Page 17 of 52
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 11:12 pm
by AZ Sun Lover
MichaelM012 wrote:Hey everyone! I'm new here, but not too new to Miatas. I'm keeping track of this car(thread) because I also want to keep my 2012 SE streetable. It has become my daily driver. I have a question about the new RoadsterSport Street Header. I preordered it and cannot wait for them to be sent out, but I am a bit confused about which extended O2 wires to order. I will use this header along with the RoadsterSport Midpipe. Which O2 extenders do I need to order? Also, for a daily driver, would you consider 17x9's too much with either 225/45 or 235/40 tires? I notice Brian is going with 205 or 215s. I'm also considering 215/45 on either a 17x7.5 or 17x8 wheel. What do you recommend for street use? Thanks for any help.
I'm thinking the short for the front 02 & med. length for the rear. You will need to have an 02 bung hole in the mid-pipe. So you will need to have one installed in the stock mid-pipe, buy a RS (from Goodwin) or Enthuzacar (built by Jason) mid-pipe.
For a "street car" " I " would run a 225/45-17's on 17x7.5 or 17x8. Depends on how good you are at seeing pot holes & etc in the roads.
As Brian stated, the 1st try with a set of new Progress springs ended up being a little taller then they were looking for.
I for one I'm curious to see when Progress gets the springs where Brian and others (myself included) want them how much more drop come from the Koni shocks. I have read anywhere from 1/2" to 3/4" more drop. I guess it must depends on the springs installed with the shocks or how owners measure ride hight. (?)
This is what the MSR / Progress springs look like on an 07 GT soft top w/ small for their size 235/40-18's on a 18x8 +48 wheels (I hope this works)
AZ
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 6:47 am
by Brian
Hi Guys,
The extension cord part numbers needed are listed in the Street Header product description so I don't expect anybody will order the wrong cords. The medium cord and the short cord only fit the first sensor. As explained in the product description for the medium length cord, it is ONLY for the PPE long tube header and nothing else. For the street header you need the short and long (only the long cord fits and relocates that second sensor)
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 3:12 pm
by Brian
Autocrossed our Project 2012 today to give it a real test at the limit with the Progress SPRINGS and Progress SWAYS. It was a blast!
Nobody is going to win autocross championships with this setup because the springs are still relatively soft compared to our Ohlins coilover equipped MX5 friends running the same event...but the difference between stock and the car as now equipped is amazing (see pics a few pages back for first autocross with just the sways and look at the difference in body stance). The car Is much more flat at the limit. It still ends up on the bumpstops in hard turns (as it is designed to do), but it is not hitting the stops as violently, and squat under acceleration and dive on hard braking are much reduced. With less drama in the body motions the tires stayed better planted to the pavement and the car is much faster....and several times more fun to toss around.
Perhaps the best evidence of the success of the upgrade is that my wife is normally about 5 to 8 seconds behind my best time whenever we drive the same car.... yet today she was just 3.4 seconds behind my best time. Though much of the credit goes to her instructor (
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
), certainly the car is now much easier to drive fast, more predictable at the limit and at the edge of grip. Balance of the setup is good, still safe and you can lift to tuck the nose into a turn and then gas it out with just a small step out of the tail. Slam the throttle shut violently and you can get the car to rotate on demand until you add gas and give up a little steering for it to catch and go.....lots of fun.
By the way, Progress has another test set of front springs on the way next week. So, we hope to get "NC2" heights right soon.
You may notice no BLUE Painters tape on the car today. Instead, we used "Road Wrap" which looks like thick Saran Wrap. Much easier than Painter's Tape!
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 7:22 pm
by Chris Thompson
Once again I could not make it to the Q today or to your shop last week. At the very least I need a SmartTop and front sway for my '08 GT PRHT. I need to DD and AX this car until I get a new motor for my 99.
Sorry if I missed it here somewhere but what tires of what size are you running for AX/DD duty on the new car? I Think I can get a set of 235-45-17 Star Specs on stock 7" rims with a dose of negative camber. LOL, you're gonna tell me to just pony up for the RPF1's and roll the fenders huh? My saved Goodwin wish list is over $8k of stuff...and that's just for the '08. Can't decide which car to spend my limited resources on. I love them both.
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 10:08 pm
by Brian
This project is still on the stock wheels and tires. A few pages back we talked about the plans for the wheel and tire package but here are the essential details. The choice of 235/40/17 on 17x8 or 17x9 is a very popular combo with our NC customers....particularly those who want a high grip dual purpose combo for street and autocross or track. I have been real tempted to do a 17x9 or 17x8 RPF1 in SBC finish with 235/40 on this project. But we have a dedicated autocross NC already...and a dedicated track NC (that took Top Time of Day last weekend when we crashed the S2000 Challenge at Willow Springs
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
) AND.... I need to be very aware that this is my wife's daily driver. If it was my toy alone it might already be on the 17x9...
