20B PP MX-5 Track Car (WTAC Open Class Specification) 20b Miata

[— Phatmiata —]

good stuff right there!!

[20bppmx5]

The last 14 days leading up to patting rear the bumper of the NC and sending it south to WTAC 2014 were nothing short of organised chaos.

Lucky for me, my friends and workmates were just as committed as me to reaching the goal!

As such I would like to thank the following people and businesses who all assisted in some way:

* Automotive Plus
- Jeff Mason
- Dave Avenell
- Jason Furness
- Dave Crelley
- Deanne Curd

* Australian Diversified Engineering
- Clive Gray
- Matt Gray
- Ben Crisp
- Adam Byster
- Daniel Kirk
- Chris Finn
- Mark Dale
- Raynor Kennerley

* GT Auto Garage
- Dave Johnson
- David Lenthall
- Tim Hung

* AMB Aero
- Andrew Brilliant

* Ultimate Big Boys Toyz
- Rob Sabo
- Wayne Power
- Dan Nicholls

* Gold Rush Composites
- Max Buhner
- Steve Griffith
- Matt Griffith

* Custom Race Electrics
- Greg Walsh
- Steve Ford

* Engineering Precision Solutions
- Ron Julius

* Mayne Paint and Panel
- Eric Johns
- Glen Dorahy

* BRMD
- Brett Rogers

* MR Tuning
- Michael Flanders
- Daniel Ensor
- Leigh Geyer
- Andy McElrea

and last, but by no means least, Ian Baker for putting on the biggest Time Attack event in the world!




Cheers,
Danny

[20bppmx5]

About a month out from WTAC 2014 I reviewed the composite component manufacturing schedule and it was pretty obvious we would be pushing sh1t up hill to fully execute the aero package as design by AMB Aero in good time. So a compromise was in order...

(1) Use the aluminium front splitter/diffuser I had designed before contracting AMB Aero's services to develop a complete package.
(2) Fabricate an aluminium rear diffuser.
(3) Laser cut new aluminium end plates for the rear wing.
(4) Make a fibre glass nose cone from a one shot mould.
(5) A fibreglass duct was used to go between the heat exchangers and the bonnet outlet.
(6) Use the rather heavy OEM hardtop.

All of the above components will be replaced with composite components over the next 3-6 months. So there is still quite a bit of R&D/track testing to be done before WTAC 2015. This exercise will see a fair bit of weight come out of the car.


The next series of posts will document a day by day summary of the 14 days that lead to the NC's venture south. At times I didn't have time or enough light to take photos of every thing we had to do.

1st October - Wednesday

Firstly, the OEM hardtop was sent out to Mayne Paint & Panel to be painted the body colour. 8)




The modified front cross-member was almost finished and ready for painting.




Trial fitting the temporary fibre glass heat exchanger to bonnet duct on the heat exchanger assembly.






Bits pieces for the rear diffuser plug that we won't be using just yet.






The bonnet plug all flanged up in anticipation of the tooling to be sprayed (first step in making the mould).




The top layer of carbon fibre twill laid in the door outer skin mould.




The inner door mould all ready for vacuum and resin infusion.




The rear clip mould ready for bagging.






2nd October - Thursday

Buggered if I can remember....didn't take any photos but would have been doing something.


Cheers,
Danny

[20bppmx5]

3rd October - Friday

Shazam!

A bonnet mould appeared!!




The heat exchanger duct all smoothed out and flanged at each end.




The front plug was progressing well...but still some time away from being ready to have a mould taken and product made.








4th October - Saturday

Finally some carbon that I can play with...This is straight out of the moulds with only trimming and gluing done.




So the completed (but empty) carbon door shell weighed in at a hefty.....




A fully assembled NC door with some of the door card trimmed and speaker removed weighs in at....






5th October - Sunday

So my next trick was to transfer all of the OEM powered glass, quarter glass, inner & outer door seals, latches and mechanism into the carbon door. In no less than 7 hours (per door) it was completed.




