HarmlessJohnny5
Member
- :
- 2003.5 MSP laser blue
Hi, I'm new, been reading the forums here for a few months and decided to join up and post a rumor (I was told it's true, but it's farfetched
that I will try to verify concerning the origin of the MSP and what happened to it.
Supposedly someone in the Lincoln division of ford motor co. was set to oversee the mazdaspeed production of the protg and towards the end this resulted in a number of significant changes (also reducing the cost by about 12 grand, $30,000 I could NOT have shelled out; ). Originally the MSP was on a different frame (slightly shorter) as a 2 door 2 seater with fiberglass hood and plastic sides (as opposed to the aluminum foil we have). It was to be 850 lbs lighter and use the same turbo, but the engine that was used in the Mazda millennia S. It was to produce 275 HP and have an amazingly good suspension (i.e., a high-end expensive suspension that is tightened up to hell and gone, instead of the supposedly cheap shocks we have that are supposed to be not much better then "standard" McPhersons (which are better than protg's I bet), but a tightened up suspension and over pressurized shocks with the potential for exploding the shocks if hit a hard bump (I have done this atrocious and wheel scraping act and have not blown shocks), being capable of the most amazing feat of a skid pad of .94!! It was to be "faster than anything else on the road for close to 30 thousand" (quote from the guy spoken to by the source of this story, the guy works in a mazdaspeed shop (not a dealership, just mazdaspeed shop). The car was also to have a mechanical clutch (whooHOOO!) that was really light weight. There was a prototype with craploads of bugs (never made it base flat grey primer) that were worked out quite nicely. As the production date approached, the Lincoln influence resulted in a hydraulic clutch (since they're going to sell the car and most drivers don't have a freaking clue), the basic protg frame (resulting in the affordable larger 4 door frame/body we have, instead of a very limited production run), the engine was changed to the 2.0L we have now, the instead of the 12 lbs of boost the moded Melinia S engine (which was supposed to make 235 ft-lbs of torque from about 2000 to about 5300, now that is streetably convenient) we got some varying number of about 5. Most of these changes were supposed to have been made near the end of 2002 and the speed department didn't have time to properly trouble shoot and big find/fix the new version. Also the prototype was supposed to have a dinky light radio with one speaker, no AC and several other conveniences (read, not true race car material) not present.
Also, I was told that this mazdaspeed shop will, for about 11 grand do some serious mods to upgrade the car to be more like what they envisioned (however the .94g skid pad was partly a result of the frame they were going to use and is gone; ( The power upgrade is supposed to be high two hundreds (maybe 275, dunno), replace the entire stereo (even the head unit is replaced with a lighter version (special materials, I'm guessing maybe carbon fiber??), They put panels on the back door places and remove the rear seat and doors. I will try to find out more about this story and get a phone number and address that can be independently verified be anyone here who wishes to do so... or I will discover it's BS : )
Quote:
"NNOOOOOoooo disassemble no.5!!!!"
OH YEAH! btw, if screwed any posting rules, my bad, I'm new, but let me know ; )
Supposedly someone in the Lincoln division of ford motor co. was set to oversee the mazdaspeed production of the protg and towards the end this resulted in a number of significant changes (also reducing the cost by about 12 grand, $30,000 I could NOT have shelled out; ). Originally the MSP was on a different frame (slightly shorter) as a 2 door 2 seater with fiberglass hood and plastic sides (as opposed to the aluminum foil we have). It was to be 850 lbs lighter and use the same turbo, but the engine that was used in the Mazda millennia S. It was to produce 275 HP and have an amazingly good suspension (i.e., a high-end expensive suspension that is tightened up to hell and gone, instead of the supposedly cheap shocks we have that are supposed to be not much better then "standard" McPhersons (which are better than protg's I bet), but a tightened up suspension and over pressurized shocks with the potential for exploding the shocks if hit a hard bump (I have done this atrocious and wheel scraping act and have not blown shocks), being capable of the most amazing feat of a skid pad of .94!! It was to be "faster than anything else on the road for close to 30 thousand" (quote from the guy spoken to by the source of this story, the guy works in a mazdaspeed shop (not a dealership, just mazdaspeed shop). The car was also to have a mechanical clutch (whooHOOO!) that was really light weight. There was a prototype with craploads of bugs (never made it base flat grey primer) that were worked out quite nicely. As the production date approached, the Lincoln influence resulted in a hydraulic clutch (since they're going to sell the car and most drivers don't have a freaking clue), the basic protg frame (resulting in the affordable larger 4 door frame/body we have, instead of a very limited production run), the engine was changed to the 2.0L we have now, the instead of the 12 lbs of boost the moded Melinia S engine (which was supposed to make 235 ft-lbs of torque from about 2000 to about 5300, now that is streetably convenient) we got some varying number of about 5. Most of these changes were supposed to have been made near the end of 2002 and the speed department didn't have time to properly trouble shoot and big find/fix the new version. Also the prototype was supposed to have a dinky light radio with one speaker, no AC and several other conveniences (read, not true race car material) not present.
Also, I was told that this mazdaspeed shop will, for about 11 grand do some serious mods to upgrade the car to be more like what they envisioned (however the .94g skid pad was partly a result of the frame they were going to use and is gone; ( The power upgrade is supposed to be high two hundreds (maybe 275, dunno), replace the entire stereo (even the head unit is replaced with a lighter version (special materials, I'm guessing maybe carbon fiber??), They put panels on the back door places and remove the rear seat and doors. I will try to find out more about this story and get a phone number and address that can be independently verified be anyone here who wishes to do so... or I will discover it's BS : )
Quote:
"NNOOOOOoooo disassemble no.5!!!!"
OH YEAH! btw, if screwed any posting rules, my bad, I'm new, but let me know ; )
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