Time to enjoy

Short post of words this one, I used up my monthly quota of communication in the last one.
No, this post is because I'm putting some pics up of my car as it's largely done for now. Certainly for a few months at least...

And it's true what a learned friend said when I embarked on MX5 ownership - "It's easy to overdo the car, just get in an enjoy it".

I look at it, and like a plastic surgery addict I'm wondering about lowering it a few centimetres, I'm considering a larger throttle body, and of course some mad brakes and wheels... but really, and I just proved this as I went for a ten minute cruise, this car is good as it is.

It goes and stops well, very well really. Plenty for the tight road restrictions around here. And with the induction noise coupled to a tiny bit more exhaust, it sounds great too. The cabin is fine now too, I've made a few adjustments there, and it's all good.

I'm thinking that to do much more to this car is going to give it focus, and I'm not sure for a car that my eldest likes coming out for a drive in that's a good thing. You see, I decided with this car more than any other that it would be a car to have adventures in, a tool to achieve something as it were. And yet it's close to becoming "the car" and the focus of what we (well, I) do - and I don't want that.

I want it to be something that we're happy to go down a dirt track on (tick! done that) or just put the top up and head home as we're both over the sun (Many ticks!). It needs to be growly for sure, but off throttle not too bad, it has to be able to sit in traffic.

And so, it's there, I think. It certainly is a car I love to look at, is great to drive and one that I'm planning on being part of many adventures to come!

.... just with bigger brakes, throttle body and tyres. And maybe some adjustable coilovers. Imagine the adventures with that lot bolted on!

SimSpec Console Edition

So many articles are out there for folks who have money to burn, a technology deathwish with PCs and enough space to build what can only be described as a racing sex cage. Not so many for gentlefolk who a. have a car to go out in when they want and b. aren't ruled by technology...

And in that land is consoles. Recently a good friend asked me for advice (ha!) so here it is...

I'll start with the easier bits (scroll to the bottom for a shortcut):

Console
Get a PS4 Pro. I like them, they're pretty well priced and some of the racing games really benefit from the beefier processor. Also, can do HDR and 4K TV unlike it's older cousin.

Games
Somewhat personal preference but if you're going to race with "my crew" (of two) then:

• Project Cars 2 - and all the DLC via PSN is easiest. This is our go-to racing game, the one we play most when it comes to competitive racing.
• Assetto Corsa - and all the DLC via PSN. We do play this, and if we have enough mates online (4+) then we'll fire this up as it's actually, in our opinion, the better game. For pure driving experience I think it can't be beaten on the PS4.
• WRC7 - if you're wanting a rally game this is a very accessible start point. Dirt Rally (not Dirt 4) is a Rally Sim, but unless your name starts with Petter, Stig or Sebastian then edge into rallying slowly (or sideways I suppose!).

Steering wheel

We use G29's with a pedal spring upgrade. This is fine but given a little more budget and I'd plump for the T300RS or similar from Thrustmaster.

T300RS

Nicer wheel...

Alcantara Ferrari Wheel (change the badge!)

I'd upgrade the pedals right off too (and keep the spare set)

Fancy Pedals

Must have a gear selector

H Pattern

Whilst your budget is blown out of the water...

Shift lights

Racing Seat

Check JB HiFi and friends, but this isn't a bad price for a folding seat...

Racing seat

TV

Most of us have a TV. I will say that a 4k HDR TV and a decent HDMI cable is a good thing for the PS4 Pro. But you know, anything will do! Bigger is better.

Sound

Surround sound is not a bad call.

If you're using a stereo (no headphones) then you'll need this

Single-ear headset and mic

Single ear and this one as other ones get a sweaty ear. This set is designed for glasses, so there's a gap, lets airflow which is a bonus.

If you've not got surround sound, others use this sort of solution

7.1 Surround headset

Don't underestimate the value of hearing a car's mid-engine growling behind you...

Virtual Reality

For the PS4 there's not much in gaming land at the moment. Get the kit wherever, and the racing games that are available are:

• GT Sport - well executed. Only 1:1 races though. But probably best on the PS4 at the moment. I don't like the game, but that's mostly practice. 
• Dirt Rally - apparently good for VR. Full on experience.
• Driveclub - I like the game, but many complain that this is vomit inducing due to clipping etc on scenery (your brain can't process the mess!) It's an old game now though too.

So lost....

Give https://www.pagnianimports.com.au/ a call and tell them what you want. A premium, but cheaper than a garage full of bits that don't work together!

They do kits too: PS4 Kit This is super simple and probably 90% of the above if not more.

Final word...

My mates and I aren't the fastest out there (well one of us is, dammit) and for someone entering the genre, we'd just pick slower cars. A bit of practice and sim racing is a rewarding sport that can bring much joy, albeit without the burnt oil smell!

But was it worth it?

Hopefully final purchase for a while. Certainly the last one before the Bathurst trip...

And this one? A muffler (Backbox for the Brits out there, and it sounds better anyway) and some gear selector boots'n'stuff.

So the exhaust...

