You aren't going as fast as on a road course (think autocross speeds for the Gap) - however, bad stuff can happen any time and well, you just need to understand the limits of the car before trying something like at anything but a "relaxed" pace. Track days and autocrosses help you understand car control in a safe environment and would be recommended "homework".

If you think Deal's Gap is fun and want a "real challenge" on twisty mountain public roads, put a rollcage in your car, and try a hillclimb (Beech Mountain in NC).

--Ashraf

 

 

I don't think any of that is in Roget's or Webster's.

Try this:
Miata(n) - 1. car which you drive and depend upon when your RX-7 is taking it's regularly scheduled longterm "Italian Nap". 2. fastest growing racing class in the USA 3. RUNNING motors cost $300-400 all day long (ahem, I'm looking for a FD _CORE_ motor to rebuild and I am NOT paying $1000 dollars for one like some people think they are worth) 4. car that kept Mazda (and the Wankel) alive throughout the 90's 5. quite often misunderstood by RX-7 owners as a slow vehicle, only to have a well-driven base-level "race prepped" 2nd gen have it's doors blown away by a car that was driven up to the track.

Those who don't respect ALL of Mazda's vehicles are throwing bricks in a glass house. You may not be able to buy parts if Mazda goes under (raskin-fraskin Renesis is taking away from production of 13B-REW parts and you can't just shoehorn a Renesis into a FD).

I like your justification. I also like "daily drive the tow vehicle, live it, love it, race on the weekend". Reminds me, I'm overdue for an "ops check" on the overrev limit system on the way home tonight.

--Ashraf

 

Best of both worlds:
https://www.rx7club.com/single-turbo-rx-7s-23/few-pics-my-project-374360/

 

i always thought that would be an awesome combo. nice to see someone giving some nice pics of the buildup.

is the miata chassis strong enough to put up with the added power?(honest question, no sarcasm) I would just think being a convertible it would lack the structural integrity to withstand higher HPs. that statement has no basis in fact, just conjecture.

 

(Appendum)

2b. race class with the car that is viewed as "most expendable" by its drivers.

There is a reason that they call it "Spec Pinata".

I wonder if that "growth" figure takes into account drivers who go through multiple chassis per season?

-bill

 

Hey Ashraf, I hope you understood I was being sarcastic with those remarks. But some good definitions and thanks for the clarification. After all, I gotta respect anyone that is man enough to drive a cute little girly car. :0)


[QUOTE=bond007] Those who don't respect ALL of Mazda's vehicles are throwing bricks in a glass house. You may not be able to buy parts if Mazda goes under (raskin-fraskin Renesis is taking away from production of 13B-REW parts and you can't just shoehorn a Renesis into a FD). [QUOTE=bond007]

Next time I see a miata parked someplace I'll bend down real low and kiss its tailpipe for keeping Mazda in business. Rotary power is still the highest evolutionary step of the ICE, internal combustion engine, but if you can't drive a rotary then miatas are a good substitute, really there is no shame in the car, it is a true sport car in the best english tradition. My first car was a red Triumph GT-6 MkII. Just remember that the Triumphs and MGs of the 50s & 60s set the standards for the sports car genre and inspired the design of the miata.

Bert

 

Again, all I have to say is

 

Hey, just trying to keep the miata guys humble so that they can maintain at least one foot in the real world. If you live and work in Chapel Hill it is especially hard to keep that slippery grasp on reality. :0)

Hey tell me more about your promotion. It must really be a great opportunity to turn down track time a VIR and spending an afternoon with your rotarian buds.

 

I work for Nextel on the Retail end. I was a Location Manager at one of the stores in Cary, an opportunity to move up to a District Manager position. I am still based out of Cary, but my weeks will be filled with a lot of travelling. Fortunately, my weekends are still free so I won't have to miss any of our drive-ins; even when we cancel them for things like Christmas .

Still, I would much rather have gone to VIR with you guys, than wander around the great states of North and South carolina going from store to store. It shoud settle down some after the first few weeks, but for the rest of December I will be on the road almost every week.

Hope all fairs well on your end, Bert.

 

Your conjecture is wrong.

By that rule, turbocharging a 'Vert FC3S would be out of the question and there was no way that you could put a 20B in one and this couldn't happen:
http://www.cris.com/~Asam/20B.html

The FC 'Vert came with a Turbo engine in Europe (unlike the neutered version we got State-side). And how about getting a 996 Porsche TT in Cabrio form? Powerful drop-tops abound provided the necessary precautions are taken.

As for a high HP Miata - when you approach 300+RWHP and the stock transmission breaks. Everything else does fine (with the requisite supporting mods). I know of someone that is building up a NB Miata 4-banger to push 600hp.

