first350
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 posted on 12/8/10 at 08:31 PM |
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my MNR Vortx 1.8L Miata build...just starting!
I'm keeping a blog of my build on the locost USA site...thought I'd post the link in case anyone in Europe wants to follow the build too.
(I've read through tons of your posts and blogs...lots of great ideas and tips - Thanks!!!)
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=9631
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PSpirine
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| posted on 12/8/10 at 08:37 PM |
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That garage is huge! Show-off!
Looks like a good blog/build, will defo read it. Best of luck!
P.S. never ever understood the whole USA car-bra obsession.. When I was in VA quite a lot, I once saw a ferrari 360 (red) with a black car bra.. now
surely, it's better to have a few stone chips (potentially) than drive around with that monstrosity on it ALL THE TIME???
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Miks15
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| posted on 12/8/10 at 09:22 PM |
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looks good! i like your rocker cover, also lovely bike you got there, would love to get myself a ducati!
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mds167
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| posted on 13/8/10 at 07:49 AM |
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Great blog!
I really like the MNR so I'm very jealous.
What a nightmare with shipping!
I'm sure you'll be find cutting the suspension holes.
There are plenty of how-to threads on here.
Looking forward to the next instalments and you getting road-legal!
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Johneturbo
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| posted on 13/8/10 at 11:53 AM |
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Great stuff, i will keep my eye on the blog
enjoy the build
also great choice with the 848
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first350
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| posted on 13/8/10 at 02:02 PM |
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Thanks guys!
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
P.S. never ever understood the whole USA car-bra obsession.. When I was in VA quite a lot, I once saw a ferrari 360 (red) with a black car bra.. now
surely, it's better to have a few stone chips (potentially) than drive around with that monstrosity on it ALL THE TIME???
Haha - I bought it w/ the bra already on it...when I took it off, the whole front bumper, hood (aka bonnet), and fenders were scratched from it
rubbing!!
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first350
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| posted on 16/8/10 at 02:13 PM |
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Anyone know of another Miata Vortx build...MNR's current build manual isn't for the Miata, and I'm trying to figure out how some of
the items mount.
thanks!!!
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Krismc
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| posted on 31/8/10 at 03:19 PM |
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Didnt think many people had locosts over the pond, seems you do like nice cars and not just V16 trucks!
Welcome to the club, very jelous of that garage mate, and is that the oven in the house your engine cover is in - id loose my balls!!
Built, Ivaed, Drove and now Sold - 2011 MNR VORTX RT+ 2000cc Zetec on R1 Throttle boddies.
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first350
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| posted on 1/9/10 at 03:22 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Krismc
Didnt think many people had locosts over the pond, seems you do like nice cars and not just V16 trucks!
Welcome to the club, very jelous of that garage mate, and is that the oven in the house your engine cover is in - id loose my balls!!
thanks - no big trucks or cars for me...I've been to Europe several times and greatly prefer their cars and drivers over those in the US!
My wife has been tolerant of my activities...I'll usually send her off to buy herself some clothes before I do any automotive baking in the
house - it really stinks the whole place up!
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RK
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| posted on 1/9/10 at 08:36 PM |
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you're lucky. I was told a long time ago that our oven is off limits for powdercoating...
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Krismc
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| posted on 3/9/10 at 06:53 PM |
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Burn toast in my house and im in dog house!!
wish you lived in uk, i could lend your oven lol
Built, Ivaed, Drove and now Sold - 2011 MNR VORTX RT+ 2000cc Zetec on R1 Throttle boddies.
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first350
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| posted on 20/12/10 at 05:04 AM |
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quick update...the engine started today!!
had a few issues...
1) forgot to install the clutch switch (symptom: Starter wouldn't turn over...)
