Which weekend/track car?

SKYHI · Postby **SKYHI** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 7:17 pm

Given the proposed mods, the only advantage to a later model NC would seem to be the gearbox?

Worth the premium to get an '09 model, or just buy an earlier model and either repair or replace the gearbox with the later one if/when it breaks?

Assume the later box fits into the earlier NCs?

lightyear · Postby **lightyear** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 9:54 pm

TCR wrote:Hard to tell, but I'd hope to get close to the times of the 2F MX5 race cars:

QR Clubman: 1:02
QR National: 1:25
Lakeside: 1:00
Wakefield: 1:11

My red MX5 was for sale for $8,000. It did a 1:10 at Wakefield. Could have been registered, and roadworthy with a quieter exhaust. Had no funny wings or anything crazy, and full interior. Couldn't sell it, so stripped off a few easy to sell pieces. And sold it almost stock. (I think the new owner has it registered now)
The NC seems like a nice way to go, just a lot more expensive bang for buck.

Dan · Postby **Dan** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 7:35 am

lightyear wrote:
TCR wrote:Hard to tell, but I'd hope to get close to the times of the 2F MX5 race cars:

QR Clubman: 1:02
QR National: 1:25
Lakeside: 1:00
Wakefield: 1:11

My red MX5 was for sale for $8,000. It did a 1:10 at Wakefield. Could have been registered, and roadworthy with a quieter exhaust. Had no funny wings or anything crazy, and full interior. Couldn't sell it, so stripped off a few easy to sell pieces. And sold it almost stock. (I think the new owner has it registered now)
The NC seems like a nice way to go, just a lot more expensive bang for buck.

With the mods he said he wanted to do its definitely a 1:09 car around Wakefield (Phil Ashton does low 9's in a car that has less mods than that list - no cams, Lsd etc..), I feel like he just got the time wrong in his post since he's not from NSW.

Its definitely more expensive in an NC than an NA/NB but like the OP said earlier he feels the NC is better for him building for the 2B/2F regs and the setup is mechanically pretty simple so should stand up to abuse and do good times reliably, I think for similar times (low 1:09) in a road registered NA/NB you would probably need FI.

TCR wrote:Given the proposed mods, the only advantage to a later model NC would seem to be the gearbox?

Worth the premium to get an '09 model, or just buy an earlier model and either repair or replace the gearbox with the later one if/when it breaks?

Assume the later box fits into the earlier NCs?

The later box does fit, just a problem with getting yourself one to transfer in at a reasonable price..

Personally I'd pay a 5k premium for an NC2 if I had the chance for the gearbox and the better look but for the purpose you want to use the car for its probably difficult to justify a price difference much more than that.

SKYHI · Postby **SKYHI** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:30 am

Thanks guys.

I was probably being a bit conservative with the times, but I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than disappointed at not achieving my goals. I haven't done a lot of laps at Wakefield, being from QLD, but will get a few more at the Wakefield 300 next weekend. If I'm totally honest, I'd love to do a sub 60 second lap at Lakeside, but not sure I'd get there in the NC.

SKYHI · Postby **SKYHI** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:33 am

Does anyone do a CAMS compliant roll over hoop with diagonal brace that's fits under an NC hardtop, or will I be getting one custom made?

plohl · Postby **plohl** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:38 am

I think those are pretty quick times

I would have thought there has been a NC slip under 60s at LS. Or are they generally only mildly modified?
Have to check natsoft.

SKYHI · Postby **SKYHI** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:45 am

Not aware of one of the top of my head, although Ash Lowe may have done it in Gary Stewart's NC with the 2.0 race engine.

To answer my own question, it looks like BD do a ROPS with removable rear stays. As I'm planning to 'permanently' fit a CF hardtop, I just need work how to fit the rear stays, as it appears as though they attach to the Frankenstein bolts used for the hardtop.

plohl · Postby **plohl** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:04 am

If you're going to "permanently" fix the hardtop, have you thought of just getting the rear half of the cage welded in? You can still get half cages mod-plated/engineered, so if you wanted to make it a 6 (or more) point later you could just add the front half. Or is that venturing too far from the 'road car' plan?

Dan · Postby **Dan** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:11 am

TCR wrote:Not aware of one of the top of my head, although Ash Lowe may have done it in Gary Stewart's NC with the 2.0 race engine.

To answer my own question, it looks like BD do a ROPS with removable rear stays. As I'm planning to 'permanently' fit a CF hardtop, I just need work how to fit the rear stays, as it appears as though they attach to the Frankenstein bolts used for the hardtop.

I have one in my car, the rear stays screw into holes you need to drill around the rear wheel well which won't stop you removing the soft top and permanently fitting a CF hardtop. I didn't put any of the trim back in on mine, I just put some roll bar padding on the middle section of the bar and called it a day and just leave the soft top up. At 6'1 I fit well under it with a HANS.

A couple of pics can be found here of mine, I didn't take one of where the rear stay goes to but I can if you are interested
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=57245

Bauer · Postby **Bauer** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:39 am

Hey Paul

Sounds like you have made your decision on the NC. I nearly did it myself. I was only looking for a weekend toy with no intent to track it so slight differences.

I have no doubt if I had bought an NC, it would easily have become my daily, rendering my Mazda 2 useless as I would not have left it in the garage. I came quite close and was scanning sale ads.

Then a bloke at work told me about a K-Series Elise that was priced to sell. I snapped it up. The smile on my dial when I drive it, wash it, sit in a camp chair in my garage with a cider and look at it, talk about it and otherwise just think about it just doesn't go away. It probably comes from wanting an Espirit when I was a kid. I know if I had bough an NC, I would want to mod it to my taste. The Elise needs no changes for me.

Still would love an NC as well

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

SKYHI · Postby **SKYHI** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 10:17 am

You make some good point plhol, but I'll probably stick with a bolt in ROPS at this stage, so that It could be removed if I decided to sell at any point.

Good news on the BD unit Dan, I'll contact you if I need some info.

Stu, the Elise is certainly not completely off the radar, and if the right car came up at the right price, I could still be tempted. At the end of the day the NC just ticked a couple more boxes for the weekend/track car I was looking to build.