I joined the "I did it!" club
- Thread starter 6speed
- Start date
I'm patiently waiting for that feeling Chris...but I'm stuck with the MS6 for a while....I just consider it good exercise. However I remember when I had the Protege5 and I drove a friend's Porsche 944 I thought his clutch felt like it belonged to a mac truck...I bet I'd feel right at home if I jumped in it today.
So had it out at it's first autocross yesterday. I started out with a 1:30, then 1:27, then 1:24.8, 1:24.9, then chatted about tweaking tire pressures more, and ended up with a 1:24.1, 1:23.6 and then finally a 1:23.1 on the last run.
Pretty pleased with the numbers, given it's completely stock setup on less-than-ideal tires (General UHPs).
I should have bought it long ago. I seriously don't care which I drive day-to-day between the RX-8 and the Miata. I am perfectly happy driving either. But the Miata is far better out on the course.
I am also fairly confident that my wife is just trying to use the entire range of the clutch pedal, when she doesn't need to. I gave her some advice and tips, and she will be driving it tomorrow, so we will see.
Pretty pleased with the numbers, given it's completely stock setup on less-than-ideal tires (General UHPs).
I should have bought it long ago. I seriously don't care which I drive day-to-day between the RX-8 and the Miata. I am perfectly happy driving either. But the Miata is far better out on the course.
I am also fairly confident that my wife is just trying to use the entire range of the clutch pedal, when she doesn't need to. I gave her some advice and tips, and she will be driving it tomorrow, so we will see.
So the first mod is in the Miata.
Marc's RX-8's Autodimming mirror. Took a bit of work to figure out how to get power to it, and I ended up just wiring it to the dome light, which isn't switched. Constant power available there. But did some tests, and such a tiny trickle of power is needed for it that even if I forget to turn off the power to it, it won't kill the battery even after sitting for 24 hours. I also had to macguyver up the mount, since they are different mounts, the RX-8's being bigger. But some creative use of electrical tape and an unused customer reward card cut to a few right sized pieces, and it is holding not only solid, but it resists vibration as well. More vibration isolation than the OEM even. And it still looks clean, not like a hack job.
Works like a charm, especially with the top down.
Marc's RX-8's Autodimming mirror. Took a bit of work to figure out how to get power to it, and I ended up just wiring it to the dome light, which isn't switched. Constant power available there. But did some tests, and such a tiny trickle of power is needed for it that even if I forget to turn off the power to it, it won't kill the battery even after sitting for 24 hours. I also had to macguyver up the mount, since they are different mounts, the RX-8's being bigger. But some creative use of electrical tape and an unused customer reward card cut to a few right sized pieces, and it is holding not only solid, but it resists vibration as well. More vibration isolation than the OEM even. And it still looks clean, not like a hack job.
Works like a charm, especially with the top down.
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So very true. Learned that the hard way while doing a photo shoot.
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- 92 & 16 Meyatas
updates? TN???
Almost a 6 month bump, but I have a mod unrelated to the engine replacement now
Got the head unit upgrade completed in the Miata. Axxera XDMA7200 for $120. Sure it's cheap, sure it's just linked into the factory Bose speakers (with an in-line pre-amp to avoid frying them), but my first audio project and everything worked fantastically. Full time hands free, USB, Aux-in, or Bluetooth music, and that's all I was asking for. The no-antiskip CD drive in the OEM HU was worthless, and the cassette deck somewhat more so. I'm not an audiophile, and spending more money on audio is wasted on me anyway (plus I'd rather avoid adding weight, removing the OEM HU and cassette deck is a weight reduction at least). No more need for more than the 1 12v plug either. Constant phone charging source from the HU.
While I was at it, I tapped into the constant 12v power and ignition switched power and added 3 feet of leads to each, capped them off, coiled them up, and tucked them up under the dash. I figure I may need them at some point, and this will make it easy to access later.
Still need to add a manual switch to the power antenna. Will probably just cut the line completely at first, and worry about a manual switch later. Any power at all to the HU extends the antenna, and for some reason having that antenna extended irritates me. No way of avoiding it, since it uses the same power wire as the pre-amp, just have to add an in-line switch between the junction and the antenna. Doubt I will ever actually extend it though, since even retracted it gives me enough reception typically. And I won't be using the radio much any more, if at all.
Got the head unit upgrade completed in the Miata. Axxera XDMA7200 for $120. Sure it's cheap, sure it's just linked into the factory Bose speakers (with an in-line pre-amp to avoid frying them), but my first audio project and everything worked fantastically. Full time hands free, USB, Aux-in, or Bluetooth music, and that's all I was asking for. The no-antiskip CD drive in the OEM HU was worthless, and the cassette deck somewhat more so. I'm not an audiophile, and spending more money on audio is wasted on me anyway (plus I'd rather avoid adding weight, removing the OEM HU and cassette deck is a weight reduction at least). No more need for more than the 1 12v plug either. Constant phone charging source from the HU.
While I was at it, I tapped into the constant 12v power and ignition switched power and added 3 feet of leads to each, capped them off, coiled them up, and tucked them up under the dash. I figure I may need them at some point, and this will make it easy to access later.
Still need to add a manual switch to the power antenna. Will probably just cut the line completely at first, and worry about a manual switch later. Any power at all to the HU extends the antenna, and for some reason having that antenna extended irritates me. No way of avoiding it, since it uses the same power wire as the pre-amp, just have to add an in-line switch between the junction and the antenna. Doubt I will ever actually extend it though, since even retracted it gives me enough reception typically. And I won't be using the radio much any more, if at all.
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- 92 & 16 Meyatas
cool!
