Miata Mailing List: May 1994, Message #54
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   From: Andy Poling 
Subject: Re: ....
   Date: Tue, 3 May 1994 10:52:22 -0400

On Tue, 3 May 1994, Kate W. Hughes 607/974-3861 wrote:
>     I am in the process of putting together a list of allowable Solo 
>     IIStock modifications to the Miata, as well as their relative costs and 
>     impacts on time.  

Great idea Kate!


>     	So far, though, survey says that the two highest impact changes 
>     that you can make are tires and driver's school.  Local good autoXers 
>     agree that each is worth 2-4 seconds YMM(oc)V

Agreed.  Though I would add a more aggressive alignment to the list of
initial changes.  You can dial in maximum positive caster with no effect
on your road tire wear.  The same goes for toe (a little out instead of
in), within reason.  Since automakers tend to set up their cars to
understeer and since we generally want oversteer, we pretty much have to
toss their alignment recommendations.  I also run maximum negative camber
front and rear, but I don't drive many road miles (pretty much just 20-100
miles to and from events) so I don't worry about wearing out the insides
of my tires first from negative camber. 

With just tires and alignment, I can generally get within about one second
of the national caliber local talent (some in theoretically faster cars
like MR2's).  The Miata really does do well in (mostly) stock form.  
Maybe I will too, after last weekend's driving school.  :-)


>     Next on the list is the K&N air filter, then shocks.  

I'm going for the shocks next (the GAB 8-ways are sitting here waiting for
me to get them installed).  I really dislike the stock rebound damping in
the rear.  Plus the ability to get crisper transitions with stiffer shocks
is very attractive to me...  I'm not willing however to spend the money
and effort on the oil-soaked K&N to gain a couple horsepower - but that's
just me. 

If you're searching for more power, an aftermarket exhaust (from the cat 
converter back) seems like a good approach - more expensive, but more 
effective too.

-Andy 

Andy Poling                              Internet: andy@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
UNIX Systems Programmer                  Bitnet: ANDY@JHUNIX
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