The Miata experience: his and hers.

Master cylinder is back in, with a new, one-piece reservoir and the bracket for the prop valve and 'T' fitting.

I managed to re-use the original line to the left front, with some creative bending, saving some time and effort.  Everything is still a lot cleaner than the previous mess.

I used an Eastwood flaring tool to make the lines.  Worked like a champ!

Fortunately, I didn't have to uncover the m/c port for the front circuit when I replaced the reservoir, so I should just have to bleed the lines tomorrow.

All back together, brakes bled, clutch fluid freshened up, no leaks!  just need to fill the coolant.

Much happiness with having that corner of the engine compartment cleaned up.

I got a spare 2-piece Wilwood reservoir when I ordered the parts, just in case the one-piece didn't work, but I think I'll be ordering another one piece to swap out on the other circuit just to ensure I don't have a similar failure down the road.

Great day at the track today!

ProAutosports at Arizona Motorsports park.

No more leaks in the NA, and took a second out of my best lap time.

First time for the Mustang on track.  My wife kinda likes it... 

Considering it's on all-season Michelins, it did really well.  I was able to get within 2 seconds of my time in the NA, which says something about power v. grip on this track.  The Mustang had a 10+ mph advantage at the end of the straights, but was falling behind in the corners.  It felt really composed, but the stability control doesn't deal all that well with sliding tires.  It does have quite a bit of body movement, but as long I was smooth with the inputs it didn't feel out of sorts.  Definitely going to need more spring with stickier tires.

What really impressed me was my wife got within 2 seconds of my best in the Mustang!  I think I'm going to end up building her a car sooner than I planned...

Got some pics this morning from a Miata Club guy who was out at the track yesterday.  He got a couple good ones of the NA on track.

Photog even caught my one spin of the day!

Last turn coming to start/finish, got in a little hot and lost the rear.  Went around 90*.  
Fortunately, that was about the extent of it.  Front wheels never left the pavement...

Looking at some of the data from yesterday was pretty interesting.

Here's the track... 2.3 miles in the full, CW configuration we were running yesterday.

Mustang had a 12-15mph advantage at the end of the longer straights, Miata had a 5-7mph advantage in the corners. 

Mustang cornering at .9g, Miata at 1.2. 

Mustang peak braking .8g, Miata 1.0g.   Peak braking comes into turn 5.

Mustang acceleration .3g, Miata acceleration.... uh, well, you know.

Lap times?  Mustang best 2:00.2  Miata best 1.58.6 

Interesting comparison of polar opposite cars (at least with the Mustang on all-season tires) on a horsepower track.

Oh, and the Mustang got 6.7mpg on track... 

God I love your mustang color ! 

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Thanks.

If it had been any other color, I probably never would have noticed it, much less bought it! 

In reply to Rodan :

I can see that. I have owned too many Miatas, usually as unique of a color I can find 

to me color is everything 

...

In reply to Rodan :

Woah nelly!!!! 

Things escalated a bit yesterday... 

More to come when I have a little more time, but my wife got a new (well, almost new) ride...

This thing is freaking amazing!

I am jelly! 

You guys have the coolest toys 

mr2s2000elise said:

I am jelly! 

 

You guys have the coolest toys 

We are very fortunate to be where we are in life, but we've both worked all our lives to be here.  This was a very expensive purchase for us, but the enjoyment it brings should be worth it.  

Here I was, making lists of suspension parts, tires, and track wheels for the Mustang to prepare it for further track work.  We had also driven an '18 Mustang with the A10 transmission, and were talking about the possibility of upgrading to a '19 next year as an alternative to modifying the '17.

And then this ZL1 shows up on the lot at the local Chevy dealer...  2018, A10 trans, 2700 miles...  I really like it when other people buy cars I like, then immediately trade them in.  

The story I got, was an older gent bought the car, and within a couple of weeks came back saying the car was too much for him and bought a Cadillac instead.  I can believe that...  this car is BONKERS! 

We've come a long way from jeans jackets and mullets here, boys... Randy Pobst wheeled one of these around Willow Springs faster than a McLaren 570S, and after driving it I can see why.  It's completely civilized in normal driving.  It's actually quieter, and rides nicer than our Mustang did... gotta love these magnetorheological shocks!  With mountains of torque everywhere and the A10 trans, it's never lacking for thrust.  With the suspension on Sport, it handles better than anything this heavy and powerful has a right to.  I haven't even tried Track mode yet.

I took a friend for a ride down our local mountain road yesterday (he owns a GT3), and we both were impressed by the handling, and both laughed out loud at the power.  I can't wait to get this thing on track... 

It's a little tight, but it does fit in the trailer...

All is not unicorns and rainbows, however...  Since it comes with 220TW Goodyear summer tires, and we live in the mountains where winter temps will sometimes preclude the summer rubber even on dry days, I need to find some all-season tires.  Guess what?  There are no matching all-seasons made in both stock tire sizes!  So research is in progress for a solution...

I'll keep you posted...  

Beautiful 

enjoy in in good health! 

The ZL1 tire saga...

After a good deal of research, I had kind of settled on Conti ECS in stock sizes.  After talking with the folks at TR, I was reasonably sure I wasn't going to have temperature related issues with them.  But, they're on nationwide backorder in the sizes I need... no ETA. 

After some more research, I discovered Bridgestone is making their new all-season (RE980AS) in the stock rear size, 305/30-20.  All the other top tier mfgrs top out at 285/30-20 in all seasons (the stock front tire size).  Of course, the RE980AS is not available in the 285 for the front, but they do make a 295/30-20... just 10mm wider and should fit with no problems, as the 1LE version comes with 305s on the front from the factory.

