What did you do to your FB today?
11-03-14, 05:26 PM
#5326
Interesting in that this high-end name-brand "205" tire measured exactly 215mm section width mounted on a 7" rim.
I also mounted up one of the Epsilons on the front suspension & compressed the LCA to ride height with a jack under the ball joint, to see what how and where the wheel approaches the suspension members. Looks doable based on that info. Also looks like the wheels extend outside the wells slightly.
Then today on Facebook, I see an advert for a set of 7" Epsilons with 205/50-15 tires up for sale... installed on an SA. Inquiry showed that the car was running RB springs on stock geometry. So I should have no trouble. I hope.
Now just need to find the right lug bolts and locks, length-wise.
11-04-14, 12:28 AM
#5327
Modified my Summit Racing turndowns and installed them on the muffler. This will be my "Laguna Seca" setup. It's not pretty, but hopefully the trapped steel wool inside plus the tips pointing the opposite side of the sound meters will keep me from getting meatballed at my track day at Laguna Seca next month. Easily removable.
11-04-14, 08:49 AM
#5328
Probably going that way; I had the chance over the weekend to do a bit more measuring, and also to examine a 205/50-15 on a 7" rim that belongs on a friends Miata. Wrong hole pattern so I couldn't mount it up, but I was able to see what the cross-section looks like & do some measuring of an actual example regarding protrusion past the lip, etc. Interesting in that this high-end name-brand "205" tire measured exactly 215mm section width mounted on a 7" rim. I also mounted up one of the Epsilons on the front suspension & compressed the LCA to ride height with a jack under the ball joint, to see what how and where the wheel approaches the suspension members. Looks doable based on that info. Also looks like the wheels extend outside the wells slightly. Then today on Facebook, I see an advert for a set of 7" Epsilons with 205/50-15 tires up for sale... installed on an SA. Inquiry showed that the car was running RB springs on stock geometry. So I should have no trouble. I hope. Now just need to find the right lug bolts and locks, length-wise.
11-04-14, 10:19 AM
#5329
That in turn would require two different sets of lug nuts, including some very long/deep ones for the Epsilons that would look weird. Or open-back nuts that look even worse, IMO.
It would also prevent me from easily using my pretty custom-rechromed stock lug bolts.
Doesn't seem to provide any advantage to me. Would maybe make coping with the rear drums a bit more of a hassle, too.
Measurements taken last night (rear protrusion of the threads of the stock lugs on the stock wheels, thickness of the new wheels' mounting flange, & thickness of and available space behind the threads on the axle/rotor flanges) worked out to needing a 23.6mm (shaft length, tip to cone) lug bolt for the Epsilons, which is a standard size.
The shaft length for the stock bolts used with waffles is 40mm, for comparison.
After wavering between normal and reduced-diameter heads for about an hour, I ordered Gorilla Automotive #17100 chromed lug bolts, via Amazon Prime. Will order some matching locking bolts (#47100N) as soon as I can find a reasonably-priced vendor - - for some reason Amazon doesn't have that item listed.
I really want to work out some elegant method of securing the center caps on the new wheels, too; rarity has me paranoid about them 'wandering off,' & it's clear that taking them off too frequently will eventually cause wear and looseness. Got a couple ideas I'm exploring.
I'm going to order the Yokohama 205's today; it looks like they should fit OK since the 205/50 cross-section doesn't bulge inward as much as the 205/60's do (fingers crossed!) & as others have noted (& I agree) SA's do look better with some visible sidewall.
I figure if the 205's end up not working on the fronts, I can buy a pair of 195's for the front and run staggered as I do on my 350Z (225f/235r is the stock setup on the Z). The extra 205's can then stand as spare or get sold, if I can't return them.
Leastwise that's the plan ATM.
11-04-14, 03:34 PM
#5335
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Thanks man!
It's funny that my plans aren't huge right now. Goal is to get it running reliably so next summer I can cruise around on weekends in a beautiful red FB. Maybe a suspension swap to GSL-SE with new wheels, manual transmission that I already have and a respray are the main things I plan on doing to the car. It's staying 12a for now and I want to build it up so eventually I will do some crazy stuff with it. But for now I want to do a resto-mod style build, only tasteful upgrades and make it a great cruiser car.
It's funny that my plans aren't huge right now. Goal is to get it running reliably so next summer I can cruise around on weekends in a beautiful red FB. Maybe a suspension swap to GSL-SE with new wheels, manual transmission that I already have and a respray are the main things I plan on doing to the car. It's staying 12a for now and I want to build it up so eventually I will do some crazy stuff with it. But for now I want to do a resto-mod style build, only tasteful upgrades and make it a great cruiser car.
11-04-14, 04:17 PM
#5336
That's why this car will be mostly for a weekend cruiser that's as beautiful as I can make it with my minimal painting and body work skills. Only slight modifications that will help mainly with reliability and driveability are what I plan on doing. Like exhaust, carb rebuild, manual trans swap, better wheels and tires, suspension parts, things of that nature.
