My spec Miata

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:34 pm

..why I'm not keeping my SRT4

bone-yard-racing · Post by **bone-yard-racing** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:19 pm

You dont get bitched at for having a race car in the driveway, I have found where I am going to live

I would have done it in flat black but other than that very nice.

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:53 pm

hell no... neighbor has 6 cars in his driveway.. lol... and sometimes the racecar sits on the trailer in the driveway for a few days too.. lol

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 2:55 pm

I wanna see more pics... and what year, etc and what is done to it?

Nutmeg · Post by **Nutmeg** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:49 pm

kc2002acr wrote:I wanna see more pics... and what year, etc and what is done to it?

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 12:01 pm

kc2002acr wrote:I wanna see more pics... and what year, etc and what is done to it?

it's a spec miata.. so caged, etc

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 12:33 pm

Do some developments have problems with racecars in the driveway or on trailers?

Never knew that. We have had our 24' enclosed trailer in the driveway since we moved into our current development.

I bet that is a fun ride.

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 2:51 pm

yeah, only 102hp but a total blast!!!

Kevin_GP · Post by **Kevin_GP** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 3:10 pm

ibid wrote:yeah, only 102hp but a total blast!!!

Haha my friend has one thats stock but with suspension upgrades (shocks, springs, big sway bars) and at first I hated it. Then I rode around in it and the car is a blast haha. It defiantly grew on me.

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 4:27 pm

for the spec miata class can you do any kinds of engine mods or just suspension stuff

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 4:51 pm

racer12306 wrote:for the spec miata class can you do any kinds of engine mods or just suspension stuff

all the rules are on www.specmiata.com

but basicly, you can do NOTHING to the engine except an air intake if it's a 90 to 93 and 94/95 get a restrictor plate and are not allowed to change the air intake

suspension is specific to what is allowed (called a spec suspension) which is basicly the spec sway bars, end links and shocks/struts/springs

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:20 pm

spec stuff seems pretty cool. takes the car aspect out of it so its all driver.

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:25 pm

racer12306 wrote:spec stuff seems pretty cool. takes the car aspect out of it so its all driver.

yes! very much so!

...and very humbling to realize how much you have to learn compared to some of the really great drivers!

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 8:11 pm

hmm, so how much would it take to get into a spec car. this sounds like it would be a blast, and i know my monte would be a monster on a road course. 500+hp and probably upwards of 600ft-lbs of torque would be a beast to handle.

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 8:27 pm

i looked over specmiata.com at some of the pics. i don't think i'll be able to fit in the car and be effective. i'm a little big for a miata.

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:27 pm

you'd be surprised who can fit in a miata.. they have a ton more room than you think.. I saw a 300 pound guy get into one! (although that wasn't pretty)

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:34 pm

hey, whats that supposed to mean.

I'm like 280lb, 6' or 6'1"

bone-yard-racing · Post by **bone-yard-racing** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:31 am

You do not want to run SM. To be truly competive you are looking at a $30,000+ basicly stock miata, not saying you have to spend that but why would you want to go throgh all the hell of getting a copentition liscece and then running in the back of the pack. S7, S944, SF, and SN(was) are better with the exception of the fact that you may not have as big of a field.

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:00 am

bone-yard-racing wrote:You do not want to run SM. To be truly competive you are looking at a $30,000+ basicly stock miata, not saying you have to spend that but why would you want to go throgh all the hell of getting a copentition liscece and then running in the back of the pack. S7, S944, SF, and SN(was) are better with the exception of the fact that you may not have as big of a field.

I heard this type of thing for years and that's what kept me away from Miata for so long until now..

..but guess what, there is this great story about a really good driver who bought a stock miata with 80k+ miles on the engine and only had the minimum put into it (cage, etc.) to make it spec miata and won nationals that year.. someone protested to tear it apart to only prove it was a tired 80k+ engine... thus the driver does make a difference.

I have less than $10k invested in my miata, brake rotors cost me $15, tires last all season, brake pads last all season and cost less than $100 for Hawk blue's.

The problem with porsche 944s is the maintenance is expensive! Sure it is cheap to buy a 944 but upkeep will get you hard in the wallet! 944 engines have to be redone every 50 hours of track use (has to do with starvation of #3 cylinder and seals, etc.) Clutch job on a 944 is 22 hours labor! (parts alone are over $800)

...oh yeah, I watched a rookie who was happy to keep up with spec miata's in his 944 (so yes, miata's can be faster than a 944 with more seasoned drivers).

I am just hoping to be in the middle of the pack and not dead last when I start.

Getting my comp license will cost me around $450 (you make it sound like I have to invest thousands when I don't).

People who invest $30k into their spec miata are trying to compensate for their driving ability IMHO. ...trying to legally squeeze that 1 or 2 or 3 extra HP out of the car to make up for their talent.

bone-yard-racing · Post by **bone-yard-racing** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 12:38 pm

I was trying to help racer, not giving you an opinion, you definately know what you are doing probally better than I do. Good SM's (big Chip Herr fan over here) will keep up with/beat 911's forget about 944's. I keep thinking about SCCA lisencing for some reason, NASA really isnt that bad. Do you have the name of the driver who pulled that one off?

ibid · Post by **ibid** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:06 pm

I'm horrible with names but it was told to me by one of the team miata mechanics who knew him (It was someone that was a pro driver for imsa I believe and lost his sponsorship but wanted to drive and could only afford a SM with his own funds)

If I hear the name again, I'll post back here..