Now with Photos, HPDE3 at MMP Utah outer oop, FAST course, RAAMFiST is doing great!

[RAAMaudio]

Depending on the location on the track I was shifting from 6200 or so to 6800 and it pulled well all the way there.

I need to get my 3 way shift light setup before I hit the track again so I can ship optimally as needed. I will plot all this out, gears, tire diameter, how it pulls when dropping into the torque curve, etc....over time.

Once I get this fully sorted out I will then post things to prove it, until then, still tweaking and learning and having some fun

 

[orpamoc]

I admire this thread...along with your build thread. Pretty sick. My FiST is nowhere near track ready lol

 

[RAAMaudio]

Thanks, this is one of my all time favorite project cars, so easy to work on in most all ways, great to start with, responds well to mods...stock the cars are great on the track so most of what I have done is just for my fun to make it better but the cost and time is pretty high to do so with such a great car to start with.

The Octane Academy cars are nearly 100% stock and just run and run and provide great fun, I know as went there two weeks before the track day and drove them

 

[orpamoc]

Thanks, this is one of my all time favorite project cars, so easy to work on in most all ways, great to start with, responds well to mods...stock the cars are great on the track so most of what I have done is just for my fun to make it better but the cost and time is pretty high to do so with such a great car to start with.

The Octane Academy cars are nearly 100% stock and just run and run and provide great fun, I know as went there two weeks before the track day and drove them

That's awesome. I never got attend the Octane Academy unfortunately but I can imagine it must have been tons of fun.

I hope to do the same as you once I retire

 

[RAAMaudio]

I believe we can achieve whatever we want in life so make happen the retirement you wish to have

-------------

The Octane Academy should still be available, if so hit is highly recommended, much fun and great learning experience from superb instructors.

The parking brake training wants me to make the billet attendance trophy into a real rally style parking brake

 

[RAAMaudio]

While I still live in Utah, 75 or so mile from the track, our home is your home if you want to attend, any and all FiST fellow owners

 

[Teezlr]

Thanks, this is one of my all time favorite project cars, so easy to work on in most all ways, great to start with, responds well to mods...stock the cars are great on the track so most of what I have done is just for my fun to make it better but the cost and time is pretty high to do so with such a great car to start with.

The Octane Academy cars are nearly 100% stock and just run and run and provide great fun, I know as went there two weeks before the track day and drove them

I considering tracking my 2014 Fist but since it is my first new car, I don't own it yet, it's mint condition etc plus I use it for business....

Not sure if Miata for >$2000 would be a better idea....

Anyways if I do track the car, do you know if the stock brakes hold for a few laps. I don't do 30 minute sessions in the heat, usually 5-6 laps and pull off. Don't like overheating things.... I gotta drive whatever I bring back home in one piece.

Great thread! With the LSD I bet thing pulls great out of corners!!

 

[RAAMaudio]

The Octane cars get used hard day after day, totally stock except some gutting, roll bar, harnesses, tires and rear brake lever/calipers for hand brake turns.

There is one track session as fast as you want to go per event day, 15-20 minutes, I forget for now, I used the hard as hard as I could, no worries, it was 70 degrees out, East course.

-----------

LSD is incredible, linear, smooth, never feel it but it works, only really going all out and once the tires were a bit overheated as purposely over driving the car did I spin them coming out of a corner but still pulled really well, only on 3rd gear corners, lowest gear I needed, Cyborg turbo making unknown but great power.

-----------

Miata is hard to beat, I would of built one, have had 6 or more, but needed room for two big doggies.

I had a mint 2000 shell, low mile theft recovery, to do an LS swap, track monster into a few years back but decided to just build a big turbo for another car I had at the time.

Also had a mint 2002 complete car, never crashed but had a funky tittle, got it dirt cheap, we loved it but traded off on a C6 Convertible, should of kept the Miata in many wants, made the Vette far to fast and to much money into it.

96 Spec Miata converted to a NASA class car, forget the class, much quicker but might not of been quicker than my ST.....

9---beater with 280k miles I took in trade, still drove and handled and ran great but looked pretty rough, somebody backed into the door, got paid more that it was worth, sold it, bought the 2002 for a smokin deal

And at least 2 others....

I love Miata cars

-----------

ST on track

I talked to the shop manager, all they do is replace tires and stock pads, pads last a couple of months used quite a few times a week.

Hard core, many sessions, high heat, braking late and hard, trail braking, nannies turned on, the pads will probably not last real long you can get track pads now.

I would search here as others have reported using their cars on tracks with stock pads....