So this project has a different focus, more high speed luxury focused GT. So far, the wife loves the changes to the car, the significant torque gains detailed in the street header addition, the better handling without compromise of ride quality from the Progress bits, etc. And with that focus in mind I want to keep the wheel and tire package even lighter and tighter than what I am usually tempted to do. As stated from the start I want to improve rather than compromise the luxury side of this car....so we want it lighter, tighter, faster, without any compromises, etc. Thus, we custom ordered Enkei 17x7.5 RPF1 in SBC finish to match the chrome bits already all over this top of the line PRHT (we had to order 40 wheels for Enkei to do the SBC finish in this non-stocking size so there will be enough to go around). They should arrive under 15 pounds and we will likely keep the same or close to stock tire size...but step up to lighter and perhaps stickier rubber (perhaps a Conti Extreme Contact or ?). Less weight for better ride and better handling....and that 'lighter on it's feet' feel, etc.
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 9:34 am
by eluviis
Hi Brian, I really enjoyed watching the SCCA Solo tour a few weeks ago. I would've not been able to attend the AX yesterday anyway, but when's the next AX you'll be at? I'd love to watch and bring my car. Maybe run it too (with that clear tape stuff you used). I've never run an AX, so I want to watch more before giving it a go.
If there's an event running memorial day weekend, I won't be able to make that as I will be already racing from San Diego to Oceanside (over a different kind of surface - water - as in this sorta thing:
http://www.da-woody.com/10YCSAT/10YCSAT.html ) - But anytime after that for sure. Apart from the SCCA calendar, is there any other site I can keep up with local AX events?
Also, maybe you should bring the new NC2 to cars and coffee Saturday mornings in Carlsbad. - Again, not Memorial weekend, cause I won't be there
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 5:09 pm
by matthew-m
Brian wrote:roadster_nh wrote:Given its DD status, I think it would be interesting as a test bed for strategic placement of lightweight sound deadening material. With that and the performance mods, you could look at it as 'civilized performance.'
It's funny you mention that, was thinking the same last night while driving home on freeway drive of about 20 miles that the road noise is surprisingly high for a brand new car....with power retracting hard top. With that in mind I was thinking that I could add some Enkei wheels and save several pounds per corner and 'spend' some of that weight savings on sound killing materials in key locations....to end up with car that rides and handles better and also is smoother, and with less road noise. Anybody have a suggestion for lightest effective road noise killer?
This is our first PRHT and first NC2, and I am having a lot fun throwing it around off ramps to see what it will do. Around town it is fun, on the freeway less so with that road noise mentioned above. The ragtop has enough wind noise with the top up to cover a lot of the road surface noise. In the PRHT the road surface noise seems much more intense...perhaps merely because of the lack of the wind noise, but perhaps in part because of an echo effect off off the hard top.
I found a paintable noise-control product called QuietCoat at
http://www.quietcar.net that seems to provide low weight with better results than the mat types of products. Has anyone tired this?
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 9:11 pm
by Brian
eluviis wrote:Hi Brian, I really enjoyed watching the SCCA Solo tour a few weeks ago. I would've not been able to attend the AX yesterday anyway, but when's the next AX you'll be at? I'd love to watch and bring my car. Maybe run it too (with that clear tape stuff you used). I've never run an AX, so I want to watch more before giving it a go.
If there's an event running memorial day weekend, I won't be able to make that as I will be already racing from San Diego to Oceanside (over a different kind of surface - water - as in this sorta thing:
http://www.da-woody.com/10YCSAT/10YCSAT.html ) - But anytime after that for sure. Apart from the SCCA calendar, is there any other site I can keep up with local AX events?
Also, maybe you should bring the new NC2 to cars and coffee Saturday mornings in Carlsbad. - Again, not Memorial weekend, cause I won't be there
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
We make most of the local SCCA autocross events. Our habit lately has been to play with the project car on practice Saturdays and use our supercharged 2007 for competition Sundays. Looks like next event is June 2 and 3rd. The calendar link for anybody seeking to join the fun is
HERE.
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 10:36 am
by Chris Thompson
eluviis wrote: I've never run an AX, so I want to watch more before giving it a go.
No need to watch. Just show up prepared to drive and have fun. Lots of friendly folks to help you thru sign up and such.
Re: Our New 2012 PRHT SS Project....
Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 10:59 am
by eluviis
^^^ Thanks! Good to know....
As far as gear, all I need is a DOT approved helmet, right?