I bought this

PS4 Controller for scale, much bigger tip it seems

Removal of the old one was a ten-minute job once I realised a touch of oil on the rubbers made them slippery. Will save this for spares if there's a problem with the other one.

New one, by comparison, much smaller box playing host to a much larger tip. Vicar...

Fitted. Looks lovely.

So the sound? Well I think I can hear a bit more bass. More throaty at normal speeds. At license testing speeds? Dunno, the mad induction noise is far louder. I think it's all a bit more intense. Certainly giving it beans is great.

Was it worth it?

That's the $500 question. I think probably. It's made the car sound a bit more grown up, and I'm sure as the baffles lose a bit of their brand new magic it'll get a bit more growly. But, if I'd known it would sound as it does alongside the induction kit I think I'd maybe have waited. LOL. No, no I wouldn't, I wanted it so I got it!

And then the radiator

And now with the help of Evan I've fitted the radiator, as well as some fancy retaining clips that add a few spots of red onto the cam cover.

Overall a good look I think:

Tips

• Coolant flush mmkay
• Air-con pipes foul the radiator fan cowling as far as we could tell
• An angle grinder soon sorted the problem
• Bleeding the radiator didn't seem to be an issue some talk about it being a pain, but take your time filling with no bubbles etc - and all seemed OK
• Washer bottle pipe wasn't/isn't the right size, but cable tied OK.

And that should be it... except that I've ordered a gearbox boot rebuild kit and a new exhaust muffler. 

And I can't wait to fit both!

Edit...
And then I thought I'd do a side by side of the engine bay compared to when I bought it. Not standard for sure, and much of it is bling that folks would say is pointless. Except as I've mentioned below, it's stuff I like, and that's the point.
I'll also point out that that the radiator is better cooling, the intake is better breathing, the heat shield is better airflow and the little red bolts on the engine is replacing the clips that were pulled out in a head-off event. The rest is bling though, fair point.
Check the difference, for the price, fair updates I think:

Gas'o'matic

I do like Donut Media. I like their articles and just like the third slice of cheesecake it does get a bit rich. And the "all you need to know about..." series is hard work it's so American. But the content is exceptional.

So to this post. I watch Mighty Car Mods (Aussie car dudes) and it seems whatever you do to your car you have to move it over to E85, but what does it do?

Well Donut is careful to tread down the line of 'might' when describing the damage and performance changes to your car, but it's a good summary nevertheless....

Behold:

End of the beginning

This post is more for me than it is for you.

You see I've got my MX5, and if you didn't know, that little acronym (or whatever it is) appears in many of my conversations these days. If not all of them.
I don't name cars, it's a car, but I certainly have built up quite an attachment to this car - it's been a voyage of upside really, unlike that project beemer that sucked the soul from me...

So this post?
Well, I did this,

Then I did this,

Which is great, and I love the look of the car as a result. A bit of race car and some style. I know it's stylish as it's a style bar. And certainly, it's not any sort of rollover protection. I actually think it might be a paper roll covered in alfoil, but that's OK, it looks ace.

Then yesterday I fixed a few other things on the car, and this got me thinking about all the jobs I've done on the car, so without further fanfare behold the list (mostly in chronological order):

• Swapped indicators for smoked lenses
• Swapped reflectors for clear lenses
• Fitted chromed filler cap
• Fitted clear centre brake light
• Swapped factory stereo for Pioneer with USB. And handy cubby
• Fitted antenna remote switch - down for USB etc.
• Fitted a stupidly expensive radiator cap (never again)
• Fitted stainless radiator airflow plate
• Replaced handbrake lever for steel affair
• Removed sun visors and fitted blanking plates
• Removed the dodgy in-car phone kit (not complete)
• Serviced the car which included rocker cover gasket replacement and brake grinding (one was sticking on)
• Painted the strut brace red
• Fitted fancy oil breather (apparently a bit suspect)
• Swapped the oil filler cap for a nice one
• Coloured the dip stick red - in keeping with highlights
• Replaced the standard induction kit with K&N free breathing kit
• Cleaned the headlights - they're not Euro yellow ones mmmkay
• Replaced the cigarette lighter with a twin USB charging port
• Relocated the front number plate to where it used to be, and should be
• Decent sun strip fitted
• Fitted a fire extinguisher
• Fitted a fake roll hoop, that looks nice
• Replaced the little nylon gear selector doobrie - nice shifting!
• Replaced the nylon window winder guide for the driver's side - nice lifting!

Beyond that, I have a lovely aluminium radiator to fit over the break, and I'm waiting on some bolts to reaffix the various cable retainers - they being pulled out in the service.

When funds allow I'll be putting a sporty exhaust on it. Not because I'm hunting for the elusive 5% gain, but because as you'll see from the list above, I like this car and I like enjoying this car so having sound a little bit more racecar is fine by me!

I'll keep you posted!

Bush Mechanic

It's not always we have the right tool or the right part. And just sometimes we want to stick it to cruel fate with a "F.U." and fix something just because it's something to fix.

I had a director's chair once, it was something like $5 from a cheap shop, and of course it broke. But I stuck to the man, I really did... I bolted on bits of wood and brackets to make that chair live on until it had more collateral attached to it than was in my garage.

