Lightyear's Black endurance racer

[lightyear]

This is my 3rd NB8B, and it's silver again. Why are there so many silver ones??
I talked a friend into selling his half built Silvia, and buying an MX5. I saw this one for sale and we went out and had a look. He decided he wanted something neater, and lower k's. The next day I was thinking I should buy it, so went there with the Beavis and $4650 in cash. The seller said make it $4800, and it was soon in my garage.
This car is getting a full track prep, not just pads, coilovers and tyres. It will be my back up car that I will keep for when I want to do a low cost track day, or when my race car is broken (or not finished).
I have most of the bits already, so I am expecting it to cost about another $3k to have it all done. Should be able to sell the softtop, leather seats, etc to help offset the costs.
Mods will be - B.C coilovers, front sway bar, track wheels and tyres, brake pads, brake lines, clutch, flywheel, Torsen diff, exhaust and intake.
Safety will be a fixed back seat, rollbar, harness. And maintenance items like all fluids, timing belt kit, and things like that.
Should be good for about a 1:53 at the Island.

[Okibi]

Looks good Dave, you must be running out of room with all the MX-5s and carbon fibre work.

[lightyear]

I only have 2 MX5's. And haven't had time to do any carbon fibre work lately. I will need to make a roof for this car shortly. I have another big project starting soon that will stop me from doing c.f work for a while longer too. I get asked all the time to make a roof or whatever, but there is always something else to do. You can blame my boss (wife)....
I might have a small window of 2 weeks to make stuff, will see. Almost finished the current project.

[lightyear]

But your right, there isn't much room left. '65 Mustang, 2 x MX5's, VN Group A race car, VF 2 SS Wagon, and the Mazda 3. The new project will include more car accomodation, means I can buy more cars

[lightyear]

I have a wing sitting in the shed, so figured I may as well use it. If I feel like it, I may do a couple of the MX5 Vic rounds in Super Modified and see if I can better the lap records. Only thing I will need is an Oem hardtop. Pretty sure I can do a 1:50 or under in this car at the Island in Super Modified class. Will be the cheapest sub 1:50 car to ever lap P.I if I can pull it off. Total spend should be around $8k.

[ianoz]

I was watching this one in gumtree when he was asking $7500 for it, so you got a good buy (wound up buying a dinged one for the track car instead).

I'm in the queue if the 2-week window happens!!

[Ned Loh]

I have a wing sitting in the shed, so figured I may as well use it. If I feel like it, I may do a couple of the MX5 Vic rounds in Super Modified and see if I can better the lap records. Only thing I will need is an Oem hardtop. Pretty sure I can do a 1:50 or under in this car at the Island in Super Modified class. Will be the cheapest sub 1:50 car to ever lap P.I if I can pull it off. Total spend should be around $8k.

I am not aware of any other cars that could reliably do sub 1:50 for 10k+, let alone 8k.

Good luck!

[lightyear]

Most people are spending a sheet load more than $10k to go under a 1:50. The red NB8A did a 1:50.1 with no front splitter, so the AOA on the rear wing had to be dropped a lot. So basically a dodgy aero set up. Had worn out Nitto's, and a broken 4th gear fork in the box.
This car will get a proper wing and splitter. And it has A050's. And it shouldn't weigh a lot more. My "SE" weighed 995kg's. I expect this to be under that. Just depends on what roof and boot I run. A fastback for the ultimate lap times will be needed.

[Ned Loh]

Most people are spending a sheet load more than $10k to go under a 1:50.

that's true. Plenty of cars with double, or triple, or even more $$$ invested and running slower times. Heck I know someone who had 20k invested in his motor alone (V8) and doesn't better 1:50.

Anyway, will be fun I am sure. best wishes. post up how you go!

[lightyear]

I was just working out what needs to be removed from the car so I can do it all in one go and not forget something. For a mildly modified track car the list is long.
Inside-
Steering wheel, airbags, under carpet rubber and seats.
Outside-
Softtop and maybe the bonnet.
Mechanical-
Radiator, fans, intake, exhaust and headers, front of motor for timing belt/water pump and seals, clutch, flywheel, diff, chassis braces, brake lines, brake pads, rotors?, wheels and all fluids.
Should take a full day at least. And maybe the whole A/C system as well as the P/S pump and brackets. But this can be done later.
Everything has been ordered, and should be here in the next week or so. In the mean time I will throw it on the hoist and remove the parts listed above.

[lightyear]

Most of the parts have arrived. And I couldn't wait for the do it all in one go thing. So the car now has a proper track seat mounted low and far back so I can fit in better. Quick release steering wheel is in, coilovers are in, track wheels are on, and the guards have been rolled. Next few jobs are a bit more involved, like the clutch/flywheel, extractors, diff, timing belt, etc.
But it looks so much different already.
Before-
upload an image
After-
upload an image

[Okibi]

Looking good Dave

[Custardtart]

Looks good. What size wheels and offset? I'm guessing they're Advanti S1's?

[lightyear]

15x9's with 225/50/15's.






image hosting over 10mb

What else do you do on a rainy Melbourne day? Spend the whole day in the garage....
It started as a garage cleaning day, but after I put oem wheels and suspension on the carbon fibre MX5, it could come off the hoist. Then the silver MX5 went on the hoist, and I started pulling off all the bits I don't need. Did the diff swap, and started stripping the motor so I can put new seals, timing belt, etc on. Next was clean up the rocker cover, I grabbed the wrong can of paint, it was supposed to be wrinkle red, but I accidentally picked up Holden red engine enamel. Probably looks better.
Still a lot of work to go..

Not looking forward to doing the clutch, I hate taking off the gearbox.

[Ned Loh]

Looking good. What lip is that? Cosmetic or will it make a difference to lap times?