ALTSPACE RX-8

Torque app for Android

2012-01-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

This was a no brainer purchase. $5 for the Droid app and $17 for the OBD-II bluetooth dongle. Oh Hell Yea!!!

Quick list of features:

- View live OBD engine data on your Android phone - Connect to your vehicle ECU

- Fully customizable dashboard screens, design your own layouts and custom dials, use your own themes

- Retrieve Fault Codes (DTCs) and clear Check Engine lights

- View fault descriptions using the built-in databases

- Upload live OBD2 data to your webserver or the torque web viewer in realtime

- Check the performance of your vehicle with HP / Torque / 0-60 & Quarter Mile widgets

Mazda RX-8 Snow Fun!

2012-01-21T05:28:00.000-08:00

With about a foot of our first real snowfall it was time to head out and have a little winter fun. Enjoy the photos. :)

> Photo Gallery

ENKEI RPF-1 for the Mazda RX-8

2012-01-07T15:33:00.001-08:00

Coming soon, or rather to be mounted after the winter is over, ENKEI RPF-1 size 18x9 +35. A very big thanks goes to my good friend Marc Monnar. Stay tuned!

DROID X pod finished for Mazda RX-8

2012-01-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

Finished the pod many months back. Decided to wrap it with black vinyl, which is the same for what I did with the silver center console accent pieces. It's a perfect fit and the Droid is easily removable.

Excedy Clutch & ACT Prolite Flywheel installed

2011-12-11T08:10:00.000-08:00

This post is a few months overdue. I purchased the Excedy Stage 1 clutch, ACT Prolite flywheel, and ACT counterweight back in May of this year. Finally had a chance to install them last month with a good friend of mine named Luis who owns a shop called Connection 7 Performance. He has a vast knowledge of everything rotary.

Old OEM clutch

Luis really did all the work, I just talked his ear off, or rather we spent 85% of the time just chatting about everything. Good times! Well, the break in period for the clutch is over and boy does it feel good! The lightened flywheel does what it's supposed to do, and I can't wait for warmer weather and new performance tires to really let loose.

My Mazda RX-8 in digital artform.

2011-12-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

Rotor oil cap

2011-10-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

Made out solid billet aluminum. I added the real carbon fiber insert.

Stay tuned. Ver.2 of the RX-8 is planned.

2011-09-19T04:38:00.000-07:00

Decided to keep the car and change it up. :)

Mass Performance - United For Cure autoshow

2011-07-16T17:26:00.000-07:00

Was a great year with my Mass Performance crew. Even though I only attended a few auto shows with them, we always came home with trophies. Looking forward to an even better year and many good times!

More photos of the show can be found here. Click for photo gallery.

Mass Performance - Mazda RX-8 & Models

2011-04-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

At the start of this year I was invited to join a local car club called Mass Performance. Since then I have been working on developing logos, photography, and help plan meets/events. This year will be jam packed with more auto shows, photo shoots, and meets than ever before. Very excited to be part of such a great team of friends. Go Mass Performance!

Stay tuned as our Mass Performance models will be covering many of the local auto shows and events.

Back In The Saddle

2011-03-27T06:34:00.000-07:00

Winter is finally over and the Mazda RX-8 is back in summer mode. The show season is about to begin! Very excited to be representing with my Mass Performance crew this year. Stay tuned for more updates and modeling photos. ;)

My Mazda RX-8 featured on WORK Wheels website

2011-01-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

My Mazda RX-8 and photos featured on the WORK wheels website. Woot for Mazda!

Link: http://www.workwheelsusa.com

DROID X pod build for Mazda RX-8

2011-01-11T13:52:00.000-08:00

I'm on my 3rd pod now for the ashtray in my Mazda RX-8. This time for my new Droid X. The previous pods were for my Sirius radio and then the DELL Axim PC.

You can read about the previous pods in this blog.

Sirius Radio - http://altspacerx8.blogspot.com/2008/08/custom-fiberglass-pod-for-sirius-radio.html

Dell PC pod CF wrapped - http://altspacerx8.blogspot.com/2010/05/3m-di-noc-cf-wrapped-pod.html

Dell PC pod fabrication - http://altspacerx8.blogspot.com/2008/11/fabricating-new-pod.html

--------------------------------------------------------------

For the Droid pod I am using the Verizon Car Dock which happens to be a perfect fit with some slight modification by removing the top latch. Power and audio is now connected. What you see below is the initial mold. Once it warms up a bit I plan to finish the pod, but for now it fits perfectly and functions. I will most likely end up doing the same di-Noc CF wrap as a final finish as I had with the Dell pod.