2) Crankshaft position sensor was too far from the crank; I had removed it when doing the timing belt. (symptom: after the Clutch issue was resolved
and the engine would turn over, I didn't have any spark or fuel...)
not the best video...
http://s750.photobucket.com/albums/xx145/first350/Locost/?action=view¤t=12-18-10_enginestart002.mp4
*I'm waiting on my turbo manifold, so I kept it to only a few seconds. metal plates around the head are to protect wiring and brakes parts from
the flames
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first350
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| posted on 25/2/11 at 05:40 PM |
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Small update for you folks over the pond:
I got a set of the Carbon Mods CSR style front cycle wings…installed the first one this past week. It was kinda PITA b/c MNR's cycle wing frame
is made for their cycle wings and the CSR is much smaller so the brackets are off about 3 inches front and back. After some "massaging"
(aka hammer, press, more hammer…) I got the brackets to fit.
Final position - I had the aero hump rotated aft 3 degrees off center:
I had to remove the Tape to admire the CF…Carbon Mods did a great job on these! (they're about 1/3 of the weight compared to MNR fenders…partly
due to CF and partly due to a smaller size.) I still need to trim the outer edge a bit…they're such a close fit that the tire rubs on it when
trying to remove/install the wheels.
details:
15x7 wheel
195/50/15 Toyo R888 tire.
I used rivnuts and 10-32 allen bolts to secure them…I plan to remove them for autoX events, so silaflex/FG/bondo wasn't an option.
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beaver34
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| posted on 25/2/11 at 10:26 PM |
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Read all your thread is very good !
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first350
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| posted on 16/5/11 at 10:07 PM |
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Quick update for you folks…I've had my first drive, registered the car, and have begun shaking the car down (still a long way to go…need to get
the ride height set, tune ECU,….), Not sure how it is over in Europe, but in the states, kit cars are really rare…I get so many ppl waving and giving
Thumbs-Up, it's kinda distracting!
Here's a pic from this weekend:
Firstdrive video (happened about 1 month ago):
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RichardK
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| posted on 16/5/11 at 10:16 PM |
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Looking very nice my friend, I do hope you're planning to put a red bar grill on the front as that would look so mean and aggressive.
Nice car mate you should be very proud of it.
Cheers
Rich
Gallery updated 11/01/2011
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daniel mason
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| posted on 16/5/11 at 10:30 PM |
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excellent mate! top class.
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first350
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| posted on 4/7/11 at 04:56 PM |
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just weighed my car on truck scales...looks to be ~1,420 lbs (650KG). IIRC other Car-engined MNR's were around 1,300lbs...I figure the larger
1.8L /tranny/diff, turbo, and full cage make up that difference.
I'm going to a SCCA National Tour event in 2 weeks and will be running B Mod....so I'll get officially weighed there too.
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first350
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| posted on 13/9/11 at 08:37 PM |
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Quick update for MNR folks: I made some adjustments to camber and ride height and really liked the results…obviously each of our cars are unique
(engine, weight, tires,…), but I figure it could be useful to some of you as reference:
Took the Vortx to a local AutoX on Sunday to test it out…notes:
-adjusted the ride heights (front LCA's parallel w/ the ground), rear height ~5cm higher…this felt pretty good, but still a bit of
under-steer.
-raised the rear a bit more, rear rotates nicely with this change…still some under-steer, but helps to balance early power input on corner exits. (If
I was only doing autoX, I'd raise the rear even more for more rotation…but since I plan on doing track days too, I'll likely leave it
as-is until I do higher speed testing)
-dialed in more negative camber in the front (the outer edges of the Hoosier A6's were getting grainy and insides not used as much…this really
helped in the PM runs). Camber was originally at -2.0, it's now closer to -2.5…I'm running out of adjustment, but I may play w/ -3.0 for
autoX.
AutoX course:
-lots of transitions (slaloms, offset gates…), top speed of ~70 MPH. (was a bit of a pain for my gearing, lots of changing between 2nd and 3rd
gears)
Results:
-Top Time of the day by ~0.03s!!!! (http://scorekeeper.wwscc.org/results/ww2011/7/post)
-this was against some incredibly fast cars and drivers…I'm very thrilled with the results - really felt that myself and the car were finally
in tune. Can't wait to take it to the track for some faster speeds.
Car Specs:
Engine: 1.8L Miata ('99), w/ turbo @ 7psi (190 HP)
Tires: Hoosier A6's Front: 205/15, Rear: 225/15 @ 24psi
Lining up:
Outside video: nailed a cone after I shifted from 2nd to 5th, then back to 3rd.
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