Miata Dedicated DE Car
08-23-2005, 08:12 PM
#17
Nordschleife Master
CC,
Talk to TD in DC. He went for a spec 944 (well a setup 944 for DE's) and has loved it.
I have thought about going Miata for a cheap racer because.. well they are cheap lol.
However, I wouldn't be able to leave my hands off it and soon enough it would have a Greddy turbo kit on it churning out 260rwhp.
Good Luck in whatever you choose!
Talk to TD in DC. He went for a spec 944 (well a setup 944 for DE's) and has loved it.
I have thought about going Miata for a cheap racer because.. well they are cheap lol.
However, I wouldn't be able to leave my hands off it and soon enough it would have a Greddy turbo kit on it churning out 260rwhp.
Good Luck in whatever you choose!
08-23-2005, 08:46 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by ColorChange
Jack and ltc,
I could have revived the old threads but they focused on different cars or conditions. Is this forum uncouth to start a new thread of an ongoing topic?
I could have revived the old threads but they focused on different cars or conditions. Is this forum uncouth to start a new thread of an ongoing topic?
Best of luck with your decision.
08-23-2005, 09:24 PM
#19
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Tim:
I just finished 2 (two) weekends of DE's in a row at RoadAtlanta. On the second Saturday, I saw three cars totalled (2 M3's and a race prep 993S). Every driver walked away from their accidents. All three cars had race seats, harnesses and rollbars. You can get adequate safety in almost any car, with any horsepower. A slower car is not necessarily safer. I would much rather slide off the track in my TT than a Miata.
There is another fact of DE life to consider. Since you are not Spec.Racing, a slow 944 or Miata gets NO respect in a DE. I spent the whole weekend next to a guy in a Spec. 944. Everytime he went out, he had a problem with Vettes, 996's and other High-HP cars not letting him pass or giving him the signal and then drag racing him to the next turn. I had no problems getting a signal from anyone on the track. I once got a pass signal from a 993 as he was passing a 944.
Just another thing to consider, if only doing DE's.
I just finished 2 (two) weekends of DE's in a row at RoadAtlanta. On the second Saturday, I saw three cars totalled (2 M3's and a race prep 993S). Every driver walked away from their accidents. All three cars had race seats, harnesses and rollbars. You can get adequate safety in almost any car, with any horsepower. A slower car is not necessarily safer. I would much rather slide off the track in my TT than a Miata.
There is another fact of DE life to consider. Since you are not Spec.Racing, a slow 944 or Miata gets NO respect in a DE. I spent the whole weekend next to a guy in a Spec. 944. Everytime he went out, he had a problem with Vettes, 996's and other High-HP cars not letting him pass or giving him the signal and then drag racing him to the next turn. I had no problems getting a signal from anyone on the track. I once got a pass signal from a 993 as he was passing a 944.
Just another thing to consider, if only doing DE's.
08-23-2005, 09:54 PM
#20
Race Director
Just pick one.
If you want to go slower, may I suggest a Chevy Malibu?
New versus old is effectively a moot point. For the cost of a brand spanking new Miata and a full suspension, cage, etc. etc. you can get a 944 stripped, dipped, repainted, rebuilt with better than new stuff and a much simpler package. Albert Broadfoot does this all the time.
I guess I don't understand this enough.
If you want to go slower, may I suggest a Chevy Malibu?
New versus old is effectively a moot point. For the cost of a brand spanking new Miata and a full suspension, cage, etc. etc. you can get a 944 stripped, dipped, repainted, rebuilt with better than new stuff and a much simpler package. Albert Broadfoot does this all the time.
I guess I don't understand this enough.
08-23-2005, 10:01 PM
#21
Race Car
Originally Posted by RXDOC
You can get adequate safety in almost any car, with any horsepower.
08-23-2005, 11:40 PM
#22
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add more fuel...
S2000s are fun cars, reliable, can go fast, good brakes out of the box, faster than a miata, but not expensive when bought used. Put in a roll bar or cage and go. btw - actually pretty good in crash tests, too.
S2000s are fun cars, reliable, can go fast, good brakes out of the box, faster than a miata, but not expensive when bought used. Put in a roll bar or cage and go. btw - actually pretty good in crash tests, too.
08-24-2005, 01:04 AM
#23
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The nice thing about a Spec Miata is that you can somewhat compare your driving skills with another driver since you basically have the same car. This is not the case for any old modified street car.
An SM is only really fun in a DE environment when you have other's to play with. Other than that, go race the thing and REALLY experience the fun. I'm never going back to DE's other than to practice for races...
Barry Hartzel is building track day cars now. Based on SM, but you can add a super charger and other goodies to make it a decently quick car. Checkout http://www.hartzelbuilt.com/
An SM is only really fun in a DE environment when you have other's to play with. Other than that, go race the thing and REALLY experience the fun. I'm never going back to DE's other than to practice for races...
Barry Hartzel is building track day cars now. Based on SM, but you can add a super charger and other goodies to make it a decently quick car. Checkout http://www.hartzelbuilt.com/
08-24-2005, 01:05 AM
#24
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What's the point, if I didn't have a porsche I wouldn't be doing DE's at all. Back fifteen yrs ago when I was racing for real I wouldn't be caught dead in some slow POS, JMO FWIW.
08-24-2005, 11:49 AM
#25
Burning Brakes
I don't want to go down the Porsche vs Spec Miata debate, but I do have a little bit to add. I just had a Spec Miata built by one of the reputable national builders, and I owned a 964 C2 until a few months ago. As an aside, I hope to pick up a Boxster S in the near future.