And so to the story that needs some telling before you wince at the pics below...

Over winter it is the norm to not need to mow, it's true that in summer you can push a pencil into the ground in Queensland and it'll take root - or be eaten by termites, but in winter when it's dry nothing grows. It's lovely.

And so onto my ride on mower. My venerable 11 year old mower that's really been a trooper was parked up in a garage. All good. As the heavens opened and summer rolled in with the sound like bass drum delivery truck rolling down a bumpy road it became time to tame the beast that is our lawn.

It takes me about an hour and a half, and according to everyone else in the family it's a really hard job. They're not wrong, I mean sometimes I have to go in reverse and everything.

But this time an hour in my venereal mower (damn thing) decided to break in a way that I still can't understand.
You see the magneto (and no I'm not going to explain what that is) decided to "interfere" with the flywheel. And it lost.

What did happen is my mower stopped as a kilos of spinny metal decided to hit the immovable (movable as it turned out) object that was the magneto. What did happen is that it ripped one bolt out and cracked the housing on the other. What it did do is pretty much total my mower.

But here's the thing. This magneto got swapped out a few years back. It's been fine since to the point I figured I'd never have to swap it out again. And yet this stalwart part of my mower, almost the only single part that is going to fail big came lose whilst sat stationary in my garage over winter.
I've heard of chip walk in technology, but two well tightened bolts? No fate, you've shown your hand and it it was displaying the naughty finger...

I've decided however that the hand of fate can go slap itself because I refuse to let my mower die. In fairness it really is dead, but I've had a go. A really dodgy go, and if you've not seen the "fix" then behold...

Yes, yes it is what you think it is

The one side got 'bored out' to M7 - any idea how hard it is to find a 50mm M7?

In all it's glorious majesty

So there it is. I dealt with the cracked sleeve for the one post with a set of mole-grips. It's actually a pretty good clamp. And the other side we bored out to M7, little did I know a. how hard it is to find a 50mm M7 bolt, and b. that it would crack the post mount on that side, which in fairness may well have been stressed from "the event".

Did it run? Yes it did! I ran it for around 5 seconds but it ran!

Next I'll be getting a $400 eBay special motor and fitting that. I'm hoping they have a sale, a bigger better motor is always the way to go! And that'll be my first engine swap too!

Perfect Level

I own a racing game or two, in fact I own many more... many, many more.
But one thing I've been on quest for is a great pick up and play rally game. I want something that compliments my 9pm, I'm tired beyond belief with a trick back and a few stubbies of beer driving style.
And I'm not sure there is such a thing. Certainly there's arcade madness, gravel is up there with that. Then there's the cerebral racing of Dakar. Up there too is Dirt Rally, soon to be Dirt Rally 2 - "return of the burn" I think. I also have Seb Loeb's rally game on PS4 - it's a very underrated game actually.

But what I miss is Dirt 3. Not Dirt 4 with it's scalextric plug together stages, no I want to be a relative hoon, have a dab of pop-art in there and to look at replays and go, yeah, that didn't win the stage but it was fun!

Like this little clip does, this is the game I want...

Let me know if there's such a thing on the PS4!

[Edit]: I had a masterstroke, which is not the Stroke el la Grande, no, it's a good idea! And the idea was to pop into the local cash converters and buy a PS3. So I did. And for the price of a new racing game I've got my back catalogue, including Dirt3. Marvellous. One could say it was a deal too good to put down - and it really was; "Dear cash converters, please at least wipe the 'fluid' residue off the PS3 before reselling it". Luckily for me, I have in declining order of importance:

1. A strong stomach
2. Industrial hand cleaner
3. Some WD40 and a cloth

For shifting the grim it's great stuff. Spray on cloth, and wipe. And wipe... eventually I got back to a PS3 base system and I was away.

And, I'm happy, I've scratched my itch, it's a great game after all, and what's more, I've got F1 2013, which is arguably the best F1 game for me as it has many tracks and historic racing F1 cars too. The bonus is grid too, which I really did enjoy immensely, though it does feel a bit dated now.

Happy days!

No Smoking

Short post for something that I thought of the other day, and really reflects what this car is all about... that being a project car to work on, adjust, improve and really make my own.

The back story is that I have a TomTom. Not because I get lost, Australia only has one road around the outside after all, but because it has speed camera locations on it which are updated. Which of course I have zero use for other than the fact that like train spotting, I'm collecting the serial numbers of speed cameras all around the Sunshine Coast. It's a great hobby that even the fuzz are in on, they've sent me pics every so often so I can mark the occasion if I accidentally don't spot one. Good on you coppers.

Anyway... to business.

The TomTom is USB powered from an adaptor that sticks out and largely fouls fifth gear. When I'm hastily shifting down when I spot another speed camera to mark off on my wow list that is...

So this:

Which I think you'll agree is functional but 80's.

Became this:

Which if nothing else is a better pic because I've got a new phone. But in reality not only looks better but also with two USB ports it'll be marvellous for the longer trips next year.

Baffurst

My favourite youtuber doing my favourite track...
1:48 is the unofficial lap record set by Button, this is matey trying to beat that...