SCCAForums.com

I know a shiny car doesn't go any faster. . .but on my budget that's all I can do right now!  So last night I worked a little on the exterior.  Looks like there might actually be some paint left on this thing. . .well except the hood.  It needs a serious makeover.

See for yourself:

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Just got the carfax.  Car has 179k miles!  That means when it churned out 93hp on the chassis dyno it was over 160k miles on that motor.  Stock was 100 at the Flywheel. . . this engine has some potential!  Unfortunately looks like a refresh is in order. Or would that be fortunately?

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Holy six headed post, Batman! LOL

 

Think you can squeeze 120hp out of that thing?

Think you can squeeze 120hp out of that thing?

Think you can squeeze 120hp out of that thing?

Think you can squeeze 120hp out of that thing?

Think you can squeeze 120hp out of that thing?

Think you can squeeze 120hp out of that thing?
 

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Indianapolis Region Solo Co-Chair, XSTS #58
Brian Davis' 2008 Tire Warmer :-)

I am Will Lahee

Any idea what the torque curve looks like? I figure it will be dog slow coming out of tight turns (the reason why I said you HAVE to run small diameter tires on it), but it very well could be fast enough everywhere else to make up for it. Assuming you can get the suspension to work, it should do very well in sweepers.

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Brian Davis, 89 Civic Si, 158 STS

A special company said they would gladly work with me to get some good springs (prototypes IIRC )to go match up with some Koni's.  Poly bushings area must now with teh miles. A larger rear sway bar, frt/rear strut bars. . . it should handle great.  Even as old as everything is and being stock, there is almost NO body movement.

 As for HP, I'm shooting for 105 at the wheels.  Conservative yes, but realistic. 1700lbs and 105 whp should be strong for a beginner like me.

 Brian, what dyno's I've seen of these is a flat tq curve.  Making about 65ftlbs from 3k and peaking out about 85 around 5k.  Not sure what the higher RPM range will bring but I am already anxious to hear this demon screaming at those stupid high revs.

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Great car! I look forward to seeing it on course.  

Bob, you don't need any "good springs". If you are using Konis, Koni also makes a threaded sleeve that fits perfectly on their shocks. Their threaded sleeves take either 2.25 or 2.5 inch ID race springs. You can get these springs in just about any rate and length. I will help you get the right set up. Talk to me when you are ready to get started on the suspension.

I'm with Brian on the wheels and tires too. You definitely should find a way to go with 195/50/15 Stones. They are going to make a huge difference on such a small, light car. The 16's are too big, IMO. I would be happy to help you hunt down a cheap set of wheels as well. What bolt pattern and offset do you need.

Also, I wouldn't bother with trying to get the hood repainted. I think the hood would look great painted flat black. Rattle cans, FTMFW!!!1!11!!!one!11!

..

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90 Miata/89 CRX - STS2 #90/190

GChambers:

Great car! I look forward to seeing it on course.  

Bob, you don't need any "good springs". If you are using Konis, Koni also makes a threaded sleeve that fits perfectly on their shocks. Their threaded sleeves take either 2.25 or 2.5 inch ID race springs. You can get these springs in just about any rate and length. I will help you get the right set up. Talk to me when you are ready to get started on the suspension.

I'm with Brian on the wheels and tires too. You definitely should find a way to go with 195/50/15 Stones. They are going to make a huge difference on such a small, light car. The 16's are too big, IMO. I would be happy to help you hunt down a cheap set of wheels as well. What bolt pattern and offset do you need.

Also, I wouldn't bother with trying to get the hood repainted. I think the hood would look great painted flat black. Rattle cans, FTMFW!!!1!11!!!one!11!

 

 

Well, the Koni's are inserts and the rear is not a true strut configuration.  With the way the rear is set up there's not enough room in the rear for a true coilovers. 

For the record, you and Brian suck.  I can't believe I let you two talk me into selling my gorgeous Konigs. . . I'mgoing to try the wife's 15" motegi's that came off Dave's Wife's Miata.  They have a 195/50/15 tire on them with a 35mm offset.  The 40 offset on the Konigs really leaves me very little rear camber adjustment, and would limit me to about -2 on the front. So it looks like a Miata size and offset, but with a 4x114.3 bolt pattern. We have a wholesale account with TR, so the RE-01R's are relatively cheap for me, considering I'll mount/balance my own.

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Bobzilla:

frt/rear strut bars

What suspension setup does it have? Is it actual struts (like MacPherson, etc.)? 

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Brian Davis, 89 Civic Si, 158 STS

Frt is true macphearson struts.  Rears. . .it's complicated.  Lower A-arms, seperate shock/spring that share the same tower.  Shocks attach at the highest point. . .springs attatch outward from them IIRC.  The rear towers are also the mounting points for the rear suspension, so an upper brace to keep them from flexing, at the cost of 1 lb, I think will be beneficial. . . if not, I'll unbolt it and call it a day.

 Brian, do you have any dual bolt pattern wheels with the 'stones on them?  I was wondering on fitment and the actual size of the bridgestones.  I know they tend to run wider than advertised and wanted to make sure I actually have the clearance.

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Bobzilla:

Frt is true macphearson struts.  Rears. . .it's complicated.  Lower A-arms, seperate shock/spring that share the same tower.  Shocks attach at the highest point. . .springs attatch outward from them IIRC.  The rear towers are also the mounting points for the rear suspension, so an upper brace to keep them from flexing, at the cost of 1 lb, I think will be beneficial. . . if not, I'll unbolt it and call it a day.

