miataturbo.net-like debauchery thread (about the ND or something)
09-10-2015, 01:27 PM
#1670
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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.
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.
Last edited by flier129; 09-10-2015 at 01:39 PM.
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09-10-2015, 04:19 PM
#1672
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Location: Boston, MA
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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.
And because it's fun and gets people riled up.
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<br />And frankly what else do you compare the ND to? The NC pales in comparison, and the NA/B are great cars but not even close in terms of refinement. All other convertibles on the market are big heavy things compared to these two.
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<br />And frankly what else do you compare the ND to? The NC pales in comparison, and the NA/B are great cars but not even close in terms of refinement. All other convertibles on the market are big heavy things compared to these two.
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You have no idea man...
When I figured out the last detail I was jumping up and down in the shop and doing my best air guitars that are saved for moments like these
Given that we are making it soft top compatible it is still size limited to what the soft top can fit in it, but it's a bit taller and a bit wider at the top than the OEM hoop structure, has an integrated harness bar AND is SCCA legal.
Another cool thing about it is that I'm fairly sure we can apply the same treatment to the NC.
Everyone else failed at making an SCCA legal bar for the car and we just have never tried it before, just went straight to the deep end of track oriented setup.
This may very well become a new product for the NC market as well, a soft top compatible SCCA legal roll bar
With the ND being a new car, I know that amount of people that will be willing to rip out the brand new interior to go for track setup is very slim.
That's why we started with the street setup.
But, a second ND is coming from 949 Racing and being dropped off at the shop tomorrow for the GT3 prototyping and we've already figured out a bunch of stuff for it while working on the street setup, so stay tuned, that fuzzy feeling in your lower region will only get stiffer
When I figured out the last detail I was jumping up and down in the shop and doing my best air guitars that are saved for moments like these
Given that we are making it soft top compatible it is still size limited to what the soft top can fit in it, but it's a bit taller and a bit wider at the top than the OEM hoop structure, has an integrated harness bar AND is SCCA legal.
Another cool thing about it is that I'm fairly sure we can apply the same treatment to the NC.
Everyone else failed at making an SCCA legal bar for the car and we just have never tried it before, just went straight to the deep end of track oriented setup.
This may very well become a new product for the NC market as well, a soft top compatible SCCA legal roll bar
With the ND being a new car, I know that amount of people that will be willing to rip out the brand new interior to go for track setup is very slim.
That's why we started with the street setup.
But, a second ND is coming from 949 Racing and being dropped off at the shop tomorrow for the GT3 prototyping and we've already figured out a bunch of stuff for it while working on the street setup, so stay tuned, that fuzzy feeling in your lower region will only get stiffer
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09-10-2015, 07:48 PM
#1673
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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
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09-10-2015, 08:32 PM
#1674
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.
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.
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09-10-2015, 10:16 PM
#1675
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.
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.
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<br /><br /><br />That is really interesting. The point of immediate aftermarket products available for the ND astounds me. Fantastic stuff.
09-11-2015, 12:38 AM
#1678
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Location: Northridge, CA
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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.
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.
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
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09-12-2015, 09:42 AM
#1680
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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.
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