25 replies to this topic

[Todd Tagget]

i've been lurking here for a while so thought I'd finally post..
I've been driving for a while and own a couple of Porsche 930s, instruct HPDE for SCCA and HOD, and have driven in 5 24 hours of Lemons races (finished in top 15 and 20 in three of them at Thunderhill, Fernley, and Infineon)..

So finally decided to join Spec Miata over Spec E30 and decided to build rather than buy.
Found a very clean (although 230k miles) 92 for $1200 and a hard top for $600 (so I think I'm doing pretty well so far). I'll be picking up an Evil Genius cage kit that I'll weld in myself with the help of an experienced cage welder buddy of mine.

My first question is where's the cheapest place to pick up a suspension kit ?

Second question is I was thinking of getting both a Nasa and SCCA license next season. I'm in Reno and will be in the N. Cal area.. or should I stick to just one group?

Really looking forward to this..

[FTodaro]

since the suspension is spec you really cannot get a cheap price unless you buy used. If you have not joined Mazdaspeed you should do so and they can ship you exactly what you need.

I cannot help you regarding your local race organizations. In the Mid West both SCCA and NASA are strong and I race both. Same guys for the most part different clubs.

[Jaime Florence]

Todd,

Great decisions so far! I'm pretty new here but one thing I can tell you is that this community is awesome (both online and in person) and willing to help. Be sure to come out to any of the NorCal track for some Spec Miata races and meet us, ask questions and get ideas for your build. There is lots to learn.

I have been running with NASA ( in Norcal) and it's been great. From what I can see the SCCA fields are a little bigger but very similar in that it's all great folks ready to help and lots of other cars to race. If you have the time and money to race both I'd do it in a heartbeat, I can only afford to race in one and maybe do a race or two in the other.

[dstevens]

So finally decided to join Spec Miata over Spec E30 and decided to build rather than buy.
Found a very clean (although 230k miles) 92 for $1200 and a hard top for $600 (so I think I'm doing pretty well so far). I'll be picking up an Evil Genius cage kit that I'll weld in myself with the help of an experienced cage welder buddy of mine.

Buy Dave Wheeler's Spec Miata Constructors Guide. Best 20 bucks I've spent on the SM build and I'm about 10k into it right now.

http://www.advanced-...&products_id=42

The suspensions are standard, not much price variance. You could check http://www.advanced-...&products_id=42 or http://www.miatacage...ension-kit.aspx . Wheeler's is a bit more because it come with 99 shock hats and Fat Cat bump stops and sway bar links. I got mine from Mazdaspeed.

[pat slattery]

NASA will accept your SCCA License , but SCCA will not, so I would recommend getting a SCCA Lis. and you should be good to go with both Orgs.

[LarryKing]

SCCA.com

Find your division and region's websites, look for 2012 schools. Your region's directors will help get you started.

I'm with Jamie, if you can swing it, race SCCA and NASA.

[Todd Tagget]

thanks guys,, good advice. Dave's book is already on order. Looks like I'll get the SCCA license..
I'll post some pics when i start the build (need to pick it up from Salt Lake City first!)

[Ron Alan]

Todd,

Welcome aboard! SFR Spec Miata community(SCCA) is a great group of guys with a wide variety of skill and experience...you will be racing someone...guaranteed! The driver school in late feb/early march(not sure the date) is the best bang for your buck and will get you out in either organization. SCCA or NASA? Both have their pluses and minuses...different strokes for different folks. As most get into this, they usually had influences form friends who do 1 or the other...and thats where they end up. Some cross over but of course that can add up for the budget racer! Though we run SCCA, hope to do a few NASA events next year if funds allow...because they run Infineon many times and they run Thunderhill backwards!

If funds and time allows, try to make the Art of Road Racing event put on at the end of Jan...hands down the best value you can get to prepare you for serious door to door competition http://artofroadraci.../AoRR/Home.html

Look forward to having you out there next year! Best of luck with the build! BTW...if your going to go the torsen diff route, pm me.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

NASA will accept your SCCA License , but SCCA will not, so I would recommend getting a SCCA Lis. and you should be good to go with both Orgs.

I always thought that was true, but NASA SE doesn't take anythign other than NASA license I was informed last week. I have raced SCCA on NASA license for regional racing only.

[davew]

Thanks for suggesting my book. Also read and re-read the rulebook for your sanctioning body(s)

I may be wrong on this, but I believe NASA will only allow you to run with their license. BUT, they will issue a NASA license based on an SCCA license as long as you pay all the fees.

SCCA will allow you to run regional races on a NASA license as long as you are a member of SCCA

For National races you must have a SCCA National license and be a member of SCCA

FYI, my suspension kit comes assembled with 99 hats, fat cats and my adjustable sway bar links, for one price.

Dave

[Johnny D]

Here's NorCal if you don't have it already.
http://www.sfrscca.org/
http://www.nasanorcal.com/

http://www.scca.com/
http://www.nasaproracing.com/
J~

[Todd Green]

I'll post some pics when i start the build (need to pick it up from Salt Lake City first!)

SLC? If I'm in town and you want to see Miller Motorsports and/or have any questions, PM me. There might even be a Wintercross event if you get the car on a weekend.

[Todd Tagget]

Thanks guys,, Todd, I'll be coming in at noon on the 30th,, running to the DMV and working on the first.. then driving it home.. PM me I'd love to buy you a beer and pick your brain.
Ron, I'm not sure my car will be ready by then, otherwise I'd sign up for sure..I'm in the Bay Area every week, maybe we can have a cocktail one night after work?
Dave I'll call you on the suspension and other parts for sure..