Initial fabrication.

Functioning unit using Pandora.

Model photo shoot with my Mazda RX-8

2010-09-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

So I met up with some photog friends (AWOL Photography) last night. Here are few samples of the many behind-the-scene photos I took. Their photos will be 10x better because of their multiple flash setup. Once I receive them I'll post, so for now enjoy what I snapped.

First Place Mazda Class at Centerfolds 2000

2010-09-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

It has not been an eventful car show season this year for me, that is to say I have not entered my car in many of them. However I have attended various exotic and classic auto shows. Simply could not pass up the opportunity again to enter the Centerfolds (Gentlemen's Club) car show. Good times with my wife and the Yuppie Racing crew. Note: Not my wife in photo below. She's a dancer at the club. ;)

Complete photo gallery: http://www.altspace.com/auto/9410/

Mazda RX-8 Ranked #4 in Top 25 Power-Dense Powerplants

2010-08-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Mazda RX-8: 1.3-liter two-rotor produces 178.46 horsepower per liter. Yea Baby!

1. Koenigsegg CCXR
2. SSC Ultimate Aero
3. Koenigsegg Agera
4. Mazda RX-8
5. Porsche 911 GT2 RS
6. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
7. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
8. Lotus Exige S260
9. Porsche 911 Turbo S
10. Lotus Exige S240

> view more

Mazda RX-8 Awards and Recognition

2010-08-01T03:06:00.001-07:00

Launched in 2003, the Mazda RX-8 hit the global market with a serious bang. The RX-8 has won 48 global vehicle awards since its release including 2003 Japanese Car of the Year, Australia's Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 2003, 2003 International Engine of the Year, 2004 Singapore Car of the Year, the 2004 U.S. Best Sports Car and UK Car of the Year 2004. It was also named on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 2004, 2005, and 2006. In addition, the RENESIS Rotary Engine has won nine awards since 2003. All together, Mazda has sold nearly 182,000 RX-8s around the world.

July - Mazda of the Month on Mazdas247.com

2010-07-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

Took the win for Mazda of the Month with my RX-8.

> read more

Mazda RX-8 teams take 1-4 winning positions at the NJMP 250 Grand Am

2010-07-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

It's a Mazda podium sweep in New Jersey. 1-2-3 for the SpeedSource RX-8's. #70 - #68 - #69 and Dempsey Racing in 4th. Increased points leaders for drivers, teams, and manufacturers.

Congrats Guys!

Mazda RX-8 Sunrise Ocean Views

2010-07-05T06:18:00.000-07:00

Woke up at 4am and took a short drive to a local hideaway spot for a quick photo shoot.

Enjoying Summertime

2010-06-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when one steps away from the computer to enjoy life with friends and family. Sunday was a beach BBQ day with some of the Yuppie Racing crew. Packed up the wife, drove to Scusset Beach State Reservation in my Mazda RX-8, and enjoyed the day by the canal with friends. Oh yea, the cars were hot! No....really. It was damn hot out! Lol.

Teaser view of the RX-8

2010-06-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

A quick shot of what my Mazda RX-8 looks like now. :)

Long Time Coming

2010-06-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

Phew have I been busy. Summer is here and that means car shows, meets, hanging with friends, and trying to stay offline as much as possible, although as tough as that may be because it's my job. Lol!

So for now I will simply post this one photo I took of the SpeedSource RX-8 at Lime Rock Park.

More to come so stay tuned!

Orange County Choppers Garage - Mazda RX-8 photo shoot

2010-06-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

My good friend Storm who works at OCC invited me to the garage for a photo shoot opportunity. I headed down with my trusty Canon and parked the car as others joined us to shoot their cars as well. I also noticed the background of where I parked and took a few snaps of my Mazda RX-8.

3M Di-NOC CF wrapped pod

2010-05-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

So I decided to wrap my center console DELL pod with it. With a very light amount of heat this stuff becomes very easy to work with. I then sprayed a couple light coats of clear coat over it to darken it up and give it some shine. Overall I really like the product. Here you can compare between real CF and the vinyl. It's difficult to see in a photo, but the vinyl still retains that CF "effect" when you move around it.

