Protege5: Harder, not Smarter!
- Thread starter Tamn
- Start date
Yea, I had someone else say that to me in a parking lot, always heed old men in parking lots they've been there, done that.
I used 2.5 cans when it was all said and done. Yea I need to go weigh it and see what it is now. Really surprised me how much it stiffened it up, really cool.
Oh yea...and for anyone interested, hood only cost me about 120$ to make including the plasti-dip and sand paper. Not including the pins, which were 25$ for all 4.
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Installed my 5 panel Wink mirror thats been sitting in my closet for 2 months. I swear my closets like a protege car parts dream come true. Got turbos...hood pins, hoses, full gasket sets, brand new rota wheels, full set of gauges, megasquirt ECU chipsets, fuel injectors, camshafts, pistons, rods, stud kits, caliper paint, like 6 sets of brake pads. Hahahaha (whistle)
Anyways....snapped some more pics of the car in the sunlight so you can see the plasti-dip better.
Anyways....snapped some more pics of the car in the sunlight so you can see the plasti-dip better.
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iamthewheelman
Member
That looks really good for a DIY man nice work!
Driving it around and I'm thinking this thing weighs too much ARGH WHY SO FAT...and you know what that means!!!
Plexiglass wheel covers to be attempted and rear wheel skirts.
which technically isn't weight savings, BUTTTTTT aero>weight
Still waiting for the election posters to go up so I can nab about a billion of them for an underbody and interior door panels.
Plexiglass wheel covers to be attempted and rear wheel skirts.
which technically isn't weight savings, BUTTTTTT aero>weight
Still waiting for the election posters to go up so I can nab about a billion of them for an underbody and interior door panels.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_Supermileage_Competition
I get really inspired when I read about the SAE teams, I thought some of you would be interested in this if you had not heard of it.
The record set in 2008 achieved 3,169 milers per US gallon with an average minimum speed of 15 miles per hour with a 3.5 HP lawnmower engine. Fascinating reading, these machines really are incredible works of art. Check it out sometime. SAE high mileage competition.
I get really inspired when I read about the SAE teams, I thought some of you would be interested in this if you had not heard of it.
The record set in 2008 achieved 3,169 milers per US gallon with an average minimum speed of 15 miles per hour with a 3.5 HP lawnmower engine. Fascinating reading, these machines really are incredible works of art. Check it out sometime. SAE high mileage competition.
Replaced my rear swaybar bushings today, I somehow managed to split them in half the last time I was at Fontanna...Guess 120+ on the high banking will do that or something.
Still set on trying to get sub 2000 pounds as outrageous as that seems. Been working hard on CAD drawings and idea's for doing up all my body panels in fiberglass composites with lexan windows all around + chromoly cage.
1 piece front end including fenders using areocatch pins. entire body ground effects via undercar boat tailing, entire length undercar body strakes for stability and vortex generators to create low pressure zones below the car. Rear diffusers to vent the air effectually with gurney flaps on them. As well as bolt on dive planes for track days and covered rear wheel wells/plexiglass covers over the weels.
I'm building a small scale wind tunnel using computer fans and a smoke machine for testing small scales of the car aero mods I plan on using.
Something else I've been wondering about...alot of the hotrod guys do tranny swaps all the time using adaptor plates....I have this crazy idea to steal a Toyota tranny so that its bulletproof and I don't have any power restrictions eventually. Ahhh....so many idea's
Guess this is what I get from watching formula 1 since I was 5. (whistle)
Cool video on aero testing with different shapes.
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Started off trying to make some brackets from sheet metal...they looked like s*** and they vibrated terribly even after trying a few variations.
Decided simpler is probly better as well, so I went out and bought a piece of a aluminum rod. Stuck it in the vise and wacked it with a hammer till it was at the angle I wanted.
Then I stuck it up against the hole I wanted marked it with a sharpie and drilled it out with a hand drill.
I used a...countersunk bit I believe there called to make it looks nicer.
Bracket in place before I painted it.
Completed and painted.
Should be good for anywhere between 2-4 mpg highway and several pounds of weight. I'm making up some covers to block where the mirrors came off next.
Attended Forumfest held at Pacific Raceways today, ridiuulous turnout even though it was massivly overcast and had be raining the last 30 hours or something.
Got there, and it stopped raining for maybe 4 hours so I got a chance to check out some sweet rides. Out of the 350 cars entered there was only one other p5, one mp3 and one msp and my own p5. Quite a few Speed3's and Rx8's that were wickedly delicious. Then the most massive rain/wind storm I've seen in a very long time hit and pretty much everyone had to just give it up and leave or huddle like a bunch of drowned rats.
Driving back 3 hours home in huge standing pools of water hydroplaning everywhere seeing massive rear enders....not fun....oh yea, and I haven't had a chance to use my heater since I had stripped the car, so it didn't really work either...gotta look into that. Basically made my passenger wipe off all the windows with a towel every 20 minutes so I could see.