 

[Teezlr]

The Octane cars get used hard day after day, totally stock except some gutting, roll bar, harnesses, tires and rear brake lever/calipers for hand brake turns.

There is one track session as fast as you want to go per event day, 15-20 minutes, I forget for now, I used the hard as hard as I could, no worries, it was 70 degrees out, East course.

-----------

LSD is incredible, linear, smooth, never feel it but it works, only really going all out and once the tires were a bit overheated as purposely over driving the car did I spin them coming out of a corner but still pulled really well, only on 3rd gear corners, lowest gear I needed, Cyborg turbo making unknown but great power.

-----------

Miata is hard to beat, I would of built one, have had 6 or more, but needed room for two big doggies.

I had a mint 2000 shell, low mile theft recovery, to do an LS swap, track monster into a few years back but decided to just build a big turbo for another car I had at the time.

Also had a mint 2002 complete car, never crashed but had a funky tittle, got it dirt cheap, we loved it but traded off on a C6 Convertible, should of kept the Miata in many wants, made the Vette far to fast and to much money into it.

96 Spec Miata converted to a NASA class car, forget the class, much quicker but might not of been quicker than my ST.....

9---beater with 280k miles I took in trade, still drove and handled and ran great but looked pretty rough, somebody backed into the door, got paid more that it was worth, sold it, bought the 2002 for a smokin deal

And at least 2 others....

I love Miata cars

-----------

ST on track

I talked to the shop manager, all they do is replace tires and stock pads, pads last a couple of months used quite a few times a week.

Hard core, many sessions, high heat, braking late and hard, trail braking, nannies turned on, the pads will probably not last real long you can get track pads now.

I would search here as others have reported using their cars on tracks with stock pads....

Awesome, seems like the stock pads if not abused could last a session without catching onto fire!

Keep up the awesome work!

 

[RAAMaudio]

Yes, it seems so but do look at other threads as I have only done one lapping session, 70 degree weather, in their car, mine is nothing like stock at all now so others will have more to report

Thanks, should be running again today, radiator DIY fit, taking way to long but more mods done as well at the same time.

 

[ChristianW]

I have been looking into getting a set of dedicated track tires and rims for next summers lapping season and want to be able to fit the widest tire I can on the car without fender rolling. I would really like to get a set of 225 track dedicated tires for these rims. Is it possible to get a 225 on the car without fender rolling and if not what would you suggest for rim and tire size.

 

[Sourskittle]

I have 235/40/17's on the stock rims right now on stock the suspension. Not fender rolling or anything

 

[RAAMaudio]

If you are talking about a road course you want the best support for the tire so the wider the wheel the better, not super stretched, just wider than the tire.

You can get away with wider tires on autocrosses and drag races but for road course it is not always optimal to have the widest tire if the wheel is not wide enough for it, pretty simply physics and documented, not just conjecture or personal opinion

Which wheels are you considering?

 

[razorlab]

the wider the wheel the better, not super stretched, just wider than the tire.

pretty simply physics and documented, not just conjecture or personal opinion

These two statements are very much at contrast to each other.

 

[RAAMaudio]

Not in the least if you have spent the time studying this, read expert opinions, published test reports, talked to professionals in wheels and tires that deal in road racing, autocrossed, drag raced, ran lots of track days, run TT events, looked at thousands of race cars.....

 

[razorlab]

You stated a loose opinion open to interpretation with no documentation, then stated its not an opinion and documented.

That is at contrast with each other

 

[rodmoe]

I think he is referring to the article in the Grassrootsmotorsports magazine where they did testing and found 225 size tires were faster on the same car the same day of testing on nine inch wheels vs same tires mounted on 8 inch wheels of the same brand. and the testing was done on a older honda civic with the same driver and like I said the tires were quicker lap time on the nines cuz they were more squared up as I call it and not bulged.. So there is data out there but I don't think that article is online only in printed copy ..

 

[RAAMaudio]

Yes, that is the article but there is far more info available than that, if one searches it is easy to find. Look at the thousands of race cars over the years....ultimate example, F1 for a very long time now where the tires are a part of the suspension more than most any other race series besides karts.

Want the truth, search and it is there, pure and simple.

 

[RAAMaudio]

By the way, this is my thread, if nothing constructive to say then the comments are not welcome

 

[rodmoe]

Well ya I spent a lot of time in the spec miata forums and such seeking just what you say and as I was going down to a 15 they were very well versed in the 15 inch tire and wheel options and how they work or don't work as well i was just looking at wheel size vs tire size not and specific tire brand or anything of that nature...