[CosmicBlueMS3]

With the 2009 season starting up I figure its time to start a thread to bench race a bit, talk some shit and brag about how much better you plan to drive this year vs last year (PZ and Tim W excluded!, ok not really, I'm just a tad jealous!).
What did you do to your car in the offseason?
What is your current setup?
How many miles do you have on your car?
Tell us something interesting!

Ill start with my some DS news

First off, this offseason has treated the DS folk VERY well!
we have a hoosier A6 offering in a 255/35/18 variety that is nearly identical in rolling diameter to stock and it just might fit up on an 18x7 (I hope to be testing this in the next month or two)
next, there is a new rim offering finally! an 18x7 with a currently unknown offset. They weigh 16.5lbs and cost an arm and a leg ($336ea for anthracite) but vs the Kazera KZ-V at 18.8lbs and 24lbs? for stock, there is a decent amount of weight to be saved.

I havent done anything to my car in the offseason except put a bunch of miles on the odometer.
For 09 I plan to run the same stuff (see sig) with the possible exceptions, I may run 255's up front, Hawk HPS in the rear and see about getting my rear shocks valved stiffer if the tax return permits. Something I would like to do, but shouldnt be thinking about it is getting those Oz rims if they fit.

What about you?

BTW, really hope to see some more cars running DS this year.

 

[steverife]

Re: HS, DS, STS, STU, DSP, what is your setup/game plan for 2009? Discuss.

Just drive...

I've got some little things planned with the car, but my real focus is to make fewer mental mistakes. Oh, and find someone of this concrete stuff to run on...

 

[Silver2.3Touring]

Re: HS, DS, STS, STU, DSP, what is your setup/game plan for 2009? Discuss.

Running HS at at least 2 Pros and the SD Tour, and hopefully in Lincoln, work permitting. A buddy is co-driving, so the car will be running more big events.

Set up:
Koni FSD shocks/struts
H&R sway bar
Wee-bit o' toe out front and rear
16 inch wheels with either Kumho or Hankook R-comps

What did I do over the winter?
Change ALL fluids and remove side skirts and spoiler--skirts = PIA. :bash:

Car has 85000 miles...

 

[tigermack]

Re: HS, DS, STS, STU, DSP, what is your setup/game plan for 2009? Discuss.

You left FSP out!

I am planning to run a street tire class for SP/SM in my region since I bought the RE01R last year. I will run street tires for Alameda pro solo and I might go down for the SD tour.

New stuff during off season...

17x9 on 245/40 shaved 4/32
Passenger & transmission mounts
Camber plates

 

[chodaboy1980]

Re: HS, DS, STS, STU, DSP, what is your setup/game plan for 2009? Discuss.

I competed as a novice last season in 4 events and have been hooked ever since. This year I will be competing in STU, mostly due to buying some 18x8 wheels before I knew the rules. I also don't have the budget for r-compound tires.

My setup is

TrZ rear motor mount (poly)
TWM shifter bushings
Cobb short ram intake (added over winter)
Cobb front sway bar, less stiff hole (will be added in a few weeks)
Cobb rear sway bar, more stiff hole (ran less stiff last year with a stock front sway)
18x8 rota torques with 235/45/18 Dunlop direzza z1 star specs
Go Pro motorsports hero wide angle camera (not really a mod, but should be fun to try out)

I would like to get a Cobb catback exhaust at some point this year and possibly try messing with camber settings a little. I was also thinking about going reverse stagger with my tires once a few wear out (with regular rotatoin that is). I see that the same tires are available in 245/40/18, 255/35/18, 265/35/18, and 275/35/18. I hear that smaller rear tires could ease rotation and eliminate some understeer. There also seems to be more room for a larger front tire than in the rear. Keep in mind I will be running these tires as a daily setup as well. What do you guys think? What would fit? What would work? What would not make me look like a dumbass?

Next year I would like to get a set of Mazdaspeed coilovers (unless something better or more cost effective comes out by then). I'd also like to get a Cobb catted downpipe and maybe an acessport (I know that it can't be used in STU, just for some time only fun runs). One of the clubs I run in has no street touring index so you are indexed as street prepared. This means that increased boost would be allowed, correct?

 

[PZ]

Re: HS, DS, STS, STU, DSP, what is your setup/game plan for 2009? Discuss.

Sorry Scott, since I managed to pull my head out of my a** by the last event last year, I plan on keeping it out of there this year. New shocks, K&N air filter, and a co-driver should make me a little faster this year as well.

 

[dsp_autocrosser]

I plan on taking our Family Mazda 3 to a few RallyCross events this year. We may move to a smoother event site.

As for the Neon...

What did you do to your car in the offseason?
Changed oil

What is your current setup?
Koni's, mopar high rate springs, addco 22mm rear bar, 225/205 Kumhos, fake LSD, a bunch of bolt ons and tweaks

How many miles do you have on your car?
196,000 (still runs strong and doesn't burn much oil)

Tell us something interesting!
Ended up 3rd pax (with that horrible DSP pax) and 3rd raw for the year in our local club. Looking forward to running in FSP. Hopefully stepping up to a 275/225 + quaife LSD setup soon - which should just about triple the value of the car

 

[PZ]

[quote author=dsp_autocrosser link=topic=134560.msg2893072#msg2893072 date=1233060493]
... Looking forward to running in FSP. Hopefully stepping up to a 275/225 + quaife LSD setup soon - which should just about triple the value of the car
[/quote]

Do you think that you will need 225's in the back? Nate Whipple runs 275/205 on his DSP ITR and it seems to work well.

