AutoExe NC-03B

New Roadster Bodykits are starting to appear. Thats good, because I saw a pic of a silver NC RHT and it was bad.

This benefits from a chop of SSR Type F in flat black. My roadster wheel of choice these days.

M'z Tune GT-Roadster.

I've been thinking hard about what to do with the front of the roadster. Lip or full bumper? But that's been decided. Thanks to a friend here in Japan, who just updated his bumper to a Mazdaspeed one. I have the opportunity to obtain his M'z tune front lip spoiler in a little deal.

Still to arrive, be fitted and painted, this chop gives an almost perfect match for what it will look like. There's also a small pic on the side of my blog.

A set of Jet's canards (soon to be purchased) should match the angle of the lip almost perfectly.
With D.I.Y brake ducting underway, some progress is taking place on the little beast for little cash. My taped eyelids are still on the car too. haha.

Russ

GT-Roadster Workshop

What's happening in the workshop?

A little tidy up on the race car, street car is done. Got a new truck for hauling.

A couple of new cars underway in different colours. Slow progress though. Not much free time these days. The DoubleM red car is out of the paintshop but needs some extra parts like the lip spoiler built and the tweety replica is underway with stripdown and interior progressing.

Russ.

R1 Grand Prix

I don't want this blog to be a review of everything that happens in Japan for the roadster. But this event caught my eye at Tsukuba TC1000.

Joyfast NC was quickest.

Superchrger!!! yum.

Double Nopro action.

3 degree temps give no feeling in tyres. just cold and slidy with tyre temps getting to 18 front and 9rear on the nopro car.

With cars not performing at best. most managed 44ish seconds where in the dry and warm would be hitting 41.

Russ.

Little Update

Check out the rims on this cruiser. They are taller than the bonnet line on my car!

Things are busy so not much happening. Got some Juran airduct hose for the brakes and just working out a way to attatch it to the original location holes. I went for a few small drives but nothing major.

Driving around Tokyo is always an experience. It never ceases to amaze me that there are sometimes 20 levels of traffic happening above, on and below ground. The place is an engineer's dream.

Sometimes you find some little gems too.

This super clean cosmo was heading to Super Auto bacs as well. I saw a group of exiges and a corvette meeting, a broken down TVR Chimera (rare in Japan) and some crazy HKS stereo!

Gotta love it.

Russ.

Tokyo Auto Salon Coverage.

Check out the new NR-A fitted with the latest RAYS G.2 wheels. Simply awesome.
I wish this were reality. It would have grabbed some spec of attention.


Instead the lame arse normal NR-A was "featured" next to circuit trial versions of the other mazda NON sports vehicles. Look at the S P A C E thats empty on the HUGE mazda stand.

Instead we got the NR-A in basic form and that's it. Where are the MAZDASPEED options! THE REAR DIFFUSER, REAR SPOILER AND FRONT SPOILERS and SIDE SKIRTS ???????? ??????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????? ?????????? Come on MAZDA, support your fans. TAS is THE place to show your stuff.

Anyway, enough bitching. The NR-A features all the new roadster sameness and a rollbar and recaro RS-G seats and Willians seatbelts.

The dash features the mazdaspeed (Defi) dials.

The rest us all pretty normal.

The roll bar is same as previous NR-A.

Fitment was actually pretty poor. With the carpet holes cut with a knife and not very well either.

I'd still buy one to race if I had cash cause the NR-A one make series is cool with good competition for not much entry fee.

Rear would look racey if it was dropped another 4 inches.

XA Car had a 20th anniversary lineup of all generations.

Right up to the latest RHT.

I love the way the new lights reflect up under direct light.

This one had the recaro. trimmed seats.

The top was going up and down all day.

TAS 2009 Live!

I was going to update live form Auto salon.

But really, what a non event for Roadster fans.

on the Roadster Side. I'll post a few small things like the NR-A and a normal Red RHT. And a bonnet. Thats it.

Booo!

I posted a couple of live pics from RE-Xtreme.

