Call Larry Oka, he has prepared one for Barry Hartzell
and they have run it all year. It is a bit faster than
a Pro/Spec7 but does it with grace instead of force.
The actual spec package information is available from
the Nasaproracing.com web and probably
Ground.control.com [Jay Morris].
As usual, bolt in cages are a bit cheaper and much
clumbsier, especially in a small car.
Peggy and I autocrossed the Oka/Hartzell car once at
Marina. It was great, as agile as a FF. It has run
competitively in the CSP field at several events in
spite of the stock wheels, Isn't there an ST or some
such new age class for them already? I have been
instructed to build a Prepared/Production class Miata
for our nexr car. 8-]
The 1800 with LSD would be worth the extra weight I
think. All the 1600s have aged out of SS classes so
they are available as attractive base cars. George Ott
is converting his overaged SS car to a spec car
locally too so you may call him. I understand Lynn
Griffiths is doing the same.
I believe the hardtop is all factory, indeed the whole
package may be sourced from Mazda Comp as I am told.
That may well be the reason for the mandated hardtop
too, Comp and Mazda want the common look. I think an
optional hardtop with corresponding weight adjustment
would help the class since so many folks are too big
to fit under the hardtop.
Prep time will vary with your resources but the class
is as simple as any roadrace class [IT] as can be. The
cage, seat, belts package are the bulk of the
conversion and could be done in a week by Frey or some
such pro shop. The suspension package is a set of
shocks and I think one swaybar, not a day in that.
Done by your alignment shop followed by a proper
alignment, about a day. All fresh race brakes and
wheel bearings and sticky tires are a day or two.
Restoring the powertrain on a 250,000 mile donor
vehicle would extend this a bunch. So I guess a week
to three months as an answer to how long. 8-]
The head of the BAMA Miata club is a neighbor and he
obtained a bent Miata last year to do this to and has
still not gotten around to it. Meanwhile he has
converted his street car into a combination car with
the suspension and seat stuff over that same year. He
uses it at open track events rather than exposing it
to the nonsense of an SFR roadrace grid.
Start with an excellent street car and be money and
time ahead over the initially cheap beater. I think a
$15K budget gets you there in Spec Miata.
Prepared/Production costs more, fiberglas and pistons
you know. 8-]
=====
Dennis Hale
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