--Ashraf

 

Ah, but I live in Durham, so I have one foot in reality for the few hours a day I'm home.

 

I stand corrected, oh but wait, as long as you don't live over close to the dookies you should be OK. How is the drive over and back each day? I'll bet that is a pain everyday on 15-501?

 

I know there are some powerful verts. I just didnt know if the miata chassis had that kind of rigidity. i think it is an awesome conversion. much better than the sr20DET swap I saw in Sports Compact Car.

 

I never knew you were a Coventry guy. My first sports car was a 57 Triumph TR3 A. The one with the small grill. A fun car but a lot of TLC to keep it going. I can still overhaul blindfolded that 1991 CC 4 cyl, dual sidedraft FC carbs,sidecurtain, leaky top, plexiglas windowed, shoebox trunked, thingy. ZZ


[QUOTE=GTUser]Hey Ashraf, I hope you understood I was being sarcastic with those remarks. But some good definitions and thanks for the clarification. After all, I gotta respect anyone that is man enough to drive a cute little girly car. :0)


[QUOTE=bond007] Those who don't respect ALL of Mazda's vehicles are throwing bricks in a glass house. You may not be able to buy parts if Mazda goes under (raskin-fraskin Renesis is taking away from production of 13B-REW parts and you can't just shoehorn a Renesis into a FD).

 

Hey Lee, Yep, my very first car was a great little sports car. It had the inline 6 cylinder engine and was a thoroughly exciting car to drive. It had no radio, I had to use a portable, transistor radio, am only stations, no AC, and I don't think it had power anything but it did have some classic wire wheels and it was red! For years I tried to find another one in driveable condition but with kids and mortgages that never worked out.

I difinitely remember the TR3, those were the days of real men and real cars and you're right you had to know the car to keep it running and on the road. Also those were the days of no gov't inspections and no set belts! Do you still have any pictures of that car?

I recently was searching the internet for some models of FCs and found a place that acutally had a 1:18 model of the GT6 and it was red! Needless to say I have it at home now, although it is a MkIII it still is nice to look at and reminds me of those days many years ago.

Bert

 

I have some pics of the car with me beside it. You will recognize the car. I dont think you will recognize the guy beside it. I'll e mail it to you. By the way, I wish all sports car drivers would do what we did in those days. Wave at each other. Kinda like a special club or something. See ya.

 

I'm probably closer to Duke than UNC. I find ways to sneak around and through the traffic. NC 54 is an unavoidable stopgap, and can be a bear, though.

 

You can always add bracing. That is what they did to the FC3S when they cut the top. It amounts to a piggish amount of extra weight to carry for an NA FC3S, though. IIRC, they did similar to the 996 TT, but they probably used expensive materials so the weight gain was modest. Most of the earlier cars don't have the bracing of the 94-97 models and they add it and the M2 (99-up) has more bracing than the M1, IIRC.

 

I can concur with the statement about "piggish amount of extra weight" in regards to the FC3S vert. But man it sure was nice driving around Cary today with the top down.

Keith
90 Red Vert
"New Top!"

 

Speaking of 'verts, one followed me home last night. What a beautiful day to play around with the top, I about wore that sucker out playing with it. Rear needs replacing anyway so why not! Good news is engine runs fine, body & paint (after alot of waxing!) look fine, the speakers in the seats work with an aftermarket stereo system. Bad news, needs shifter bushings, center ac vents, aforementioned rear top, and a diagnosis/fix of whatever the hell is going CLUNK when you shift, get on/off the gas etc... Haven't had it past 25mph yet to see if there is any other vibration problems, I decided to spend most of the day sitting in it going "this is gonna be fun". Got to agree with you Keith, looks like riding around in a 'vert with the top down makes up for everything else.

Greg

 

Steve, show yourself. Tell everyone here about a certain rare rotary vehicle you are likely to acquire soon.

 

Got the picture and also like that 69 Chevy in the background. You're right about the picture, when I saw the guy beside the car it took awhile to remember this as 30+ years ago, it was the clothes that confused me though.

Thanks for sharing that memory. Wouldn't it be great to have those cars today? Just to look at and sit in if not actually driveable.

Bert

 

If it's a REPU I'm gonna **** myself...... I've seen an old beat up white REPU running around durham last week.....

Also saw either an Orange RX-2 or RX-3 on hwy 70 in clayton the other day.

 

Bert, Lee;

You mean they had cars in those days, I thought you guys would be talking about horses and buggys, HaHa. My first car was a 67 Camero SS with RS package, 350 engine,hide-away headlights deluy Int. I sold this car for $1500.00, Yeah I was DUMB this car in bad shape would be worth 40 to 50 K . This is why I hold on to my A.E. I dont want to look back and regret selling it.

See you tomorrow, I probably just meet you up there I'm going early
Johny