keeping it as a daily and track car. And for the first 2 years or so it actually stayed that way! My first outing to Wakefield Park was up around the 1m20. After a few trackdays I managed to get it down to the 17's and 18's using Adrenalins. Then...bit by bit the modding started. I can't even remember the order but over the next few years I added the following: king spring/koni shocks, sway bars, 6UL (7.5") wrapped in Yokohama Advan Neovas, NB torsen diff, torque box rollbar, NB front brakes, exhaust. By this stage I was doing 10 trackdays a year and getting down to the 16s.

By now I had already found myself prefering to drive the Golf over the MX5 for the daily commute. So then I decided to dedicate my car to the track and the soft top and parcel shelf lining came out. I was suprised how much gravel I could hear on my street. Then when my Neovas ran out, I decided to put on some Advan AO50s. And that was it...somehow the car I bought thinking I would keep it as my daily had slowly morphed into something I absolutely loved driving on the track, and my wife hated sitting in on weekends.

The best laptime I have ever done is a 1m15 flat. I still think a better driver could get it into the 14s, maybe even 13s. But I was stuck at that level for a while.

The decision to go turbo wasn't very easy. There is something I love about being able to rev the little engine through the corner and being able to hassle much higher HP cars through the tight sections. In the end, I just wanted that little extra oomph especially going up the hill at Wakefield which just felt like forever. At my last trackday I sat in Justin's car and soon after I had made up my mind.

So now the car has been dropped off to Dann and when I get it back it's going to be a completely different car. I actually felt a little sad when I thought that it would never be the same again...so that's why I went for one last drive on the old road (with my r-specs and all!). Now I'm just excited about the opportunity of learning to drive a new car on the track!

I'll put up photos of the old car soon. And Dann can add some photos of the transformation!

7.5" 6ULs.

I see, everyone here on sunday stood next to your white na6 and Muzdamans white NA6 and guessed 7's.

the 7.5s must have a fair bit less offset than the 8's I guess

Everyone liked it btw



3rd car along is Ivans

Dann

Ivan, it'll be interesting to see you chase Narada now!

Yeh I actually wish I had just gone the 8's. I think i felt that as soon as I opened the box, but atleast I can afford the tyres.

Here is one of my favourite photos taken by Berty (Cars for Hope) as I waited patiently to go out on Eastern Creek..as it was called at the time.

Apu wrote:Ivan, it'll be interesting to see you chase Narada now!

Pretty sure you mean watch Narada chase Ivan..

Well, Mania and JDMYard have 15x8 Buddy Clubs in stock! $900-$940 depending on colour!

So far, they have a better record than 949s! I'm tempted to get a set too, haha!

Bryan...hahah it was literally 5 mins ago I told that I've been spending too much on my car!

I hope I can catch Nads! But before that I just want to smash my brother in his NA MR2.

If you are making 125+rwkw in a 1 tonne mx5 you will have more straight line speed then Nerada.

He should make 160+RWKW. Depends if the 2.25 exhaust is an issue, and what cat it has, which I havn't looked at yet.

Dann

then it's GG.

Lol, depends who you are I spose haha.

Dann

Here we GO !

The build here is the most basic 200whp, 100% reliable track setup, so its getting a few upgrades off the bat, it already has a good clutch, and is getting some RX8 injectors, an intercooler and BOV along with som einconel turbo studs to hold it together.

Nice clean catback only NA6 (suspension wheels tyres brakes sorted already). Running healthy and good compression, ready to have its horsepower tripled.


And after it goes on stands the first I notice is it has a stock cat. It will go from a 3" downpipe, through a 3" flex and then down to a clogged 1.75" stock cat, and then back up to 2.25 straight through.. So After a quick phone call we agreed it would be a shame not to fix that, so a 3" cat is going in with the downpipe.


While I'm at it we are also doing a reroute, this is just because this car sees most of its life being dríven hard at the track, and for a few hundred bucks its a very good precaution, and bonus is it will clean the engine bay up a lot. So for now, drop the coolant.


Intake and exhaust off.


These were the 2 remaining stock cat nuts, snapped off with half the bolts in them, siezed. Rattle gun got about 2 turns and then wouldnt go any further so I had to put the spanner on them and both snapped. This is very very common.


Got the throttle body up-pipe started.












Heading back out to continue.

Dann

nice build!

will follow with interest !

As i mentioned to Dann this is the first time i have done substantial modification to a car so it's a massive learning curve for me. Dann has been answering countless questions about basic mechanics to me which just makes the whole experience much more comfortable and enjoyable!

Build is looking great already and plenty of supporting bits going in to make this a a good track car! excited!!