Found Money Miata

I'll just leave this here VIII

2011-05-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

I'll just leave this here VII

2011-05-14T16:54:00.000-07:00

I'll just leave this here VI

2011-05-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

I'll just leave this here V

2011-04-25T04:50:00.000-07:00

Not quite epic, but fail none the less

2011-04-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

Well the wheels fit... kinda. In hindsight I should have gone with a 45 series tire rather than a 50. Been having some rubbing issues on the front, so I figured I would roll the fenders. Even with a heat gun I managed to crack a little paint. What's more in trying to get the inner lip flush I put a few small dings on both front fenders. Looks like next weekend will be spent with a rubber block and small mallet to try to get them out.

On the plus side I only had one small rub since the roll & pull.... and I get to learn a bit more about DIY body work.

Wheels & Tires are on

2011-04-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

Pardon the crappy camera phone pictures, it was the easiest way to get something up now.

Got up on the early side and made a few calls to find someone to mount and balance tires I didn't purchase from them on wheels I didn't purchase from them. Turned out the answer was about a block from home.

So after a few walks and drives; getting the wheels and tires over to the shop in the Jeep, walking home to the get the miata, and back they were on.

Here's the Miata in monster truck mode, I was very worried about fitment at this point.

Then I got home after hearing a few rubs on the block drive home... time to get the baseball bat and do a quick little roll.

No dice, still rubbing, still eating up the tire, gave it another go. No luck, got to a friend's house and we went crazy on rolling, the need to do so became more apparent when I left some rubber at the entrance to his driveway from the horrible rub that come with turning and going over a bump.

As you can see they fit well, a bit aggressive, and they fill the gap nicely on my car which is only slightly lowered. The added 20mm of rubber grips much better, though I can feel a bit of added weight coming from the hollow spoke R-package wheels.

Spec Miata Birthday Cake

2011-04-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

From Reddit (which is a wonderful site, if you haven't checked it out). Guy's sister is a Spec Miata Racer, and this is her cake.

The Enkei 92's showed up!!

2011-04-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

My Enkei 92's showed up, 15x8, can't wait to get them on! Hopefully I'll get tires and have them on saturday, I can't friggen wait. This pic goes with the theme, here they are with a found dollar.

Thank you JSCSpeed, you guys delivered!

I'll just leave this here IV

2011-04-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

I'll just leave this here III

2011-04-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

3 New 'Cars' posters that are awesome

2011-04-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

I really liked the first movie, and it's looking like the second will be equally wonderful.

I'll just leave this here II

2011-04-07T01:19:00.000-07:00

A bit of prettification

2011-04-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

Not done yet, but I was getting sick of the über-plain look. Just wasn't doing it for me. It needs a bit more work, which will come, but for someone who once did graphic design professionally (quite a while ago) it just wasn't cutting it. If you hate it, tell me, if you love it, tell me, if you have suggestions, tell me.

Drop Engineering Lugs came in!

2011-04-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

As promised by JSCSpeed, my Drop Engineering lug nuts came in! These should be the perfect compliment to the Enkei 92's headed my way... can't wait to get it on, no more hellasunk for me!

Just over a week ago I couldn't hold out any longer after seeing a few shots of a black roadster rolling on gold 92's, and needed my own. Gave Mike at JSCSpeed a ring, and within 10 minutes they were on their way... about two hours later I had a tracking number, and they showed up as promised. I think I'm going to need to pick up a set of locks too, I'd rather not see a Honda (same fitment, ya know) rolling on my re-releases of these gorgeous classics, so I need to find some.

The lugs look awesome, fortunately Mike counseled me away from red lugs (I'm colorblind as all hell), and suggested the black should match the center caps a bit better. Hooray for progress!

I'll just leave this here. I

2011-04-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

Figured I'd start another semi-regular post, with weird somewhat auto-related imagery. Some is weird stuff I've found and collected on the depths of my hard drive, some is new finds.

So to start, if ATAT's were famous cars from Karznshit (more at the link)

Plus I'm a geek, so it's a great combo of all the ~~finer~~ funner things in life.

Mike Ryan and his badass Semi

2011-04-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

By now some of you have seen this video of Mike Ryan hooning about in a gulf liveried rig. Fun vid, cool vid, different.... But Mr. Ryan is a certified badass, not because of this vid, but because he pulls the same automotive jackassery up Pikes Peak. Yes, that man that almost ran me over is one and the same.

First real drive in the FMM

2011-04-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

Today was the third annual RSW Jemez/Valle Caldera cruise, about 200 miles though one of the most scenic parts of New Mexico with about 150 cars, and over 200 people... and it was a blast!

