Lightyears Red NA8B track car.

[davekmoore]

Very pretty with all those blues. And congrats on the time.

[lightyear]

He takes better pics than me.

This is the only photo I have. Prepping it before Saturdays meet.


screen capture program

[plohl]

how do you find it compared to the 5? In terms of ride, steering feel etc?

[lightyear]

It feels like everything is in slow motion. Everything seems to happen slowly. But I don't want to judge it yet till it is properly set up.
It is running the standard 3.5 ratio. So is way too tall for track work. It doesn't even use all of 4th down the straight. I plan on putting a 4.44 ratio in it.
It feels strange with the way it pushes and pulls around corners. You can control it. It under steers, you lift off, the back comes around and helps point the car again. Brakes feel very soft.
But considering it can manage a1:52 with a novice WRX driver, and such tall gearing and no set up. I think it shows a lot of potential. There wouldn't be many MX5's that could do similar times with a 3.6 diff and similar mods for around the same money.

[beavis]

There wouldn't be many MX5's that could do similar times with a 3.6 diff and similar mods for around the same money.

brakes, tyres, fuel, maintenance costs are all higher than an MX5

MX5's are overpriced because they are convertable sportscars
WRX's are cheap because they are hooned riceburners
It's certainly a benefit of the WRX.

[lightyear]

I think a well set up mildly tuned WRX would not be too much more to run.

After all, the weight of the car is 1200kg. And it is not out of the question to get one to weigh similar to an NB8B.

[oztrackdays]

Good luck with the car.

this is the GC benchmark. http://www.rogerclarkmotorsport.co.uk/gobstopper/official/text.htm

They claim it still weighs 1120 kg so not huge potential for additional weight loss,
but if you willing to boost it, and stock up on centre diffs you will go hard.

http://www.speedhunters.com/2009/07/car_spotlight_gt_gt_rcms_impreza_aka_the_gobstopper/



The old Fast,Reliable,Cheap triangle here I think a WRXy is fast we had a 2004 STi 200 awkw
one we used as a daily and it was reliable it was fast and we tracked it only twice so it
was relatively cheap.

- Wheel Bearings are a big labour job
- Stock Radiator not so excellent
- Glass Gearbox in stock WRX

on the plus side tuning is free. http://www.romraider.com/Documentation/RomRaiderFAQ#toc3

[plohl]

It feels like everything is in slow motion. Everything seems to happen slowly. But I don't want to judge it yet till it is properly set up.
It is running the standard 3.5 ratio. So is way too tall for track work. It doesn't even use all of 4th down the straight. I plan on putting a 4.44 ratio in it.
It feels strange with the way it pushes and pulls around corners. You can control it. It under steers, you lift off, the back comes around and helps point the car again. Brakes feel very soft.
But considering it can manage a1:52 with a novice WRX driver, and such tall gearing and no set up. I think it shows a lot of potential. There wouldn't be many MX5's that could do similar times with a 3.6 diff and similar mods for around the same money.

Thanks for the reply. I have been going through the list of cars, but haven't seen really cheap wrx's around. A mate has an 06 STI or something - There is a lot of suspension stuff he has had to do to get half decent wheel alignments and that... So I put them in the too hard basket. I suppose you considered an evo? They seem to be much more expensive though.

Looking forward to seeing how you progress with it!

[lightyear]

The race series has a min weight of 1450 with driver. And 20psi max boost. Control tyre, turbo, oem intercooler, brakes, b.c coilovers.
I won't be slending too much on the car beside the basics. And hope nothing breaks.

If I get serious, I will buy an '01 STI. And start again.

[lightyear]

I ended up installing an STI 6 speed for reliability, and the STI Brembos. Took it to Sandown and the pads I bought ate the rotors and in 20 laps had no life left in them. So the best time was a 1:24. Was very hard to get confidence when the brake pedal is hitting the floor. Same time I did in my first MX5 with a $300 1.6 motor I bought of ebay, and my turbo bits.

On Saturday I went to winton with new pads and rotors. But the tyres are gone, and it understeered pretty bad. Best time was a 1:37.5. Half a second faster than my NA8B.

Seems like an MX5 is a better car if you have a low budget. I needed to buy another 20l jerry can.

Pic from Sandown. It has a bonnet scoop again..


host image online

[oztrackdays]

I remember destroying fresh rotors in 1 - 2 track days, the cracks had to look pretty big to want to change them after that.

Even at Sandown you couldn't make use of the extra power or you were faster in straights but slower over the lap ?

[lightyear]

I have Hawk DTC 70 and 60 pads now. They look fine after a day at Winton.

Here is a pic of the rotors that did 20 laps. They had slots in them. But the radial grooves have made them disappear.


picture share

There are no cracks, just 2-3mm deal grooves.

The WRX has about 140-150awkw's. So would have similar power to weight as my old NA6t.

[Magpie]

My guess is looking at the rotor damage is that the pads never got up to temperature. DTC 70/60 operating temps are between 200 and 880 deg c. I found with my pads (Winmax W5's) that untill they get up to temp they are very nasty on rotors.

Plus I would be concerned at ridges being left at 2/3mm deep on the rotors.

[lightyear]

The pads that did that we're not the Hawks, I have the Hawks in now.

Those pads got up to temp, they were practically on fire.

[beavis]

Your sig says you did a 1:27 at Winton. Bit optimistic I think.