Mark111R

Update: Looks like something slipped when I torqued everything down during the last alignment on my Lotus as the measurement with toe plates matched the measurement when I put the car back on the hubstands. Realigned and should be good to go. Also, the shop I went to prior to the Vegas Pro that didn't give me any before and after numbers from my corner balance/alignment appointment offered to make it up to me and recheck the car today. Maybe no need to kick the hubstands to the curb yet, besides, the cars I've set up on them have driven just fine over the years.

Looking more and more like my Paco Hubstands are not straight and are glorified expensive paperweights. Anyone have a go-to alignment shop that works on competition vehicles regularly?

Bought this car last year from the company I work for (Carvana). It came in as a trade and was destined for wholesale until I bought it. Before me, it was a one-owner car in the Seattle area since new. The original owner put 26,200 miles on it and I added ~1500 since then. I had the car transported to me via enclosed transport. When I got it, I changed all the fluids, spark plugs/wires/coils, and added stainless brake lines. The car also has a Cobalt intake that I added. I've been driving it to work almost every day I go to the office (hybrid schedule, so not daily). I also transferred the Racing Beat front sway bar I had from another NB to this car along with a Goodwin Racing muffler. The car currently is on new Supermiata Tecna coilovers with the Sport spring rates with the rear adjuster extenders set up to poke through the rear carpet for ease of use. New (<500 mile) 15x9 Konig Hexaform wheels and Kumho V730 200tw tires (225s). I also added a Guardian Design Corsa 330 steering wheel (a better-than-oem quality leather wheel that is 330mm diameter but compatible with the OEM airbag. I installed the Lotus seats from my Elise, but will be putting the OEM seats back in the car for sale (I don't want my OEM Lotus seats to go away while I still have my Lotus!) Asking $16k for AZSolo as-is (minus Lotus seats), somewhat negotiable as stock. Otherwise I plan to put the car back to stock and put it on Bring-a-Trailer or something. A red 27k mile 2004 recently sold for $16,550 (+5% buyer premium). This car is absolutely mint. It might as well be a brand new 2003 Miata. 10/10 interior and exterior - and I mean that. I don't think I can even name any scratches to the paint. I did a single pass detail with my Rupes polisher and sealed it with a hybrid ceramic coating a month ago. Only the OEM wheels have some curb rash. OEM black top is perfect, hardtop is really good other than minor chips along the edges. AC blows cold, heat is hot, OEM bose stereo with CD player works perfectly. I currently use a 12v bluetooth to FM transmitter for audio and it works perfectly. I did this to maintain the OEM system out of respect of how clean the car is. All stock parts included. Two keys (one set completely unused since new - plastic has no wear.) All pictures here, more if you want - just ask. I love the car, but we already own 5 vehicles with potentially a 6th very soon. 3 are two-seaters (the Elise, STR ND, and this NB). Unfortunately it's the NB that has to make room. shock adjuster in the trunk below

Day 1. I had the shakes after this run. Been a long time since that happened.

Sent an email - happy to work Tech (Friday PM and Sat 7-8) if needed. Have plenty of national experience.

If Jeff can't do it, also Jonathan Lugod of Shaftworks USA (Built my Shaftworks shocks, but also builds/rebuilds Penskes)

Wasn't it Phoenix SCCA region? Not Solo specific Edit: Oh it was Solo specific, rad!

100% agree! Finally a course that wasn't just turn around and go straight. Took some actual driving and autocrossing. Only minor complaint was the optional element at the finish. Didn't bother me because the direction was obvious for anyone experienced - but I definitely saw a lot of newer folks go the hard way. Come to find out from working a corner with a guy, he said he was told to go the hard way in the novice walk 😅

43.525 in the little pink Miata

Must be an aussie market car

Likely A-Modified.

Total toe can be zero, but both wheels can be pointed one side or the other. That's why toe plates will always tell you total toe, but it won't tell you whether or not the wheels are pointing straight ahead. Once you have your total toe, turn the tie rods the same amount on both sides to center the steering. For example, if your wheel is slightly off to the right when going straight, you need to toe in the front left and toe out the front right the same amount to center it. That process gets a lot faster if you turn your tie rod a quarter turn on both sides in the same direction and write down the effect on your steering wheel angle. Also useful to get an idea of what a quarter turn on the tie rod does to total toe too.

Looks like another point, foot to floor, then wait course for a Miata like the last one 😅

Just make sure it's not the rear that slipped haha. Feels unlikely the tie rod end would rotate.

Both our STR Miata and the Lotus were aligned by myself on my uneven driveway on Paco Motorsport hubstands with verified toe with Longacre toe plates. The technique of the alignment and repeatability matters more. Don't skimp on bad tools. The Paco hubstands aren't the greatest (they're cheap compared to alternatives), but they do the job if you pay attention to how they're leveled and set up. Toe is only part of the alignment, so not sure how you plan to address everything other than toe. Also remember toe plates only tell you total toe. It won't tell you if your steering is straight or not.

Ivan M took some great photos at the last event. He gave me the go ahead to share the link here! https://lightroom.adobe.com/shares/0a3ceb3827ca49f69716e114823cf554

Man... PDK downshifts to 1st into those digs with 400hp to pull out of them is straight up cheating 🤣

Some of those are great Jason! Thanks for sharing

We brought the Lotus out too - stock other than a front bar and some wheels/tires. I expected it to be 1-2 seconds slower than the STR Miata. Ended up being only 4 tenths slower with a 46.3. Too bad we didn't set the GoPro up properly haha

My 2nd best in the STR ND at 45.9. In both my cars, this felt like 4 decreasing radius corners and 4 drag strips. Flat in everything, trail brake to turn around. Drove the Lotus (time only) and the Miata. Same same.

An optional slalom is not the same as an open sweeper. In an open sweeper, everyone is driving the same course. An optional slalom is essentially two courses - with a small change. Optional elements are basically this

Ok, guess I'm in the minority here. I've always subscribed to the philosophy that in autocross, everyone should drive the same course. Adding an optional element is an unnecessary gimmick that will more often catch the novices rather than the experienced - and making it harder for novices is not something I like to do. There is plenty to learn in driving an element properly, there is nothing additional learned in having to choose which side to enter a slalom. There are plenty of ways to encourage decision making and choices into a course without making elements optional. The last event's course was a good example of this.

As a former course chief at two different regions, my opinion on "optional" slaloms is that experienced drivers will know there's only one correct way to drive it - but novices will be confused... and confusing novices serves no one.

Please no. Flashbacks to this PCA event at Pennsylvania