Mk 1 MX5 as a track car

[Herman Toothrot]

Hornet goes suprisingly well for a non turbo or supercharged 1.6 I had a ride at Abingdon in the summer and was suprised. Talking carrying speed through bends its drivers that day though it not possible to carry the same sort of speeds through the bends as my car. The cars both have the same WIM alignments, same size tyres and wheels only major difference I could think of was Torsen LSD in my car, maybe a 1.8 diff could be a good upgrade. Also make it a bit more fun to slide?

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Wednesday 24th December 11:50

[wheels-inmotion]

Working alongside the ABs suspension install the Hornet has a full blown wim track Geometry calibration, whereas all past calibrations were fast road.

[Herman Toothrot]

wheels-inmotion said:

Working alongside the ABs suspension install the Hornet has a full blown wim track Geometry calibration, whereas all past calibrations were fast road.

I asked you about Hornets alignment when you did mine you said they were the same, your "fast road" setup. Was that, "at that point" and now you have a "better" or more dedicated MX5 track alignment? My car is track only/ road legal and you set it to your "fast road" you said? You commented on the "really healthy caster angle" that was acheived on my car. If you don't remember it's a black Eunos turbo with P5 Puredrive coilovers, OZ Ultraleggera wheels.

Cheers

Steve

[Ab Shocks]

Back on topic
If anybody can show me a better handling car for trackdays than an MX-5 for the money, I'll eat my hat (if I had one)

Brilliant little cars

[MX-5 Lazza]

Mk1 MR2 is just as good but the bodywork doesn't last as well as an MX5.
Modified Mk1/2 Golfs are pretty good too...

[Ab Shocks]

Herman Toothrot said:

wheels-inmotion said:

Working alongside the ABs suspension install the Hornet has a full blown wim track Geometry calibration, whereas all past calibrations were fast road.

I asked you about Hornets alignment when you did mine you said they were the same, your "fast road" setup. Was that, "at that point" and now you have a "better" or more dedicated MX5 track alignment? My car is track only/ road legal and you set it to your "fast road" you said? You commented on the "really healthy caster angle" that was acheived on my car. If you don't remember it's a black Eunos turbo with P5 Puredrive coilovers, OZ Ultraleggera wheels.

Cheers

Steve

You will appreciate that I am constantly passing info to Tony on track settings based on Ma5da racing testing sessions and more testing will take place in the Spring.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Hornet has been aligned 3 times. Once when we first got it, again after I slid it sideways across the curbing at Curborough and finally after having the Ab Shocks Gaz kit fitted by Wim. All 3 times were done by WiM (one of our most active sponsors). Each time the settings have been slightly tweaked.

ETA: Or was it twice? I can't remember now...

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Tuesday 30th December 09:16

[RRH]

We run two MX5's on track, exceptionally reliable and fun- as previously stated you can't beat them for the money.

I've been playing with geometry settings for a while now and can't seem to get it right. Can anyone advise me of settings for a dry track?

Both car's are on coilovers with 400lb front / 300lb rear if that's relevant.

WIM seem to have an excellent rep in the Mazda community- its a shame they're so far away from me (in the frozen north).

Thanks.
Simon.

[kevham]

I don't think you can beat the MX5 as a car you can drive to trackdays, have fun and then drive back home. I've been doing that for best part of 10 years now and neither of my forays into Scoobys or MR2s have been as satisfying.

You just have to accept that it has no grunt and either A) fit forced induction or B) learn to carry more speed or C) just have fun.

As for track geometry settings - some tyre temp data will help you but I think the consensus has headed towards -2deg front camber (but not at the expense of too much caster) and -1.5deg rear camber (yes you read that correctly). Some like a bit of toe out at the front, some like a bit of toe-in at the rear - I haven't decided yet. Getting grip at the front is the challenge as far as I am concerned.

[Ab Shocks]

kevham said:

I think the consensus has headed towards -2deg front camber (but not at the expense of too much caster) and -1.5deg rear camber (yes you read that correctly). Some like a bit of toe out at the front, some like a bit of toe-in at the rear - I haven't decided yet. Getting grip at the front is the challenge as far as I am concerned.

Surely you mean -2deg camber(but not at the expense of not enough caster)

Caster is your friend when looking for a good contact point on the front tyres for grip and toe out wins back caster.

BTW Kev. I think I found the reason for the mega rear camber that some competition drivers use, "unstable rear end under heavy braking" was their reason.

Nobody has suggested that increased rear toe would combat that to some degree and if a massive problem (and a brake bias valve could not be employed) Why not take the 10mm rake off the car?

