Drive Time

Drive Time!

22222

If only it was 22 degrees and using 22.2 L /100km

ND Weekend

Finally some drive time...

 From the gold coast beaches

the water was nice.

then some special stages

Advan tyres are a different feel to the Bridestones but wet weather grip seems higher, dry edge is a little less feel and slight more understeer, but overally just as good.

Tyres and suspension should match... I think its still pretty close.

New Car Shoes

20000klms... and then it happened..

Mind Battle

 

 This image goes through my mind every time I get in the car. Thats at least twice a day.

but this is reality.

GC Panorama

Sometimes, you need to remind yourself how good things are. Gold Coast is my home town.

Targa + Rally

A great weekend. Get out there.

Starting off, the first sight of mountains makes me smile.

Past the sugar factory, heading towards a sweet rally adventure.

At the base of the mountains things get twisty. and eventually the time passes quickly as the klms fly past.

My destination was Kyogle. the Border Ranges Rally was a cool event. 

Neal Bates in the old RA40 celica set the tone.

Sideways is fun.

the sounds of these old cars is awesome

with more than 1/2 the field running classics, memories of days in canberra came flooding back.  

Go the Rota!

Go the Datto, now that was a fun car.

Escorts on the edge

makes you want to run again.

bwoooooooooooooooooooooooooo un buwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 

Corolla ripping it.!

Even an old torana

at the end of the day... I headed to my overnight pit stop to visit me ol' mum. 

Next day, I managed to see a few more.  Yes the subaru memories were coming back also. But I don't want another of those.

RWD for the fun.

now lickily, Kyogle Rd is one of the best roads around.

corners like these are super enjoyable.

but you have to stop for a rest sometimes... before i go back and forth a couple of times.

With Mt Warning in the background, heading back that way gives you a target. 

A lot of running with the roof down, as you run throught the trees, but the top has to close when you get the sun and speed.

You know I say i need to lower this... but honestly, I'd be ruining the GT feel of the car.  And the capability to deal with dips and holes and not quite the best road surface.  

I do enjoy thrashing the ND... But yes, the next model sounds interesting with an extra 20hp and more importantly extra 500RPM. that is something I want. top of 2nd and into 3rd with this engine is not as well matched as the last model.

On the way back, i took some detours. Mossy roads, Dirt Roads and 

things that make the brake application a little more urgent.

I don't want to think about self-driving cars... Where is the fun in that.

Low Style

Is it Time to go low...? MCA??? should I make the call...

Photos like this just annoy the crap out of me, because I know how much better the car can look.

the ride height of the stock car is rediculous. Even the 16" wheel model is lower. In my carpark every day, I drive past a 16" model and it's annoying me even more. 

Even this ride height is about 50mm lower. get it down to rim on guard and thats another 50mm. how can you have a 4" drop possible....?

 Mad mike version runs 17" race version runs 18" the smaller wheel FTW.

After all that... I went for a drive down the southern end of the GC.

nice day for open top.

Touge Time.

This is my #1 favourite set of curves. You certainly don't need 1million horsepower here as gravity helps a lot.

Concentration Up. Elevation Down.

with icecream at the end. 

On this road thats recently resurfaced, I wish the car was lower.

What i think I want.

I love the look of this. Stupid low and cambered bezerk.

But in the last post I highlighted the roads where i drive. This car would not make it 10Klms

haha.

8 Month Review

Looking back at the past 8 months... I was thinking about how much I like and don't like the ND.

The likes and dislikes are all related to the same parts of the car.

Suspension & Interior.

Engine is pretty much ok as Ive learned to give up my thirst for revs in favor of the usable torque curve.

The ND was always a compromise. Seeing as Mazda don't make an RX-7 anymore, and I loved the NC.

Out of the two RWD small cars in the New market. 86 and ND, I definitely made the right choice for me in the ND. The open top is a feature that I really really love. But vs other older cars that I love, I still can't fall in love with the looks because .....  images and my chops of low +wheels solve that puzzle.
But can I do it?.



Suspension is a Double Edge Sword.

1. The suspension is so good over tight rough terrain, I don't want to change it for mountain runs.
But the ride height is just ugly. I want to change it for the daily commute and some track adventures.

Can I live with low and slippery. Yes, but am I screwing with the best streetable machine out there? Probably.

2. Interior. the drivers seat is damn uncomfortable for my shape. I need to be shorter.
Where I want to sit is not where the ND puts me.
I need a new low seat and a deep dish steering wheel.  Lowmax + Nardi FTW.

So +5K would get me where I need to be. Should I?