LeonV

I wouldn't wrap, it's too time consuming and traps moisture. If you're that worried about heat (you already have a heat shield, right?), put a header blanket on it. I believe MSA sells one.

Excellent!

The stock intake manifold on EFI Zs isn't as restrictive as you think. First get rid of the restriction in the head, then it might be worth it to look at the intake. Simply trying to cheat the system by upping pressure or changing fuel injectors when putting in a bigger cam won't work, at least not well. The fueling curve will be much different. Headers won't give you much of anything on a stock engine, performance increase from compression without changing anything else are also minimal as well as limited, port and polish won't do much either without supporting modifications. A lightweight flywheel, on the other hand, is a great upgrade! It's not as easy as it sounds. Basically, if you want to keep stock EFI, it's not worth it to heavily modify the engine. If you plan on serious modifications (e.g. headwork, cam, etc.) then either triples or standalone EFI give you performance and ease of tuneability. There are other ways of improving performance without doing engine work, besides giving it a good tune-up and making it run as good as it can, including closer-ratio trans, lower geared diff, lightweight flywheel, big exhaust (keep stock manifold).

1. Loosen and remove 4 nuts holding the seat to the brackets. 2. Lift seat and carefully manuever through fully open door. 3. Put the spacers back on the seat mounting screws and thread the nuts back on so as to keep everything together.

Besides, although good to know, the OP wasn't asking about what theoretical tire/rim size combo will squeeze out every inch of performance. His question was more geared towards just being able to use it, i.e. safety. To once more explicitly answer the OP: Yes, 225/50-16 is fine. It will open up a lot more tire options, as I mentioned earlier.

Correct, and Tire Rack has actual width specs for each tire they sell. In your reference to "best performance", are you talking about the rim width as rated (e.g. 16X7) or edge-to-edge?

Sounds good to me!

That's what I'm hoping for! Is Mark still up for hosting? It would be wise to time it so that we can try out Keith's new innovations once he's got them figured out.

I was an R&T subscriber since 2000 and did the same thing, cancelled it a few years ago. I also got tired of the same "super-car" crap over and over. They've got new leadership now and are supposedly going to a different, more grassroots approach. With that said, the only two magazines I subscribe to are GRM and CM, and don't plan on adding any more. I have trouble keeping up with reading them all as it is...

Precisely!

Thanks for the corroboration, Jeff. I was starting to feel like a broken record (CD?)!

Wow, that would be quite a trek! Hopefully we can set something up in the spring. Any plans, Rob?

Maybe in the UK, but no way are you going to sell a 280Z distributor here for $150. More like $50 if you're lucky. Take the $300.

Not a bad list at all! I'd love to even drive an NSX. I have flogged an Elise for a few laps around an autoX course, and although fun, it is nowhere near practical or liveable! Two >6' guys sit shoulder-to-shoulder in that thing. Plus, I don't fit unless the top is off. Oh wait, I have a crappy video of the flogging (video or it didn't happen, right?)... Go to 1:25 for take-off.

What the manual recommends is equivalent to today's 87 octane. I use 89 octane in my L24, with as much timing as I want. I suppose I could use 87, but I tuned my timing curve on 89.

As far as new goes, I've logged a little bit of seat time in the Scion FRS. I really liked its tossability and think of it as a Miata 1.5. It's bigger, looks better (IMO), more powerful, and way more comfortable than a Miata, but it still maintains that agile feel. I've got an S2000 as well, and liken the FRS to an S2000 0.75. The FRS is not as razor sharp, good looking (again, IMO!), powerful, or raw like the S, but instead it is much roomier, more comfortable and way more liveable day-to-day. The FRS/BRZ bridges the gap between a Miata and S2000. If you expand your search to older cars, the possibilities are endless! You're easily within budget for a used Porsche Cayman S and a used Boxter S goes for way less. Those are fantastic driver's cars. Maintenance is a bigger pain though. I'd consider getting a $25k Cayman S and keeping the rest of your budget for future maintenance. The list can go on and on...

Excellent, thanks!

Interesting, I'm curious as to how it's going to work out for you.

Just buy the stainless kit for the non-critical parts and buy the critical fasteners according to the spreadsheets that are out there. I believe Lazeum compiled a pretty good list.

JC, do you know what spring rates the 36mm shocks are valved for, or are they custom valved on an individual basis? JM, regarding the funky valving on your shocks, I believe compression damping is usually valved taking UNsprung mass into account and rebound damping is valved for the sprung mass. Are yours valved differently? I'm hoping the Bilsteins are better too, the Tokicos are definitely too stiff in compression.

Are you familiar enough with Tokicos (HP or Illumina) to compare them (ride and road-holding) to the P30?

Cool, thanks John! Great info. Sounds like the P30-0032 works with sectioned struts. Digressive valving is something that the Tokicos are sorely lacking. If the Tokicos actually do have digressive valving, then their compression damping is just way too damn stiff. The P30 Bilsteins are sounding like the ones to get for me, as I'm looking for the car to ride better but not be severely underdamped for autoX and the track.

Nice buy! That car looks pretty clean, besides the tattered paint, and you got some nice goodies to go along with it.

Wow, those look fantastic, Jerry!

I've been looking forward to getting some Bilsteins or Konis, as their valving seems to be "better" than Tokico's. However, I haven't done enough research as to which ones work for Zs and what's out there. I know John C. is involved in getting some Bilstein's that could be used for Zs but not a lot of news on that front.