Dan's NC2 Track Car

[Dan]

Be interested in how you go with the sways. I found the rx8 front arb totally overpowered the Bilstein/Eibach set up I used to run.The understeer was horrendous on track. They weren’t adjustable which didn’t help.
My research seemed to suggest very stiff springs and the oem sways is the way to go. I’m running 12/7 now and feel the handling balance spot on but was told by a few people to go 16/9!!! My car does road duties too so that’s too stiff for me and more importantly Mrs Tart!

16/9 is ridiculous, if understeer is an issue just increase the rear spring or sway bar rate. Even 12/7 is way too biased towards the front spring which will induce understeer.

People get stupid thinking stiffer is better which is definitely not the fastest setup in a lot of cases.

[bruce]

Regards the black hardtop, leave it black. It looks good. Plus it is quite expensive to paint a HT (fiddly, masking), to paint a bumper is a lot cheaper.

[Custardtart]

Regards the black hardtop, leave it black. It looks good. Plus it is quite expensive to paint a HT (fiddly, masking), to paint a bumper is a lot cheaper.

I’ve been painting bits in plastidip and had good results plus it’s really easy to mask off and peel any overspray off and if you don’t like it you can just peel it off. Too many offs?

[MrTurkey]

Be interested in how you go with the sways. I found the rx8 front arb totally overpowered the Bilstein/Eibach set up I used to run.The understeer was horrendous on track. They weren’t adjustable which didn’t help.
My research seemed to suggest very stiff springs and the oem sways is the way to go. I’m running 12/6 now and feel the handling balance spot on but was told by a few people to go 16/9!!! My car does road duties too so that’s too stiff for me and more importantly Mrs Tart!

I am running the 12/6 yellow speeds (used) with stock sways etc. With the AR-1's on the 16x8 FD wheels it is very hooked up on track. Can recommend.

Mostly just get it on the track in any shape or form and go from there. Maybe try some laps with the coils only before fitting the sways? See how it behaves. Get some form of data logging, can recommend RaceChrono on your phone for starters and check your map to see your lowest corner speeds, my focus is to increase the lowest corner speeds at the moment.

This is from my point of view as a dedicated track car with no concern for road manners.

[bliu6757]

Hey Dan, would love an update with the car!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dan]

Hey Dan, would love an update with the car!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No updates to report, I've been in Europe on holidays the last few weeks and won't be back till late next week.

Everything lined up pretty well anyway though because there was a big delay getting the Ohlins and they aren't due to be delivered until early next week which is the last part I'm waiting on.

Hopefully in a fortnight's time the 4.1 diff, track wheels/tyres, the Ohlins and sway bars are on the car ready to get out on the track!

[Dan]

Took longer than expected to get the parts and have them installed but the car is back from Deckspeed now with brakes pads/fluid, 4.1 Diff, Ohlins, Whiteline sways and an ECUtek tune which I got mainly for the downshift blip more than the slight power bump since it's not huge with the stock exhaust (yes I'm that lazy).

I was happy that Deckers said that the car seemed to be in good condition, we did find that the car had unknown brand sway bars from the previous owner but I already knew something was in there because it handled like sh*t (way too much bar for the stock shocks made it skittish).

Absolutely loving driving the car around, the Ohlins are very plush and it's refreshingly nice to have an MX5 that I can drive anywhere on the street without attracting attention.

Just need to get the tyres put on now and dremel out some sections of the plastic panels in the boot to allow me to adjust the rear shocks. I plan to get out to either the 28/6 SOTS or 1/7 Trackschool day to shake the car down, set the suspension up and get used to driving an MX5 again before the 7th of July MX5 club track day at SMSP South

[Luke]

See you at SMSP.
Won't be driving at that one, will be officiating.

[Custardtart]

Do you think the Ohlins are better on the road than the MCA’s?
I’m still thinking I might swap my Reds for a set of Ohlins.

[Dan]

Do you think the Ohlins are better on the road than the MCA’s?
I’m still thinking I might swap my Reds for a set of Ohlins.

They definitely are but they are a lower spring rate than the MCA's (10/7 vs 7/5). In saying that I have been in cars with lower spring rates which aren't as nice and I'm a believer in almost everything is in the valving unless you go overboard with spring rates or sway bars.

Based on past experiences I think the Onlins would be nicer on the street than anything else but that's why you pay the exorbitantly high price they charge.

Drive a car with Ohlins and see if you really need them, if I already had MCA's I wouldn't pay all that money to replace them as I don't think the difference is big enough.

See you at SMSP.
Won't be driving at that one, will be officiating.

See you there mate! Will be good to catch up, you can do a couple of laps if they'll let you.

[Dan]

Thought I'd post an update, can't believe it's been over a year!

After some deliberation I ended up getting the hardtop painted to match the body colour which I love:


I've also done a few track days now in the MX5 at SMSP GP and Wakefield, while the car has no weight reduction or power mods done it goes great and I'm loving spending time in the car doing hassle free track days despite the pace being a fair way off the old car doing a 1:51.42 at SMSP GP and a 1:11.87 at Wakefield.



In addition to taking the MX5 out I've also purchased another car to be used as a more track orientated car which was a 2009 987.2 2.9L Boxster. I didn't plan on buying another car but it was a bargain I picked up for <40k a few months back when Covid was in full swing with the car being under Porsche extended warranty.

I just didn't feel comfortable tracking the other Boxster hard or ruining it but this one being less than half the price and with the reliable 9A1 engine it should be fun. It's at PR Tech right now being setup with Ohlins, GT3 Front & Rear Lower Control Arms, Drexler LSD, Rear sway bar, Apex wheels, Porsche GT3 seat & 6 point harness etc..

Here's a couple of pics from it's first track day in the wet:

[Luke]

Thought I'd post an update, can't believe it's been over a year!

After some deliberation I ended up getting the hardtop painted to match the body colour which I love:


I've also done a few track days now in the MX5 at SMSP GP and Wakefield, while the car has no weight reduction or power mods done it goes great and I'm loving spending time in the car doing hassle free track days despite the pace being a fair way off the old car doing a 1:51.42 at SMSP GP and a 1:11.87 at Wakefield.



In addition to taking the MX5 out I've also purchased another car to be used as a more track orientated car which was a 2009 987.2 2.9L Boxster. I didn't plan on buying another car but it was a bargain I picked up for <40k a few months back when Covid was in full swing with the car being under Porsche extended warranty.

I just didn't feel comfortable tracking the other Boxster hard or ruining it but this one being less than half the price and with the reliable 9A1 engine it should be fun. It's at PR Tech right now being setup with Ohlins, GT3 Front & Rear Lower Control Arms, Drexler LSD, Rear sway bar, Apex wheels, Porsche GT3 seat & 6 point harness etc..

Here's a couple of pics from it's first track day in the wet:

I don't know.
I preferred the black roof.
I may be biased though as my NC2 is also Aluminium with a Black hardtop.



Lol that Porsche is probably worth more now. It seems used car prices have now gone up over the last few months.

[Dan]

I don't know.
I preferred the black roof.
I may be biased though as my NC2 is also Aluminium with a Black hardtop.

Lol that Porsche is probably worth more now. It seems used car prices have now gone up over the last few months.

Yeh I didn't mind the black roof, I just think the silver roof gives it a cool OEM coupe look.

Yeh the price of everything seems to have gone up since I purchased it, it is such a great condition car too! I considered doing a Corten Miller supercharger or something to the MX5 but thought a mid engined track car would be fun.