[Ron Alan]

In Pleasant Hill right off 680...stop by anytime...shoot me a pm

[Bruce McNutt]

Thanks for suggesting my book. Also read and re-read the rulebook for your sanctioning body(s)

I may be wrong on this, but I believe NASA will only allow you to run with their license. BUT, they will issue a NASA license based on an SCCA license as long as you pay all the fees.

SCCA will allow you to run regional races on a NASA license as long as you are a member of SCCA

For National races you must have a SCCA National license and be a member of SCCA

FYI, my suspension kit comes assembled with 99 hats, fat cats and my adjustable sway bar links, for one price.

Dave

FYI,

Also, SCCA now recognizes the Canadian ASN License for the Atlantic Region - ARMS (Atlantic Region Motorsports) and CASC. As well, ARMS recognizes SCCA & NASA Licenses, so if you guys wish to race North of the border, your license is sufficient in Canada.

[RJ-19]

Post #1... You have to start somewhere...

In the last few years I've hit my mid-life crisis (and still shy of age forty). I figured that some speed in my life might fix the problem and in some regards it has. However I've also learned like anything in life you always want more. Four years ago, I started running PDX events with my bone stock MINI Cooper S. After a couple years of that, I felt that twitch again (mainly due to every other car on the track passing me).

So... I went out and purchase a 2003 Corvette Z06. I have run that at PDX events the last two years, first year bone stock and this past year with upgraded brake components and better tires. The Z06 did fix the "need for speed" but I've also quickly realized that I can not afford to take the next step with that car. In other words, I can't afford to put a Z06 in the wall and expect to be back on the track this decade. I've seen guys mess up some really nice cars, mainly through their own mistakes, but in some cases due to others on the track as well. The thrill is great to go 140+ mph, but I'm spending too much time thinking about what I can't afford to do on the track from a financial stand point.

So... This year I've decided to take the plunge into SCCA and get into autocrossing and learn better car control. I figure I'll learn more about my driving, calibrate my rearend, get some further "driver mods" and do it in an environment which is a little safer. But in the near future (2013 season) I would like to get into club racing and from what I read Spec Miata seems to be the way to go for some simply entry level grassroots racing. So eventually I found my way here and unfortunately one of the first monster threads I started reading was discussing "The $30k Spec Miata..." Ahhhhh! That gave me a serious pause. From other sources (SCCA, etc) I had been hearing numbers of $10-$15k cars, large fields with lots of cars to race at all different talent levels, etc.

So... I hope that as I read more and keep learning I find that this will meet my needs. For the short term, I'm sure everything I'm going to ask has been posted hundreds of times before, I just need to be pointed in the right direction. To get started I'm looking for a general timeline of what I need to do this year so I'm ready next spring and if possible where is a good place to shop for a ready to run vehicle (Midwest). I don't need to be competitive, I just want to be legal and ready to run.

So... Here ends post #1 and I'm looking forward to learning and getting active in the near future.

Ryan J

[Ron Alan]

Ryan,

Cut and paste this into your own thread(start a newbie thread of your own in your region)so people in your area will find you!

[LarryKing]

Believe it or not, blonde strippers are actually a more economic mid-life crisis. Ask me how I know.

PS: many here will disagree with me but SM ain't entry level anymore, however you can buy a used IT car for pennies on the dollar.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Or even cheaper if you have an old SM, and you feel SM is to advanced for your liking in terms of tuning and spending... you can always rip the SM stickers off and put some IT stickers on real cheap and resume having fun

SM is as entry level as you want it to be or as PRO level as you want it to be, those are personal choices by your approach to your car, racecraft, crew, and prep.

When I see a guy who enters 2 cars in the same race, qualifies both cars and races whichever sets the best time... thats a pretty PRO approach. I have seen this done, and there is nothing wrong with it, it aint against any rules, IMO it doesn't go against any spirit of the class or any other such BS. (others will disagree with me on that but Oh well)

Other guys want to change the oil every once in a while, slap on some brake pads and tires and go racin....nothing wrong with that approach either! Thank God we still live in the United States of America where freedom of choice is still allowed, even though that freedom shrinks daily.

The biggest deal of all is No Matter what class you race in, racing still beats a Sharp Stick In the Eye every time!!!!!!!! I cant wait till my next race.............Is it Spring yet?

[Glenn]

Or even cheaper if you have an old SM, and you feel SM is to advanced for your liking in terms of tuning and spending... you can always rip the SM stickers off and put some IT stickers on real cheap and resume having fun

SM is as entry level as you want it to be or as PRO level as you want it to be, those are personal choices by your approach to your car, racecraft, crew, and prep.

When I see a guy who enters 2 cars in the same race, qualifies both cars and races whichever sets the best time... thats a pretty PRO approach. I have seen this done, and there is nothing wrong with it, it aint against any rules, IMO it doesn't go against any spirit of the class or any other such BS. (others will disagree with me on that but Oh well)

Other guys want to change the oil every once in a while, slap on some brake pads and tires and go racin....nothing wrong with that approach either! Thank God we still live in the United States of America where freedom of choice is still allowed, even though that freedom shrinks daily.

The biggest deal of all is No Matter what class you race in, racing still beats a Sharp Stick In the Eye every time!!!!!!!! I cant wait till my next race.............Is it Spring yet?

+1