Trav’s Race Build: from B6 to Big Bore BP-Z3

[1600Dave]

I'll echo that - nice cage !

I have heard very good things about trackart and suspected there was more to be done but thought it better to be "premature" than sit back and say nothing till you post pics of a completed, painted and non-compliant cage.......

I'm also quite impressed with the speed you're getting it together. My Challenge Bathurst preparation so far this year has been to un-bury the car from under piles of junk in the shed, dismantle the blown engine, poke at the broken engine bits, and order the bits needed to fix it.

[greenMachine]

They also gave me the virtually complete ROPS application form for this new cage. They did it all for me. All I have to do is sign it and submit it to CAMS (and provide photos, I think).

They built the cage, and you have to register it? Is this the form that you sign as the person who constructed the cage?

I have done that twice, once with a cage that came with a car but no paperwork, the second time with a BD bought second hand with no paperwork. I had little alternative to sign off as builder in both cases, but in your case I am surprised that they leave it to you to sign (unless you are signing as car owner, the CAMS page is not loading for me to check who signs for what). If you sign as constructor, you are taking responsibility for the cage, something you should bear in mind if/when you move the car on.

I’m also happy to report that the new tie-down system works a treat. I made slippery sleeves to go over the wheels, as I had predicted friction issues. $20 of lay-flat fire hose, $10 worth of tea towels from Spotlight, half an hour on the hot glue gun, and hey presto!!! Protective sleeves with slippery lining!!!

Good plan! Hopefully they also extend through the tie-down points too. Is that canvas hose? I have lately been introduced to silicone spray, that would also help the sliding of the strap.

[Scoota]

For Challenge Bathurst the car has to be road registered OR log booked. Road registered cars don't require a cage, but being a State level event, all log booked cars would require a cage to Schedule J.

Yeah, I’ve been pondering this all day, and I even scanned the Supp Regs and CAMS schedules, seeking clarity. So far as I can determine, it depends on the “Category” of the vehicle. I’ll be talking to my friendly local scrutineer to get a ruling. I may even contact Challenge Bathurst, just to satisfy my curiosity. I still have a suspicion that a non-registered car with a non-Schedule J cage may have been able to run as a Category 7 “Speed Event Other” vehicle, but I could be wrong. It doesn’t pay to speculate, so I’ll leave it there until I get more advice. I’m not concerned about my car or it’s eligibility, I just want to clarify the rules, because there has been a lot of conjecture on this channel.

Speaking of roll cages, did I mention that I have one for sale?







Refer to my post in the Classifieds section for details. Tonight was spent carefully wrapping and strapping the bars onto a pallet. It’s ready to go!! Starting price is $1000, but I’m negotiable. Make me an offer!

More exciting parts have come to hand recently. Check out these bad boys!!!!



Don’t be deceived though... These are not stainless steel. They are ceramic coated mild steel, and they are soooooo shiny!!! Thanks to Race Coatings in Warragul Vic for a super quick turn-around on the coating, and a very reasonable price ($350). I’m a huge fan of the design, too. I can’t wait to see what sort of power they make. I’ve already sung the praises of Kev at Custom Exhaust Systems (CES), so scan back for that part of the story. I couldn’t be happier with these headers.

Other recent arrivals...
• Fuel pressure sensor, 150psi.
• Oil pressure sensor, 150psi.
• 1/8” BSPT to 1/8” NPT nipples (adapters) for the sensors.
• Steering rack inner tie rod end locking tab washers. I have spares if you need them.
• Hub nuts, front and rear.

I have to say it’s a good feeling to have the car back in my shed. I bloody love this car!!






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[Scoota]

They built the cage, and you have to register it?

Well... Yes, but it’s not as bad as you make it sound. I just need to get my local scrutineer to take a look at the cage and then submit the “Type 3 Full Safety Cage Structure Registration” form with his endorsement. TrackArt are the designer and constructor. TrackArt’s declaration of the cage’s compliance is already on the form.

I’m expecting this be a very painless process, as my local scrutineer has been along for the ride with me. He personally endorsed TrackArt and has assured me that log-booking the car with this new cage will be a doddle. It’s simply a case of lodging the paperwork. Simples!!