 

[dsp_autocrosser]

I thought he was running 225's in back? I would try both - the car can be a bit tail happy with the 225/205 combo.

 

[PZ]

You probably won't be able to heat up the 225's enough to make much of a difference. I know that on the 3 it takes a really warm day and a few runs to get the 225's in the back warmed up and my car is at least 2-300lb heavier than a 1st gen Neon.

 

[Badgerspeed]

Just simple goals for co-driving PZ's car. Learn how to drive r-comps, push PZ, PAX in top 3rd consistently (not as easy as some people might think).

I'm excited about this season... can't wait to see how bad I suck! :lol:

 

[steverife]

[quote author=PZ link=topic=134560.msg2893185#msg2893185 date=1233066797]
You probably won't be able to heat up the 225's enough to make much of a difference. I know that on the 3 it takes a really warm day and a few runs to get the 225's in the back warmed up and my car is at least 2-300lb heavier than a 1st gen Neon.
[/quote]

In the summer, I was spraying my rears pretty heavily. They'd get up to about 150 degrees BEFORE I ran.

 

[gundal]

How about GS... wait, I'll be in DS 2010. I guess I can compare my times against DS (Cosmic), and see how much I improve throughout the year.

Not touching anything setup-wise for now, except for R-comps. I will get 13lb rotas to go with them.

 

[MicaGT]

Off season? We autox year round!

2nd and 3rd events for the year will be next month (2nd being this Sunday). 1st event this year resulted in a 3rd PAX (1st DS) and it was a serious off-day for me (see sig). I plan to change very little this year..I want to see how far having A6's will take me on a completely stock setup.

 

[justint5387]

[quote author=gundal link=topic=134560.msg2893275#msg2893275 date=1233069393]
How about GS... wait, I'll be in DS 2010. I guess I can compare my times against DS (Cosmic), and see how much I improve throughout the year.

Not touching anything setup-wise for now, except for R-comps. I will get 13lb rotas to go with them.
[/quote]

18x7 13lbs rota???

 

[Rocketeer]

Re: HS, DS, STS, STU, DSP, what is your setup/game plan for 2009? Discuss.

[quote author=Silver2.3Touring link=topic=134560.msg2892857#msg2892857 date=1233037498]
Running HS at at least 2 Pros and the SD Tour, and hopefully in Lincoln, work permitting. A buddy is co-driving, so the car will be running more big events.

Set up:
Koni FSD shocks/struts
H&R sway bar
Wee-bit o' toe out front and rear
16 inch wheels with either Kumho or Hankook R-comps

What did I do over the winter?
Change ALL fluids and remove side skirts and spoiler--skirts = PIA. :bash:

Car has 85000 miles...
[/quote]


How do you like the FSD's...am thinking of getting those

How did you manage to tweak any toe out of the suspension?

 

[ShaleZoom3]

Only plan for me is to get out there and run some more.

Last year was my first time but only made it out a couple times after blowing my mount on my second run.

I believe I am in STS still.

Any suggestions on good tires or competitive ones? I current only have street tires but I am looking to get an extra set of wheels and tires for autox.

 

[PZ]

[quote author=justint5387 link=topic=134560.msg2893578#msg2893578 date=1233076433]
[quote author=gundal link=topic=134560.msg2893275#msg2893275 date=1233069393]
How about GS... wait, I'll be in DS 2010. I guess I can compare my times against DS (Cosmic), and see how much I improve throughout the year.

Not touching anything setup-wise for now, except for R-comps. I will get 13lb rotas to go with them.
[/quote]

18x7 13lbs rota???
[/quote]

Simon has a Mini now.

 

[Lateapex36]

2009 Plans:
Find someone to buy my civic and buy a 3s, not sure sedan or hatch yet. Run probably HS street tire, regionally, for the first bit of the season. But I would like to run HS for a couple Pros, I dont see budget permitting a second set of wheels and R comps (being that depending on model there are slim choices for stock size wheels)

Off season:
Returned civic to stock, shopped for a 3, ALOT.

Last season:
Took 2nd STS for the season, got my clock cleaned at Toledo Pro

 

[Silver2.3Touring]

Re: HS, DS, STS, STU, DSP, what is your setup/game plan for 2009? Discuss.

[quote author=Rocketeer link=topic=134560.msg2893634#msg2893634 date=1233077374]
[quote author=Silver2.3Touring link=topic=134560.msg2892857#msg2892857 date=1233037498]
Running HS at at least 2 Pros and the SD Tour, and hopefully in Lincoln, work permitting. A buddy is co-driving, so the car will be running more big events.

Set up:
Koni FSD shocks/struts
H&R sway bar
Wee-bit o' toe out front and rear
16 inch wheels with either Kumho or Hankook R-comps

What did I do over the winter?
Change ALL fluids and remove side skirts and spoiler--skirts = PIA. :bash:

Car has 85000 miles...
[/quote]


How do you like the FSD's...am thinking of getting those

How did you manage to tweak any toe out of the suspension?

[/quote]

LOVE the FSD's. Since I don't have to adjust them, it's one less thing to worry about--focus more on driving.

Toe out in the front is just like any other car. Toe out in the rear also adjusts camber, but I go with whatever camber I get with 1/16 total toe out in the rear. Camber settles at about -1.8/-1.9 in the back with that setting.