All the stock comforts are retained, seat belt location and mounting geometry are untouched, so everything is as good as it came out of the factory.

 

Finally got a chance to measure the OE hoop structure (w/o trim pieces that make it appear taller) and our new bar side by side, our new bar is 2" taller!

 

 

Cool stuff Emilio! Looking forward to riding on those at MRLS if I can.

 

Oh snap

 

<p>And already ready for pre-order. Neat.</p>

 

Hey Emilio,
The pre-order page has a "With Mazda OEM NB mounts" option.

 

One of probably several typos, thanks. They use OEM ND mounts. Billet coaxial perch mounts in the works.

 

I sat in one with a halo seat. Man with the seat bolted to the floor I've got like 4 inches on the broom stick test, with the stock seat I think I'd fail definitively fail the scca version.

 

Ron Bauer is running a STR prepped ND from Mazda right now at solo nationals. http://sololive.scca.com/STR.html Currently looks really competitive. I'm excited about it!

Andy Hollis is suppose to be running a stock ND in CS as well, looking forward to that.

edit: Oh cool, Strelnieks is getting his runs done in the STR ND as well.

 

Dynos of the standard factory shocks from our GT. Part of the development process for both Feal Suspension and Ohlins.

 

I'm finally starting to see them. And they look like fun. May have to reconsider deciding I was done buying Miatas. Also, they seem way more prevalent than early on in the NC days which I'd guess is a good thing.

Not sure I follow, in my opinion a stock NC2 is a much better car than a stock NA or NB. Might not be as much "fun" but way more livable, way more powerful and I'm pretty confident faster than the NA/NB, my stock NC barely has to try through sections of road that the (not stock) NA isn't happy with at comparable speeds. May be that I have way more time at the wheel of the NC, but between the two, I'll take it.

Here's to hoping someone comes up with a not sucky compromise for the NC. I'd definitely be interested, but I like having the top down to much to pull it off.

 

Working within the OEM confines is always going to force a more significant compromise, but I feel that the ND bars that we're working on will be able to satisfy the needs of all customers.
The fact that both our bars are SCCA legal is already making it better than anything ever built for the NC (assuming you retain the soft top).

And with that said, it's time for a status update as the development on the ND chassis is moving along!

The street bar which has been named the RZ (stands for Road / Z-fold), is now fully designed, prototype built, installed in the car for fitment verification, and went in perfectly.
This bar allows not only the full usage of the soft top but installation of all the factory plastics back (with minor trimming for clearance).
It retains the glove box and the Bose amplifier, and does not require any changes in seat belt geometry so it works exactly as it did out of the factory.

We have the RZ bar parts already in production for the first batch, first production bar to be welded tomorrow assuming parts are ready and if all goes well we'll be able to drop it off at powder coating and give Brian Goodwin his car back early next week.

The GT3 bar is about 70% done in terms of design and we're currently working on OEM seat belt integration to allow customers to run both OEM 3 pointers as well as racing harnesses.
With the removal of the soft top, the GT3 bar is a whopping 16" wider than the RZ bar and also ~2" taller.
If you missed it, the RZ is already 2" taller than the OEM hoop structure, making the GT3 a whole 4" taller than the factory hoops. This is a big deal.
This will be the bar to have for those who intend to track their cars heavily.
I know Emilio will

 

I want a GT3, but the lack of a legit hard top solution prevents me from considering it. Does it have door bars like the NA/NB versions too? Does it get rid of the glovebox and amplifiers? Is the bar shippable or is it an install at your shop only?

I have a 6' 8" friend who desperately wants an ND, so I have been telling him to wait for your GT3 bar. Bolting a seat to the floor as far back as possible and running a GT3 bar might just be the ticket for him.

 

As mentioned earlier in this thread, we hope to have or semi fast back fully sealed glass window hard top in production by Q1/16. No we won't share pictures of that just yet.

I'm basically designing the top with input from the supplier, Moti and Brian Goodwin. Cornerstone of the project is to integrate with the GT3 bar to make maximum use of available space while retaining the ND's design language with the top itself. Like most of the more useful things we have done, it's because I want to HPDE my car and don't want to give up street functionality. It'll be a while before anyone sees the top but I think people will like it and hopefully, consider removing the soft top and storing it so they use it on track with big guy FIA seats and roll bar.

 

<br /><br /><br />That is really interesting. The point of immediate aftermarket products available for the ND astounds me. Fantastic stuff.

 

<p>I'm sure Mazda is also working on a removable hardtop. Whether it offers more space for rollbar stuffs remains to be seen.</p>

 

As Emilio said, we are working on a hard top that is made to fit around the GT3, which is being build to work with the hard top.
It's a pretty cool trick, and I'm sure you're not the only one that is happy to know a legit hard top is on the way

The design will allow the Bose amp to be installed (with a small relocation bracket, in a similar fashion to the RZ) and it could be that we will offer a trim kit that will leave the interior in a more finished state than just being partially gutted behind the seats.

No door bars at this point.
Could be a future thing if someone shows up at my shop with a development car and money, but as it is this is a low priority item.

Both RZ and GT3 bars will be shipped to customers for them to install, and local customers will of course have the opportunity to bring the car in for installation.

Your friend will be happy to know that we will also be offering direct bolt-in seat mounts, in fact the first set is going in Emilio's car

 

That's huge news!

I think I know what my bonus is going to in a few months. (thanks emilio)

 

I remember reading somewhere, but I don't remember where now that Mazda was working on a "race only" hardtop at this time to fit SCCA/NASA/IMSA CTGT series rules. From what I recall, it was going be a single layer only with no interior trimmings. As many NA/NB removable hardtops as they've made over the years, one would hope they would come out with an OEM version. No to say that 949/Goodwin/Blackbird's won't be a quality piece itself.