Tag: Thruxton

  • Set the controls for the heart of Thruxton

    Introduction

    So this week I’ll be popping over to Thruxton Circuit for some fun in the sun. I’ve done the driver briefing and filled in the wavers so I’m good to go.

    Car Preparation

    As usual the weather guru’s have been consulted and predict hot and sunny with 20c to 29c during the core day. So it looks like it’ll be a top down kind of day.

    The Yokohama’s (AD08’s) will be the tyres of choice resplendent on their black rims.

    Tyre pressures have been checked (1.9 Bar), wheels torqued up to spec (100Nm) oil level has been is checked, ditto the coolant level. It’ll all get checked again when I get there.

    Super Unleaded will go into the tank and extra in the can on the morning of departure and I’ll get sandwiches, pop & crisps for the day at the same time.

    A tool box, work mat, fuel can, a picnic chair, tow-bar, tyre inflator, pressure gauge, a puncture kit and umbrella (as a mini sunshade) will go in the boot.

    Sandwiches, pop and crisps; helmet, HANS and anything else will go in the passenger seat or footwell. I’m on my own for this one, no support car for me.

    I’ve charged up the batteries on the GoPro so I can have a go at recording some video this time.

    I’ve noticed the air-con might be a bit feeble so the journey back might be a trifle warm, we’ll see.

    Mods since last time

    On this occasion I’ve added some chasis bracing to the frame so it will be interesting to see what effect this will have on handling. I’ll write it up next week.

    I’m not sure that the new rain light will have much effect on a sunny day though it also adds an extra brake light repeater function which may help those overtaking me, know wha I’m up to!

    As above I’ll be running on the Yokohama’s rather than the Dunlop’s.

    Can’t wait…

  • Track Day Intercom Installed

    View of TRS Jacks with helmet cable visible
    Helmet Intercom Jacks

    We found the MX-5 NC to be a noisy place to be on a track day, especially with the top down and got fed up of shouting at each other when we are on track days. I decided to try a Zero Noise full face intercom system to see if we could make communication easier.

    We put together a rough installation to test the concept at Thruxton Circuit and found it worked really well but the original location (behind the seat headrests) was inconvenient and the new location seems much more convenient especially if a seat upgrade takes place.

    Whilst the unit can be powered by a 9v battery this one has been hard wired to a fuse box, and the wires are routed behind the plastics with automotive connectors so that the plastics can be removed in the future without having to cut the intercom cables.

    The jacks are located where the two speakers used to sit between the seats on the roll bar which had been removed when the radio was upgraded and provided an easily accessible installation point and is convenient for the helmet cable.

    We cut the jack plug off the amplifier cables and bought some surface mounted jack plugs for this installation.

    All in all this seems to be a worthwhile upgrade for an MX-5 track day car.

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