Mazda RX-8 new sponsorship - Flex Innovations

2010-05-16T17:22:00.000-07:00

Flex Innovations specializes in high end earth and grounding kits. The sleeves with the diamond tracers are self extinguishing and adds a sleek yet OEM appearance while the wires improve the efficiency of the electrical system.

NEPOC Spring Clean Meet 2010

2010-05-15T16:29:00.000-07:00

Every year we (NEPOC) get together to clean our cars after a long cold winter. I organize a sponsorship with Poorboy's World who supplies us with many of their fine detailing products such as polishes, sealants, and waxes. This year I hosted the event as our regular location at Mark's house was cancelled due to rain. It was a fun day of washing, detailing, chatting, and other activities.

> VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

3M Di-NOC Carbon Fiber Vinyl

2010-05-14T04:25:00.000-07:00

I just received my sample of the 3M Di-NOC Carbon Fiber Vinyl. I've seen other various fake CF products before and after seeing many applications of use online I thought I'd check it out in person.

There's simply no comparison to real Carbon Fiber weave. However, just in terms of the "realness" of this product, the 3M Di-NOC is by far the best looking of all the fake CF vinyl applications available to date.

Link: www.carbonfibergear.com

Mazda RX-8 welcoming view

2010-05-09T05:17:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning the interior of my car the other day and had all the doors open when I realized I've not taken many pics like this. So I grabbed the camera and took a few snaps. Enjoy.

All Mazda Cape Cod Meet

2010-05-01T05:14:00.000-07:00

40 Mazdas invade Cape Cod on a sunny warm Saturday afternoon. We met up in a parking lot before going over the bridge and onto Cape Cod. A quick cruise down the highway and then into the new and only Mazda dealer on Cape Cod. (Finally one local to me again.)

I organized the meet with the dealership as well as contacted Mazda Corporate for free Mazda swag. Everyone left with a bunch of goodies. Then off to lunch and a beach photo shoot after.

> Full Photo Gallery

Mazdaspeed Miata Detailing

2010-04-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

After a long morning of detailing with Poorboy's World products, my friend Mark and I went for a drive down to the local beach for some quick snaps. Both the Mazdaspeed Miata and my RX-8 share the same Velocity Red Mica paint. They simply sparkle in direct sunlight. Hope you enjoy!

Polished Racing Beat RX-8 Exhaust

2010-04-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Decided to take on the exhaust in my Mazda RX-8 again to keep it fully polished. After two and a half years it's looking really good. I've always kept it cleaned with Eagle One Nevr-Dull and metal polish. However I went at the whole exhaust with some Megs ScratchX and using a polishing pad on a drill to really buff it out. Worked perfectly! It takes out all of the yellow tarnishing.

Mazda RX-8 enjoying the beach sunrise

2010-04-12T04:17:00.000-07:00

An excellent start to the day. Watching the sunrise at the beach. Perfect lighting for the Mazda RX-8 as it shows the lines so beautifully. A little chilly still at 44 degrees but that's ok. Enjoy.

Motorsport theme 90% completed

2010-04-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

Spent the past couple of days applying all the logos and the Lamin-X headlight film. Decided to change up my concept idea just a bit. My goal is to keep the car as clean as possible with a touch of the Mazda RX-8 Motorsport theme. Ok, maybe it's a bit more than a touch. I still have a few more logos to add. Here are some quick preview photos of the process.

ALTSPACE banners on my Mazda RX-8

2010-03-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Applied a little self advertising to my Mazda RX-8. Altspace.com is my business of website and print design. My good friend James helped in providing me with the vinyl.

Racers Edge Motorsports & Lamin-X signs on for sponsorship

2010-03-19T06:16:00.000-07:00

Big plans in the works this year for my Mazda RX-8. I am showing support for Mazda Motorsports and racing by transforming the outside of my car into a race car theme with the use of brand logo vinyl placement. It will be carefully laid out and not done to the extreme as a fully covered car as most race cars are, but rather a more subtle approach in use of the vinyl logos.

Racers Edge Motorsports owner Jon Mirachi has been kind enough to be my first sponsor and sent me most of the brand logo vinyl they use on their Grand American Rolex Series RX-8.

Lamin-X has also signed on for sponsorship and is providing the special yellow headlight film also used by many of the Grand Am RX-8s to complete my cars theme.

