GAZ Shocks GHA Coilover Kit: Installed!

Finally, two weeks ago, i have installed on my MX5 the Gaz GHA Coilover, received at home in July end. Winter is not a good time for testing the new coilover. Here in north Italy, the wheather is cold and snowy, now the temperature is near 0°C / 32°F and the streets are often wet. For test this kit well, i must wait spring with more hottest days, and dry road. I can not test it at maximum possibilities but in the daily drive i instantaneously notice the better handling of the car: more rigidity without lose of confort when set as soft. Medium settings of Bump/Rebound are the best for road/sport driving, fantastic reactivity, really great handling and a little lose of confort, but is not a problem for me... Confort for me isn't important. My car must be fun to drive, fuck confort. :-) I try to use medium setting last week, and it was perfect for me. But now is really cold, and soft settings are more safe.

Gaz Shocks GHA uses 40 level adjustment system (compression & rebound together).
Spring rate are 6,2Kg/mm(350lb) Front - 4,8Kg/mm(250lb) Rear

First week i've tryed to use this settings for bump/rebound: 17 Front - 15 Rear.
Now, for winter use i've set it more softer: 12 Front - 10 Rear.

The height of the car is drastically changed: the previous gap between hubcenter and fender was 38cm. Now is 33cm on Front and 34cm on Rear. About -50mm!

Wheel Alignment Spec:

FRONT
Toe: 0mm
Caster: -6°20' (i've asked for -5°50' mechanic not well skilled )
Camber: -1°00'

REAR
Toe: 0,2mm Left + 0,2mm Right
Camber: -1°50'

Skip Barber Racing School at Laguna Seca

From Speedhunters, some pics of 3 days racing school at Laguna Seca. Little bit of envy...

Do you need a mechanic?

Do you need a mechanic? Maybe a little panel work...

Spesso nei Drift Track Day in Japan, capita di fare un bel botto... Siamo abituati a vedere le classiche fascette per rimettere insieme, al volo paraurti o pezzi di esso, per continuare comunque a girare e finire la giornata. Ma se il botto fosse più grosso e vi servisse un meccanico che vi fa un lavoretto veloce con i lamierati, beh, guardatevi questo...

Raticosa Pass - Funny Bends

Winter is coming. These are the last days in which the roads are still funny driveable. I'm waiting to install GAZ Coilover, and i'm going crazy because my mechanic has postpone the installation, another time, to next weekend... uff! So, waiting the installation, this sunday, i went to Raticosa Pass, for cheer me up from failed GAZ installation of this weekend. 120 Km of Turns. Hundreds of bikers at the top of the hill, nice...
Here some photo of the tour:

I promise myself to come back soon here, to test my new GAZ Coilover, if i succeed to intall it and if is not too cold or snowy...

Fantastic Road!

MX5 Super20 and Cup at SEMA 2010

Mazda is at Sema 2010 with 7 sports version of his cars: Mazda2 Evil Track, Mazda2 Street, MX-5 Super20, Mazda3 Redline Time Attack, Mazda3 Turbo Sedan, Grand-Am GT Mazda RX-8 and MX-5 Cup.

But my focus is naturally on the 2 version of MX5 NC at SEMA 2010: The "MX5 Super20" and the "MX5 Cup"

Let's start with the MX5 Super20:

Objective: Street-tough style with motorsport character

Modifications:
- Stripped interior
- Hardtop
- Roll bar
- Suede seats with orange stitching
- DPTune ECU
- Racing Beat exhaust and header
- ACT organic clutch
- Mazdaspeed Coilovers
- Racing Beat hollow front and rear anti-roll bars
- Mazdaspeed shock tower brace
- Power Slot rotors
- StopTech DOT stainless steel brake lines
- SpeedSource front brake ducts
- 16x9 Enkei RPF1 wheels with 245/45-R16 Toyo Proxes RA-1 R-compound tires
- H&R Trak+ 20mm wheel spacers (rear)
- Sparco 15mm spacers (front)

And the MX5 Cup:

Objective: To compete in one make series

The MX5 Cup car weighs just under 2,600 pounds/1181 Kg and features an authoritative 195hp engine. The series was launched in 2006 and has since enjoyed strong fields and close competition.

Engine Modifications: A MAZDASPEED cold air intake system is required. Chassis Modifications: The only modification is the addition of the 3 piece front strut tower brace that comes with the sport package.
Transmission/Final Drive Modifications: The stock six-speed gearbox is used by all cars.

Suspension/Steering Modifications: The MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development MX5 Cup kit is comprised of double adjustable shocks, specified springs and threaded-perch coil-overs. All cars also run identical anti-roll bars and end links.

Brake System Modifications: Brakes must maintain stock brake rotor specifications.

Wheels: All cars run their choice of the stock alloy 17x7” wheels available on MX5 Miatas.

Tires: The series spec tire is the BFGoodrich g-Force R1, size: 225/45/17.

Body Modifications: None

Safety Modifications: All MX5 Cup cars run with full safety equipment, including an eight-point rollcage that must be welded into the car. Other safety equipment includes a racing seat, head/neck restraint, an electrical shut-off switch and an incorporated fire-extinguishing system.

Full Carbon Vinyl NC

Nice Carbon Vinyl Wrap, for Mike's NC from Australia.

Here some exclusive photo of the do it your self process, by Mike. He is a professional car wrapper, but if you want, you can try to do it yourself on your car ...if you are sure to don't make a disaster :-)