My British Racing Green '99 NB

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:49 pm

Tallboy roll bar in today courtesy of Automotive Plus, also fitted some harness anchors for me, so the new harness is all set. Just need to find out whether or not it might be a problem leaving the trans-tunnel side one in place on the road, since it's fiddly to get out.

Postby **orx626** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:21 pm

Trackphotos wrote:Just need to find out whether or not it might be a problem leaving the trans-tunnel side one in place on the road, since it's fiddly to get out.

It looks fantastic Ross.

The advice you were given is what we had been advised by a QT Approved Person. I can guarantee that if you were to ask another one you'd get a different interpretation. :roll:

Personally I leave my harness permanently in the NA. The shoulder straps are coiled and tucked behind the seat whereas the lap straps are run down each side of the seat. Out of sight, out of mind. As long as you are never caught using the harness on the road you shouldn't ever have an issue with the authorities.

Cheers,
Danny

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:30 pm

orx626 wrote:It looks fantastic Ross.

The advice you were given is what we had been advised by a QT Approved Person. I can guarantee that if you were to ask another one you'd get a different interpretation.

Personally I leave my harness permanently in the NA. The shoulder straps are coiled and tucked behind the seat whereas the lap straps are run down each side of the seat. Out of sight, out of mind. As long as you are never caught using the harness on the road you shouldn't ever have an issue with the authorities.

Cheers,
Danny

Yeah I've asked around and like all things TMR, answers vary. Common sense and an attitude-test pass, should be fine. Speaking of, how do you tie up the length of unused shoulder straps? Coil and a rubber band/cable tie? :p

Postby **orx626** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:34 pm

Trackphotos wrote:Speaking of, how do you tie up the length of unused shoulder straps? Coil and a rubber band/cable tie? :p

Yep, cable ties work for me.

Cheers,
Danny

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 10:24 pm

Fail tyres. 12,000km and 3 track days. I guess 'minimum rolling resistance for maximum fuel economy' does not equal track performance. Super hard rubber and no camber, entire chunks just ripped out of the shoulder instead of wearing them out.

Jeo · Postby **Jeo** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 10:45 pm

"Shagged.jpg"

Accurate title

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 6:41 pm

Went up to Landsborough to MCA today and got some MCA Blue coilovers fitted. Very impressed by both the quality of the coilovers themselves, and the knowledge that Josh showed. Since Josh hadn't fit any of these to an NB before it was a bit of a work in progress. He wasn't too happy with the fronts at first test drive, he felt they were still a bit spongey. Back out of the car, disassembled both of them, and made some very small (but very important) changes to the piston and shims. Reinstalled, back for another test drive, and feeling much better. Definitely showed a lot of knowledge and experience to know what to change where, by how much, and know how it would turn out.

The springs fitted were stiffer than most coilover sets available for MX5s, Josh opted for 11kg fronts and 7kg rears. Glossing over the details that I don't understand/remember, the lower coilover mounting points are further back from the wheel hubs than most cars, so there's more load or something and stiffer springs work. Driving home on the highway it was less comfortable than stock suspension, but still more than bearable, and that was with front set 2 clicks from full hard, and rear 4 clicks from full. Bit of twisty mountain roads up in Landsborough definitely showed they perform well, absolutely rapt with how they feel. Can't wait for the 3 track days I'm planning on doing next month.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 7:15 pm

Great news. I know they were looking for a NB to test (as the original design was done on a NA) as someone else bought a set and thought the tears were too soft.

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Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 7:17 pm

Gave it a quick run last night with all the shocks set to full soft, then full hard to see what happens. Turns out these are balanced pretty well perfectly. On full soft, it feels pretty much just like stock suspension, little bit flowy over bumps, very little scuttle shake, but it stays much flatter through enthusiastic cornering. Too soft for track, comfortable for the road. Full hard on the other hand, very stiff, instant scuttle shake on every tiny little bump, dead flat on smooth corners. The contrast is great, easily adjustable from one extreme to the other.