I ordered up a set of the 'Stones in 295/305, and got one of the last two sets available in the country.  They should be here next week, so I'll relate my impressions when I get them mounted.

Not a moment too soon, as overnight temps dropped into the mid 20s this week.  About a month late for our first freeze...

I have had the car out a couple of times on the stock Goodyears in the mid 30s, and while driveable, anything more than light throttle in the lower gears will step the rear out... instantly!  

In other news, the sudden drop in temps prompted me to winterize the camper, which I had been putting off.

I've also been collecting parts for a front end re-fresh on our Bronco...

Another project I'm going to have to find time for, but it needs it.

In Miata news, I went shopping at HF and picked up some tools to start pressing the bearings out of the suspension arms I picked up at FM last summer.  More on that when I get started.

I also scored on some 2nd hand parts (new and unistalled!) that may significantly alter the trajectory of one of my Miatas...

Stay tuned... 

And I thought the Mustang tires were big... 

More ZL1 pics please 

how is is the interior quality ? 

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

I'll try to get some more pics when I have a chance.

The interior on the ZL1 is very nice.  It's definitely a step up from the Mustang.  Recaros are very comfortable.  Lots of Alcantara...

Here's a pic off Google (not mine):

For the most part, I find the interior nice and simple.  A lot of new cars seem very 'busy' too me, and the Mustang and previous Camaro seemed to be trying a little too hard to be "retro".  It still has a retro touch to the top of the gauge cluster, which I could do without, but you don't really see it from the driver's seat.

I spent about four hours in it the other day, my first longer drive, and I like it.  

So, the parts I was teasing about showed up...  

I always try to keep an eye open for deals on 'used' stuff, even if I don't plan on using it for a while.  Fortunately, I also keep a stash of "mad money" for such opportunities, as they always seem to come at a bad time.  Which this did, since we had just bought the Camaro.

Anyway, it's a Kraken manifold, elbow and downpipe I scored off one of the Miata forums.  Brand new, never installed.  Kraken is a relatively new outfit out of England, and they are the only ones besides Trackspeed Engineering to bring a cast turbo manifold to market that isn't a "log" style.  Cast manifolds have proven far more durable on track, and the TSE setup is making incredible power with the EFR turbos.  Kraken is starting to get a good reputation for track reliability.

The Kraken manifold has a T25/28 flange, making it appropriate for a wide variety of turbos.  Unfortunately, the elbow/downpipe, which are flanged for a V-band, are only 2.5".  That may or may not be a problem.

I'm now in a quandary...  

If I decide to put this on the track car, all I need is a set of injectors, a Chinacharger GT2860 clone, an intercooler core and some tubing... ~$1k.  Should be good for 200-220whp (holding it back to be reliable on the stock shortblock), which would be a lot of fun.   It will even bolt right up to the exhaust that's already on the car.

On the other hand, it's perfect for cheap fun with a Chinacharger on the street NB.  For the NB, I would also have to buy another Megasquirt, and fab up an exhaust, so it would be a bit more $$.

I'm leaning towards turboing the NB, and use it as a learning project to get it right on the track car with tier one parts.  And it would give me time to put together a shortblock that can take more power.

I've also been looking at running a regional time trial series with the NA in 2019, and a turbo will bump me up a couple of classes.  Looking at my current lap times, I would be competitive where the car would class as it sits.  Not sure if that would be the case with more power.

I'm sure you know this but I'll say it anyway -

Inconel studs & Stage 8 lockers will help make your track day go all day. Also don't screw around with rubber hoses anywhere on the turbo, go SS/teflon AN fittings for both water & oil. 

In reply to Dashpot :

Yup.  Absolutely... 

Even if it goes on the street car it will get Inconel studs and lockers.

Camaro update...

I was planning on having the new tires installed today.  I prefer to remove/install the wheels myself, so first step is getting the car up on jack stands.  The Mustang had been kind of a PITA to lift, so I decided to look online to see what folks were doing with the Camaros.  I soon discovered that there were a lot of aluminum components that could be damaged if used as lift points, and some folks had even had their cars damaged by the dealer when doing service! 

After determining the pinch welds were safe lifting points, I went out in the garage to get to work.  And immediately ran into a problem.  There's all kinds of stuff in the way, and I didn't have a window big enough to get my jack onto the pinch welds without putting pressure on something that wasn't structural.  Back to the 'net....

I found some aluminum jacking points that clamp onto the pinch welds, and a jack adapter for pinch welds.  I also ordered a 4 pack of hockey pucks for good measure.  Thank goodness for Amazon Prime... one day shipping cost me a grand total of $3.99.  Amazon may indeed be evil, but they are handy!

Magnetic jack pad adapter on pinch weld:

Aluminum jacking pads:

In place:

Front

Rear

With the car up (finally), I could get the wheels off.  Lots of big tires...

Since the wheels were off, here's some hardware pics...

Big rear brakes

Bigger front brakes, with two piece rotors.  Note the heat exchanger in the front fenderwell...

Aero goodness under the front...

Looking around under the car, oil changes will be nice and easy.  Just a bit more of a hassle to get it in the air than most... 

All seasons going on tomorrow.

All seasons are on...

I was going to post these yesterday.  Pardon the crappy potato pics.

The DT folks had some fun getting the tires on the wheels...  

And then this knucklehead rolled into the lot...