Flyin' Miata : The Targa Newfoundland

Hammerhead Motorsports
Hammerhead Motorsports was a novice two-car team that ran the Targa in 2010 in the Grand Touring class. Because of our experience with the event, they approached Flyin' Miata and we helped them out. The team ran our V-Maxx suspension systems and FM frame rail reinforcements along with various other upgrades. They did exceptionally well, fighting for the top place in their class until a couple of unrelated problems prevented the cars from finishing a stage on the last day, putting them out of the race. The team also used the race to raise funds for pediatric cancer charities, and managed to raise around $31,000 for the cause.

Here's what they had to say.

Hammerhead 1 – 1999 Miata
We purchased our Miata only about six short months before the Targa race. Our decision to go with the “hairdresser’s car of choice” was based on extensive research and careful deliberation. We concluded that no other car had a better price to performance ratio – the perfect car for us to thrash around the punishing roads of Newfoundland! The car was generally in pretty good shape when we bought it but we needed to upgrade a few things to ensure we would make it beyond the first day of the Targa Newfoundland.

The first stop for us was the FM website. The site contains a vast amount of information and accumulated knowledge, together with all of the bits a Miata owner could ever wish for available for sale. We especially appreciated the frank, helpful and sometimes humorous commentary on nearly every part. This made it simple for us newbie Miata owners to figure out what we needed.
Rob Hansen, Driver and Navigator

Upon deciding to enter Targa Newfoundland in the Winter of 2010, the first question was: which car? When we considered the sobering reality of our set budget, the Miata was really the only contender given its price point and inherently well balanced sporty nature. Upon deciding to look for a Miata, our search criteria for was straight forward. We wanted one with the Torsen limited slip differential, straight frame, minimal rust and, preferably, a hard top. It didn't take us very long before we located and purchased a 1999 for $7,500 which easily met all of our criteria. Having now purchased the vehicle, the second question was: how do we prepare it for Targa Newfoundland? On that front, Keith was a wealth of information and, having run competitively in Targa Newfoundland in 2008, advised on pretty much every aspect of the preparation of our car for GT class in Targa Newfoundland. There is little question that we would not have run as competitively as we did without the assistance of Keith and the support of Flyin' Miata.

The first modification to the car was the installation of a Hard Dog M2HCDD roll bar. Immediately after the installation of the roll bar, we had a day at the track. I was really taken with how much the simple addition of the Hard Dog tightened up the rear chassis and improved handling. On that particular track day, we noticed the temperatures where running consistently quite hot. Following a proper cool down procedure upon exiting the track, we never ran into any issues. However, to be on the safe side, the second modification was an aluminum radiator, new hoses and high pressure cap. The third modification, on Keith's insistence, was FM frame rails. This wasn't just for stiffening the chassis. Keith explained that the added protection of the frame rails would help soak up the punishing nature of driving Targa Newfoundland and the beating that stood in store for the car on the incredibly rough Targa roads. The forth modification was the installation of an FM butterfly brace. It didn't seem right to have new frame rails and not tie them together so eloquently with the butterfly brace. The fifth modification, for obvious reasons, was to high performance brake rotors and more aggressive pads. The final modification, again on Keith's advice, was the installation of V-Maxx coil-overs. Our initial thought was to run with the Flyin Miata AFCO suspension. However, Keith was of the firm opinion that the V-Maxx would more than stand up to the punishment of Targa. As it happens, he was 100% right.

In an ideal world, we would liked to have spent time at the track after each modification was made in succession. In reality, for our car, the installation of the aluminum radiator, the FM frame rails, the FM butterfly brace and the V-Maxx coil-overs happened both at the last minute and at the same time. We were, however, fortunate to enough to spend a day at the track the day before our fully prepped cars shipped for Targa. While I was was taken with the improved handling of the Miata after the installation of the Hard Dog, I was blown away by the improvements on account of the combination of the frame rails, butterfly brace and the V-Maxx. Turn in was greatly improved and the car felt vastly more planted in the corners. In terms of sheer body mass, Rob and I had about 150 lbs more weight in the 1999 compared to the 1992 my teammates drove. As a result, we had a tendency to bottom out more frequently in comparison. The suspension did a remarkable job of rebounding after hard compressions while holding the composure of the car at all times and at speed. Given unreal road conditions, the FM frame rails routinely shielded the factory frame rails from heavy beatings. The car is now so much more compliant and confidence inspiring. The upgrade to high performance brake rotors and more aggressive pads has significantly reduced brake fade, even after long track sessions. We also no longer run hot given the new aluminum radiator. Having now spent more time at the track since our return from Targa, I marvel at what an inexpensive track weapon we now have. The car is noticeably stiffened but not jarring and balance has improved. The only factor limiting the vehicle at this point in time is pure horsepower. We simply need more power to further explore the limits of our newly acquired (inexpensive) track rat. I can hole heartedly recommend the set up that our car is currently running with and can't thank Keith and Flyin' Miata enough for the support.
Dean Novak, Driver and Navigator

