I do my track days via playday (http://www.playdayontrack.co.nz/index.php) and they won't let any open air car out on the track without roll over protection... ...But for the sake of $300-$400 and 20kgs weight, I would rather have the safety of one on the car, than not. Same here, they also tighten...

The underbody braces make a big difference to rigidity, as does a rollbar in the back.

Another point is that if the alignment is out it will multiply any shake hugely, they're quite sensitive cars to alignment and wheel weight - overly heavy wheels can have similar nasty effects.

I wouldn't worry too much about it for road driving and a few trackdays, just make sure the brakes are in good condition (fluid and pads) then get out there and have fun. Oh get the alignment sorted too, they're very adjustable and who knows how long since the previous owner had it done. You should ...

Closed up the gaps a bit and the misfire seems to be gone (for now at least!), maybe I don't need new leads after all.

Any votes for the best plug leads for (turbo) MX5s?

Got a sporadic misfire happening at full throttle, figured leads are probably the most likely cause though I should check plug gaps etc too.

Other alternative, is getting something from overseas. http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?dept=92 I have a whole heap of parts that I will be bringing in from these guys early in the new year for the V8 conversion, so if you wanted to, can throw it in with my consignment and pay the difference of ...

Or measure from the floor to the bottom of the sill/jacking point or something. Guess thats a bit dependent on tyres still.

i doubt you could build a nice manz approved bar with a harness bar AND keep your stock seatbelts in place for warrant time... Bummer... maybe I'll just go for trackday-spec then. If I do get off my ass and compete properly I'd prefer to be doing it on gravel anyway, so in that event I could just s...

Seeing as we're on the topic, how much difference is there between a hard and soft top in terms of clearance? AFAIK most clubs won't let you compete (beyond basic clubsport) without a hard top even if you have an MSNZ approved bar/cage - but if you don't have one when you get a bar/cage built, what ...

Got quoted $12-1300 for a MSNZ-homologated half cage down here in the deep south, but still deciding whether to go for that and do some hillclimbs etc or find a cheaper option and stick to trackdays. I wouldn't put a full cage in any car I was still planning to use on the road, too much risk of an u...

johngalt wrote:wow i'm surprised the forester got in there.

Not as surprised as I am about the Mitsi!

Actually in 9 years of Subaru ownership the most expensive problems I've had have been punctures, so the Forester result doesn't surprise me at all.

Could be worth seeing what the guys who drift RX7s use, they put a fair bit of power through and abuse the crap out of them so should have an idea what can handle it.

Habanero666 wrote:...transhomolagate...

Good word!

... 1- The car looks totally standard, even MX5 car club members and Mazda dealers cannot pick it as having been modified (except for the massive front brakes :( ) until the engine is started; this is very important to me- the ultimate "Q" car concept :lol: ... Number plate is a bit of a giveaway ;...

I think the issue is that the condition of a rubber hose can easily be inspected visually, whereas a braided one could hide internal corrosion more easily. I recall hearing about them needing certain tags to be allowed, but that was in the context of someone bringing a TVR over from the UK so may be...

My old one did the same thing as the red one above, though not quite as badly as that - I'd almost think it was the same car if you were in the same part of the country though!

More castor effectively means a greater increase of negative camber as the wheels are turned - giving you the advantage of the extra camber in the corners when you need it, without compromising the contact patch (affects braking, tyre wear etc) in a straight line.

Assuming you're not talking about corner-weighting with adjustable height suspension, any competent tyre shop should be fine. I've had good results from my local Firestone shop who are happy to set my cars up to my specs (rather than official manufacturer specs with massive tolerances) and take the ...

A gentle cruise through the countryside...

http://www.vimeo.com/15896697

...I assume they are a different brake setup from the NA6C and the NZ8... Not a lot different - bigger disks and pads with the same caliper on a different bracket IIRC. 1.8 brakes are a pretty common swap for FI 1.6 cars and/or heavy track use, though the original brakes are fine at standard power ...

Love the sideways shots! Boys will be boys...

m4vr1k wrote:Do MX-5s have any quirks that I should know about before getting in and driving one?

They're very forgiving really, not much to mention - no ABS, and if you're not used to Rwd then don't mindlessly boot it on a wet roundabout until you get a feel for it. Other than that get out there and have fun!

Those people usually go strangely quiet after the first couple of corners...

Welcome aboard! Beware of the modifying bug, it can get expensive...

Bump...only a couple of days left for the early bird discount price.