Track Car Dreaming - NB-C

[greenMachine]

Yeah... guilty..
Trying to make sue it doesn't sh*t it's self.

I tend to feel there is little power to gain above 6.5.

Rev the bastard, it's a racecar ! If it won't live at high revs (and I am fairly confident it will, at least it should), the sooner you are shot of it the better! I doubt that it will not make more power, but the power gains may fall away as you reach redline.

The other reason to rev it is that in some instances you can hold the gear longer and avoid an up-shift followed shortly by a down-shift. Another 1k revs can cover a lot of ground, particularly in the higher gears.

I haven't noticed before, what's with the thread title, its an NC right? Or am I missing something?

[Snowmotion]

I haven't noticed before, what's with the thread title, its an NC right? Or am I missing something?

I have a NB also that has it's own thread that was to be street car - track car and now is just the street duties. So a bit of the evolution of from the NB.

[Snowmotion]

I entered the my 3rd MX5 Cup event for the year at Wakefield Park on the 24th August.
I have done a few track days at Wakefield but not a race so this was a bit of a first. Try to keep my concentration on the driving as well asn the cars around me.
Race 1 was good but slightly missed the jump on the start but this turned out OK till turn 9 when another competitor ran wide at the fish Hook and re-entered just before turn 9 and pushed me wide. This let a few cars through and set the tone for the race of getting back through as many cars as possible. It was a great race with quality driving and I learnt a lot about race craft.
https://youtu.be/2-2bhTvXSLc

Race 2, I suffer up the video but got a good start and made an early pass on Stephen Head at turn 10 and then put my head down and kept out of trouble.

Race 3, was really good with a great start and making a few places and then keeping my laps clean. In this race I managed to set my PB for Wakefield so really happy with the day.
https://youtu.be/OfYkZ5JUKSw

https://youtu.be/OoZ-z5AOBBI

[reggie]

The videos are great - well done. Thanks for posting them up. The races look like a lot of fun - be great to have a go.

Well done with the driving - it is fascinating watching your corners speeds increase with each race!! Good job

[Snowmotion]

Last weekend was the final round of the MX5 Cup for the year and my 4th round as I could not make 2 of the events this year.

It was a great day for the event with near perfect weather of a cool, dry morning peaking at 21 degrees.
The MX5 Cup would share the track today with the Alpha Veloce field. Another challenge for the MX5 drivers with the Alpha's being high horsepower but the handling of a MX5.
As my first year of racing, I have really learn't a lot and found the ability to lap consistently on the track. I need to work on some more of my skills to get ahead of some of the competitors.
Race 1. A good start with a couple of errors but I found a good rhythm.
https://youtu.be/DkGmrIxdEhY

Race 2. Some really good racing but I did not maximise the last lap and dropped a vital place.
https://youtu.be/RzfDjmHr8X0

Race 3. A really tight race and gave it all I had but I did not have enough to get inform of Craig.
https://youtu.be/nYS7zxSgy_c

I had a great years racing and wanted to thank all the other MX5 drivers who I have been able to race at such close quarters but always with mutual respect and great fun.

With a bit of a break till the next series lets see what I can do with this car to make it a bit more competitive.

[Snowmotion]

I knew the car is pushing through corners but did not realise quite how much.

Need to work on this balance of the car.

[greenMachine]

Maybe a wheel alignment, based on tyre temps.

Pretty obviously you need more neg, as that tyre is only using part of the tread. Get a pyrometer (probe, not IR), or borrow one - don't steal mine but ask nicely and I might lend it, and get a reading across the tread - that will tell you where the work is being done, even when the gross wear pattern shown has not yet shown up.

Not only will you get better wear and longer life from your tyres, you will get better times!! Win-win

[Snowmotion]

Maybe a wheel alignment, based on tyre temps.

Pretty obviously you need more neg, as that tyre is only using part of the tread. Get a pyrometer (probe, not IR), or borrow one - don't steal mine but ask nicely and I might lend it, and get a reading across the tread - that will tell you where the work is being done, even when the gross wear pattern shown has not yet shown up.

Not only will you get better wear and longer life from your tyres, you will get better times!! Win-win

Thanks for the feedback.
The wheel alignment should be good and now running offset bushes in the front so now getting about -3.5 negative at the from at about -3 on the rear.
Also they are the front and rear Laft side tires so getting slightly more contact on the inner edge.

The problem has become more pronounced now I am getting consistent in the car and has good initial turn in but pushes us I get on the throttle at the apex. As the car is running 12/6kg springs (MCA Race Prime) and I know other running NC's with MCA Red's with 12/9, I am thinking a stiffer rear spring will neutralise the balance.

[Snowmotion]

After a slow off season a plan has come together to upgrade to a 2.5 motor.
This decision has come with a lot of consequences.

If I am going down this rabbit hole, then I needed to upgrade the safety of the car and extend the 1/2 cage to a full cage.
Craig at Wildridge fabrications did the job and I am very happy with the outcome.
A bit of time was spent cleaning up the interior with sound deadening removal.




With the whole dash removed I decided to remove the HAVC permanently. The dash is a bit of fun to get back in around the roll cage.
New door cards were then fabricated.


Lots more to finish in the interior with a few more decision to be finalised.

With the motor swap getting close it was time to start peeping the 2.5 block.
First time I have stripped a motor like this so lots of learning and lots of reading.

[Custardtart]

Love the progress, it will be a fantastic race car when you’re done. Let me know if you have questions about the swap

[The American]

Love the progress, it will be a fantastic race car when you’re done. Let me know if you have questions about the swap

Me too thanks for sharing

[Snowmotion]

Love the progress, it will be a fantastic race car when you’re done. Let me know if you have questions about the swap

Watching and reading lots about the timing of the motor but I think I have it nailed down now..

[Custardtart]

Love the progress, it will be a fantastic race car when you’re done. Let me know if you have questions about the swap

Watching and reading lots about the timing of the motor but I think I have it nailed down now..

If you have a simple cam lock bar, the screw in crank bolt thingy and pin to lock the chain tensioner it’s very easy. I used a screw driver on top of a piston to check tdc. Because we’re not independently advancing each cam timing it’s pretty simple. The hardest part of the whole thing was removing and refitting the head bolts, you can’t buy a long enough breaker bar for that job!

[Snowmotion]

With a little more time available a home at the moment with the isolation restrictions, it has been a good time to continue with the build of the car.

Last year I fitted a GV lip on the car and then fitted a small lip as well. I was happy with the balance of the car from this but it made getting the car on the trailer a little harder. This left 2 options, remove the lip and rear wing permanently or make the lip removable for easier transport.
A quick release splitter was the decision. Racebread components have developed a bolt on solution for the NC so I ordered one when in the USA earlier this year.
It was easier enough to make up a splitter and fit it in place but this left it not possible to fit the factory Radiator air deflector.
So with a quick removable nose, a quick release splitter, now to work on the air box deflector.
Version 1 was designed using the factory one as a guide and built out of 1mm alloy.



This was good but I was worried that the alloy was too light and easily bent.

So time for Version 2.
With the first one built I could see where I had left gaps from the from the REO bar to the nose. With a small redesign of the side plates I was able to extend the air deflector to the nose. I also decided to build it out of 2.5mm alloy that I had on hand.
I am happy with V2, just need to fit some foam to reduce the gaps at the edge.
With the splitter fitted and stops in place to stop the nose pushing in, it is all fitting as I wanted.






Hope these restrictions end soon so I can get the 2.5 engine finished.

[Custardtart]

Love the work so far.

Did you fit the Goal intake? If you did, I’d be interested in the plastic part of the oem intake manifold?