Also cut a pair of holes in the boot carpet so the damper adjustment extenders can poke through, as it was they sit too far back behind it. Had to drill a hole through the fuel line shield on the left side (with it out of the car, hurrr) to get it to sit through without rubbing on the metal edge.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 7:53 pm

Nice one, sounds like a great upgrade. Now we need pics to see the new improved ride height

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 11:50 am

speed freak wrote:Nice one, sounds like a great upgrade. Now we need pics to see the new improved ride height

There's no visible difference, we only dropped it 1cm. Any more would be sacrificing suspension travel for a lower centre of gravity, plus speedbumps would be worse. Stock height is pretty well spot on for a tracked road car, wouldn't go lower unless it had rock hard coilovers.

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 11:40 am

Trackphotos wrote:Also cut a pair of holes in the boot carpet so the damper adjustment extenders can poke through.....

So the MCA Blue's have a damper adjustment extender? Cool!
How much extra did they add to the cost? I wish MCA would update their website sometime with these new options for the MX5.

As far as I knew only the Yellowspeeds had this option for the rear shocks which is really needed in an NB......
I was already leaning towards the MCA Blues (support local industry, etc.) over the alternatives (Yellowspeed, BC racing, HSR, etc.) and despite the extra cost this might just clinch it.

I am surprised they went so hard on the spring rates seeing as all the others have a standard package of 8/6kg.
Did you specify that wanted a 'track' bias?

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 6:40 pm

Nevyn72 wrote:
Trackphotos wrote:Also cut a pair of holes in the boot carpet so the damper adjustment extenders can poke through.....

So the MCA Blue's have a damper adjustment extender? Cool!
How much extra did they add to the cost? I wish MCA would update their website sometime with these new options for the MX5.

As far as I knew only the Yellowspeeds had this option for the rear shocks which is really needed in an NB......
I was already leaning towards the MCA Blues (support local industry, etc.) over the alternatives (Yellowspeed, BC racing, HSR, etc.) and despite the extra cost this might just clinch it.

I am surprised they went so hard on the spring rates seeing as all the others have a standard package of 8/6kg.
Did you specify that wanted a 'track' bias?

Josh threw the extenders in free, I got these Blues cheap coz he was looking for a stock NB to fit them to, check clearances etc. Not sure what they're worth normally. They have a couple of different lengths of extender and they just screw on with an allen head grub screw, so they fit all of their coilovers I'm pretty sure. I believe the MX5 parts aren't listed on the site because the NB wasn't for sale yet, and NA parts might not be in stock or something like that. Both recent developments.

I told him the car was pretty much only used for track days and driving to/from the track, no daily duties. That being said, he was very confident that 11kg fronts would be pretty much spot on because of whatever makes MX5 suspension geometry a bit different to most cars, the distance between the wheel hubs and where the coilover mounts changes loads or something, and it's much further apart in MX5s than most 'performance' cars. I'm very happy with them, haven't run a track day yet but on the street they are very comfortable. The adjustment from full soft to full hard is considerable, and the harder end seems like it should be great on the track too, it stays very flat through fun cornering on the street, and the diving under brakes is all but gone.

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:59 pm

Changed the oil and filter, had done about 4 track days without a change so was quite due. Good thing the boys at Automotive Plus only did it finger tight back when the timing belt service was done, didn't need an oil filter wrench or anything

Took the opportunity while it was off the ground to get a photo of the MCAs in place, look very nice.

Also my sway bars turned up this morning, and I've just started the process of ordering some end links from Racing Beat, cheaper than anywhere I could find in Australia even with shipping. They won't be going in for a few weeks though, 3 track days next month to test out the coilovers alone. Then I'll put them in and see what I think.

Impact wrench there is new as of today too, had some money left at the end of the pay month and figured I'd pick one up while I could, rather than wishing I had it later, and not having the money for it.