Tread Lightly

Sounds like a mad few months, hopefully it's all plain sailing from here.

Sounds pretty good and gets the power down well...

sniper
(hope the link works..)

Sounds nice that, just right without being too OTT. Looked good off the line as well.

Not had much occasion to use the car off road but the little I have done has shown the engine tune to be pretty good on rough ground. The torque is such a big improvement, far fewer gear changes and no hint of pinking when loaded at low rpm. Pulling cleanly from 1800rpm in any gear.

On tarmac it's an absolute ball.... 90 bends at 20mph in 4th. I'm surrounded by long slow (30-50 restricted) climbs and the car hated them when cold, no problem at all now. Straight in to 4th in the 30's and 5th in the 40's.

The recent hot weather has been lots of fun as far as grip is concerned, tight and twisty B roads are great fun.

The rain came for the first time in a few weeks yesterday and the roads were a bit greasy. The car can now break traction in a straight line in any gear when given a boot full..... Not a positive really but I'm the only driver and should be able to keep myself under manners.

It still needs further tuning, part throttle manners are much better but still a bit too reactive, making low speed driving just a little jerky.

The SS1600 engine I based my tuning thoughts on has been an interesting thing to investigate. Well over 200bhp and naturally aspirated... I have found an engine for sale and some first hand knowledge from the seller. 10K for a secondhand engine, I might not be fitting it in my car lol. Special blocks, modified Hyabusa crank, forged, billet rods, custom cams. A full race build rather than a production engine uprated.

I still have the induction set up to install but find myself quite happy with the power for now. I am going to get a head ported and flowed, possibly some bigger exhaust valves to try and push the torque figures further. 

For now, I think it will go to AP Racing in the near future for a further tune on their rollers. He's a guru in the grass track and rally world, luckily he's local. That should sort some of the finer part throttle issues and he has a reputation for finding power from nowhere.... Got to find £300 for a session so it might take a few weeks.

The engine has shown the gearbox wanting again, no problems, just a slow shift and a short first gear. So I'm going to look in to the MX5 box again, although Keithy has made progress with his Lexus 6 speed conversion. There is also a Ford type 9 with clubman SC/CR Quaife gears in a mates shed, now that would be a thing... Whichever way, the gearbox has to go.

So that's another two years of pocket money...

sniper