Learn me "speed parts" availability for 2nd gen MR2s and FC3S

z31maniac wrote:

BoxheadTim wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: So basically: Buying a ready-to-go car kindof makes sense. Buying another project doesn't.

I know, and anything I can find so far would be a nicer starter project . The "getting something that's already converted" reasoning was why I contacted the person with the track-prepped 944, but that one turned out to be a little more than I am willing to cough up right now.

Exactly what problems are you having with the Miata?

Short version - the car was supposed to have had a new hood and fender due to a little Oops, only that I keep finding evidence of a bigger Oops. Plus, every time I take it to the track I seem to break things I hadn't managed to break on my previous Miatas.

Other than that, the usual parts fitment issues, some of them at least partially caused by said Oops.

z31maniac wrote: Hell, you should be able to even swap in a VVT engine and standalone ECU for less than its going to cost to buy a halfway decent starter project.

I don't even want to think about the engine right now as I appear to have left another 10psi oil pressure somewhere in the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca...

z31maniac wrote: I know many GRM'rs love to have tons of cars, but in this situation it doesn't seem to make sense.

We were/are trying to reduce the number of vehicles so you do have a point here. OTOH having a second trackable would have the advantage of reducing the stress levels of having to try and fix the car after almost every track outing.

What are you breaking on track? I'm not trying to dig at you, I'm genuinely curious what you are breaking, and if you did your research on common Miata weak points.

That's part of the reason I've owned mine almost 2 years and haven't gotten it on track much.

I addressed the front upper A arms, ART blueprinted front hubs and rebuilt rear hubs, before the car went on track the first time. It was a fresh radiator so I skipped it, went overkill and did a coolant reroute. Remove P/S and A/C, replaced all the bushings, upgraded the brakes and went to Carbotech's and fresh fluid. REplaced coolant hoses and brake lines.

I went way overkill compared to what many here would suggest.

The only problem I've had with the car is 3 track days killed the OE 122k mile clutch, to be expected. And then once we replaced the clutch the short nose crank followed shortly.

So I'm putting on the big boy suspension and brakes while the car is up on jackstands, then swapping in a Long nose 1.6 next month.

After that, the only thing the car will need is an LSD and at some a VVT engine. Everything else will have been worked on.

lots of cool mr2 parts are available, search the mr2 forums. great cars. $ky is the limit just like anything else you would build.

z31maniac wrote: What are you breaking on track? I'm not trying to dig at you, I'm genuinely curious what you are breaking, and if you did your research on common Miata weak points.

I did look into the weak points (as mentioned, this isn't first Miata I am tracking) so I did address brakes and suspension before the first trackday and check the cooling system.

First day went OK, second time the (admittedly used) suspension gave up the ghost plus I found that I had a bent upper A-arm in the rear suspension. It also developed a mystery running condition the following morning and needed the services of AAA Racing Services to even get started. After that it wouldn't run right for about an hour so that was the end of that two day track weekend. Still trying to figure out that issue.

Since then, there have been issues with parts not fitting properly (like EGR roll bars), some that needed to be made to fit with a proper persuasion tool because of the accident damage, another suspension issue in the back now that the driver's side A-arm had full travel, electrical issues that I fixed when I found them (someone went nuts in places with the pre-insulated crimp connectors to modify the loom so the car could be flat towed behind an RV). Most of those are fixed and none of them are a big deal on the face of it.

It also started having the "Miata shimmy" pretty badly, but it looks like I finally got to the bottom of that one.

It still needs a new nose/bumper cover as I discovered more accident damage, probably a couple of fenders because once you get into the bumper cover you notice that the aftermarket fenders fit like E36 M3, and I need to get to the bottom of why every one of the recent track days cost me between 5 and 10psi of idle oil pressure. At this rate I probably have two left before it'd idle at close to 0 psi...

Oh, and the inertia lock on the seat belts just started playing up so I need to get on the phone and get a five point harness before the weekend, otherwise the next PDX is something I'll be able to watch from the wrong side of the fence again. Plus, it's not really safe to drive even on the street with the seat belt reels not locking if you give them a sharp tug.

On the face of it, none of these are big problems, but over the last year I've only been able to squeeze 1-2 hours wrenching time out of a weekend so even smaller issues take a while to fix.

Who cares about the bumper cover and fenders on a car that you track? And has a cheap replacement value?

Engine swap is cheap, although if time is low, I can see the problem. The harnesses, for me the harnesses/fixed backs/roll bar was something I addressed before (can't imagine doing track work without harnesses), and went with a trusted name in all so no worries about fitment.

A tiring engine and harnesses are essentially the issue, I don't see how adding another vehicle to maintain (when you have limited time) fixes the original problem.

Find another NA 1.8, get some harnesses, and have the car taken care of for $1500 or less.

Sorry, I hate to be beating you up on this one.

However, if you really are just tired of it and want a different track car altogether, I can understand that.

Tons of parts for the FC.

I'm running 275's on mine.... They stick out a bit until I get my box flares done.

BOX FLARES!

z31maniac wrote: Who cares about the bumper cover and fenders on a car that you track? And has a cheap replacement value?

Me! Me!

Sorry, got a bit carried away here , but I like my track toys to not look too beat up. Actually, the air guide inside the bumper cover has been damaged by the little big oops, so I need/want to fix that to help with the cooling. Running at 4600' in the desert and all that, plus I have a supercharger on the shelf.

I already have the parts for the nose job, it's just one of those "well, if I have to take those bits off I might as well do a thorough job..." and get some fenders also.

z31maniac wrote: Engine swap is cheap, although if time is low, I can see the problem. The harnesses, for me the harnesses/fixed backs/roll bar was something I addressed before (can't imagine doing track work without harnesses), and went with a trusted name in all so no worries about fitment.

Harnesses should be winging their way to me tomorrow. The whole harness thing was more a case "WTF did these have to break now?" than anything else.

Engine, well, I'm debating either throwing a VVT engine in (selling the s/c with parts should cover the cost of a good VVT engine) or rebuilding the existing one, but that is likely to be something that'll stretch out another few years at the current pace.

z31maniac wrote: A tiring engine and harnesses are essentially the issue, I don't see how adding another vehicle to maintain (when you have limited time) fixes the original problem.

You're being entirely too reasonable here .

z31maniac wrote: Sorry, I hate to be beating you up on this one.

NP. I didn't take it as beating up, more of a "dude, get your act together" .

z31maniac wrote: However, if you really are just tired of it and want a different track car altogether, I can understand that.

I'm not sure I want another car, as mentioned I have tracked Miatas in the past so at least I kinda know my way around them. Of course, part of the question is "do I want this one?".

I think putting some money aside for a possible replacement (a proper track car rather than a road car with ambitions) and trying to keep this thing going in the meantime is probably the safest bet and the cheapest in the long run.

Either way I have to figure out if I want a track car to fiddle with, or to drive.

I'd say stick N/A if you want a reliable track rat. I/H/E + standalone should be an easy 140whp. I'd probably even go so far as to freshen it up with a BE oil pump and have the head decked 0.060" to up the compression.

This should certainly help the old 1.8 make some more power.

http://www.miataturbo.net/engine-performance-56/because-cnc-74471/

If I have to change the engine, the BE oil pump was already on the list.

I know a few people who track(ed) s/c Miatas, if you build it right they seem to be holding up OK.

So far I've already done the "I" and the "E", hopefully I'll be able to take care of the "H" in the next few weeks.