Welcome back to another issue of Touge Weekly! Today, we’re taking a look at Isaac Rayfield’s 2002 Miata. This car is a crazy build and it’s something that we’ve wanted to take a deeper look at for a while now, so let’s get into it. You’re not gonna want to miss this one!
Some of our local readers may have seen this car around at shows or at home up on the pass, but not many people know the details on it and it’s certainly a unique build that deserves some attention. At first glance, the car looks to be a nicely set up NB2 Miata with attention paid to all the right places: wild aero, wheels and tires, and Wilwood brakes are just a few things that you would notice with a quick once-over of the car. However, this car’s real secret is hidden underneath the hood. That’s right, this NB2 Miata is powered by a K24 Honda engine. Before we get into the setup of the car, let’s meet the owner Isaac.
Isaac has been into cars as long as he can remember. It all started with a bit of curiosity. He was eager to learn how cars worked and how they went together like one big puzzle. As his curiosity grew, so did his interest in cars. Quickly, he became interested in race cars and the unthinkable amount of research and development that went into making a car not only look good, but perform to its maximum potential. While spending time learning about cars, Isaac took a particular interest in the Miata platform. Aside from their timeless styling and versatility, the Miata platform had a certain feeling that Isaac loved. As a result, he purchased his first Miata and has owned a few since (this particular car being his third). Isaac is such a fan of the Miata platform that he mentioned he couldn’t see himself without one moving forward.
Isaac quickly became interested in motorsport ventures of his own after seeing the potential the Miata platform had. Starting in autocross, he worked his way up through track days / HPDE events and now competes regularly in NASA TT4 class events with the car. Although it’s a small car, he feels that it is the perfect chassis for driving. Isaac is competitive in NASA events and says the chassis has even more potential waiting to be unlocked, which is always a good sign! He attributes a lot of his success as a driver and the skillset he’s developed to the Miata and its ability to reward a driver who actively tries to learn with their car and grow with it. Because of this, he’s formed a unique relationship with the car that all of us strive to replicate.
Now that we’ve talked about Isaac’s background, let’s get into the car. The car itself is a 2002 Miata NB2, but it’s no ordinary Miata. The car has gone through some serious changes and has transformed into a bit of a monster! The Miata rides on a set of Flyin’ Miata V Maxx track coilovers, giving it that extra bit of stiffening it needs to keep the car planted through turns both on the street and the track. 15” Konig wheels wrapped in Falken RT660 tires keep the car glued to the pavement with the help of a few aero pieces from Nine Lives Racing. Although Miatas have a reputation for handling like they’re on rails, they’re also known for lacking quite a bit of power; this car doesn’t have that issue. The car is powered by a K24Z3 engine that was swapped in using a K-Power Industries kit. Because this pocket rocket requires more braking ability due to the huge increase in power, it is equipped with a Wilwood 4 piston big brake kit. This car is certainly a force to be reckoned with!
Although Isaac’s K Miata performs exceptionally well on the track, it almost seems as if its performance is more shocking on the street. With the amount of aerodynamic work done to the car, it’s almost not recognizable as a Miata anymore. When you couple all that aero work with the much more powerful K24 engine, you’ve got a recipe for a car that’s bound to have everyone looking!
Shortly after our initial interview with Isaac, he was scheduled for a NASA TT4 event at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). In one of the later sessions of the day, Isaac was on track to put down a blistering time that would’ve been his new personal best but caught a strip of curbing in turn 17 that sent him across the track and into the dirt at over 70mph before spinning into a tire wall and coming to rest. Thankfully, Isaac wasn’t seriously injured, but the car had certainly taken some major damage. At first glance everything appeared to be fixable, but a closer inspection revealed that the car’s unibody structure was indeed bent and was beyond saving. After discovering that the car was totaled and would need to be replaced, Isaac set out to find a donor shell and had secured one to take home with him before he’d even left the track that weekend.
Despite all the challenges Isaac has been faced with due to the crash, he maintains a very positive outlook on the situation as a whole. He plans to transfer over his usable parts to the new donor shell and begin building a version 2 of the original car while upgrading things along the way. The original car was a monster of a machine and the second car will be even more wild. We’ll check back in with Isaac as the new setup is put together and comes to life. In the meantime, make sure to check back with us for more Touge Weekly!
Modifications List
Suspension / Brakes
Wilwood 4 Piston BBK (11.75”)
Flyin’ Miata V Maxx Track coilovers
15x9.5” Konig Freeform wheels
245/45R15 Falken RT660 200tw tires
Chassis / Aero
Nine Lives Racing wing
Nine Lives Racing air dam
Nine Lives Racing splitter
Hard Dog Single Diagonal rollbar
Sparco Sprint seat
R Theory hood vents
Hardtop
Nue widebody kit
Powertrain
K-Power Industries K swap kit
Honda K24Z3 engine swap
Supermiata 6 puck clutch kit
G racing short throw shifter
Link ECU tuned by Guilty Garage
コメント