RE-Xreme Lip Spoiler Chop

Designing sucks. Sat down with a pen at work and sketched this design. Came home and did a little chop. Looks pretty cool, and pretty ugly at the same time. Not sure If I like it. I wanted to include a splitter and open up the intake. I think the bottom needs to push back more. But hey I'm not doing it again.

KS Burnout might be easier. Just cut the bumper and cover it with mesh. I may work on this one a bit more and recess the mesh. See how it turns out.

Anyone want to donate some Dymag rims...?

19" Chopping

This car from KS Burnout has caused a lot of issues for me lately, I love the madly oversized 19" rims that really make the car incredibly aggressive and it's super dumped stance is simply rediculous and cool at the same time. The Weds Kranze LX2 521 rims are 19x9 +43 and fitted with super stretched 225/35/19 toyo proxes. It's simply a car that appeals to me. Front fender liners have been removed and I'm sure the ride, general handling, accelleration and braking are all affected by the rims.

But I love it and it's definately on the agenda.

When I chop any roadster up to 19" I think it looks very cool indeed. Even though the hubs are enlarged also, The real rims would look even bigger as the hub remains small.

The Kranze wheels are a problem for me because I do like a car that handles. Can the problems of increased weight and size be overcome by a light weight choice?

Maybe RAYS Bronze CE28N would be light. (Nopro)

Maybe upsized RE30 would be good. (Rodopina)

Maybe some lightweight Enkei NT03 or RP-F1 (Joyfast).

Or something from Advan F7 or these RZ ( Brightning ).

All look insane but when looking at wheel. Wheel weights make a huge difference to performance.

I have owned an NA roadster with Heavy Chrome 17" wheels and believe me when I say, you notice the difference in every driving environment. In a car with limited power you especially notice it. The fun chuckability is gone with heavy wheels, likewise accelleration is a chore and a brake and wait philosophy must be dialed in. They stayed on the car for a while but I eventually reverted to standard wheels.

My first FD had Rays CE37W lightweight wheels which gave amazing lightweight turn in and easy accelleration. My last FD wore 10" wide Advan RS for extreme grip, but thats not the focus of my NC.

To apply these ideas to my NC roadster which currently has lightweight Advan RGII and good feel. I am thinking about the lightest weight options possible.

SSR Type C are one of the lightest - 19x8 +48 - you are still looking at 9.00Kg each

RAYS TE37 or RE30 are light. TE37 Gen II may be even lighter.

BUT Dymag wheels could be the answer. Carbon rim and magnesium centre.

Now this car really has me thinking. The price will stop that though. Dymag 19x9 are £1,125 per wheel, but OMG! SOOO COOL!

Russ.

Unexpected Narita Tour

After an unsuccessful buying run at Crystal Japan and SuperAutobacs. Air duct not in stock.

I thought what to do? Why not check out Narita.

At new year's time the main temple is an unpenetreble convoy of wagons and kei cars so I left that alone and headed to the airport. It's always cool to sit under the flight path.

Found a nice quiet spot also.

Russ.

First Drive 2009

What to do on NY is always a dilemma. But as the first sun hit the car in 2009, I knew I made a good choice to drive in the early darkness.

Although you can't quite make it out in this pic above, at about 6:40 the sky started to illuminate enough for Mt Fuji to become visible.

This one is a little better, but the fresh cold winter morning was displaying some beautiful light and the changes in gradation were enjoyed as Fuji came into full light.

I started to enjoy the early daylight around Tateyama in Chiba's Boso peninsula. This old place created some mood while about 100 hawks circled overhead.

On the road I was greeted to images like this.

The road itself was empty as the morning lazily cruised away.

Past a few beaches....

and through a few tunnels....

I was soon at Komagawa.

A turn inland and a nice pace saw the Boso Skyline dissapear behind.

Then the small roads through Chiba are a real pleasure when they are empty.

Winter strips the trees that line the roads.

My destination on the return journey, was a quick stop at the Tokyo Konan shrine. There is an awesome but short little road up to this with 1st and 2nd gear hairpins that begs to be driven well. It would make a great hill climb course.

The winter view that greets you at the top is awesome. To many Fuji is the only real Japanese Temple.

The views all morning were a great way to welcome 2009.

Russ.