Mazdaspeed bumper is on again

2010-03-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

We are having such great weather lately that I could not resist putting on the Mazdaspeed RX-8 front bumper. Took another drive out in the sunny warm weather to soak it all in. Stopped at a local beach parking lot for some quick photos.

Garage love for the Mazda RX-8

2010-03-17T05:38:00.000-07:00

Throughout most of the days and nights my Mazda RX-8 sleeps in the garage. Here's a small photo journal over the past 3 years.

Mazda RX-8 Spring Fever

2010-03-12T14:48:00.000-08:00

So I know it's a bit early and not quite Spring time, but the warm weather has got the best of me and I mounted my summer wheels back on the RX-8. Went out for a quick drive and took some photos.

Mazdaspeed 6 and Mazda RX-8

2010-03-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Big thanks to my buddy Chris with the Mazdaspeed 6 for the new camera lens (Canon 70-300mm IS USM). We headed out to one of my favorite locations to test it out. Love it! Just need to practice more in direct sunlight. Also used my wide angle for some of the shots and interior. My Mazda RX-8 was clean again for photos. Soon back to summer mode.

Mazda RX-8 interior in wide view

2010-02-28T17:54:00.000-08:00

Experimenting again with the new 10-20mm wide angle lens with my RX-8 interior.

A wider view of the Mazda RX-8

2010-02-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

Recently bought a Sigma 10-20mm super wide angle lens for my Canon T1i. Went out and took some test shots and I love it!

Happy Anniversary RX-8

2010-02-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

Happy Anniversary to my beloved RX-8. 3 years to this day I walked into the dealership and found my true love. All pretty and dressed up in red. Was an immediate attraction, the kind of sparkle and spark you get in a new relationship and it has never faded away. I can honestly say that out of the 14+ cars I have owned in my life that the RX-8 continues to fill my heart with joy. Is it just a car? Oh heck no! It's a combination of beauty, engineering, and pride. Each and every time I get into the driver seat I feel as if I am one with the car. The car is me. Zoom Zoom Forever!

Lamborghini Boston

2010-02-16T13:02:00.000-08:00

So this not an RX-8 related post but by golly I simply could not resist sharing my experience at Lamborghini Boston. I was invited to their Presidents Day open house event by a friend. The Lambos share space with Bentley and Rolls-Royce. I spent the day ogling, drooling, sitting in and photographing each car. The craftsmanship is astounding and that alone to me is worth half the price tag. Hope you enjoy these photos as much as I had taking them. Cheers.

FULL PHOTO GALLERY: http://www.altspace.com/auto/lambo_boston/

Mazda RX-8 Engine Bay

2010-01-22T10:55:00.000-08:00

Took some photos of the engine bay with the new camera. Focused in on some details. Used a combination of light sources including florescent bulbs above and a LED flashlight.

Mazda RX-8 Snow Drifting

2010-01-05T17:13:00.001-08:00

Perfect amount of snow for some fun driving. Headed down my street to a local park, not even a mile away. The lot was wide open with less than 2 inches of snow and ice under it. Boy was it a blast. Turned off the DSC and let her rip!

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FOOTAGE: Watch the fun and turn up your audio.

New Mazda RX-8 interior shots with Canon T1i

2010-01-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

Absolutely love this Canon Rebel T1i. Even with the kit lens 18-55 it does a superb job in capturing macro details. You be the judge.

Mazda RX-8 Winter Fun

2009-12-28T15:27:00.000-08:00

After a few days of hibernation during a small blizzard, the roads were clear enough for me to take the car out for a little drive. The tires did an amazing job of griping the road.

Canon Rebel T1i and other goodies

2009-12-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this not really a RX-8 related post, however what I plan to do with my new Canon Rebel T1i is. That being higher quality photography and HD video movies.

After more than 5 years with my trusty little Konica Minolta DiMage A200 point n' shoot, it was time to upgrade into the DSLR world. It has been, and still is a great camera with many features that SLRs have in terms of exposure/ISO/F-stop settings etc. However the technology is outdated and limited to what I want to do with it.

"In addition to its admirable performance with an all-new 15.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 Image Processor, a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coating, and compatibility with the EOS System of lenses and Speedlites, the EOS Rebel T1i adds remarkable Full HD video capture at resolutions up to 1920 x 1080."