If you go the Spec Miata route, it's WAY cheaper to have an older one built from the ground up then buying a newer one and having it race prepped. My SM is built on a 91 chassis, and I say chassis because almost everything on the car is new except for the chassis and body panels. New factory crate motor, custom welded roll cage, etc. All of this plus two sets of rims and race tires was less than the cost of buying a new Miata, for comparison. The cars are also very reliable and cheap to repair.
The SM's don't have a lot of power down the straights, but they corner like mad, which is where the fun is for me at least.
If you're serious about the SM route, feel free to PM me or post more questions here. I'll be glad to help you out.
If you go the Spec Miata route, it's WAY cheaper to have an older one built from the ground up then buying a newer one and having it race prepped. My SM is built on a 91 chassis, and I say chassis because almost everything on the car is new except for the chassis and body panels. New factory crate motor, custom welded roll cage, etc. All of this plus two sets of rims and race tires was less than the cost of buying a new Miata, for comparison. The cars are also very reliable and cheap to repair.
The SM's don't have a lot of power down the straights, but they corner like mad, which is where the fun is for me at least.
If you're serious about the SM route, feel free to PM me or post more questions here. I'll be glad to help you out.
08-24-2005, 12:08 PM
#27
Three Wheelin'
CC, I feel like we're spinning our wheels a bit here... but I'll chime in as well. What exactly do you want to do? Just DE? Buy a cheaper Porsche, and do the PCA DE scene. I say Porsche b/c the community is tight and you know you'll have lots of events where you're welcome. A Miata will be boring as hell unless you race it.
I race Porsches and Miatas and grew up in PCA DE in a 1985 carrera. The miata is fun b/c you're on the track with 45 identical cars and I can find a race any weekend within a 4 hour tow... next year the class is national as well. More races than you'll know what to do with. Like Kim said, you REALLY get to see what kind of driver you are....
In our D class 964 cup, there are 4 or 5 drivers east of the Mississippi in D that I believe are good and we all have relatively different cars. In a miata, there are atleast 10 drivers in my AREA and 40 from here to Sebring that I think would dust 8 out of 10 PCA club racers. See why Kim, Drew and I like that route? Its cheap and competitive... thats what I want right now and feel i'll progress most quickly as a driver. I also can't afford to be wrecking the 964 cup.
So my theory is that by the time I can afford to drive a Porsche at 10/10ths, i'll have the skills to do so.
Drew... who built your SM? McMasters?
I race Porsches and Miatas and grew up in PCA DE in a 1985 carrera. The miata is fun b/c you're on the track with 45 identical cars and I can find a race any weekend within a 4 hour tow... next year the class is national as well. More races than you'll know what to do with. Like Kim said, you REALLY get to see what kind of driver you are....
In our D class 964 cup, there are 4 or 5 drivers east of the Mississippi in D that I believe are good and we all have relatively different cars. In a miata, there are atleast 10 drivers in my AREA and 40 from here to Sebring that I think would dust 8 out of 10 PCA club racers. See why Kim, Drew and I like that route? Its cheap and competitive... thats what I want right now and feel i'll progress most quickly as a driver. I also can't afford to be wrecking the 964 cup.
So my theory is that by the time I can afford to drive a Porsche at 10/10ths, i'll have the skills to do so.
Drew... who built your SM? McMasters?
08-24-2005, 12:09 PM
#28
Nordschleife Master
CC -
I think you need to decide if you are going to DE the car, or race it. Spec Miata racing is very popular, and you will always have tons of competition. Driving a spec Miata at a DE will get old fast. I had a 2.0L 914 (even slower than a Miata) that I drove of 3 years. It was fine until I got in the white run group. In white, I had the absolute slowest car, yet would always catch people in the turns. I ended up having to wait in the corners most of the time, after which the car in front would power away from me down the straight. It got old fast.
If you get the spec Miata, just go race it. You'll have fun and learn a ton about where you really are in terms of driver progression. For just DE use, I would get something like a 964 prepared for E class. It will be fast enough to be fun at DEs, you can race it in E when you're ready, and it'll be way slower compared to your 6 zillion horsepower, 30 ton turbo. It willbe very safe too with a full cage.
I assume I'm one of those 4-5 
I think you need to decide if you are going to DE the car, or race it. Spec Miata racing is very popular, and you will always have tons of competition. Driving a spec Miata at a DE will get old fast. I had a 2.0L 914 (even slower than a Miata) that I drove of 3 years. It was fine until I got in the white run group. In white, I had the absolute slowest car, yet would always catch people in the turns. I ended up having to wait in the corners most of the time, after which the car in front would power away from me down the straight. It got old fast.
If you get the spec Miata, just go race it. You'll have fun and learn a ton about where you really are in terms of driver progression. For just DE use, I would get something like a 964 prepared for E class. It will be fast enough to be fun at DEs, you can race it in E when you're ready, and it'll be way slower compared to your 6 zillion horsepower, 30 ton turbo. It willbe very safe too with a full cage.
Originally Posted by MJR911
In our D class 964 cup, there are 4 or 5 drivers east of the Mississippi in D that I believe are good and we all have relatively different cars.
08-24-2005, 12:23 PM
#29
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I am talking strictly DE.
Colin, RXdoxc and others:
That is precisely my biggest concern DE'ing a low powered car, getting slowed down in the turns by cars I can't pass. That would be no fun. Did it happen a lot?
Drew:
How often do you get your cornering ruined by a point and squirter?
Colin, RXdoxc and others:
That is precisely my biggest concern DE'ing a low powered car, getting slowed down in the turns by cars I can't pass. That would be no fun. Did it happen a lot?
Drew:
How often do you get your cornering ruined by a point and squirter?