(hump)This is why I'm hot:
D Prepared Miata Build
- Thread starter aMaff
- Start date
Setup complete. New rear shock mounts in, and the alignment is pretty much exactly where we want it. REALLY looking forwards to this weekend. Having the confidence to really hammer through a bumpy section without worrying about leaving the floor-pan behind is something I'm pretty excited about. This thing's pretty much been getting faster and faster. With any luck, this new setup will continue that trend continues. (rockon)
Huge thanks to Tom, my co-driver, for doing the grunt work while I did the measuring. And for picking up some weights so that we could both work on it at the same time. Makes it go a LOT faster that way
Huge thanks to Tom, my co-driver, for doing the grunt work while I did the measuring. And for picking up some weights so that we could both work on it at the same time. Makes it go a LOT faster that way
Yeah... wow. Not to toot my own horn or anything (ok maybe a little), but I guess I'm getting pretty good at setting up the Miata chassis for go-fast-ed-ness 
It still needs a few small tweaks here and there, but considering the whole-sale changes we made to the car in the last week, we came pretty damn close. The car is just as fast, if not faster than it has been, AND I have no more fear of big bumps. She just glides right over them now. And the extra roll stiffness felt really good. The car was happy, the co-driver was happy, and I'm happy. Added bonus, Tom and I had a really fun battle going yesterday. After 3rd runs I was fastest. Tom's 4th run got me by 0.014, my 4th run got him by 0.050. Close, fun racing
It still needs a few small tweaks here and there, but considering the whole-sale changes we made to the car in the last week, we came pretty damn close
. The car is just as fast, if not faster than it has been, AND I have no more fear of big bumps. She just glides right over them now. And the extra roll stiffness felt really good. The car was happy, the co-driver was happy, and I'm happy. Added bonus, Tom and I had a really fun battle going yesterday. After 3rd runs I was fastest. Tom's 4th run got me by 0.014, my 4th run got him by 0.050. Close, fun racing You running bias ply cantilever slicks? Because if you're not, my alignment is pretty much useless
Tonight's project:
Actually went pretty well. Besides running out of cutting wheels. And killing a dremmel (so... 2 separate trips to walmart, about 3 minutes apart *facepalm*).
So, yeah. These things are floppy as hell without any support under them. And, while I didn't weigh what came out, I will say it was a decent chunk of the overall weight of the hood. It was a lot easier to tote around without that crap underneath.
Actually went pretty well. Besides running out of cutting wheels. And killing a dremmel (so... 2 separate trips to walmart, about 3 minutes apart *facepalm*).
So, yeah. These things are floppy as hell without any support under them. And, while I didn't weigh what came out, I will say it was a decent chunk of the overall weight of the hood. It was a lot easier to tote around without that crap underneath.
Nope, I'm not, oh well.
PM Me your setup. I've run a number of iterations with this car in the past, obv, so I can probably help some. My current setup would be terrible on street tires for example
And if anyone was wondering WHY I skinned the hood: Well... I could have just notched it to do what I wanted... but I figured why half ass it:
Stock barn-door covers! Bend the "inside" tabs where it mounts to the stock headlight assembly over to mount to the hood, cut a couple notches in the roll-weld at the hood's perimeter, and in the barn-door covers (as they have a flange that goes all the way around) to make for a flat mounting location. Make a few quick & dirty brackets, drill a few holes, and call it done. This is just with the 1st bracket mounted (my 1/4" drill bit, er... bit the dust at 11:30 PM... fail), but basically there's going to be another bracket on the "inside," and this setup will be replicated on the passenger side. The bolts are black-oxide coated flanged button head cap bolts that look like THIS, so they'll actually look pretty decent on the hood. It may not be pretty, but as my first attempt at any real fabrication, so far I'm pretty pleased with how it's coming
Stock barn-door covers! Bend the "inside" tabs where it mounts to the stock headlight assembly over to mount to the hood, cut a couple notches in the roll-weld at the hood's perimeter, and in the barn-door covers (as they have a flange that goes all the way around) to make for a flat mounting location. Make a few quick & dirty brackets, drill a few holes, and call it done. This is just with the 1st bracket mounted (my 1/4" drill bit, er... bit the dust at 11:30 PM... fail), but basically there's going to be another bracket on the "inside," and this setup will be replicated on the passenger side. The bolts are black-oxide coated flanged button head cap bolts that look like THIS, so they'll actually look pretty decent on the hood. It may not be pretty, but as my first attempt at any real fabrication, so far I'm pretty pleased with how it's coming
bullshark524
Member
- :
- 2000 mazda protege es soon to be 2000 mazda protege klze
doesnt look too bad. would have been better if you welded it. and im guessing you're not getting that other hood? atleast not yet
Correct. And welding Aluminum to steel doesn't *usually* work very well without some pretty difficult (and expensive) work.
bullshark524
Member
- :
- 2000 mazda protege es soon to be 2000 mazda protege klze
whats aluminum?
The hood.
roy obanion
Member
- :
- 02 p5, 95 miata
:lurk:
(gtfo)
Couple of pics in poor lighting. You know, so you can't see how bad it looks LOL
Honestly, the more I look at it, the more the "industrial" look of the button head bolts is growing on me. I may be biased, but it's just kind of cool
EDIT: Yes, that's a rear tire mounted on the driver's side front. That's what happens when your co-driver changes your tires
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bullshark524
Member
- :
- 2000 mazda protege es soon to be 2000 mazda protege klze
well thats interesting i didnt know they made it out of aluminum. i guess you do learn something new everyday
well im not biased and still think it looks cool
well im not biased and still think it looks cool