More info on Canon Rebel T1i

The overall picture quality of this camera is fantastic! What really caught my eye for this particular model is its HD Video capability. Shooting is at a frame rate of 30 fps when shooting SD or HD quality video (640 x 480 and 1280 x 720 pixels, respectively) and at a frame rate of 20 fps in Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) recording.

What's having great movie footage if you can't edit in post? Enter Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9!

And for that smoothness and creativity in shooting, the Cam Caddie Scorpion.

1974 Mazda RX-4 photoshoot

2009-11-08T17:05:00.001-08:00

Full Winter Mode RX-8

2009-11-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

Yup, that time of year again. Put on the stock front bumper, winter wheels/tires, and heavy duty OEM rubber floor mats.

Another beautiful Cape Cod sunrise

2009-10-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

Fall 2009

2009-10-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

One last photo of my baby before she goes into winter mode. Some decent fall foliage as well.

2009 End of Show Season

2009-10-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

It is now October and the end of the auto shows for the year. I was planning to go to one last show at OCC, but due to illness and what appears to be bad weather coming I decided to cancel. However it was a fantastic year as it was my true first showing with my RX-8. Last year my car was mostly stock and even then I brought home a few trophies though never first place. This year I took home first place for every show I attended but one, that of which I took second place and it's explained in my other post why I believe that was the case.

A big thanks goes out to all my friends and family that helped make it all happen. My wife Mary who supported me at almost every show and my close friends and Mazda owners of our club NEPOC.

See ya'll in 2010!

Window Tint on the RX-8

2009-09-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

After two and a half years my car has finally received the window tint treatment. Ahhh she looks so nice. Went with 35% all around to stay within legal limits of our lovely state of MA.

HRP Gold Heat Reflective film

2009-09-27T11:10:00.011-07:00

I added more of the HRP Gold Heat Reflective film to the firewall. Mostly for "bling", but it also blocks the enormous amount of heat generated from zee wankel.

Mazda RX-8 Cape Cod Sunrise

2009-09-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

First place win at Centerfolds 2000 Auto Show

2009-09-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

Another perfect day for cars, motorcycle/ATV shows, and the ladies from Centerfolds Gentlemens Club. Cruised into the show with the Yuppie Racing crew who also took home a few trophies for best Porsche, exotic, and more. Big thx for everyones support!

> View Photo Gallery

Mazda RX-8 Interior Photoshoot

2009-09-09T11:39:00.001-07:00

Just thought I would experiment a bit more in my photography skils. So I grabbed my trusty 5 year old point n shoot camera and went into the garage for some new snaps.

2nd Place Win at Copeland Custom Auto Show

2009-09-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

Took home a 2nd place trophy at the Copeland Custom Auto Show. 1st place in the Mazda class went to the same RX-7 that came in 2nd from Summer Send Off. Both shows are put together from the same people and have the same judges. I think they liked our cars equally and just made it fair for the other guy to have first place this time.
> VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

First Place win at Summer Send Off 5

2009-08-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

Another scorching hot and humid day in Rockland, MA for the annual Summer Send Off car show. Out of a total 6 Mazdas I took the fist place trophy. Woot! Big thanks to my friend Gary and Melissa for entering with me, and of course my wife Mary for all of her "support". ;)

> VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

Orange County Choppers / Mid-Summer Showdown

2009-08-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

It was a 2 day auto show event at Orange County Choppers. Although not a huge show, many of us Mazda folk got to gether and had one hell of a good time. In the end I took home a First Place trophy for best Mazda coupe.

PHOTO GALLERIES
Day 1: > view gallery
Day 2: > view gallery

Making the Engine Bay shine!

2009-08-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

I've always thought about taking out the engine bay padding. It's purpose is to keep the engine sound level down and help with cold climates. I rarely drive in the winter time and I love the sound of the rotary. Finaly with a little push from my friend Marc I set forth and tore out the padding. There's simply no easy way to remove it without damaging the material unless you spend days taking the engine bay apart.

The results are better than I expected. The red really makes everything else pop and simply look cleaner. Of course I then had to clean the entire engine bay again after all the dust and fibers floated all over. It was due for another cleaning anyway.

BEFORE

AFTER

Yokohama S.Drive 245/40/18 tires

2009-07-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

My good friend Marc (Zelse) bought new tires for his RX-8. He graciously gave me his used Yokos for my use. They still have approx. 25% tread left and since I do not use my car as a daily driver I thought sure, I'll out them on. Love em! Thanks Marc.

