PROJECT ND: Parts Development, Testing, Measurements, DYNO

[Ryan @ GWR]

Lots of "musical parts" here as we play with various parts and configurations. But as always, we're keeping notes on weights for everything. Here's some data for suspension bits!

ND Suspension - Factory Parts
Shock/spring assy. (F) - 9.05 lbs
Shock/spring assy. (R) - 9.5
Spring (F) - 2.9 lbs
Spring (R) - 2.6 lbs

ND Suspension - Aftermarket Parts
Ohlins coilover (F) - w/ spring & top hat - 8.8 lbs
Ohlins coilover (R) - w/ spring & top hat - 8.2 lbs
Feal coilover (F) - w/ spring & factory top hat - 8.15 lbs
Feal coilover (R) - w/ spring & factory top hat - 8.25 lbs
RSR coilover (F) - w/ spring & top hat - 10.1 lbs
RSR coilover (R) - w/ spring & top hat - 9.15 lbs
Progress Spring (F) - Standard rate - 4.05 lbs
Progress Spring (R) - Standard rate - 3.65 lbs
Progress Spring (F) - Race rate - 4.7 lbs
Progress Spring (R) - Race rate - 4.65 lbs

The numbers are easier to compare presented in a table:

[Brian]

Progress Springs ND...looking good, feeling good!

Stock heights were 14.25 to 14.5 front and 14.5 to 14.75 rear.
Progress spring heights 13 front and 13.25 rear

Measured center of wheel up to lip.

More details in the store, we go live on these today!

STOCK Spring Rates
156 front
80 rear

Progress Spring Rates
185 Front
115 rear

[Sean @ GWR]

Here are some more detailed shots of our rear sway bar bracket.

[njaremka]

I now other people are thinking this, so I'll ask: Any chance those rear brackets will be available as a stand-alone part?

[Brian]

WE might do that for those who don't start with buying the best engineered set of sways.

[skeeler]

Brian, there's no doubt the Progress sways you helped develop are well designed and manufactured, but not everyone will want those rates.

[BRO]

What lap times were you able to get at Laguna Seca with these mods?

[ABQautoxer]

Do you have any weights for the Roadster Sport midpipe and Header yet?

[Brian]

What lap times were you able to get at Laguna Seca with these mods?

Fastest posted times of the weekend were done in our supercharged 2007, me driving solo 1:39 and with passenger consistent 1:42 in that NC. In comparison, our ND was with passengers all weekend and most laps 8 to 10 seconds slower than our NC. It was easily fast enough to pass most of the B group, and run middle of the pack in the A group, but obviously a long way to go to match the beast that is our supercharged NC. That makes it sound slow, but really it's more that our supercharged NC is very fast with so many more years of development, our ND still one of the fastest Miatas of the event on a crowded track where passing was a challenge without the boosted power that supercharged NC has.

[Brian]

Do you have any weights for the Roadster Sport midpipe and Header yet?

Have not had a chance to weigh the final midpipe.

My recollection from playing with prototypes was the midpipe is slightly heavier than stock midpipe as you should expect since it is moving up to 2.5 inches of flow, and the header saves a lot of weight in dropping that first converter such that midpipe and header prototypes together were less weight as a combo than the stock header/midpipe combo.