There was a massive amount of holes to drill just for the door seal clips alone.




These tapped alloy plates were glued in for the door hinges to attach.






....and weighed in at....




The fitting of all the OEM gear was just an exercise in proving that the carbon doors could indeed replace a standard steel door cosmetically. in the not too distant future the glass and powered window mechanism will be removed. Hope fully this will get the door weight down to between 5 and 6 kg.

Sunday is to be continued....

Cheers,
Danny

[—atank—]

1/2 the weight, very nice!

[— Phatmiata —]

wow that Carbon fiber work looks amazing!!!

[Ihatecars]

I had no idea there was a build thread for this car.

This is absolutely amazing. I think I'm lacking the ability to articulate how awesome this build is.

Thank you.

[20bppmx5]

The next issue of RACE magazine has just hit the stands. It has a great couple of articles on all things WTAC....and even a little blurb on the NC.






Cheers,
Danny

[— Phatmiata —]

the car looks like it is firing afterburners in the photo on page 37, love it !!

[20bppmx5]

...5th October - Sunday continued...

...with the fitting of the drivers door.












...transferring of the door internals from the OEM to the composite...




Queensland's Labour Day holiday on the 6th October - Monday was a godsend with the office phones quiet. So I was able to get the powertrain back in the car.






...the rear end fitted...








...the heat exchanger assembly, exhaust and PPF all in place...








...the passenger door bolted on...






...the rear wing mounted...








...a few more bits in the engine bay...








...the steering column and air-jack plumbing in...




...the ARB pillow block...




...and a few aerial shots to capture the days efforts.








...only 8 days left!!!

Cheers,
Danny

[— Phatmiata —]

Wow everything on this Miata is just amazing!! Can I get a wing like that for NA Miata?

[20bppmx5]

Wow everything on this Miata is just amazing!! Can I get a wing like that for NA Miata?

Thanks Phatmiata. Yes, APR Performance are the manufacturer of a huge range of wings. Merry Christmas too!

Cheers,
Danny

[20bppmx5]

7th October - Tuesday

After some silly hours the front plug was ready for a "One Use Only" mould to be taken from it.








8th October - Wednesday

The composite rear clip is on and it fits!!!






Fitting up and trimming the OEM front wheel arch liners.




The front ARB pivot arm and alternator side fire suppression nozzle installed.






The ignition system modules and battery bolted in.






"Green Skin" templates for the side skirts trimmed to suit the profile of the NC underbody.





9th October - Thursday

The wiring loom(s) have been finished.






All ready to be laid in and terminated.








...only 5 days to go...

[20bppmx5]

10th October - Friday

In quick time we have a "One Use Only" mould!




The composite components are arriving just in time! The bonnet...






The upper skin of the side skirts...






Got wiring!









...working air-jacks!






...and a fibreglass nose clip (albeit rather green)!!!




11th October - Saturday: No photos...must have been busy though


12th October - Sunday

The rear is on for the last time and fitted with my hand crafted rotor-shaped exhaust surround.








The new, however temporary, wing end plates fitted.






The amplifiers for the EGT's secured in the windscreen cowl.




The front suspension bolted in.








The alloy front splitter being positioned so that its rear mounts can be made and the front clip trimmed to suit.










...only 2 days to go...

[20bppmx5]

13th October - Monday

During the day a crap load of body components were trial fitted and painted. This was the result by the evening. It finally looked like it might almost be completed in time for WTAC 2014!












The temporary rear diffuser was starting to take shape.






14th October - Tuesday - The Last Day

Dyno time!!!











The heat exchanger ducting...








Cold engine intake air ducting in place...






All ready for its first full rev range pull...








So it was now 1pm and the car had to be ready to go down to MR Tuning by 7pm! The subsequent 6 hours of craziness resulted in this.




A quick wheel alignment...






...and loaded, bound for WTAC 2014! 8) We had done it!!!




Cheers,
Danny