[kevham]

Ab Shocks said:

Surely you mean -2deg camber(but not at the expense of not enough caster)

Caster is your friend when looking for a good contact point on the front tyres for grip and toe out wins back caster.

BTW Kev. I think I found the reason for the mega rear camber that some competition drivers use, "unstable rear end under heavy braking" was their reason.

Nobody has suggested that increased rear toe would combat that to some degree and if a massive problem (and a brake bias valve could not be employed) Why not take the 10mm rake off the car?

Yes my mistake on the caster - when you increase negative camber, you reduce caster and the more caster the better as you say. WIM Tony suggested an absolute minimum of 3.5 degrees caster.

With regard to mega rear end camber guys, maybe their rear spring rates are too high and the rear end is 'lifting' as the weight transfers? Not a problem on my car, for sure. My problem is definitely at the front end.

[Chris71]

Barring the one make race series are there any cheaper competition classes (maybe in sprints or hillclimbs?) for MX5s? A nice informal club chapionship of some description?

[kevham]

Chris,
The HSA (http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp) runs an MX5 specific class with events all over England. No forced induction allowed though. I'm competing and there are five other registered MX5 entrants so far this year.

I also compete in more local championships in the North of England and Scotland but in those I compete against a range of different cars from Peugeot 205 GTI to Lotus Elise etc.

[pikeyboy]

kevham said:

Chris,
The HSA (http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp) runs an MX5 specific class with events all over England. No forced induction allowed though. I'm competing and there are five other registered MX5 entrants so far this year.

I also compete in more local championships in the North of England and Scotland but in those I compete against a range of different cars from Peugeot 205 GTI to Lotus Elise etc.

I dont suppose you have a link to the website for the MX5 hill climb series do you?, i have my MX5 for sale and although perfect for trackdays with ohlins coilovers, MSA rear cage etc i think i might get more interest if i advertised it on a more specialist site.

[MazDave]

You'll find the HSA here The class for MX5s is A2.1 - Looks like competition will be good this year - I should be back myself soon.

Dave

[Chris71]

pikeyboy said:

kevham said:

Chris,
The HSA (http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp) runs an MX5 specific class with events all over England. No forced induction allowed though. I'm competing and there are five other registered MX5 entrants so far this year.

I also compete in more local championships in the North of England and Scotland but in those I compete against a range of different cars from Peugeot 205 GTI to Lotus Elise etc.

I dont suppose you have a link to the website for the MX5 hill climb series do you?, i have my MX5 for sale and although perfect for trackdays with ohlins coilovers, MSA rear cage etc i think i might get more interest if i advertised it on a more specialist site.

Have you got a link to 'said car.

Not in the market just yet (unless you have a burning desire to part ex for a TVR S3) but keen to keep an eye on prices and so on for the more track focused '5s.

[Wilburo]

MazDave said:

You'll find the HSA here The class for MX5s is A2.1 - Looks like competition will be good this year - I should be back myself soon.
Dave

I just saw in your profile that you rolled the MX-5 - what happened!?

[pikeyboy]

Chris71 said:

pikeyboy said:

kevham said:

Chris,
The HSA (http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp) runs an MX5 specific class with events all over England. No forced induction allowed though. I'm competing and there are five other registered MX5 entrants so far this year.

I also compete in more local championships in the North of England and Scotland but in those I compete against a range of different cars from Peugeot 205 GTI to Lotus Elise etc.

I dont suppose you have a link to the website for the MX5 hill climb series do you?, i have my MX5 for sale and although perfect for trackdays with ohlins coilovers, MSA rear cage etc i think i might get more interest if i advertised it on a more specialist site.

Have you got a link to 'said car.

Not in the market just yet (unless you have a burning desire to part ex for a TVR S3) but keen to keep an eye on prices and so on for the more track focused '5s.

yes of course here's the link. http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/910612.htm

[MazDave]

Wilburo said:

MazDave said:

You'll find the HSA here The class for MX5s is A2.1 - Looks like competition will be good this year - I should be back myself soon.
Dave

I just saw in your profile that you rolled the MX-5 - what happened!?

It was a case of commitment being greater than ability I'm afraid. At Goodwood in May last year, too much speed through St Mary's, backwards across the track, into the tyre wall which bounced me back and landed me upside down. Got away with a stiff neck (4 point cage, 6 point harness and race seat helped) but like it says on the back of the tickets "Motorsport can be dangerous".... Definitely don't want to do that again.

Dave

[kevham]

Dave
It would be good to see you out this year. Another MX5 or something different?