Hammerhead 2 – 1992 Miata
I bought my Miata in 2000 and over the years had slowly upgraded and updated a few things here and there. Most notably, I put in a Torsen when the LSD blew up, upgraded the brakes to the bigger 94+ style, and added a Hard Dog M2HCDD After owning the car for 10 years or so and putting around 100,000 kms on it, I knew it was time to do some major service and upgrades before heading to Targa. FM was fantastic about supporting our team in its first year at Targa Newfoundland. We really leaned on Keith and his experience there in 2008 to help us identify the ‘must-do’ items versus the true wish list. Keith was pretty instrumental in helping us narrow our focus on suspension, rigidity, and durability. I have spent a fair amount of time in Miata forums, reading Miata books (including Keith’s), and under the hood, dash, and body of a Miata – but my knowledge base is still paled by Keith’s encyclopaedic mental database. As the team’s dedicated mechanic and considering one of the cars was a different vintage than the one I knew well, I felt pretty good knowing he was going to be a phone call away when things started to rattle out of skew. Keith was also was a sounding board for a myriad of other decisions like tires, seats, etc.
Brent Layton, Driver

When I first got involved in Hammerhead Motorsports I went for a drive in Brent’s 18 year old Miata and it felt, well, like an 18 year old sports car. After the coil-over suspension, frame rails, and new suspension bushings went in I couldn’t believe the change in the way the car rode and felt. Originally I was worried about being car-sick as co-driver/navigator but once the car was prepped it felt brand-new and the ride was comfortable and confidence inspiring. Brent and I spent 12-14 hours a day rolling though some of the roughest roads Newfoundland had to offer and it always felt solid and planted.

On one of the stages I remember calling a ‘blind crest into steep downhill with broken pavement at the edges of the road’. We came barreling over the blind crest to find only broken pavement, neither of us were sure where the edges of the pavement were or where the supposed good middle was – but we both felt by that point that the car would soak up the awful, barely held together road, and get us to the next turn.
Gabe Riff, Co-Driver

FM Frame Rails
I really noticed a striking difference once the frame rails were installed. Speaking of installation, the installation may seem daunting when you count all the mounting points but when you get down to it, its really pretty simple once you pull the seats and pull back the carpeting. The 1992 isn’t an overly rigid chassis out of the box and even less so after a lot of mileage. Installing a roll bar makes a notable difference and I would say that putting in the frame rails did for the front of the car what a roll bar does for the rear. The car vibrates, shimmy’s and twists a whole lot less, which really lets the suspension do its work better and keeping the contact patch planted is what Miatas are all about.

An added benefit of the braces are skid protection – in Targa the suspension has a lot of travel, but the bumps come up hard and blind and its not unusual to bottom out and touch bottom. The factory unibody framerails are pretty soft and can get pretty battered. The FM rails took a decent beating and showed no damage, but more importantly protected all the delicate bits like brake lines, exhaust piping and the drivetrain. The other benefit is when you need to lift the car you can drop a jack in the middle of the car and lift up a whole side at once – these things are strong. The next Miata I build will be another NA and will definitely have the frame rail braces and the butterfly insert as well. This time around we were in a rush and we didn’t have the time to adjust the butterfly insert to fit on the NA. Next time I’ll make the time for the butterfly after I felt what it did to the 1999 my teammates drove.
Brent Layton, Driver

FM V-Maxx Coil-Overs
My car had Tokico Illumina’s and Tokico lowering springs on it when I bought it and I was happy enough with that setup. I liked the adjustability on the shocks, but the car rode REALLY low and the suspension was just plain worn out. FM came to the table with their V-Maxx coil-over setup for both cars. My 1992 received the “NB kit” which essentially gives the NA the added suspension travel which the NB boasts. This is a critical add for an event like Targa, where every bit of suspension travel and compliance comes in very handy.

I have to admit we were a little sceptical when Keith wanted us to run the entry level coil-overs in a tarmac rally with a reputation for bending and breaking cars to pieces. The first day the cars were making a lot of noise over all the bumps, but we chalked it up to the stiffer Polybush suspension bushings and the hardtop brackets being a little out of adjustment. Despite all the noise, the cars held the road really well. The setup was really compliant and soaked up all the bumps, gravel, holes, pavement cuts, sinkholes that the course through at us.

Despite the high ride height we were running and the associated roll that comes with it, the car had a very confidence inspiring dynamic. Once the car took a set it was very easy to work with and would respond nicely to throttle steer inputs. Balance was very neutral and easy to control at the limits of adhesion. Night after night I went underneath the cars to see if they had blown their seals, but they performed faithfully day after day. I have to say for a 4 corner kit priced where it is – this is a very impressive set of coil-overs for anyone who doesn’t want to go too crazy cost wise, but wants the benefits of adjustable perches, and the comfort/performance of a dual spring setup.
Brent Layton, Driver

The two of us weighed in at over 470 lbs. combined. We knew this would be quite punishing on the suspension of the Miata. Heck, it would have probably been punishing on the suspension of a Humvee. We bottomed out quite a bit on the first day which made us question whether the car could handle an entire week. In hindsight, we probably should have set up the shocks with a little more travel. But the car responded really well and was outstanding in the corners of some of the tight village stages in the Targa race.
Rob Hansen, Driver and Navigator

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