They look good and feel great. Have not driven in wet conditions as of yet, but on dry roads these things really grip on the streets.

Whaling City Auto Show - First Place Win

2009-07-14T07:33:00.001-07:00

On Sunday I cruised into the Whaling City Festival Auto show with a few of my fellow Mazda friends. It was a great day of sunshine, friends, and cars. The vehicles consists of imports, muscle, classic, and motorcycles. We were grouped and judged with Toyota, Scion, and Lexus this year due to low amount of cars per make. Amazingly out of all of them I took home the First Place trophy. My friend Gary who owns a Mazdaspeed 6 took 2nd place and another Mazda Protege with a crazy audio/video system came in 3rd. Go Mazda and NEPOC!

> View Photo Gallery

Driven Perfection - Cape Run 2.0

2009-06-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

The days weather started out gloomy. As Mary and I drove down RT.28 on Cape Cod it started to clear up and when we arrived at our destination, The Flying Bridge in Falmouth, MA., the sun broke through the cloudy skies above. A perfect day indeed for a car meet. Good food, great conversation and really nice cars make for a most enjoyable time.

Lime Rock Park 2009

2009-05-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

Took advantage of the beautiful scenery at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT.

Boston Cars and Coffee 3

2009-05-19T04:41:00.000-07:00

Cars & Coffee 2 at Trade Center in Woburn was a MASSIVE success. Three hundred and fifty plus cars and more then five hundred people were in attendance! For our third event in the series, Sam (The Beantown Sound) and (Peter from Yuppieracing.net), have been invited back to Trade Center 128. This lot is very clean and provides us with plenty of parking.

I would like to give a very special thanks to the event sponsors, Alex and Chris from Driven Perfection. With out them, the event would not have happened.

The day started out gloomy with a bit of rain drizzle. We met up with the NEPOC crew across the street from the event and cruised in together. Luckily we had a huge for the 250+ cars to park.

Photo Gallery: http://www.altspace.com/nepoc/51709/index.html
Video 1: http://www.altspace.com/nepoc/51709/vid/cc1.html
Video 2: http://www.altspace.com/nepoc/51709/vid/cc2.html
Video 3: http://www.altspace.com/nepoc/51709/vid/cc3.html

Close up shots of the Mazdaspeed front

2009-05-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

Mazdaspeed Front Bumper Installed

2009-05-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

After a long an enjoyable day at Orange County Choppers I put on this Mazdaspeed front bumper courtesy of ProtegeGarage.com. Shown here is the next morning in front of OCC with my friend James who is the owner of SleeperModz.com

Orange County Choppers / Mazda Meet - Spring 2009

2009-05-02T06:48:00.000-07:00

> View Full Photo Gallery - 158 photos

The OCC Spring Mazda Meet is a 2 day event for Mazda enthusiasts. This is the second Mazda Meet held at Orange County Choppers, and it is hosted by Storm Sasaki who works at OCC and owns a Mazda 3. I helped represent SleeperModz.com for this event and placed my car in their vendor booth along with assisting in the setup. The weather forecast was gloomy but we pulled through with nothing but sunshine throughout the day. We had many sponsers for the event of which contributed to a raffle in the end. In all it was a great meet with good friends, especially my NEPOC crew.

Waking up the RX-8

2009-04-24T05:35:00.000-07:00

AutoArt Brilliant Black RX-8

2009-04-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

Thought I would do some experimenting with light and my RX-8 model car. I used a large black poster sheet for the backdrop and a simple LED flashlight for lighting.

Removed under hood lining

2009-04-21T04:57:00.000-07:00

I removed the hood lining to show off the unique features of the aluminum hood. One of it's main purposes is to keep the engine warm in cold weather.

Upgrade HID Bulbs

2009-04-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

Per recomendation from my friend Marc (Zelse), I ordered a set of D2S 6000K HID bulbs to replace the OEM 4300K. My initial view of them in the garage is that they match very well to the accent lights and have a much brighter output overall. Will take more photos later in the evening.

BEFORE

AFTER

Mini RX-8 Brochure

2009-04-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

I designed a little brochure for fun while playing with typography and layout.

> Link to PDF

The Train Station Photoshoot

2009-04-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Spring Time Interior Cleaning

2009-04-10T05:01:00.000-07:00

Cleaned the interior for the first time in months. Took out the all weather mats. Applied Poor Boys Natural Look onto the interior trim and dash, then a complete leather treatment using Poor Boys Leather Stuff. Mmmmmm...smells so good, just like new leather. Not bad for an 04' with 50K miles.

