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Reached my first plateau...now what?

JohnnyT

JohnnyT

New Member
So I'm just about fully bolted now minus an exhaust mani really. Car's running strong, I'm confident in just about every aspect. But, I've become accustomed to the power, and although it's surely adequate, the MOAR BECAUSE MOAR principle is inducing itself in my head.

My options are fairly slim. I don't have the $ to buy a block and build it over the winter, and I can't have much more than a weekend of downtime so building the stocker is out of the question.

My buddy's selling a Garrett T3/T04e 60-1, .63 trim, stage III wheel with about 5k miles on it for dirt cheap - like $375 cheap. It's perfect, he's just upgrading to a bigger one this weekend. This option would require a new exhaust mani with an EWG, and a new flange for the downpipe with a screamer pipe attached, and a reducer for the turbo inlet - no need for a larger MAF either. I'd feel more confident running meth too, so with this option I'm probably looking at the low $2k range with a tune from DB.

Next is to simply add meth and a non-EWG mani. I could expect some pretty decent gains, but my little K04 is maxed out as it is, and I imagine this is a very temporary fix. However, it is cheaper.

Or just leave it the way it is, drive the hell out of it, and consider a new project in a couple years when the time and money is situated right.

Anything I might be missing? What would you suggest?
 
mndsm

mndsm

I'M OFFENDED!
Well, I guess the real question is, what the hell do you plan on doing with that horsepower? You have what I'd consider a solid 13-sec car, which isn't too bad for a 4000lb DD with leather and subs. Street racing is bad, so you're limited to Rock Falls and BIR in that respect.

You could take it autocrossing, but the minute you're out of SI, you're fucked, because that car is WAY too built to qualify for any class that it'd do well in. Rallycross would be similar, but with extra rock chips.

You could work on shining it up some and getting some shows under your belt, but shows are lame.

I guess it all really depends on what you want to do with it. Personally, I'd pay down the debt you've accrued with that car, wait for some more serious mods to come out for it, and reconsider at a time when you can afford to have a decent DD and mod the living shit out of this car. The problem with where you're at right now, is you're gonna start snapping halfshafts without too much more power... and you can't really be doing that on a car you plan on driving every day.
 
StealthSpeed3

StealthSpeed3

Charge THIS!!
i say leave it the way it is, drive the bejesus out of it and upgrade to something else when the time & $$$ is right.
 
YSOSLO

YSOSLO

is the word, beotch
I'd go with the 'wait until the next car' option myself. Your car looks friggin' hawt and it goes well enough to take care of most stoplight situations, so holding off for a couple of years until you're able to get into a more "buildable" platform makes the most sense to me.
 
dmention7

dmention7

Hater
I guess I'd have to agree with Tom. Unfortunately, the MS6 doesn't seem to be a great platform for making big power, so I'd suggest putting your future mod budget away (since this is where shit starts getting spendy fast) for upgrading in a couple years or so. Maybe in the meantime, people will get things sorted out a little more with this car, who knows.

But I think the most logical move is to enjoy what you have right now... a nice quick DD with all the amenities, and save up for the next toy.
 
Z

ZoomZoom Diva

New Member
Tom, that is assuming you care how your times would compare with the times of others in your class. If you're doing it for enjoyment and self improvement, then the times of others or how competitive the car might be is completely irrelevant. I have always been for modifying my car to my tastes, and to auto-x for myself... to improve myself rather than compete against others.

I do however vote for just enjoying the car.
 
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mndsm

mndsm

I'M OFFENDED!
You know, one other option I thought of while I was at lunch.... buy a track slut. Some cheap beater that you could care less if it blows up, but will qualify for most forms of racing. You could pick up Michaels Spec Miata for a song, and that would get you into all kinds of things... autocross, HPDE's, rally cross, Ice Racing... the options are nearly limitless. Not to mention you would own a proven platform, already carrying all the right mods, and reliable as hell. Not to mention that if you break it, there's a bajillionty Miatas out there, so parts are cheap. There's also a fairly sizeable local network of Miata/MX-5 enthusiasts, so getting advice for that car would be cake, as well as sourcing events to get your jollies out of. This would apply to any track slut car you bought, be it b13 Sentra, CRX/Civic, Focus, whatever. The biggest problem you're going to face going too much further with your car is you're working with a relatively unproven platform, and a car that was never really designed to be raced all to shit. There's a reason they build compact performance chassis moreso than midsized ones.....
 
Z

Z-licious

Guest
+1. Tom listed a lot of the reasons I wanted a turbo Miata in the first place. I just don't think it'd be a very livable daily driver. If it were your track/fun car though...
 
Workdawg

Workdawg

NARWHAL
From going to a few events, and talking to Michael at the first Valley Fair, it sounds like his car is almost in to high of a class for it's own good. He was competing with built 3 series and stuff like that. The Miata in stock form is pretty damn competitive. I'd probably go for a stock one and see how it performs before throwing more parts on it.

James also has a point. While it's fun to try and win the class, it's more fun just to know you're improving your own times.
 
Picklz

Picklz

SUDO Make me a SAMCH
Leave it be, pay it and any mod debt you have off. When you hit that point either buy a cheap DD and turn the MS6 into your project car, or keep the MS6 and get a project car. Modifying your Daily Driver much beyond what you have done can become a rather expensive and frustrating exercise. As Tom suggested, the faster you want to go, the more its going to cost in the form of parts, time, and maintenance / replacing broken parts.

If you are craving more power now, you're still going to be craving more power once you put the new turbo on, might not be for a few weeks or a few months, but it will happen. IMO don't mess around build the motor first so you can up the boost more when you get bored :) or just get something thats lighter with more cubes when the time comes so you have more potential.
 
JohnnyT

JohnnyT

New Member
All are good points here. I appreciate the comments.

I don't have much interest in drag racing, and auto x looks interesting but I can't see myself really getting into it. I'm more about a clean car, that's fun as hell to drive, and more about acceleration than top speed. My next vehicle/project will undoubtedly be a V8. It'll be similar to my car, nothing crazy, but something 'fun' and sharp.

I know it makes sense to pay off the car and go from there. I don't have much desire to build this car up with all the issues that have been present in current builds right now. Who knows what will change down the line.

I suppose you guys are right, but I'm still surprised I haven't heard anyone say 'do it, push 30 lbs!' Where's Luke?
 
mndsm

mndsm

I'M OFFENDED!
I could tell you to runa gt35r and a 200shot... but yeah. I still say buy a track slut and have some fun.
 
Schmitty

Schmitty

New Member
I'd recommend paying down the debt.

Other than that, if you want to go faster, get some weight out of that sow. I don't know how you could do it and keep it looking fresh, but after driving my roomie's MS6 I'd say it is in serious need of some lipo.
 
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