Basura Blanco Racing - an evolving fleet

YXZ is back to form!  But the FIRM is really skimping on their awards 😂

So for about the last 2 years or so, the Firm has been a bit lazy about their rallyx course setups, basically using the course that was setup for Nitrocross several years back.  But today, they set up a course that used almost none of the Nitro course (except for the jump).  It was a very refreshing change!  And they gave us 3 laps per run - about 6.5 minutes per run. It was rad!  Nearly 30 minutes of seat time while shredding at 100% is a lot!   My GoPro is weird and only records 7:00 increments, so here's most of a run.  
 

Solid day with the NC. Completely resolved the 4th gear pop-out by adjusting the eccentric on the side of the trans, Mobil 1 oil change, added an "appearance package" front lip that flows way better with the side skirts than the eBay special or no lip at all.  Replaced a blown out exhaust gasket at the muffler. Replaced the racer boy metal shift knob and boot, and mounted up the hard top.  I left the soft top under there this time, mostly for resale and because weight savings isn't a huge priority on this one.  I've got a roll of vinyl that matches the car, so I'll be attempting to wrap the top and lip here soon.  

Boxster is for sale.  $8k if a GRMer wants to buy it.  

Lof8 - Andy said:

Boxster is for sale.  $8k if a GRMer wants to buy it.  

I am interested in your feedback on the Boxster vs the NC Miata. They are both on my future car list. 

In reply to dyintorace :

I have about 1500 street miles and 1 autocross in the boxster and maybe 100 street miles in the NC, so these are my thoughts with fairly limited seat time in them.

The Boxster feels more special and exotic when you sit in it, and especially when you fire it up - the engine sound is beautiful.  It rides comfortably and smooth.  It was a bit underwhelming at the autocross I did.  The gears are kind of long and maybe the Armstrong brand tires weren't the grippiest.  I had fun in it, but I wasn't rushing out to do it again.   

The miata feels a bit less refined than the Boxster, but still quite nice and comfortable.  Its a significant level of comfort above the NA's and NB I've owned previously.  Its eager to rev and handles extremely well.  Its definitely a bit more buzzy than the Porsche.  

These 2 cars are fighting for the slot in my garage that is a comfortable cruiser sports car, intended for road trips, with storage, A/C and passenger comforts a top priority.  It's also a "backup" car of sorts if either of our DD's have any issues.   My choice to keep the NC over the Porsche boils down to two major factors:   

1) In the Porsche, even with IMS done, there's always a lingering thought of a major $ failure at the back of my mind.  Even a small failure out on the road could be a big problem, as nothing related to the engine is easily accessible.  There are a number of example threads just on this forum of owners being burned.

2) My wife's comfort.  The miata has more space and storage in the cockpit area.  There's literally nowhere to put anything in the boxster cabin.  The traditional trunk of the miata is more useful than the Porsche's trunk and frunk combo.   My wife has driven my old miatas quite a bit and feels more comfortable driving the new one than the boxster.   I think that "special and exotic" feeling of the Boxster makes her a little nervous about hurting it.

I'd love to keep both, but this usage slot doesn't get a lot of miles as it is.  No need for two of them.

In reply to Lof8 - Andy :

Thanks for the thoughts. My wife would drive this car too so the female opinion is also appreciated!

The Mazdaspeed sideskirts that came on the NC look kind of cool, I suppose.  But they hang down below the pinch weld jack points.  On an already low car, this makes getting it on a lift a bit of a chore.  I have to drive the car up on ramps first, but the ramps and car have to be positioned perfectly.  its annoying.   So, I'm getting them sold locally and the sale price is covering a set of standard skirts and an LSD from a local parts car.   I pulled the Mazdaspeed skirts off yesterday and I already prefer the look with no sideskirts over the bulky Mazdaspeed ones.   I've also found a local wrapper who's willing to install the vinyl I purchased for a reasonable price, with my help.  I figure a session observing/helping a pro and maybe next time, I'll tackle it solo.  So it should all be one color here pretty soon.

All one color!

The wrap color is not perfect, but its real damn close.   After watching and helping the pro and his helper, they don't seem to have any magic techniques.  I'm pretty confident I could have replicated the results if I had another set of hands to help in a few situations.  
 

little IG video from the installer

Boxster went to a new home!  Guy is super excited to go autocrossing with his son, who has a manual SC400. $8500. Got to play with a sweet Porsche for 6 months and made a few bones to put into the slush fund :) 

The miata came with some terrible old purple tint on the side windows and a tinted windshield.  The windshield wasn't purpled out yet, but I was not a fan, regardless.   Yesterday I found a local shop that could remove the old stuff, apply new, and get it done that same afternoon.  So I jumped on it.

