Max Archer
Member
- :
- '12 Mazda 2 Touring 5MT/'87 325IS 2DR 5MT
Might as well make a build thread and stop updating the intro thread.
First off, I'm covering the car as a project and long term test on The Garage Blog. This link will take you to all of the posts about it, if you want to read my extensive ramblings about the car: http://thegarageblog.com/garage/tag/mazda2project/ I'll keep it short on this thread.
I bought the car less than a week after driving one at a well-known canyon in SoCal. I traded my '09 Si in on it, only a couple hundred bucks changed hands. It's super fun to drive, as well as economical. I'm planning on doing all kinds of stuff with this car, from daily driving, to meets, to AutoX and HPDEs, and it's being modded accordingly. I haven't done too much to it yet, just added XM radio, the factory optional armrest, a shift knob, and, yesterday, Racing Beat springs.
These photos are from before the springs-
DSC_4200.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr
DSC_4098.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr
Mazda 2 Interior by maximstensel, on Flickr
Here's the new shift knob. The throw feels really nice with it on. It looks good in the car, too.
P1010025.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr
I've got a decent mod list planned. Top priority now are tires (probably 195/55/15 Dunlop Star Specs) and wheels to put them on. (Want 6ULs really badly, but more likely to get TRMotorsport C1s or C1Ms.) Also coming soon will be Corksport's Short Ram Intake and rear torsion bar stiffener, which has a similar effect to a rear sway bar. I'll also be doing some decent brake pads before the car sees track time. Farther off, I'd like to get an exhaust, probably an axleback because the cat is welded into the midpipe on these cars, an ECU flash, which isn't available yet, stainless brake lines, and a few cosmetic mods, like a stubby antenna.
I did the springs yesterday, and here's a crappy pic of the car with them on:
Mazda2 on Racing Beat springs. by maximstensel, on Flickr
I'm liking 'em so far. I haven't hit anywhere good to see how they handle yet, aside from some onramps, so I can't really talk about the performance difference. It needs to be aligned before I can really say anything, as well, but I'm doing that tomorrow. The ride isn't bad, though. It's firm, maybe a little more than I expected, but it's not bouncy or harsh, and definitely not any stiffer than most factory performance cars. It's not too different from a GTi or how my Si was. You can feel a lot through your hands and feet now, it's not bumpy enough to be uncomfortable, and you feel like you're way more connected to the road.
As for the look, it's a pretty subtle difference, but IMO it transforms the look of the car. It now looks like a performance car, which is exactly what I wanted.
First off, I'm covering the car as a project and long term test on The Garage Blog. This link will take you to all of the posts about it, if you want to read my extensive ramblings about the car: http://thegarageblog.com/garage/tag/mazda2project/ I'll keep it short on this thread.
I bought the car less than a week after driving one at a well-known canyon in SoCal. I traded my '09 Si in on it, only a couple hundred bucks changed hands. It's super fun to drive, as well as economical. I'm planning on doing all kinds of stuff with this car, from daily driving, to meets, to AutoX and HPDEs, and it's being modded accordingly. I haven't done too much to it yet, just added XM radio, the factory optional armrest, a shift knob, and, yesterday, Racing Beat springs.
These photos are from before the springs-
DSC_4200.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr
DSC_4098.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr
Mazda 2 Interior by maximstensel, on Flickr
Here's the new shift knob. The throw feels really nice with it on. It looks good in the car, too.
P1010025.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr
I've got a decent mod list planned. Top priority now are tires (probably 195/55/15 Dunlop Star Specs) and wheels to put them on. (Want 6ULs really badly, but more likely to get TRMotorsport C1s or C1Ms.) Also coming soon will be Corksport's Short Ram Intake and rear torsion bar stiffener, which has a similar effect to a rear sway bar. I'll also be doing some decent brake pads before the car sees track time. Farther off, I'd like to get an exhaust, probably an axleback because the cat is welded into the midpipe on these cars, an ECU flash, which isn't available yet, stainless brake lines, and a few cosmetic mods, like a stubby antenna.
I did the springs yesterday, and here's a crappy pic of the car with them on:
Mazda2 on Racing Beat springs. by maximstensel, on Flickr
I'm liking 'em so far. I haven't hit anywhere good to see how they handle yet, aside from some onramps, so I can't really talk about the performance difference. It needs to be aligned before I can really say anything, as well, but I'm doing that tomorrow. The ride isn't bad, though. It's firm, maybe a little more than I expected, but it's not bouncy or harsh, and definitely not any stiffer than most factory performance cars. It's not too different from a GTi or how my Si was. You can feel a lot through your hands and feet now, it's not bumpy enough to be uncomfortable, and you feel like you're way more connected to the road.
As for the look, it's a pretty subtle difference, but IMO it transforms the look of the car. It now looks like a performance car, which is exactly what I wanted.
