mitch_f1's mariner NA6

[Hjt]

A regular at CC track days, Mitchell Mathieson pulled a respectable 2:27.9; quickest of the MX-5s on the night.

Taken from the-lowdown.com!

Nice work mate

[mitch_f1]

Thanks

[username]

Loving that hardtop spoiler mate ;)

[evil_weevil]

great pic!!!

[-alex]

I'm just in loving the blue..

[mitch_f1]

Before I start this post, let me go on about the marvels of a wet track day with the picture showing the red and yellow lines on my R888s indicating next to no wear


After the EC twilight event I discovered that although my swaybar is adjustable, it is in effect, not adjustable, due to the fact that I could not get enough clearance between bolt and strut (note the scuff on the tape where contact has occured)


So, I went over to K-Mac suspension in Rockport (Kevin really knows his stuff, and you could spend hours talking with him about suspension) to get the ends bent in by about 1/2inch either side. Result is this:


(It was sprayed yellow, while raining, with no primer, so the paint is a bit flakey, which is disappointing. It will be re-done at one point or another.


As discussed a while back I needed to get longer springs, due to coil bind, which can be seen on this painters tape about 1/4 way up from bottom of spring:


The first point of call were Wholesale suspension in Penrith, but they supplied the wrong ones (due to mis-information, no fault of theirs), and could not supply the right ones. So, I got in touch with Scott at Fulcrum Suspension in Queensland, and told him what I needed, which was the 70mm ID 6kg 175mm long rear spring. At the time he was putting through an order for Lexus of Chatswood, and he mentioned that I wouldnt have to pay shipping if I could go there to collect them from there, which, being that I work in Chatswood, was just too easy. Final cost for Tein springs $190, same as King springs...CHEERING!!!






Put them on, and this is the result with approximately the same preload (I measured the compressed spring length and found it as a percentage of uncompressed length, and tried to achieve this same percentage in the new springs in an attempt to have the same ride height - yes it does work). No in car shots, but a few pages back there was a photo of the rear spring with the cars weight on it, and there was minimal room between the coils


Token photo:


So today I went to the Shift Performance trackday at Wakefield. Had a bit of a scare in the morning, when my temperature gauge wouldn't wake up. I think it was just too cold for the thermostat to open fully (because the sender is in the top hose, it is only reading when the thermostat is open). BUT, the other day when I popped the hood after a drive, and letting it cool down totally, the top radiator hose was all sucked in. I released the pressure by opening the radiator cap slowly, and I have not seen it happen again. I did a bit of research, and it has been said that it could be either of the water pump, or the thermostat. But then the water pump is 15,000km old (did it when I purchased the car) and the thermostat is probably about 7,000km old (when I did the radiator). Suggestions anyone????

So yeh, I left at 530am this time (was a bit too late to the September circuit club one to secure a garage). Got there about quarter to 8, with my choice of a wide variety of garages. So yeh, I went out the first session and was a bit shocked at how the car was handling; it would go straight into turn in over steer, and the tyres were making all kinds of squealing noises, as well as sliding everywhere. It was a little unnerving. I settled this out over the next few sessions by softening the rear shocks and stiffening the fronts. I think in the end the front was 3 clicks from hard, the rear was 10 from hard. Because of a very high ambient temperature (high 20s pretty much all day) I was having issues with the R888s (first time using them in the dry) overheating and just squirming around everywhere. Due to the fact that I have sacrificed 10mm of tyre profile my shift points were also very messed up; I found that I am now hitting the rev limiter coming into the braking area of the final turn, so have had to try shifting into fourth briefly for this corner before coming back down to 2nd. Overall result from the day was a 1:15.1 which I was a little disappointed in; I was hoping for low 14s at least, but I guess it is a totally new setup, and it was a hot day so I can't expect too much.

So I am also going to try a new wheel alignment for the weekend; I am going to increase the caster closer to 5*, increase rear tow to 2.4mm in, front to 1mm in, and decrease rear camber to 1.8*, which has been suggested in another thread

Videos to come, but first some photos:

[Hjt]

I was waiting for the update. Hope you get it all sorted begotten Saturday! My alignment is happening tomorrow!

P.s notice the hardtop is off!

[mitch_f1]

Lightweight!!

[Hjt]

Just ran into the black VW Scirocco @ spinning wheels. Such a beautiful car, he was swapping some wheels around.

[mitch_f1]

Did you see the fake rear fog light?

[evil_weevil]

try 33psi warm for the fronts.
rears..maybe 30

to give you an idea Im running over -3 degrees camber up front and -2.5 to -3 on the rear

0toe on rear and 2mm toe in up front

sway bar on medium

front TEIN's I had (accidently...) left on half medium/half hard - was meant to put them to hard and rear was only a few clicks from full soft - maybe 6 clicks?

car felt pretty good last wakie race meet however I was meant to put the fronts to full hard.

dont worry about the 1.15.1
its a new base line - you'll need to adjust your driving style to suit and may take a couple more days out there, lucky for you your going again this weekend!

have fun mate and bring her home safely too

[Hjt]

Did you see the fake rear fog light?

I noticed the "Garage Vary" 20cm long diffuser haha, I did however like the titanium exhaust!

[mitch_f1]

Chris do you have after market bushes? Because the most camber I can get up front is 1.5-2*

Thanks for the suggestions, however.

[plohl]

you should be able to get more then 2*. I have 2* at the front and 2.5* at the rear and still have a bit of adjustment with stock bushes. Lowering the car will allow you to get more negative camber.

[evil_weevil]

Mitch,
Yeah I sure do.

I even had the car at Road and Race at Rydalmere once and he raised my height slighty and stil lgot the same camber.

could be a good investment to get some a/market bushes mate

Good luck this weekend and have fun