NEPOC - Sunset Photoshoot

2009-04-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

Great day of fun with friends. Did a Tein S-Tech spring install on Josh's RX-8, washed all the cars, then went out for a quick sunset photoshoot at the beach.

Also added some vinyl to my car in representing the company in which I work for. I designed the logo as well. SleeperModz.com

Mazdaspeed Front End

2009-04-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

Order Up! Protege Garage, is my sponsor and as so I have also worked with them on their website. Coming soon is a brand new OEM Mazdaspeed front bumper. Both functional and aggresive in appearance, this bumper allows more air flow into the 2 front oil coolers and intake.

Racing Beat Front End Links

2009-04-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

The cure for the common clunk. I found out the hard way that the OEM sway bar end links do not conform to the Agency Power sway bars. That is the bolts on the end links are smaller than the Agency Power sway bar holes. The difference in size was by 1mm. Thus the need for beefier end links.

Enter in Racing Beat. They even send you a drill bit and guide to drill out the holes. The biggest pain was that I had to remove the front bar again in order to drill the hole bigger. So I drilled the A-arms and the sway bar holes, attached new Racing Beat endlinks, put it all back together and done, no more clunk.

Kinetic Motorworks - Dyno Runs

2009-03-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

My new client is Kinetic Motorworks, so I drove up to their shop in Hampstead, NH. to talk about their website and to get in a few dyno runs. Their machine was not fully calibrated for a rotary so the numbers are most likely slightly off a bit. Mind you my car is basically stock engine wise other than a intake and exhaust which really do not yield much gain, but man I love the looks and sound.

Video 1: > Dyno pull in 3rd gear
Video 2: > Dyno pull in 3rd gear (second try)

181.8HP @ 8250RPM
115.8 TQ

Daytime Parking Garage

2009-03-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

I had an opportunity yesterday to take some photos in an empty parking garage. The lighting was a combination of natural sunlight and florescent lamps inside the facility. Featured with my car is Ashley's MX-6.

Agency Power sway bars

2009-03-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

In an effort to stiffen the ride even more, I opted for a set of Agency Power front and rear sway bars. Both are adjustable and are currently on maximum stiffness. The ride feels great, but then again I am still on my soft winter tires. Thus another review will be needed after the summer wheels are mounted.

EDIT: Adding Racing Beat endlinks to the front bars as the OEM versions are too small for proper fitment.

Mazda RX-8 Rotary Ad

2009-02-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

Just playing around with ideas. Came up with this design and decided to use it as my desktop wallpaper.

Networking on Facebook

2009-02-20T04:06:00.000-08:00

In this digital age it becomes necessary to span your wings and seek out other mediums to which one gains both friendship and if lucky a business relationship. Since I am a freelance web/print/interactive designer, I found that Facebook is an excellent way to reach out and talk to people. Thus I have networked this blog as well to my Facebook account.

Simply search jhanley22@gmail.com to find and add me as your friend. Hope to hear from you soon. ;)

Performance Design Australia

2009-02-18T05:31:00.001-08:00

In my previous post I mentioned that I won a contest to build a website for a Mazda RX-8 aftermarket performance company, Performance Design Australia. They specialize in high quality engineering, and the results are nothing but spectacular! If you are looking for a Supercharger kit, or a complete stainless steel cat-back exhaust for your Mazda RX-8, then look no further. The website is completed and live for viewing!

> View Website

Rear Aero Flares Installed

2009-02-15T10:52:00.000-08:00

My friend Marc(Zelse), removed his rear OEM Mazda RX-8 aero flares. These are part of the Mazda RX-8 OEM Appearance package which includes the front air dam and the side flares. I had splash guards on the rear of my car and decided to sell them since Marc gave me his rear aero flares. Easily removed by 2 screws, my next steps were to paint because his car is black.

I proceeded to sand down, prime, paint, and then clearcoat. I purchased an aerosol can of Mazda OEM Velocity Red paint from automotivetouchup.com. The Mazda OEM VR paint is a tricoat process which involves the base coat of color, midcoat for that awesome depth and effect, then clear coat. With the aerosol paint it's a very close match to Mazda OEM, though missing that bit of depth. The flare is down low on the car so the difference is barely noticable.

