Dan's NC track toy

[Dan]

Figured I’d come on and start a thread about my new MX-5, I’ve brought this as a fun track car that is reliable and closer matched to my driving level so that I can get out to more track days and progress as a driver.

My other performance car is an Evo X that puts out >300kw at the wheels so I don’t really have a requirement to make the MX-5 into anything special performance wise, doing some simple performance mods and focussing on suspension/driver mods is the plan.

I’ve got a Racetech seat sitting around, provided it fits I’ll buy another, a second harness and organise a roll bar/half cage (I’ve spoken to Phil at Street Meet welding, keen on that option but don’t know if I want a hard top full time).

Current plans are:
- Install safety gear (roll bar, seats, harnesses etc…).
- Keep it stock for the next couple of months and see what sort of times I can do until I burn out the RE001’s that are on it right now.
- Install FD Rims, tyres (probably Hankook R-S3), 4.1, Headers, Tune, Coilovers, Sway Bars
- Track on…

Anyway I hope to meet you guys soon and will keep the thread updated as the car progresses,

I can’t make Circuit Club or Track School but will be down at Wakefield on August 21 for Speed off the Streets if anyone’s going down.

Nothing exciting but here’s some pics of the car:

[Charlie Brown]

Congratulations Dan.

Join the MX5 Club and come and play with us at Wakefield and Eastern Creek.

Also add pads and brake fluid to your list of mods. You need to stop.

[Dan]

Thanks mate, yep that's first on my list and will be done before hitting the track, RBF600 and pads of some description.

I found the insight around Pads within your build thread very helpful in considering what pads to use (I think you were using Red's?), what would your current suggestion be of which ones to buy?

[Charlie Brown]

The Red's break down under track conditions, go with the Yellows or Carbotech to start.
I'm in the process of getting new rotors and will be trying Hawk Blues just on the track, no road use.

[16bit]

if you want a cheap dual purpose pad i really like the qfm a1rm pad. they should make them for the nc.

http://www.qfmbrakes.com.au/performance_vehicle.html

[Dan]

^ Thanks for the tip, I'm not so concerned about the cost I'm just looking for something that is a good 'crossover' pad, the car won't be dríven often on the street so my priorities are for me to have something that's not a compromise on the track while retaining the best street manners possible for an aggressive pad.

Daniel Deckers is going to be doing all of the work on the car, I'm meeting with him later in the week so I'll ask his advice

[Regie]

i got a set of HP+ from Amazon. Used them at the last track day, Fantastic Pad...and was only $115 delivered

http://www.amazon.com/Hawk-Performance- ... automotive

[Guran]

Welcome! Good call on the NC. Definitely a good idea to leave it stock while you get started. Out of the box, it can do 1:13s at Wakefield Park and nothing more than a set of R-specs should drop that to a high 1:11. Add some simple mods and you're looking at 1:09s ... after a lot of practice.

You do know that it already has proper steel rollover hoops underneath those plastic covers? Very few NC owners go to the extreme of a welded cage or rollbar unless they're doing door-to-door racing or rallying. Something to consider.

[greenMachine]

Welcome! You do know that it already has proper steel rollover hoops underneath those plastic covers?

... ummm, ...errr, ... no

Do a search on here, there is at least one thread that has a picture of a naked NC, and another of a burnt shell, which show just how (in)substantial the 'roll hoops' are ...

While it is registered, CAMS will not be a worry, don't know about AASA etc. If it becomes unregistered, or you want to race (not track days, not supersprints) you will need a proper bar/cage for CAMS events, again you should check with AASA or whoever if you are running their events.

That is my understanding, which may be dated/wrong, so you need to do your own checking.

[Guran]

I disagree Ed. That thread you mentioned ended up with a link to a US patent on the rollover protection system in the NC. Sure, they're not as substantial as a CAMS compliant rollbar, but they are still regarded as rollover protection.

viewtopic.php?p=618856#p618856

On the other hand, I believe you're correct about not requiring a rollbar/rollcage in Type 1 and Type 2 CAMS events mostly. It's only when you want to run a non-road-registered car that you have to fit a cage.

[greenMachine]

I take your point Bryan, and concede that they are stronger than they might appear. Just how much stronger is the point I would make, but no way would I call them 'proper' rollover hoops.

I don't want to take this too far o/t, or open up that particular COW again , I will just refer Dan to viewtopic.php?f=28&t=45995&start=120

[Dan]

Thanks for the feedback on the Roll Bars guys, I'm pretty particular about safety since my Dad is into motorsport as well and has been involved in a rollover, I am fully aware that the likelihood of a rollover is very low especially in a car like the MX-5 but I like my life and would rather take precautions.

Yes I do understand that there are roll over hoops already in the car, the reasons I'm interested in going hard top/weld in over soft top with a pre-fab'd bar is because of my height (6'1") means that it'll be much easier for me to fit into the car with a comfortable seating position since the ones Goodwin sell are at most 2.5" over the stock hoops whereas a weld in can run to the hard top roofline.

To be honest though I've been having a ball driving this car down the usual driving roads (Putty, RNP, Old Pac) in the last few days that I'm considering driving this on the road for a while, for that reason I might end up with running something that allows me to run the soft top which means prefab or stock.

So having said that I have also looked at keeping the stock rollover protection if I can fit under it in my racing seat and still use a Harness and HANS, in most rollovers it should be adequate and I'd maintain a stock looking car when I put the stock seat back in when I get home from the track which is certainly my preference, in fiddling around with the seat it looks like I could make it under with a slightly 'bent' driving position in the stock seat so my Racetech seat mounted to the floor should make it well under (yes I am factoring in the fact that there is 1.5" between the top of the plastic and the metal).

I don't like the Beatrush harness bar since it would put the harnesses above the harness guides which is not safe so if I run this option I'll probably mount the harness eyelets as Brian Goodwin suggested in one of his threads (this also illustrates the stock rollover protection as discussed):


So all of the doors of rollover protection are still open except the idea of not doing anything, I'm open to people pointing out any flawed logic.

[Dan]

Welcome! Good call on the NC. Definitely a good idea to leave it stock while you get started. Out of the box, it can do 1:13s at Wakefield Park and nothing more than a set of R-specs should drop that to a high 1:11. Add some simple mods and you're looking at 1:09s ... after a lot of practice.

Yeh I'm looking forward to getting out soon, booking a couple of days in the next month, hope to see you out there in your NC too! I assume you're going to try and run relatively stock like you do with your NA?

I'm interested in contextual times to gauge where I'm at, the 1:13 on street tyres I assume that is a 1:13:99 or something? That sounds incredibly quick to me on the stock suspension if it's low 13's

[Guran]

The std NC record at Wakefield Park now stands at 1:13.78. Luke Kovacic did that at last Sunday's MX-5 club trackday. He was driving his Dad's 07 NC which still had the original Michelins. It was only the second or third time he's dríven it on track! Luke usually tracks his modified SE. Tough benchmark, eh!

[Dan]

Yeh that's an incredible time, good on Luke.

I spoke with him at the previous MX-5 club day when I came down to check it out and he mentioned he was going for the record in his Dad's car, he's a really nice guy who gave a great unbiased opinion of the SE vs the NC, I'm glad he got it