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[Scoota]

Hey, thanks for the feedback and comments folks. It’s great to have you along for the ride!!

Here are another couple of replies...

1. Regarding the ATI pulley... It’s a brand new pulley from Flyin Miata. I’d be very surprised if they were not on top of that recall, but I will shoot them an email, to be sure.

2. The fire hose is rubber, inside and out. The canvas hose was around twice the price. Tea towels from Spotlight were heaps cheaper!!

I’m on a roll... Some more updates...

A. Regarding the tale of woe about the SPL PARTS tie rods, they haven’t come to the party with a refund yet. I’m losing hope. They claim to have never had a failure, but I can’t bring myself to install them. (Scan back in this thread for that story). At this stage I’m planning to run Mazda tie rods, with not quite enough negative camber on the front end. Not ideal, but I don’t have another solution. Suggestions?

B. My digital dash is on it’s way from America!!

C. My camshafts have left Germany, visited Belgium, briefly stopped over in the UK, and are now apparently on their way to Oz. Competition Systems are not my favourite vendor at this point, but perhaps it’s not their fault. I should see them late next week.

D. The bottom end machining is almost finished. The long block should be assembled next week, awaiting completion of the head work.

E. The head work is underway, but I don’t have much in the way of details. I’m a bit removed from that process, and too busy with everything else to really get too stressed about it. Ange is telling me it’s all happening, so I’m taking that at face value for now. I’ve got at least a week of painting and prep on the cage and interior (after-hours only), so I’m not really ready for it anyway.

Phew! That’s it for now.



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[greenMachine]

They built the cage, and you have to register it?

Well... Yes, but it’s not as bad as you make it sound.

I am sure you are right, it will be simple given what you say. That is not the point though.

The point is that when you sign that form, YOU are taking full responsibility for that cage. While you own the car, that is probably no big deal (that is my position on the two cages I signed for).

When you sell it, if you sell it with a logbook and that registration sticker (that you will get when you register the cage), YOU remain responsible. If the car has a shunt and someone is killed or injured, there will be a hunt for someone to sue, and that paperwork with your signature is on file at CAMS forever. The only way out is (I suspect) to cut up the cage, rendering your car basically valueless. That is what I am contemplating with my racecar.

I am not saying don't do it. If you are going to do it, do it with your eyes open, and knowing the long term (potential) consequences. The chance of a risk materialising is low, probably very low, but it is real. But the consequences if it does happen could be serious.



PS I hope you got a good price on the cage. I assume that they carry liability insurance, which would be a cost to you if they sign for the cage. Given you are assuming that liability, you should not be paying (explicitly or otherwise) for that insurance. I know that (in the past at least) when BD sell a bar with CAMS paperwork you pay what seems like an extortionate price for a bit of paper - but in fact for the most part that would be a one-time lifetime insurance premium on that bar (for BD, not the purchaser).

/end thread derail

[RS2000]

For Challenge Bathurst the car has to be road registered OR log booked. Road registered cars don't require a cage, but being a State level event, all log booked cars would require a cage to Schedule J.

Yeah, I’ve been pondering this all day, and I even scanned the Supp Regs and CAMS schedules, seeking clarity. So far as I can determine, it depends on the “Category” of the vehicle. I’ll be talking to my friendly local scrutineer to get a ruling. I may even contact Challenge Bathurst, just to satisfy my curiosity. I still have a suspicion that a non-registered car with a non-Schedule J cage may have been able to run as a Category 7 “Speed Event Other” vehicle, but I could be wrong. It doesn’t pay to speculate, so I’ll leave it there until I get more advice. I’m not concerned about my car or it’s eligibility, I just want to clarify the rules, because there has been a lot of conjecture on this channel.

I can't find any decent info regarding 7th Category in the Cams manual or on the Cams website? Being a State level event under a Cams Permit, I think the following would apply:

The table at 1(e) Schedule L shows that you need a log book for Speed Events at State level (except for road registered). Also, the supp regs state this.
https://www.cams.com.au/docs/default-source/manual/general-requirements/2019-schedule-l---1.pdf?sfvrsn=984d610f_10

Then 3.2(b) Schedule J shows that you need a cage to Schedule J for Speed & Regularity at State level (except for 5th Category or road registered)
https://www.cams.com.au/docs/default-source/manual/general-requirements/2019-schedule-j---1.pdf?sfvrsn=7721ed27_10

[hmd]

They built the cage, and you have to register it?

