The silver Miata

Discussion about automotive projects
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Dave_G
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The silver Miata

Post by Dave_G »

Like far too many projects, this one was started unintentionally, the result of a stupid mistake or three. I was having a great day at Mont Tremblant Monday. I was running brand new tires, and I had already broken my previous best lap time by a full second with a 2:04.5, without really trying. Here's a photo coming through the bridge, in happier times earlier in the morning:
Image

Then during the afternoon, I began pushing a little harder going through the fearsome and intimidating Turns 1-2. It's worth pointing out that turns are usually intimidating because of the severity of the consequences should you make a mistake. In this case, Turn 2 is a fast 90 MPH right-hand sweeper with the apex just before the crest of a hill, followed by a long, steep downhill. As you crest the hill between the apex and track out, the car gets very light and twitchy.

After about 6 or 7 laps in the afternoon I was feeling confident through Turn 2 and began carrying a little more speed. It wasn't much more speed, but it didn't take much, and because I hadn't adjusted my turn-in, suddenly I found myself WAY off the apex, far too close to the middle of the track, and running out of track in a hurry as I crested the hill toward track out on the left. I was trying to scrub off speed, but because the car is so twitchy there it's difficult to scrub speed without causing a high-speed spin. It was clear I was in big trouble, and my instincts were to ride it out down the grass parallel to the track on the left. Unfortunately another instinct was still trying to scrub off speed, so I was on the brakes. I was only on the brakes lightly, but it was enough that once I hit the grass, the wheels locked, there was no steering, and I was on a long, long, long slide of over 100 yards down the hill on the grass, drifting left toward the Armco. I had a long time to watch the Armco get closer, and closer, and closer, until BAM! I hit it with the front left corner of the car at about a 30 degree angle, still going around 40-50 MPH, and slid another 30 yards or so, coming to a stop directly in front of the Turn 3 flagger at the bottom of the hill.

After deciding that I was in fact intact and unhurt, I signalled to the flagger that I was OK, and after she told me I could get out of the car, I climbed out and further confirmed that nothing hurt anywhere, and I was indeed 100% fine. (The next day there was no soreness either.) I got a ride back to the paddock with the nice ambulance crew, who checked me out and also found nothing wrong. I attribute this happy outcome to the solid racing seat, the 6-point harness, and the Isaac Link neck restraint. I can't say for certain that the restraint did anything, but given that this was exactly the type of impact that it was designed to protect against, and I came through not only unhurt but without even a minor sore, I consider myself a happy customer. The airbag did go off, of course, but I don't think it even reached my helmet. I think mostly it just made the impact louder and stinkier.

Later in the day I had a couple good debriefing conversations with officers in the club, dissecting what happened, what went wrong, and what could have been done differently. We went and examined the site of the incident, looking at the tire tracks, which confirmed that my wheels were locked. There were a few other options that could have resulted in a better outcome. I could have tried harder to make the apex in the first place. Failing that, I could have been less tentative about taking action to scrub off speed before tracking out. Both of those would likely have resulted in a lurid spin, but it also would have likely been a spin down the center of the track. Finally, my plan to steer over the grass was never going anywhere with my wheels locked. Lots of mistakes, lots to learn from.

In spite of it all, Mont Tremblant remains my favorite track, and Turn 2 is still a thrill ride, and I can't wait to go back. Also, I was overwhelmed with the kindness and offers of help from follow COM members, in the form of mechanical help, body work, a trailer ride home, and offers to drive other cars during the time trial the next day (in the rain!).

Finally, the car. The front left took the brunt of the impact, and the first look revealed a bent lower control arm, a bent inner tie rod end, and a bent steering knuckle. Worse, the steering column is pushed over against the header, and it looks like the unibody is bent and will likely need straightening. Right now the car is sitting at Jim's house, and I won't know the details for certain until I get it home this weekend and begin tearing into it. (Maybe I'll get some pictures then, too.) There's also the expected bent sheet metal and plastic in the left front and left rear quarter panel (which bounced into the Armco after the initial impact). It's probably out of commission until next year.

I'll try to keep this thread updated with progress until I can get it back on the track next year.
Dave GuertinImage
'90 Miata (summer fun)
'91 BMW 325iX (winter fun) oo=[][]=oo
'04 Mazda 6s wagon (family fun)
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DaveP189
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by DaveP189 »

:shock:

Glad you're OK, Dave - good luck with the "project"...
Dave P. #189 '02 MINI CooperS+ "Elphie"
"People who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." -unknown
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STI NICK
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by STI NICK »

Sorry to hear Dave. Glad your ok. Sounds like the car is fixable. Don't do what I did and wait til spring to start fixing it. It's torture looking at it all winter.
Nick
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tiFreak
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by tiFreak »

that sucks but you're lucky you came out completely unhurt
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BugEyeRex
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by BugEyeRex »

STI NICK wrote:Sorry to hear Dave. Glad your ok. Sounds like the car is fixable. Don't do what I did and wait til spring to start fixing it. It's torture looking at it all winter.
Nick said it for me. I will agree that looking at his car all winter was torture and it wasn't even my car.
Chris SCCV #169

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darTTh audi
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by darTTh audi »

Wow. Another shunt. I'm glad you're OK Dave. I had never seen a pic of the miata with the silver hard top and the stripes. It looks great, or did. Hopefully it will again.
Bill R.
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lawdogg
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by lawdogg »

:shock: I'm glad you're OK!

Glad to hear you're having such a good attitude about it ... live and learn. Key work: live! Best of luck getting the Miata back on the road and back to the track!
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skivittlerjimb
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by skivittlerjimb »

Dave's Miata looks pretty darn good in my driveway, even with a bit of "character" on the left front and rear... hmmm. :-k

Damage doesn't look too bad but taking it to a frame shop makes all the sense in the world. Not sure if you know him at all, but Chris Putzier is very, very good at making bent race car frames straight again and his shop is in Essex, not very far from Williston at all. Worth towing it there instead of back home? Just a thought. Both Joey Kale and Steve Jones know pretty Chris pretty well, might be worth asking them their opinion.
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by MX5 Driver »

Sorry about the car Dave, but we're all glad you're doing ok. Miatas are tough little cars, I don't have any spare parts to offer, but if you need a hand wrenching some weekend, let me know.
darTTh audi wrote: I had never seen a pic of the miata with the silver hard top and the stripes. It looks great, or did. Hopefully it will again.
:ditto:
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343Saturn
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Re: The silver Miata

Post by 343Saturn »

Glad your OK Dave!!! That sucks but at least the only damage was to the car. Let me know if you need help with anything.
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