Selene - Nev's NB SE

[Nevyn72]

A good day today!

Let's see;
- Chrome fuel filler lid is now in transit (at the sorting facility in California)
- Picked up and fitted the new license plates (see image below)
- ordered some cheapie DLR lights and a controller module from Fleabay (total cost of $23.50, so no great loss if doesn't work out)



Also, thanks to the gurus around these parts, my suspicions about what I need to do to achieve the performance upgrade I'm after have been confirmed.
Looks like, in order to do it right, there's a bit more involved than I had hoped.... *Sigh*

Hmmm, may need to try and find some ways to trim the budget in other areas.

Now if could just get Bill @ MiataRoadster to answer my email so I can place an order for the Nopro washer kit I'll be happy till next year..... maybe.....

[Nevyn72]

On the way out to my parent's place for a few days I couldn't help but stop at Mt Boyce in the Blue Mountains, West of Sydney, for quick pic!...... Have I ever mentioned just how much I love my new purchase?
(In this picture you can see the new side indicators and reflectors + new plates)



Orders currently inbound:
- DLR light bitz
- Chrome fuel filler lid replacement
- Nopro windscreen washer relocation kit
- Maybe something else more significant (haven't decided yet)..... *shhhhh*

[Crapweasel]

The car looks great, I think you're onto a good thing there!

Maybe look at getting a MX5Plus (I think Mania carry them also?) front plate bracket, will have the bottom edge of your plate sitting in line with the top of the mouth.

Is it currently running 45 profile tyres per chance?

[Nevyn72]

The car looks great, I think you're onto a good thing there!

Maybe look at getting a MX5Plus (I think Mania carry them also?) front plate bracket, will have your plate sitting in line with the top of the mouth.

Is it currently running 45 profile tyres per chance?

Thanks Crapweasel, I'll look into the front plate bracket, I'm even heading out Dural way in a few days but think Mania is closed until sometime in the new year.....

The tyres are 40 profile all round but the fronts are a brand I've never heard of before, 'Trocmok'... Seem to grip ok though!

[Crapweasel]

The tyres are 40 profile all round but the fronts are a brand I've never heard of before, 'Trocmok'... Seem to grip ok though!

Haven't heard of that brand either, just thought that the wheel gap didn't look anywhere as pronounced as it was on my car when I got it, yours looks far better!

[Okibi]

Great introduction, nice to have so many keen SE owners

[Nevyn72]

Haven't heard of that brand either.....

That's because the font they used made my reading a bit of a best guess!

Turns out they're actually Tracmax F-106 by Crown tyres..... Still haven't heard of them before!
http://www.crowntyre.com/products/tracm ... x-uhp/f106

Anyone else out there heard of these before?

[davekmoore]

Just another random Chinese brand?

Be especially careful of them in the wet.

[Tristan_ACT]

Looking good mate, keep up the good work!

[Nevyn72]

Just throwing this one out there.......

Now I know changing the factory standard strut tower brace is not a high priority performance/handling wise but I'm going to be doing quite a bit in the engine bay soon and want to make this alteration while I'm making a mess in there.
I understand the need to move the washer bottle and add a dedicated catch-can is part of this process and to that end I have a Nopro washer kit on order and am waiting to see what NitroDann comes up with before sourcing a catch-can so that side is basically covered.

My current dilemma is what type of brace to get?... what are the thoughts of those out there who have made the change?

Do I just go for a two way brace similar to the factory one like this?





Or do I go for a more substantial three way design that will cost more like this?





You can see I like the Carbing design!
Other frame stiffening mods such as a (most likely) MX5-plus TB rollbar and frog braces will also be happening so this may also come into play....

Is the 3 way worth the extra cost?
Are there any other issues and/or problems with either option?

Thanks in advance,
Nev

[Lokiel]

The washer bottle only needs to be moved if you get an NA 3-point brace (like the one in the 2nd picture above) - the NB 3-point brace clears the washer bottle and the 2 point brace doesn't go over it.

Nev and I have had a few PMs about this mod and believe it or not, I actually tried talking him out of it (the factory brace is actually very good and you can easily cut off the section that attaches all the catch-can plumbing) and spending his "hard-earn$" on other modz. He's got his heart set on it so here's my thoughts:

1. Get one with the Master Brake cylinder stopper attached - you'll kick yourself later for not doing this since it firms up the feel of hard-braking as your firewall wont flex forward. Mine doesn't have this and I will weld a mounting bracket onto it one day to support the stopper.

2. If you get a 3-point brace, make sure it comes with the firewall backplate (that black thing in the 2nd photo) - this stiffens the firewall so you'll actually get some benefit from the brace mounting to the firewall.

3. The NA 3-point brace will require drilling 2 holes into the firewall whereas the NB brace only needs 1 since there's already a matching hole on the firewall. The base of the backplate requires 3 holes to be drilled into the chassis to mount it securely.

[Okibi]

Lokiel did you have any dramas with the brake lines on the firewall when you went to attach yours?

I still have my Mazdaspeed one sitting in the shed, I want to keep the OEM catch can so gonna have to work out some pipework or transfer the OEM pipe.

[Lokiel]

^
No, I just had to move them slightly down with my fingers when putting it in place and they returned to their normal position when I let them go - they're hard lines and there was enough flex to do this easily.

Davex3 had a MAZDASPEED NA 3-point brace like the one pictured above (I think that the MAZDASPEED 3-point braces are manufactured by Carbing) and he had to bend his lines down slightly - no drama, it's easy to do with just your hands.

I suspect that the difference was because his rear firewall mount point is upside-down compared to mine:


ie. that flat horizontal "shelf" is on top on my brace and is on the bottom on the NA brace so I gained a bit more clearance under the "shelf".

You can see on the NA brace that it looks like a "ferris-wheel seat":

- my brace has that "ferris-wheel seat" rotated 180*

The SE's oil catch can isn't that great Okibi, some guys have issues with oil splashing back up and getting flushed through the air intake system all the way through to the intake manifold (I think it's an issue when you're running 12psi or more at the track - FM's one-way return valve helps prevent this). If you're going to get rid of the factory brace it's much simpler, and cleaner looking, to use an aftermarket oil catch can.

[Nevyn72]

Thanks for the reply Loki, both PM and here.

Yes I've got my heart set on this, not it's not really necessary, since when has this little project of mine had anything to do with common sense!



So back to my main question......

Is there any compelling reason to go the 3 way over the 2 way brace?
(something about drilling 3 holes in the wet area below the windscreen for the backing plate just doesn't work for me, even though you can waterproof this to a degree)

[Lokiel]

I think you've talked/reasoned yourself into the 2-point brace and there are many who believe that the 3rd mounting point doesn't contribute much anyway, some even doubt the effect of the brace at all, so go for the 2-point brace with the master brake cylinder stopper.

As for common sense, that goes out the door when you're passionate about something - I'm as guilty as anyone when it comes to this.