But...anyways, just threw on some quick abs plastic covers over my mirror block holes...worked alright but I'm gonna take my stock mirrors and shave off the plastic at the base to make some nice OEM looking stock block off mirrors as I can't seem to find any mazda made covers. But the convex mirrors worked quite well in addition to the wink mirror so I'm happy with that.
Oh yea...lexan sunroof didn't leak a drop either. (whistle)
Got there, and it stopped raining for maybe 4 hours so I got a chance to check out some sweet rides. Out of the 350 cars entered there was only one other p5, one mp3 and one msp and my own p5. Quite a few Speed3's and Rx8's that were wickedly delicious. Then the most massive rain/wind storm I've seen in a very long time hit and pretty much everyone had to just give it up and leave or huddle like a bunch of drowned rats.
Driving back 3 hours home in huge standing pools of water hydroplaning everywhere seeing massive rear enders....not fun....oh yea, and I haven't had a chance to use my heater since I had stripped the car, so it didn't really work either...gotta look into that. Basically made my passenger wipe off all the windows with a towel every 20 minutes so I could see.
But...anyways, just threw on some quick abs plastic covers over my mirror block holes...worked alright but I'm gonna take my stock mirrors and shave off the plastic at the base to make some nice OEM looking stock block off mirrors as I can't seem to find any mazda made covers. But the convex mirrors worked quite well in addition to the wink mirror so I'm happy with that.
Oh yea...lexan sunroof didn't leak a drop either. (whistle)
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Jackie chan
Member
- :
- Pro5
Aww Maaannn! I totally forgot about that. I've been really busy lately, atleast it was raining. I cant wait till PGP reopens the track for car use. Have you rented a kart there? Its pretty fun.
Naw never done a cart. Looks so fun!
Yea really a bummer it rained...ridiculously badass cars just littered everywhere! Welcome the the NW I guess. =/
Alrighty...instead of messing around making block off plates for these stock heavy doors...which I was gonna replace down the road anyways...I'll just use my bad abs glued on ones until my fiberglass project is done.
Ordering up a 50 yard roll of 5 oz cloth, I figure it will be enough for 4 fenders, 4 doors the hatch and a bit too spare @ 4 layers each. Fun fact, I could get a mere 4 yards of carbon fiber cloth for the same price as a 50 yd roll of fiber cloth.
I figure when its all said and done, I should be able to roll out removable fiberglass panels for my entire car for under the cost of 1 quality carbon piece. I'm gonna be making molds this time around, so I can replace panels in the future, etc. But I reserve the right to that judgement till I'm totally done (whistle)
Oh...and my last gas tank netted me 740 miles for 14.4 gallons of fuel. 95% city, I actually get quite better mileage city these days with all the weight reduction and how well I can coast.
Still waiting on the massive backorder for my Hancook tires. My poor rota's been sitting here for 2 months now all lonely. Ahhhh...I need to sweet talk someone into doing my rollcage now I guess...
Ordering up a 50 yard roll of 5 oz cloth, I figure it will be enough for 4 fenders, 4 doors the hatch and a bit too spare @ 4 layers each. Fun fact, I could get a mere 4 yards of carbon fiber cloth for the same price as a 50 yd roll of fiber cloth.
I figure when its all said and done, I should be able to roll out removable fiberglass panels for my entire car for under the cost of 1 quality carbon piece. I'm gonna be making molds this time around, so I can replace panels in the future, etc. But I reserve the right to that judgement till I'm totally done (whistle)
Oh...and my last gas tank netted me 740 miles for 14.4 gallons of fuel. 95% city, I actually get quite better mileage city these days with all the weight reduction and how well I can coast.
Still waiting on the massive backorder for my Hancook tires. My poor rota's been sitting here for 2 months now all lonely. Ahhhh...I need to sweet talk someone into doing my rollcage now I guess...
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- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege5
just read the entire thread and holy s*** i am impressed. i am slowly trying to get better MPGs on my car but its a little tough having a small child who loves to bring all their toys on a 5 minute ride to school, and i drive an auto. the best MPG i got was 29 all highway going about 75-80mph.
CheeseHelmet
Member
^Best I get (all highway) on my manual P5 is 7-7.5L/100KM (32-33mpg), so you're not doing that bad.
I bring all my toys with me too! Love my gaudy harness and steering wheel. <3
Yea, difficult with auto's...using the same techniques as my p5 I can hardly get anything in say...my moms CX9...bit easier in my dads Speed3...or the B2200 pickup....I just realized...my family has too many mazda's...(thought)
Absolutely serious. Scangauge + double checking my paper records confirms it.
Once my underbody/covered fenders is completed I don't see why I shouldn't break 800.
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LOL, well I have a 20 foot long used election sign sitting on the side of my house now. It will be used for a lightweight 1 piece smooth underbody. Tricky part will be getting the exhaust to not burn it to death in a fiery fire...of fire? Then some plexiglass+ zipties = smooth wheel covers using stock wheels!
Been thinking of a kammback....but....we'll see...
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