Reply With QuoteI don't know about the spring rates or how koni's ride, but an R package is the Miata to have for E-stock autocross. Not sure what year is the best though.
'R Package' worth it for autocross?
Questions for the miata gurus:
1. For stock class autocross is it worth it to buy an R package (or one that would be easy to 'convert' to an R package) over say an m-edition or other leather/all power car? How much higher are the r package spring rates? How much lower is the ride height?
2. Where in the heck could I find a set of the R package springs for sale?!?!? I've looked everywhere and haven't seen a single set for sale!
3. How harsh is the ride day to day with the konis?
Thanks!
Last edited by Davidss; 12-14-2006 at 01:40 AM.
I don't know about the spring rates or how koni's ride, but an R package is the Miata to have for E-stock autocross. Not sure what year is the best though.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague longing for something salty" - Peter Egan
Buying a 'regular' Miata and converting (or trying to) it to a certain package car is a PITA. I was going to convert my base '99 to a '99 Sport. You have to find all the correct parts (if you can find them), even if some of them are purely cosmetic. Don't know what all the R-package goodies are, but finding that out is the easy part.
I gave up. Put on aftermarket shocks, cat-back exhaust and an LSD.
I could be wrong, but...
I think you also have to perform all of the upgrades. SCCA rules state that you cannot have a portion of a package. The car has to be in a state where you could have received it from the factory. For example, if 15" wheels only came with a package that included power windows, then you must also have the power windows to go with the 15" wheels. I know this sounds petty, but think of regular Vettes versus Z06 Vettes, where someone could pull a few stock pieces off a Z06 Vette and put them on their regular Vette.
Good stuff on the Packages!
Think the Spring rate is only 10% more than the stock spring. IIRC
Originally Posted by sammm
Like I said..you would have to install all this stuff, remove power steering, etc.
Equipment: Sport Suspension (Bilsteins shocks, heavy-duty rear springs, heavier sway bars), rear spoiler, front air dam, rear skirt, alloy wheels, Torsen limited slip differential The R was not available with power steering, automatic transmission or with A, B, C option packages
You can strip a car down to a base package for the weight saving, replace the shocks and front sway bar, and add a Torsen without converting to an R. The only benefit of converting to the R-package is a bigger rear sway bar and 10% stiffer springs. You would also need to spend an additional $500 or more on the 3 spoilers that were on the R but you would first have to find them as they are now out of production. If you really want to do it, I suspect Trackdog has a set of the springs and swaybars around as his R now has TEINs.
All of this is assuming you (or whoever) wants to remain running in Stock class at SCCA and/or ER events. Some guys don't care what mods put them in what class. I like running Stock. YClassMV.
Stock is good!
Problem with ES is that darn SoloRX7 and his evil sidekick Old Bull in that zippy MR2.
Are you sure? I thought there were still available to Spec racers via MazdaSpeed.
I think the front one may still be available, but the trunk spoiler has been out of production for years and the lower rear one was discontinued about a year ago. One of the Mazda dealerships that sponsors Miata.net actually went to Mazda and offered to order 100 trunk lid spoilers to get them back in production, but Mazda said it was impossible. Apparently the company that made them for Mazda is no longer around and they were not able to get the mold from them.
Converting the car wouldn't be that tough if you already had a base model. It would be tough to figure out what to do about the rear spoiler but I doubt anyone would be that picky at local events anyway (well you never know). Is that little extra in spring rates and lower ride height worth it though?
And someone here has to have a daily driver with konis? How harsh is the ride?
My '99 Sport (NB verison of a R-package) has Koni's and is not a daily driver. Rides harsher than our '02 LS which is an daily driver.
The '99 rests in the garage under it's cover waiting on the next autocross.
For the spoiler you can get the one from moss which looks just like the real one or you can check around the boards or junkyards for one.
I'm not speeding officer, I'm qualifying!!!
92 Red (sold)
2006 ZX6R 636 (sold)
99 S10 ZQ8 (sold)
95 Merlot M
05 GSXR 600 (To buy my house)
I think that's a typo..should read:
The '99 rests in the garage under it's cover during autocross.
Well it's doesn't go to S2K event's but that's just because Mineral Wells is so dusty.I think that's a typo..should read:
The '99 rests in the garage under it's cover during autocross.
But it did do OK at ER and SCCA.
He's starting to venture into my world!I think that's a typo..should read:
The '99 rests in the garage under it's cover during autocross.
No way! The entire car is under that cover!He's starting to venture into my world!
Under the cover and under a box fan and a Moped, and 2 bicycles, and 4 wheels, and . . .No way! The entire car is under that cover!
If there's ever a fire, he'll never find that once nationally competitive Miata in time
I have a 94 R that I daily driven. I haven't autocrossed my R or other NA enough to comment on why it's the ES miata to have. But this is what I gather from my reading off M.net.
1. It's one of the lighest 1.8 NA with LSD coming from the factory. Since it comes with manual everything.
2. It has little stiffer springs, 1mm thicker front sway, Bilstein shocks with perchs that 3/8 inch or so lower, longer bumpstops that already compressed at rest (which is the main reason why it's ride so stiff), special tie rods for the lower ride height.
Manual steering for autocross is not for everyone tho. Iain could comment on that, I remember his 99 sport didn't have PS. Miatamoto drove my car, he didnt like it mainly due to the weight and the slower ratio.
As far as the ride goes, I have FCM bumpstops on mine now which greatly improved the ride quality. Before the change, the ride was so stiff that you could feel EVERYTHING, and it bumpsteered in turns that less than glass smooth. I "believe" you can change the bumpstops in stock classes as long as they are shorter than stock, with that change alone should make it more liveable on the daily basis.
Also the Bilsteins can be custom revalved reasonsable cheap and perform really well. Try searching for "fastmike" on M.net.
Hope it helps,
Alan
94 Miata R package RPF1 195 RS-R RB FSB FCM Bilstein Ebay Coilover 550/350
91 Civic Si Daily Beater
"Its more fun to drive a slow car fast, than it is to drive a fast car slowly".
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