I'm gonna start a build thread later tonight, if I remember, to start organizing my ideas in one thread. I'm also considering doing some tutorial videos through my YouTube channel with this one to help guys who buy them stock off the internet and have no idea what they're doing. Although I still have very limited knowledge too, and I know that, but it would be mainly for new owners. I'm mostly thinking about teens who buy first gens and have no idea what they really are (cough, cough, ME not too long ago).
11-04-14, 06:37 PM
#5337
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11-04-14, 06:38 PM
#5338
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today i received a roll of stickers!
11-05-14, 06:02 PM
#5342
I just feel that I dropped the ball on the last one. Spent too much money and time on it than I could afford, both monetarily and in the time commitment, to where it became too much of a burden. The ultimate decision to sell it was mine and mine alone, and I'm glad I did. I learned a lot from that car that I'll apply to any fun cars from now on. I'm taking both the good and the bad and moving on with it to build a better car this time - for less money.
11-05-14, 07:09 PM
#5343
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11-05-14, 07:16 PM
#5344
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I just feel that I dropped the ball on the last one. Spent too much money and time on it than I could afford, both monetarily and in the time commitment, to where it became too much of a burden. The ultimate decision to sell it was mine and mine alone, and I'm glad I did. I learned a lot from that car that I'll apply to any fun cars from now on. I'm taking both the good and the bad and moving on with it to build a better car this time - for less money.
i'm sort of sketching out my next project, i wanna do an SA thats a good DD. i want to keep all the coolness from the SA, but with an Rx8 engine/trans and some other neat bits. like maybe a new fangled card key, so you just walk up, and it unlocks, and then you hop in and just hit "start"
11-05-14, 08:49 PM
#5345
i'm sort of sketching out my next project, i wanna do an SA thats a good DD. i want to keep all the coolness from the SA, but with an Rx8 engine/trans and some other neat bits. like maybe a new fangled card key, so you just walk up, and it unlocks, and then you hop in and just hit "start"
As I read that I just pictured -> walking towards the car -> pushing the open button on the FOB -> sitting down on some RX8 seats -> closing the door -> strapping on the seatbelt (no tickets) -> pushing the clutch -> pressing the start button until the rotary roar was heard -> and a big ol' SMILE
while driving away. Sounds like it would be an awesome DD for sure!
11-06-14, 08:29 AM
#5346
shaving the door handles would be cool, it reminded me of when i locked the keys in my brothers 79....i proped up the corner of the sun roof and used a broom handle to hit the rear hatch release button.......
things you do when your 18........34 years ago....
things you do when your 18........34 years ago....
11-06-14, 10:32 AM
#5347
Last night... success!
Actually ended up with slightly more space between the tire and springs with the new setup - combination of lower offset and far less sidewall 'bulge' with the wider rims & lower profile. with the 205/60-13's on the waffles, I had less than a finger thickness gap between tire and spring perch when the car was on the ground. With this setup I can actually get a fingertip between them - - call it 1/2". No worries there.
The s.Drives in 205/50-15 look perfectly fitted to the wheels - no stretch, and the rim-protector ridges will help avoid ever getting curb rash long as I'm even moderately careful.
At full lock the rear edge of the driver's-side tire just barely touches the vinyl flap that covers the inner well; not even enough to mark it based on brief testing last night. If need be I can bring the bump stops out a scoshe.
My only concern is with the slight protrusion past the fender line up front; I'm hoping that the gap in combination with suspension stiffness is sufficient to avoid impact on bumps, but the uncertainty is bugging me, and the cost of being wrong could be expensive. But short of pulling the strut & boot and checking the bump-stop limit I can't think of a way to fix that, outside of just being careful of major holes. Suggestions?
Only had time for a short test drive last night, but handling is notably different, in mostly positive ways:
*Takes a lot more force to turn the wheels when stopped or slow-rolling as would be expected as I'm putting a lot more much stickier rubber on the ground.
*Rolling resistance seems much the same, based on hand-pushing it in the garage.
*Cornering response is definitely crisper, and the steering feels tighter at speed. Probably due to far less sidewall flex.
*Ride is 'firmer' without feeling harsh. Probably a function of the higher wheel/tire assembly mass along with sidewall stiffness and higher air pressure (running 45 lbs to start, old 60's ran at 40)
*I haven't done any break-away attempts or envelope testing, but the car feels much grippier. Not surprising since the Futura RWLs are not exactly performance-oriented tires; they are only speed-rated to 85mph, & have a treadwear rating in the high 400's IIRC. They were adequate, but these tires feel stickier even to the touch.
*The new setup is about 1/2" larger in overall diameter, so the car sits 1/4" higher off the ground. Not really noticeable in handling/acceleration from what I could judge last night.
Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the look and behavior of my first-ever set of non-stock rims on any car, & serious performance tires on the Beastie.
11-06-14, 12:39 PM
#5348
Waffles - hmmm good
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DD looks really nice. If it was me I would disconnect one strut, pull it out and then use a jack to verify the
fender clearance on the new setup. Best way is remove the strut spring and then put back in to see what
happens when it bottoms out.
fender clearance on the new setup. Best way is remove the strut spring and then put back in to see what
happens when it bottoms out.
