mazdaracer

I've reached a point where factory vehicles just don't do it for me anymore. I've taken the first steps toward a life of tuning- I bought a 1992 Mazda MX6 LX and a 1988 Honda Accord DX, got them both running, got a job at O'Reilly's (parts discount), and I'm ready to start improving them.

I'm lost as to where to go from here.

The only advice I've gotten so far is to add cold air intakes and turbo chargers, but my Mazda has both from the factory and I'm looking for deeper changes than that. Just for safety sake, I'd like to upgrade the suspension and braking systems first, but I don't know what will fit.

If anybody has any advice on where I should go from here, I could really use it. Tell me your stories about how you started. If nothing else, this thread could be a good chance to reminisce.

86_Notch

ahhh yes, it was a night much like tonight i was wrenching on my mustang when i thought hhmmm.... how can i go faster ??? i had already used all of the bolt ons and i realized that the path to true quickness was of course ........... NITROUS........., ooohhh yeaaahh that chemical elixer that transforms ordinary engines into extraordinary powerhouses, i just had to have it !!! on went the 75 shot.. that feels good, what about the 125 ?? much better . 150 now were gettin somewhere. 175 hell yea now that's what i'm talking about.. alas my kit only goes to 175 so i guess im gonna sell it and get the big shot kit , forgive me it's 130 in the morning and i can't sleep > 8 0 )

sagvr4

aftermarket big brake kits will INCREASE your stopping distance they will not make you safer for street driving. and changing suspension geometry can easily make your car handle worse.

the next step is to absorb information so you know what youre doing yourself. read forums books magazines, read read read

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~Scott

ButcherRacing

+1 to what Scott said but if you insists on brakes some ss lines could be a good thing to add and maybe pads but nothing too aggressive or you will never heat them up enough on the street. Get a better wheel tire combo light weight rims (lighter than stock anyway) and an aggressive tread compound after that a strut bar front and back can stiffen the ride w/o messing with the geometry too much. By saying “got the both running” what did you do to get there: rebuild, what parts got replaced etc etc? How many miles are on the cars? We can help but only if we know everything you know.

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If it wasn't for my horse, I would never have spent that year in college.

JEV

LOL, 86 notch, that was a good story.really.
big brake kit, from what i read(see reading good) aren't always the best thing for your ride.
the company i was going for was endless(just liked it for some reason)funny thing hks used them to make them a brake kit.so i know endless was a good choice.
what i also read, a stiffened car, makes a wheel raise up from one side when you turn,but i just read this.
well, you could also show us the parts u getting,for both cars.
you should get coilovers, a well balanced brake system(i was gona give you better advice on the brake but forgot what it was), and get the right wheel and tire size to fit , so that the brakes fit in perfectly.

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well if your persistent your goals , will be meant...o and that means stop being lazy!!!...lol.

redline3kgt

I remember when i was like you. I was 12 and my older brother who was 16 had just gotten a brand new 2000 mustang. We started buying Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords, along with 6 others, signed up on the forums, and found any website that had any information about the car, and what could be done to it. We learned everything we could about everything there is to making a car go faster. Those were the good old days.

My point is, you should research your platform and read about how the engine works and what it does. Learn why changing different parts makes it more powerful and efficient.

Do you know how a turbocharger works? If not, you are not ready to modify a turbocharged car. If you are "Lost," then find your path by reading books on what is safe and what is not. Figure out what measures are needed to be taken to upgrade different parts such as turbochargers, or adding nitrous.

Read, read, read. And when youre done, read some more. Then, when you figure out what modifications are best for your platform, and what order they must be done in, then modify it.

There are two ways to make a car go fast: The first way is to modify it the right way with the right combination of parts. The second is to dump so much money and parts in it that it has no choice but to go fast.

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-David
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-=Red Line Racing=-
Wake Up and Drive

mazdaracer

I'm doing the reading, that's for sure. The Honda needed a vacuum advance and little electrical stuff- nothing major- I was able to "drive" it home (with 2 push starts). The Mazda needs new cv joints, a motor mount and it keeps idling out when I slow down from 3+ gear and I can't figure out what that is, but it doesn't happen all the time. Other than that, they're both stock vehicles- ugly as crap, but moving. With the Mazda, I'm more interested in torque, but the Honda needs horse power more- 90 doesn't cut it. I've worked on turbochargers before, and done a lot of minor automotive work, but nothing as in depth as this. So, exhaust, suspension or brakes first? I think those are the big three for starting out because I hate the drum brakes on Accords and the suspension's almost shot. Thanks for all the help, guys.

sagvr4

replace suspension components with oem imo. swap the brakes from a junker car with discs and ditch the engine. swap it completely for a nicer honda motor and revel in that power and build off that platform. dont waste time turboing some junk engine.

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~Scott

mazdaracer

I'm getting a 6cyl vtech- I think that'll be a good start. I'm going to have to build a subframe, but no biggie.

sagvr4

6 cyl vtech?

just put a b18 or b16 in it. and its vtec, honda guys will tear you apart over that one

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~Scott

JEV

your doing major stuff. tell us when you get it all started.

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well if your persistent your goals , will be meant...o and that means stop being lazy!!!...lol.

TrappedDarkness

I had a friend that put a 3.2L in a Accord but his was a 02 i think... he had to do a lot to get it in if o remember right... a LOT. I would recommend going with what Scott said

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projectX

the aftermarket brakes out there take time to actually heat up to work..so stick to a cheep oem pad and caliper..you can however compensate some roter usage with sloted roters..might help disipate some heat if ya plan on racing in the street...im not shure about your platform..but im shure they make an ajustable coilover or a kit coilover for your rides..that can be ajusted and Tuned to fit your driving skills...another mod you can think about...is the body..body kits are readly availible for most honda's..ect..and are not to hard to fit..dont go the cheepo route if ya can afford it..it makes a difference in fit and quality..vailside is an example of great quality for body kits..then there is the paint..that you can allso do your self...good luck man with your rides..would love to see some picks ..

projectX

Ps.....you can race factory..i do it everyday in a 4 banger chevey mini crap econo....ive raced everything upto v12 mercs...its way not the ride....its the driver and there skill knowing when and how to push any car to its limit and hold it at that limit throuout a race.....besides...most micro weeners who drive expencive cars..never get em past 80mph anyways..and are scared shitless of 100+mph

mazdaracer

I've been a delivery driver for years, so the speed's not a problem. I know you can race in factory cars, but I'd like to race in something a little... classier. Thanks for the help so far. As soon as I get started, I'll get some pictures up.