Recaro seats keep Jenson in place. The roll bar is very solidly mounted; it goes through the base plates and into the frame to connect on the subframe mounting points. While Jenson had a few seconds to ponder life while hurling down the back straight at 180mph, he decided he needs a full cage.
The rear wing is from AJ Hartman Aero. The wing bases are custom carbon and mounted solidly to the unibody. You can just see it in the previous picture. The carbon hardtop is from Good Win Racing.
If you’re looking for inspiration on how to build a race car, the NC HAMR is a good place to look for lessons. An effort like this took a team and Jenson would like to thank: Andris Laivins with Gradient Racing, Sean Farrah with SPL Parts, Joe and Manny with PTP Turbo, Joel Levy with Race Spec, Jon Etheredge with Electredge Wiring, Ryan Passey with Good Win Racing, and Tony with Comptech.
14 comments
Fun minor point that is easy to overlook – ABS module visible in some of the underhood shots is another parts bin raid. There’s a type of RX-8 ABS module that works without ECU interface and doesn’t have ice mode – it was also done in Pirelli World Challenge NC MX-5s too.
Really do like this build; I feel like people underestimate the NC
With NA & NB’s price being where they are and where they’re headed, and NC just being an objectively faster car, I think people won’t be sleeping on them for much longer.
Thanks for posting this! I saw this car also and had been hoping someone would do an article!!! great build.
slight correction, Goodwin doesn’t make hardtop, he prolly just bought it from Goodwin, but its most likely a DG Motorsports hardtop
I love it, even if I don’t like the look of the NC, this is such a no-nonsense build, lots of easy to source factory parts, lots of ease of maintenance thought put into it.
I have no clue about the MZR swap though, unless he had one laying around or was intimately familiar with that engine. I know it’s related to the duratec/ecoboost so it’s probably a good platform.
A full cage linked up to the front strut towers and a diffuser are probably the only things I would add. Maybe move the radiator to the back if it helps the corner weighting.
MZR/Duratec (same family) is the same family that came in the NC, so it’s relatively trivial to swap – akin to putting a K24 in place of a K20. If I recall correctly, this build evolved from using the OEM transmission. IMO they’re pretty under-rated – they don’t have the evolution of the K series Hondas but they have a lot more potential than people think.
Ah, if it bolts in without much fab it makes sense. Still, when you are putting down 700hp “how hard is it to find X part when it breaks” becomes important.
I’m still shopping scrapyard BPs for my NA mostly because they drop in and the aftermarket is great not because they are better engines.
Aftermarket isn’t as big, but the 2.3 and 2.5L variants were used in everything – there’s millions in junkyards, the production numbers were huge and relatively recent. And the aftermarket does have the necessary stuff covered – cams, rods, pistons and stuff.
700hp means a built engine, but you can do a 400hp stock 2.5 and thats an easy and cheap replacement that can be had for under $500 with low miles.
Great build! Isn’t that mazdaspeed crank one of those without a keyway? Did they machine keyways for all components?
you can use the crank out of the 2.3 ecoboost which is keyway’d.
No OEM Duratec/MZR offers a keyed crank. Many companies offer relatively inexpensive keying services and can also remove the balance shaft drive gear if equipped.
The 2.3L ecoboost crank is great bang for the buck as it’s forged and allows more revs than a 2.5L crank- 94mm strove vs 100mm. They go for $375 new from Ford.
HGT Precision now have a proper bellhouse for the MZR/Duratec engines for their Sequential Gearboxes doing away with the need for adaptor plates.
These cars are underrated. I built a 2012 NC with Ohlins coilovers and a GT3071R turbo for the street. Very lively! With maybe 300 WHP it ran 60-100 MPH in 5.5 seconds.