It also marks the first real drive in the miata, first go at mountain roads, first time putting real miles on, first time in a small area for hours on end. I honestly have no complaints. Since I'm stock, keeping up with GT500's, Supras, Vettes, blown Mustangs, 300z's, and the like was tough on the straights, but through the twisties it was brilliant.

Rolling into the sleepy town of Jemez springs was amazing, we absolutely took it over. Of course this caused issues for the lunch stop as it seemed we double the population of the town, and had to wait accordingly.

I know there will be more pics coming to show the group, and the picturesque landscape.

Forza 4 Video (has me worried)

2011-04-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

This new 'leaked' video of Forza 4 has me concerned. Too many buzzwards similar to the abortion that was NFS: Shift 2; social, immersive, accessible. Forza 3 was amazing, an absolute blast, but I realize the learning curve can be tough, and it's certainly not an arcade racer. This makes me worry they want to turn it in to one to go after more potential customers. Forza, rather their maker Turn 10, has yet to screw up. In fact the games have continually gotten better. Better physics, better features, more cars, more realism.... but this is worrisome.

1982 Toyota Starlet With Turbo G54B Mitsubishi Conquest Motor

2011-04-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

Badass.

Kelvin Racing Starlet

From the Speedhunters Facebook Account.

2011-04-02T23:36:00.000-07:00

I don't know the story, just that this miata is pure sex.

Very cool drift vid from Russia

2011-04-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

The only bad part is half of it is intro, but the production quality and ability of these guys more than makes up for it. Automotive ballet, sure, but this looks as though Ridley Scott directed it, very very well done.

Sad Video is Sad

2011-04-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

Keeps on ticking though...

The Miata Ice Racing Special

2011-04-01T02:00:00.000-07:00

Ice racing is a big deal in Canada, and usually dominated by the likes of Lada's factory team. In a fit of motorsport enthusiasm, Mazda decided to take control of the series, and constructed the Ice Racer. Click on the images above to see full size pictures.

The car almost didn't make it. Some higher executives in the factory thought the time and effort should be spent on other things, like figuring out how to formulate more shades of blue for the "regular" Miatas. Thankfully, the enthusiasts prevailed and the Ice Racer was born. Originally slated to be limited to 50 cars, one extra was added for Richard Dekker of Edmonton.

It's a limited homogolation special equipped with a turbocharged V6, full time 4 wheel drive, and radically adjustable suspension. Only 51 were made, and they all share the Safety Orange paint job for easy retrieval from snowbanks. There is no top, giving the Miata Ice Racer a guaranteed victory in the little contested Roadster category.

The engine is modified to deal with ice racing's peculiar demands. Thanks to the sub-freezing temperatures in the sport, Mazda was able to do away with the radiator and oil cooler, lightening the car by 52.1 kilograms. The engine is also fitted with a warm air induction system to help deal with the cold. A turbocharger is fitted to help heat the intake air - it runs at very low boost because of the density of air at the usual cold temperatures. Hotter cams round out the package, and give 268 horsepower in -20 degrees Celsius. Due to these modifications, however, the engine overheats whenever the temperature rises above freezing. Because of this, dry-pavement testing session has never been possible.

The suspension has a full 9 inches of adjustability. On a smooth, well prepared track, the car is run in the lowest position to lessen drag and take advantage of ground effects. This is the ice racing equivalent of a superspeedway. On a "natural" track, however, the car is run at its highest setting to avoid snowdrifts and other course debris such as ice fishermen. The tires are heavily studded with half inch bolts. The tranmission is a 5 speed, driving a full time 4 wheel drive through three Torsen differentials.

Thanks to this all out effort, Mazda has been able to wrest the ice racing crown from the Lada team, winning the championships at the 1995 Ice Racing Break-Ups.

Performance is stunning, to say the least. 0-100 kmh in 6.3 seconds on glare ice! If you ever get a chance to experience one of these creatures, do not pass up the opportunity.

Borrowed from: http://keith.miata.net/iceracer.html

LSX Powah!

2011-03-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

LS6 in an E36 = win. Bonus points for a great vid. From Skylinelife

AMF | Carl Nadeau - Dmcc 2010 Highlights from Jordan Hamelin on Vimeo.

Jim Guthrie on Speedhunters.com

2011-03-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

As I just said, I love speedhunters.com, and one of the reasons is great coverage of so many events. Looking on my facebook stream I see Jim Guthrie posted some pics from speedhunters, so I had to find them.

Great show on your first year of drifting Jim, keep it up!