Blue Thunder - 1992 Spec Miata
Build File
(... or how to help jump start the US economy)
The following Spec Miata build is
being documented for a two to three (2-3) page article appearing in the August (mailed
July 1st) 2004 issue of S3
Magazine. Subsequent to the August issue,
Todd Lamb of S3 Magazine
will write a feature story of his experience piloting "Blue Thunder" to a podium
finish at the
Spec Miata Milwaukee Cup. We want to thank
SCCA Milwaukee region
and our sponsors for their support of the Spec Miata Milwaukee Cup!
If you
are a vendor or a sponsor and would like to verify this information, please
email or call Mr. Lamb at (248) 588-9438.
While you can still build that
under-8K Spec Miata, we are going to be going all out and duplicating our #85
Frosty the Spec Miata. Except where we ended up adding on after the initial
build in effort to assist with cash flow, we are going to be doing it all
upfront with the Blue Thunder.
Once finished, Blue Thunder is going to be a formidable opponent in the
Spec Miata Milwaukee Cup @ Road
America, SCCA Cat National weekend, July 24-25 2003.
PART 1 - Brakes, Disconnect Airbag,
P/S and A/C removal
Late
November 2003
First, we start out with a nice and
clean 1992 Mazda Miata. All the way from Fort Smith, Arkansas. This one was
found on eBay with a blown differential. We paid $3200 for it, plus $300 for
shipping. A replacement Mazda viscous limited slip differential was $150 on eBay.
This was a great deal, since the last batch of spare differentials we got for
$250 each. $3650 and we have not even started yet. By
the time we are done here, Blue Thunder will be over $20K. But what the heck, we
are building a front-running car and we have a whole winter ahead of us...
Disconnect airbag sensors under the hood and under the dash and other places.
December 2003
We replaced OE brake lines with stainless-steel braided lines from Mazda Speed.
We also purchased new brake calipers to replace the ones from the donor car. And
since the air will get into the hydraulic system when we replace the calipers,
we might as well replace the brake master cylinder.
Next, it's time to remove the power steering pump and related plumbing. On our
donor car, we also have A/C. The compressor is located immediately below the P/S
pump.
Now there is a small matter of plugging hose to steering rack fittings. They are
an odd size. The smaller is an M14x1.50, and the larger is an M16x1.50. After
spending two (2) hours going to Car Quest, Napa and Mazda dealers, we got ours
from Dave Wheeler at
Advanced Autosports.
A/C plumbing, front right.
A/C lines going through the firewall.
FOR MORE PICTURES OF THIS PHASE OF THE BUILD,
PLEASE CLICK
HERE
PART 2 - Interior
(real fun starts here ;)
12/17/03 update: Removal of driver and passenger seats,
glove box and the A/C evaporator unit (under the dash):
12/20/03 update: Removing the soft top
and associated carpeting and trim. My
friend Barry Hammel came over to assist. Barry also has a Spec Miata, among
other race cars.
Getting the carpet fasteners and the 10mm nuts holding the rain rail "cover" in
place.
Removal of the Rain Rail. We found a
10mm wrench and a Bic pen on the passenger side:
12/21/03 update: Removal of the Dash,
Heater Core, Blower, and Carpeting. After watching me spend 20 minutes getting
the last 2-inch piece of insulation, Barry now thinks I have officially lost my
mind.
Dash out; Heater Core in the middle, Blower on the far right.
Soon to be outside the the car.
Carpeting out...
FOR MORE PICTURES OF THIS PHASE OF THE BUILD,
PLEASE CLICK
HERE
PART 3 - Suspension
12/22/03
update: after ordering a bunch of new and "go fast" from Mazda Motorsports,
the "budget" amount is now $19,341.23, not including labor (~40 hours).
12/29/03
update: after ordering more new parts from Carquest and Mazda Motorsports,
the "budget" amount is now $20,705.92, labor not included.
1/01/04
update: dropped rear sub frame. The decision was made after surveying some
curb-hopping damage which was done in Blue's prior life as a street car. To do
this, we had to take out all the suspension components (which needed to be done
anyway) and remove the differential. Yep, the one that we installed just four
weeks ago. After that, we had to disconnect the rear brake line. Four (4) nuts
and two (2) bolts later, the sub frame came off. Lucky for us, we had a spare
unit in the shop. Together with all the A-arms and hardware.
1/02/04
update: After realizing that we have inadvertently damaged both of the lower
rear control arms, and that the Blue's original lower left-rear control arm also
made contact with the curb, we ordered a new one form Mazda ($133).
Next
week, we will be replacing rear wheel bearings. While there, we will be
installing new rear axle shafts. And since the entire front end is now new,
except for the steering rack, guess what we will also be replacing? Yes, the
steering rack. We are well over $21K now for an eleven (11) year old car.
1/06/04
update: Received new parts: power steering rack and two half-shafts. One of the
half shafts was damaged in transit, and was returned. The replacement showed up
a few days later. In the meantime, we ordered a 6-pole battery cut-off switch and Sparco hood pins (in blue, of course!).
1/07/04
update: Received new parts: adjustable sway bar links from
Dave Wheeler at
Advanced Autosports. Talk about
FAST turn-around - placed the order on Monday, got the parts on Wednesday.
Well worth the $125 we paid for them. And we are still waiting on Mazda Speed
for additional suspension parts :(
FOR MORE PICTURES OF THIS PHASE OF THE BUILD,
PLEASE CLICK
HERE
2/02/04
update: Received all the missing pieces from Mazda, but decided to get a set of
shocks that dyno'd closest together from
Jim Daniels. Jim wrote the book on Spec Miata prep and is one of the fastest
and smoothest drivers on his own.
Ordered new front
hubs and had them drop-shipped to
Karl Zimmermann @ the
Miata Garage for repacking with Redline hi-temp CV2 grease. I've done this
procedure myself last year and documented it as well, but that is not something
I enjoyed doing. And thanks to Karl, I won't have to. I also purchased side
window vents from Karl.
Dropped off my old
front hubs, a couple of spare differentials and a spare 1997 5-speed
transmission (30,000 mile donor) at
Advanced Autosports. Like Karl
Zimmermann,
Dave Wheeler also repacks front hubs. He will also completely
refurbish the differentials and install a Mazda Comp Limited Slip unit into one
of them. The other (spare) will stay a factory viscous limited slip. Dave will
also replace most of the internals on my donor transmission and make it brand
new again.
Ordered a
Sparco Pro
2000 race seat from
Demon Tweeks in UK. Even with shipping being around $100, it was still
substantially more economical than buying it here in the US.
10/25 Dyno runs data
sheets -
runs 7
& 8
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