TEIN Hood Dampers

2009-02-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

TEIN Hood Dampers installed. Fitment is perfect. Took approx. 20min alone. Notice that these dampers allow for the hood to be lifted only part way for a nice look. Not sure if it'll work that way when the temps are hotter.

sCANalyser Pro Tuner

2009-01-11T10:45:00.000-08:00

I just found out I won a contest to build a website for a small RX-8 performance company. Here's what I'll be installing next as my prize.

sCANalyser Pro Tuner

sCANalyser Pro Tuner is a complete computer software and hardware application that allows you to:

Retrieve the EXACT engine management maps from your RX-8's PCM (Powertrain Control Module), otherwise known as the ECU
View the tuning maps both numerically and graphically (2D and 3D charts)
Edit the maps, such as fueling requirements, lead/trailing ignition advance, sensor calibrations, Idle speed, Fan speeds etc.
Save the maps onto your desktop PC or Laptop
Push the maps onto a special hardware device we call a brick. The brick is about the size of a matchbox, and plugs into the OBDII connector under your dash.
Reflash the new maps stored on the brick to the RX-8's PCM. This takes 20 seconds, and you don't even need to pop the hood or open your toolbox.
Use the brick to do "hands-off" data logging, just like a system used in a race car such as a MoTeC ECU.
Upload the logs to your Laptop or Desktop PC and graphically and numerically interpret the logged data.
Connect your laptop directly to the RX-8 via the brick for normal Scan-Tool functionality providing FAST real time gauges (perfect for a carputer), checking CEL codes, clearing CELs etc.

Dark Winter

2008-12-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

Location: Osterville, MA
Conditions: Early morning fog. Low 50's

Splash Guards removed

2008-12-15T04:56:00.000-08:00

Finally decided to remove the front and rear splash guards. Overall I believe they functioned perfectly, but it's time for a change. The rear bumper aero pieces are currently being painted and will complete the OEM Appearance Package.

Mazda Forums - Official Mazda of the Month 2008

2008-12-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

My Mazda RX-8 won the Official Mazda of the Month on Mazdas247.com for the month of December.

> read more

LG DARE

2008-12-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

Was time to upgrade from my ol' 2.5 year old Motorola Razor V3M. The LG DARE was a perfect replacement with a ton of features. So I hacked into the wallpapers and guess what I made? I simple Flash animation using my RX-8 as a background of course.

The RX-8 "Bible"

2008-11-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

After polishing the car.

I researched for a book on the RX-8 that was given to exclusive Mazda dealers. Many of these books are auctioned off, but it was an individual from Australia that had the book for sale on eBay that caught my eye because with the book he offered a small, Hot Wheel size RX-8 made out of pewter. A neat little trinket I had never seen before, therfore as a collector I placed the order.

The book is by Jack K. Yamaguchi, has 191 pages of beautiful full color photos and tons of RX-8 details, rotary engine history, and racing history.

Come to find out, the guy I bought the book and car from is a retired Mazda dealer. The pewter RX-8 was given to him by Mazda Corporate when he visited Japan.

Fabricating a new pod

2008-11-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

I started the fiberglass mold for my Dell Axim Pocket PC pod. This is my first time working with fiberglass so it's a bit of a learning process. I started with a piece of light green foam (used for fake plant bases). This allowed me to form the begining shape of the pod by simply cutting and pressing into the foam.

My next step was to remove the ashtray and layer the fiberglass. After which it will become the reverse mold for the bondo to give it thickness and allow me to shape it for an exact fitment.

90% completed. Just a bit more fitment adjustments, sanding, then preping for paint.

Completed!

Winterized

2008-11-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

Cold temps are here again and although my car does not see much of the winter I still like to take her out of the garage from time to time. Especially for a little snow fun (see videos on right).

- 17" ASA wheels with Dunlop Winter Sport Tires
- OEM RX-8 rubber floor mats (with little rotor patterns)

Rolling Shots (dark)

2008-11-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

The weather was gloomy, so I added a bit of extra darkness for effect. Big thanks to my friend Ashley for the photos.

Foggy Morning

2008-11-04T05:42:00.000-08:00

Looked outside my window and noticed a thick fog settled around my house and street. So I took the opportunity to snap a few photos.

Quick videos before winter

2008-11-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

Took some quick vids. Click links below.

In my garage
The trunk setup
Walkaround outside