phm14 Toyobaru 86 aka Candy O

[#87]

Nice journal

[phm14]

Spoke with John @ Nameless yesterday. My AB unit will be replaced with a new unit, possibly with a braided flex coupler to alleviate stresses caused by variances in the factory midpipe flange angle. He plans to have several cars in for test fitting and proceed from there. They will cover shipping of both units. The unit I have now will be modified and put up for sale on their site as used at a discount.

[phm14]

[phm14]

For you lube fiends out there. Here's a cool "Explantion Tool" on the lab site:
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/report-explanation.php

[mines13]

Looks great, looking forward to getting my 5 axis spoiler installed on my Argento.

[phm14]

Just finished a second interstate road trip in the 86. I've got just under 10K miles on her in less than 3 months. The more I drive it, the more I love it-really a pleasure. Looking forward to the 1st track day.

[iLuveKetchup]

I like what you've done to it already!

[Style]

Originally Posted by phm14

I LIKE YOU HOUSE!!

[gmookher]

where did you score those lugs nutz?

[phm14]

Originally Posted by iLuveKetchup

I like what you've done to it already!

Originally Posted by Style

I LIKE YOU HOUSE!!

Thanks, Guys. My Wife and I had the house built back in '08. Definately the nicest place either of us has ever lived. We run a small animal vet clinic, and are very grateful that we've been able to stay profitable in these tough times. My Wife is a great vet, and we have great clients and staff.

[phm14]

Originally Posted by gmookher

where did you score those lugs nutz?

IIRC, these are McGard spline drive, and I bought them on Amazon. The "cone" that contacts the wheel runs on ball bearings, so it doesn't scuff the aluminum as you torque them down. I think they were ~ $80. for the set.
I'm still very impressed with the suspension on the 86. I haven't tracked the car yet, but it seems harder to break the tires loose in a turn than my NC miata running the same size Star Specs with a fairly aggressive alignment, plus it stays surprisingly comfortable loaded down during long road trips. It also seems that the suspension has settled a bit, sitting a bit lower now. As of now, I don't think I'm going to install coilovers, as it would be very difficult to improve on the stock dampers for my use. I may go to urethane sway bar bushings after I get a feel for the roll/tire wear on track with the Star Specs, just to tighten it up a bit more to compensate for the extra grip. A bit more negative camber would probably help with tire wear and grip on track, while not eating rubber on the street. We'll see, but I'm really happy with it for now.

[Style]

Originally Posted by phm14

Thanks, Guys. My Wife and I had the house built back in '08. Definately the nicest place either of us has ever lived. We run a small animal vet clinic, and are very grateful that we've been able to stay profitable in these tough times. My Wife is a great vet, and we have great clients and staff.

Nice! My wife wants to become a vet as well, but living in Cali and money cost of living its been a little hard. She will get tere 1 day I'm sure. Congrats tho.

[phm14]

Got in some track time @ Texas World Speedway a few weeks ago. The 2.9 mile road course is considered to be a high speed course that can be hard on brakes. Nearly 14K on the odometer now. The only change made since I last posted here was to add Carbotech XP10/XP8 track pads and ATE Blue fluid. This was a OTD (open track day), with 4 solid hours of open track. I ran the car for 4 25+ minute sessions, for a total of ~140 miles on track. I had been concerned about how well the stock suspension would handle the extra grip of the wheel/tire upgrade. I was very pleasantly surprised. The car has impressive grip with this setup, with just a bit more roll than I'd like. I have some Whiteline sway bar bushings on backorder that should help with that. I was also impressed with the handling on my Ohlins suspended NC Miata, which had upgraded Eibach sways, a fairly aggressive track alignment and the same tires. The 86 was at least as hard to break loose in the high speed turns of TWS, and when it did, it was much easier to get back. I'm guessing the low CG and width of the 86 enables the car to handle this well with the lower factory spring rates. The 1st thing I noticed when I opened the hood on one of these was just how low they got the engine. I'd guess your butt is no more the 9-10" off the ground in the factory seats. Take another 3" down with a race seat, drop the car 1" and things will get really low. I did take the 86 in and have the alignment checked, making sure I had all the available negative camber, and setting front tow to "0". Theres definitely much more in the car with an upgraded suspension, but it will be a challenge to match the excellent balance of the factory setup, not to mention the street-ability & comfort. As it stands, the sway bushings are the only suspension changes I plan to make for now, since I had no sign of accelerated wear on the tire shoulders, and tire temps were consistently within 10 degrees across the tread. BTW, there is more rubber room than with my previous 2 cars, especially the NC Miata which needed a mild fender roll in the rear for the same size tire. Power delivery is very linear, with acceleration falling between the S and NC. The 86 seems to have better low end than either car, and feels quicker than the Miata across the power band. NA power in the S was good, but occasional mid turn Vtech hits proved to be sketchy for me, resulting in at least one spin IIRC. Braking was very confidence inspiring with 0 fade and minimal dive. Heel/toe is easier for me in the 86 than the other cars. The fact that this car has a roof not only stiffens the chassis, but eliminates any track specific "broomstick test" infractions that were always a concern with my S2000CR and Miata. The cockpit setup is excellent for me, and the shifter feel is best of the 3 IMO. At ~ 5'8", in my (factory) seat position, I felt 1-1.5" of clearance between my Bell Pro4 and the headliner. Outside temps were mild, and I had no cooling issiues. We'll see if that holds true in the heat of the Texas summer, but I suspect it will. My Miata would puke coolant without a good cool down. Seats proved to be on par with the upgraded seats in the S2000CR, but regular track days would have me searching for hardware to get my Sparco seat and a harness in the car. The poor seats in the Miata sparked the race seat purchase. With the extra cargo area and fold down rear "seat", and the 86 sees much more DD/road trip use than either of the previous roadsters, and averages ~30mpg while doing it. Oil changes on the 86 are very easy, with the filter up top and a well place port in the undertray for drain plug access. The S comes in 2nd in the ease of oil change department, and the Miata a distant 3rd. Street wise, its just much easier to live with. I believe the car is the best out-of-the-box value out there today, and the aftermarket has jumped in with both feet. I think this one's a keeper, for my foreseeable future.

[MightyMeeple]

Originally Posted by phm14

Here ya go, Dadhawk:

Thanks for posting these! I have ordered some OEM's for my BRZ, and hoping they look as good as yours.