Well... Yes, but it’s not as bad as you make it sound. I just need to get my local scrutineer to take a look at the cage and then submit the “Type 3 Full Safety Cage Structure Registration” form with his endorsement. TrackArt are the designer and constructor. TrackArt’s declaration of the cage’s compliance is already on the form.

I’m expecting this be a very painless process, as my local scrutineer has been along for the ride with me. He personally endorsed TrackArt and has assured me that log-booking the car with this new cage will be a doddle. It’s simply a case of lodging the paperwork. Simples!!


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I have just gone through the process of cage cert and log book a car.

You can get CAMS cage certification by itself first or you can get cage and logbook at the same time.

I got the cage cert done first as I had quite a few things that needed doing before logbook.

With the cage cert there are two parts the owner needs to sign to pay for the application and the cage manufacture need to sign the structure details.

YOU DO NOT NEED A SCRUTINEER until you do a logbook application.

safety cage form from CAMS https://www.cams.com.au/docs/default-source/log-book/type-3-full-safety-cage-structure-registration.pdf?sfvrsn=3058de1c_9

email the scanned form and lots of pics and they will reply to you asking for further photos, the process is pretty good and quick JUST GET IT DONE ASAP.

[RS2000]

That makes sense. The manufacturer signs for the cage, & the owner only signs for card payment.

[Scoota]

Hi Folks.

The weather has been cold and wet, no good for painting the cage, so I’ve started some electrical work. I’m not much a circuit designer, so this was always going to be difficult for me. I had some help today, and we’ve roughed out most of the new circuit (thanks Dave!!!). Lots of connectors are yet to be installed, and I still need to manufacture a few parts of the circuit, but it’s a start.

Let’s start with what my brain feels like...



I’m cooked, in other words.
This is left-overs from a complete 2002 loom that I bought years ago. I’ve been pinching connectors and parts of this loom to connect to my new engine. Here is some of today’s work...

Labeling stuff, so that I know what needs to go where...



I have test fitted some sensors onto a spare BP-Z3 (VVT) head, just to see what I’ve got, what I need, and what it will all look like when fitted to my new engine. In management circles this would be called “visualisation”.



I’ve mounted the coils and whizzed up a rough ignition harness. Please don’t criticise my workmanship too harshly at this point. I’ll do a better job when time permits.



I have soooooooooooooo much work to do on the wiring. I’m freaking out a little bit, but I’m sure it will all come together, one little bit at a time. I’m going to be doing some late nights for the next few weeks!!


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[Magpie]

What wire are you using?

[Scoota]

What wire are you using?

At this stage I’m using using Mazda wiring. Most of the NA6 engine loom is still in play, and the “front” loom too. The sensors shown above have NB8B Mazda wires, so I’m using those too.

I need to buy some new wire shortly, to run a few new cores here and there. Any suggestions on what I should be using?


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[Scoota]

Hi Folks.

Progress is slow, but I’m getting there. This is what the cage looks like after about 6 hours of rubbing with green (coarse) Scotch-Brite pads...







The welds to the body had already started to go rusty, and there was a bit of scale there already, so I’ve hit it with rust converter where the shiny new cage meets the body...





I got some good news today... The bottom end machining is all finished and my engine builder should have it back in his workshop this week, which means he can start doing the bottom end assembly this week!!!! It’s a small win, but I’ll take it.

Meanwhile, my camshafts still haven’t arrived. Not. Happy. Jan!
...but there’s very little I can do about it. If they arrive this week, and I’m told that they will, then they won’t be holding up proceedings too much. (I think)

Jeez, it’s going to be a sprint to the finish, before I even get to Bathurst!!!


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[Scoota]

Also, the roll cage paperwork and photos were submitted to CAMS today. I chatted with one of their tech advisers today, and was told that they had never seen a more complicated structure in an MX-5!!

Where they see complicated, I see comprehensive. They did follow up with “That’s a good thing!”, but it still made me chuckle.


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[RS2000]

Certainly comprehensive! How are you attaching the harness shoulder straps?