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Detroit, 3:09 PM
Thu Nov 12
33 posts in the last 24 hours
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09/26/09
09/27/09
09/27/09
09/27/09
I'm also greatfull that it's taking so long, otherwise my life insurance policy provider would be suspicious why I keep asking to increase coverage.
09/26/09
09/26/09
So that's why you and Loverman wanted those brake rotors...
09/26/09
09/26/09
Spec Miata.....S&M.....SM...they all seem so alike.
Spec Miata is fun racing to watch, add in the fact that most Series will let them run Improved Touring you can get two races a weekend.
Perfect fun.
09/26/09
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09/26/09
That said, Spec Miata cars are a lot closer to stock than you might think. The engine and powertrain are all stock Mazda or Mazdaspeed parts, and the suspension upgrades are sold in a package from Mazdaspeed and consists mostly of uprated springs, swaybars, and dampers. They're basically stiffened stock Miatas with the interiors torn out and caged, and the exhaust lightened up.
09/26/09
09/26/09
A head-on collision/launch at a mixed spec race in Aug at Lime Rock.
4 Miatas were nose-to-tail coming out of The Esses onto No Name Straight with a Lotus Elise spun out just ahead, corner worker waving the yellow flag. The 3rd Miata was too close or too engrossed to see the waving flag.
Vid is from the 4th Miata (at 40sec, check his rear view mirror)...
It looks like the Miata did a Joie Chitwood U-turn on two wheels....but it landed upright.
The Elise driver is apparently alright, the Miata driver has a C2 fracture and a neck brace but is ambulatory and posting (see end of pg 2 in the link below).
Discussion and a pic of each car involved (mixed in with the other racing) are at the SCCA Forum thread: [sccaforums.com]
09/26/09
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09/26/09
And they all sound like angry little bees.
09/26/09
Exactly! They should try going around each other instead of jumping over.
09/26/09
Maybe there is a law of physics that states when two miatas touch one has to get airborne?
09/16/09
hi guiz :)
09/16/09
Nothing.
09/16/09
09/16/09
09/16/09
Where have I seen that grill before?
09/16/09
BTW, did you ever get a different hard top?
09/16/09
I like the back-to-basics idea of the Superlight. The Miata has certainly packed on a few pounds over the past two decades. Lightweight is good. If only you guys had some sort of compact, lightweight, high-revving engines in place of that 1.8L boat anchor. Oh, I don't know... (Sam Kinison scream coming) maybe A FREAKIN' ROTARY ENGINE??? WHAT THE F IS WRONG WITH YOU MORONS?? YOU'VE GOT GUYS TRIPPING OVER ROTARY ENGINES AT YOUR FACTORY, BUT YOU NEVER PUT ONE IN A FREAKIN" LIGHTWEIGHT SPORTS CAR!!!
Mazda really ought to do a better job of seizing the opportunities at hand. They remind me of the guy who fell in a barrel full of boobs and came out sucking his thumb.
09/16/09
Mazda does need a new engine - a turbo 2.0 liter. Hell, source the 4B11T from Mitsubishi if you can't design one yourself.
Mazda has nearly ruined a lot of great vehicles over the years (3rd gen R-7, RX-8) putting these crap motors in their cars.
09/16/09
Wow, once bitten...
As a current rotary owner, I'll just say that they are awesome little engines, especially in naturally aspirated form. With no changes to the internals, I am now putting out ~30-40% more horsepower than the factory spec, and it still puts out more torque lower down than a 4-cyl at the same power would.
Mine have always been dead reliable, and even when they've blown up, I've been able to limp home (one from more than 6 hours away). Try that with a burned piston or broken rod.
Now, without proper care and feeding, they get temperamental. Especially under turbocharging.
That said, Nice Nurse has it right, the rotary is much better suited to a proper sportscar than it is to the sporty-GT known as the RX-8.
09/16/09
Are you joking? The rotary is awesome. You are right about the gas mileage but come on. Who cares about the oil consumption? It doesnt drink that much oil and its cheap to top off. The wankel has torque when its boosted. FDs are plenty fast. I also don't know of a more fun engine than a rotary. It runs smooth and you can rev the nuts off it. In fact, revving the engine hard is actually good for its health so you can drive it like you stole it and not feel bad.