Although I am loving the Koni/H&R suspension handling, the way the car sits lower in the rear was starting to annoy me (^this picture does not do a great job of showing it).  So I've ordered the koni coilover setup from Goodwin .  Great reviews, reasonable price, extended travel, on sale, and will let me dial in the ride height.   Fab 9 tuning, in Nashville, offers a service for $2,500 to provide a low mile 2.5 engine, all associated swap parts, and labor for the engine swap, and have it completed in 48 hours!  The current engine runs well, but has 165,000 miles, leaks oil from a few places, and puts out a coolant smell after driving.  Their swap service is looking appealing if I can coordinate it with a vacation with the wife to go watch the Music City Grand Prix.  I'm also eyeing a 5 speed trans for sale from the same guy who sold me the LSD.  The ratios in the 6 speed are silly close.  The added torque of the 2.5 (and maybe boost after that) will accentuate the close-ness.  I've also read the 5 speed has a better top gear ratio for highway cruising than the 6.

Color matched hardtop and the FD wheels look sharp on that thing.  

Lof8 - Andy said:

Fab 9 tuning, in Nashville, offers a service for $2,500 to provide a low mile 2.5 engine, all associated swap parts, and labor for the engine swap, and have it completed in 48 hours!  The current engine runs well, but has 165,000 miles, leaks oil from a few places, and puts out a coolant smell after driving.  Their swap service is looking appealing if I can coordinate it with a vacation with the wife to go watch the Music City Grand Prix.

So, to confirm, if you show up at their shop with an NC Miata and $2,500, you can leave with a running/driving Miata with a low mileage 2.5 engine installed 2 days later? That sounds fantastic!!

dyintorace said:

Lof8 - Andy said:

Fab 9 tuning, in Nashville, offers a service for $2,500 to provide a low mile 2.5 engine, all associated swap parts, and labor for the engine swap, and have it completed in 48 hours!  The current engine runs well, but has 165,000 miles, leaks oil from a few places, and puts out a coolant smell after driving.  Their swap service is looking appealing if I can coordinate it with a vacation with the wife to go watch the Music City Grand Prix.

So, to confirm, if you show up at their shop with an NC Miata and $2,500, you can leave with a running/driving Miata with a low mileage 2.5 engine installed 2 days later? That sounds fantastic!!

That is correct!   You've got to coordinate the timing and put some money down to claim a spot on the calendar.  But, essentially, yes.  Well worth the time saved doing research, hauling engines around, wrench hours, cursing in the garage, trial and error, etc.

crankwalk (Forum Supporter) said:

Color matched hardtop and the FD wheels look sharp on that thing.  

Thanks!   I think so too :)

In reply to Lof8 - Andy :

Dang, that's a good deal! And I agree, the FD wheels look great. 

Welp, I just called Fab9 and confirmed my engine swap dates!  August 29, 30 - puts me in town for the Grand Prix.  I added stage 2 cams and a clutchmasters clutch (future boost!) to the package for $1k more.   I'll also be bringing them a 5 speed trans and driveshaft and they said they'll do reassembly with those parts for no extra cost.   This is gonna be a slow 4 months.

Fab9 2.5 swap listing/description

That seems unreasonably cheap! I guess if they are doing considerable amounts of them consistently that would cut down the time it takes to do it. Makes me want an NC more even though I don't really have a use for one.

Some pics from Feb that I finally got back from the film lab. Had to make some color adjustments since I used some really old Fuji 100. 

In reply to aw614 :

Awesome!  Thank you for the pics!

Lof8 - Andy said:

Fab9 2.5 swap listing/description

I am trying so hard to not buy a NC with the money from selling my wagon, and you are NOT helping.

An NC will be the next project car I buy.  They are getting stupid cheap.  

As usual, really enjoying the updates in here. 

In reply to gumby :

Not helping me either...

That seems like a stupid cheap swap!!

Out here at Lemons Carolina Motorsports Park.  The town throws a sweet block party to celebrate us!

Hayabusa powered miata 😳 with sequential shifter and driveshaft back to the miata diff.  Cracked the diff housing during practice.  Team is swapping diffs this evening. 

Hell of a weekend!  CMP is an awesome little track with a wonderful wooded paddock area.  The safety crew and rescue truck drivers are awesome. I don't recall a single full course caution all weekend. The Corolla ran flawlessly.  3 of our 5 drivers are equally fast and we each reclaimed the fastest team lap each time one of us got in the car.  We came in 17th out of 86 cars and 5th out of 28 in class. 

The highlight, though, came at the very end, when our team was awarded the "Index of Effluency" for the team who "did the most with the least".  Some consider this the highest award at a Lemons race!  Our team leader, Britt, has been through a lot lately. He recently lost his father to cancer. I could see him tearing up a little behind his sunglasses.  He donated the $600 prize check to the Lemons of Love charity that puts together care packages for cancer patients going through chemo. This is a really great team that I've been very fortunate to be able to race with!  ❤️

it's the definition of a momentum car and is a phenomenal teaching tool.  Probably one of the 3 slowest cars on track in a straight line but top 3 in braking and cornering. It's hilarious to get whooped down a straightaway and then pass the same car around the outside of the next corner 😂.  With a few more ponies, it could be a real weapon.  Britt says he's considering swapping the current 1.6 for a 1.8.  

Every part of that post is awesome! ❤️