 Brian, do you have any dual bolt pattern wheels with the 'stones on them?  I was wondering on fitment and the actual size of the bridgestones.  I know they tend to run wider than advertised and wanted to make sure I actually have the clearance.

Yeah, if you have an actual strut car, then strut braces are definitely worthwhile. I don't have any dual bolt pattern wheels (light wheels seem to all be single bolt pattern), but you are welcome to borrow something and take measurements. 

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Brian Davis, 89 Civic Si, 158 STS

Actually, you or Geoff get the chance, could get me an actual treadwidth/overall width of the 'stones?  No hurry, I might even just bring the tape to Grissom to measure for myself.

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Bobzilla:

Actually, you or Geoff get the chance, could get me an actual treadwidth/overall width of the 'stones?  No hurry, I might even just bring the tape to Grissom to measure for myself.

Just bring a measuring tape, that way you'll know the measurement is consistent. 

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Brian Davis, 89 Civic Si, 158 STS

Hey Bob, I saw this post for some nearly new shaved Bridgestone 195/50R15s ($350) that I thought might interest you...

http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/299084.aspx

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Jason P.
Indy Region Moderator
SMS - M3 e46
(STU in 2009 - Thanks SEB! :) )

Deconstruction finally begins!!!

Believe it or not, it finally starts!  Last night I started by pulling the header, vacuum lines, hoses, fuel lines, harness, valve cover and Cams.

Couple quick snapshots. . .nothing big, just noting my way from beginning to end with this one.

Now, quick question.  For the Valve cover, I have been trying to decide what color to paint it.  I am fairly certain I'm going to mask off the "Suzuki 1300" and "Twin Cam" with their raised bars and polish them then clear coat it all.  Ideas?

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Black wrinkle finish paint, with the parts you mentioned polished bare aluminum and clearcoated.

 If you aren't familiar with the look, find some pictures of older Alfa's or Ferrari's. 

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Scott Dales
90SM '03 MCS
www.cscc-scca.org
www.indyscca.org

Yay! New Pictures! I have another one for you...

Bob's car --->

(actual size)

 

So, uh, what are you doing to it? I know you pulled some stuff off and now there are a bunch of greasey metal things exposed, but what is the plan? Just a check up or are you replacing/modifying parts etc? Keep the pictures coming... As to color... hmmm, not sure. Red is a tough color to contrast - I woul not go with orange or green or even purple, which leaves blue and yellow or a shade of gray. White would be hot, but obviously a pain to keep looking good. When I had my red BMW I toyed with the idea of painting my calipers laguna seca blue (current car color) - but most people said I was nuts. I think the right shade of blue would be best. Will you have any racing stripes or color anywhere else? If so I would match it up (like Geoff's orange stripes matching his wheels on the CRX).

 

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Jason P.
Indy Region Moderator
SMS - M3 e46
(STU in 2009 - Thanks SEB! :) )

startingwith an engine rebuild.  Car has 179k miles on the engine, time to give it a refresh and a new start for me.  Looks like I may have a bent valve, or at leasta stuck one so going to end the head off to Head Solutions.  Block rebored, new pistons/rings/bearings. 

 Once it's running, then it'll slip down to our Friends at PD LLC to be cornerweighted and springs ordered. Then Konis and bushings, wheels I get in Sept.  Tires this winter.  Then a little bodywork/ clean up.

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Bobzilla:

startingwith an engine rebuild.  Car has 179k miles on the engine, time to give it a refresh and a new start for me.  Looks like I may have a bent valve, or at leasta stuck one so going to end the head off to Head Solutions.  Block rebored, new pistons/rings/bearings. 

 Once it's running, then it'll slip down to our Friends at PD LLC to be cornerweighted and springs ordered. Then Konis and bushings, wheels I get in Sept.  Tires this winter.  Then a little bodywork/ clean up.

How come you can't squeeze those 225s on there? I know it was rubbing in the rear, but so much so that it couldn't 'work itself out'? From my understanding you can't roll the fenders, but if the wheel causes the fender to bend out on its own that is OK, right? Or was it just too much for a little nudge out of the way? (You can't get any camber on there can you?) It just seems going all the way down to 205 or even 195 is a huge drop in surface area. Or, what about going 225 in the front since only the rear was rubbing?

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Jason P.
Indy Region Moderator
SMS - M3 e46
(STU in 2009 - Thanks SEB! :) )

225's just physically can't fit.  Remember, those wheel wells were made for 155/80R12's.  A 175/70R14 filled them.  195 is as large a tire as you can fit in the rear wit ha 6.5" rim and 35-38mm offset and still add negative camber in the rear.  THose rear wells are just so tiny.  The fronts rubbed when you turned the wheel. 

Add in the fact that the tires were over 8% too large on a torque-impaired engine and it was a recipe for disaster.

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"Drag racing is for fast cars, autocrossing is for fast drivers"

Bobzilla:

225's just physically can't fit.  Remember, those wheel wells were made for 155/80R12's.  A 175/70R14 filled them.  195 is as large a tire as you can fit in the rear wit ha 6.5" rim and 35-38mm offset and still add negative camber in the rear.  THose rear wells are just so tiny.  The fronts rubbed when you turned the wheel. 

Add in the fact that the tires were over 8% too large on a torque-impaired engine and it was a recipe for disaster.

I know 195 Bridgestones are kinda beefy. They don't even look like a "normal" 195.

Bob is right.....too little torque on too big of a tire = acceleration issues.
 

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Indianapolis Region Solo Co-Chair, XSTS #58
Brian Davis' 2008 Tire Warmer :-)

I am Will Lahee