Reply With QuoteThat's what it's all about!Originally Posted by Huertecilla
Oh man, you´r a wooz ;-)
My photos may be sunny but just Monday it was below zero here in the morning at 750 meters altitude.
The ccccóld for the first half of the morning means ditto tarmac and noooo grip whatsoever with more sporting wubbahs.
I have the hard top on only for rainy spells.
When dry but freezing, I will push the car from under the car port in the sun so the vinyl gets pliable.
That said; I só like the elegant hard tops of the MX, MR2, Elan.
The down side is that they look so... elegant.
I woild not say that it makes the car look girly but ´nice guy´ for sure.
My Malageña gf say it looks sunday car of a medical doctor, dentist.
Nothing bad of course, or... well, for some nothing bad is too good :-)
@Foxy; the LSD does give better traction but imo thé thing is the better control. It is much more predictable and linear. Because of the vastly reduced traction differences, the body movements are smoother too.
Those who hardly ever if ever spin the inside wheel, never get it sideways and then slewing the other way because of traction lost/refound, don´t notice it but the rest... will and with a SMÍLE!!
Have fun Foxy.
That's what it's all about!
"A man of little significance"
Pictures, or it didn´t happen ;-)
Seriously, well; even móre seriously, do share a photo of your fun MX5 with added lightness.
The new flywheel:
LSD being fitted with new seals:
And the fly/clutch in position:
No picture of the rear subframe brace that came off and now lives in the garage. It doesn't appear to do anything which is lucky because the exhaust (now with new rubber mounts) was banging against it.
"A man of little significance"
Thank you!
I like that.
The lighter flywheel will no doubt be quíte noticeable.
You know I am very much in favour of you idea to stay naturally aspirated. Tuning the engine further though will make the down side of the lighter flywheel more obvious. Take care with that; it can make the car undriveable on country lanes and such.
You might want to do a bit of research on the subframe brace.
I´d install a more extensive one rather than delete it:
http://www.miatabrasil.com.br/artigonum2.html
Ah, the LSD... So ´simple´ yet what an improvent. I don´t do envy but... boy would I like to have one!
Last edited by Huertecilla; 12th April 2019 at 19:29.
Are you talking about the one that goes from the diff to the gearbox?
Nope, that one's rather essential. Apparently the one that came off my car wasn't fitted to a lot of Mk1s when they left the factory. The car feels fine without it. Well, it feels significantly better with the LSD.
"A man of little significance"
It feels superb without it. I went with the advice of my MX-5 people, Skuzzle Motorsport, who know everything there is to know about MX-5s. I'll bear it in mind though. I have a few other things to do to the car first - new bushes for example. And only three days until I get my new hood fitted, that's going to transform the car.
"A man of little significance"
Just stunning matestill, have mine on to cold for me to take off yet it was below freezing here today.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
Only the earliest ones. Then Mazda added strenghtening plates for the bolt holes in the floor pans and fitted the cross brace. It was a fix for sómething. Best figure out that for.
Now I am not one to weigh a car down with braces so am very sympathetic but remóving factory braces is a diferent thing.
It may very well be redundant, heck it can even be bétter! by eliminating stress points, but I would look seriously deep into it. Especially because you will be putting more stress on the lot with more ponies having more traction.
Last edited by Huertecilla; 13th April 2019 at 10:09.
Back in the mountains and stúnning weather.
25 degrees midday!!
Later in the afternoon asked mountain girl out for a ride. I warmed the rubber up (the increased grip amazed her) and we swapped places on the now deserted industrial estate.
She is not one to throw it round but I told her to brake, bráke , BRÁKE. She could not believe how the thing grips the road and stops.
You ain´t seen nothing yet and I took over. A lap to heat the rubber up and dropped the anchors from about 100 km/h. Eyes wide open, jaw dropped.
Tarmac some 30-35 degree, rubber a bit warmer and indeed stopping short.
She gets the extra grip cornering but is not all that in favour of that, less still at the price it comes at, but the braking... SOLD!! :D
She suggested a drink and tapas in Talillas restaurant, one of the rally sponsors. Please a detour over town square so she could wave at friends ;)
Antonio, the restaurant owner, came outside for a look and chat about the car. ´If we enter it in any competition´ he said ´count with me!´.
Black clouds in blue skies so taken De Kikker out for a spin with the hard top on:
Mountain girl even shot a short video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97tl...ature=youtu.be
Or something a bit different :)
Been looking at these myself, wondered what they're like to drive?Or something a bit different :)
There great fun cars to drive and do over 50mpg if your anywhere near Coventry you could try it out 👍🏼
Thanks for bringing it up.
Very much comparable unpractical 2-seater; even produced during the same years.
It sure belongs on the same list as the Toyota MR2, MG TF, Fiat Barchetta and Mazda MX-5. I don´t know if they ever were compared, but they shoúld make/have made a great direct comparison group.
Here a simulated comparison between the Smart and MR:
http://www.zeperfs.com/en/duel1058-370.htm
Over the years looked at it several times as I lóve the idea, like the style and thought the weight worth a look.
Sadly, even in the Brabus version it did not rock any horses and that one was more over tyred than the already over tyred untuned models.
Very much liked the e-box principle, but it was way to slow to respond, again even in the slightly uprated Brabus.
I was disappointed by the not at all that nimble feel of the car. Mind you, still a lot of fun!!! and if it had been a proper cabrio I might even haven bought one.
Which bring me to the the roof. Great eigthies targa, not cabrio. So that made the Coupé more of a favorite but the extra weight was very noticable and the glass rear simply unbearable over here under the souther sun.
Lastly was Mercedes service/parts.
And... ´different´?
They sold 43.091 versus 27.941 SW30s.
The majority of the MR2s were for Japan and the USA.
The Smart Roadster was basically Europe only, so you can do the sums yourself.
Maybe it was/is different in the UK as you received more MR2s than the rest of Europe, but over here there were a LOT more Smart Roadsters sold than MR2s. At least 20 to 1 I´d say. I saw/see them regularly, there was/is even one here in the village.
Again; a véry much fun concept so thanks for bringing it up.
The thing I like about the smart coupe is how stuff you can fit in it like a full size suit case (yes the the big ones)
Will fit in the back and you can still fit a rucksack in the front bin
The fact it still turns heads and looks fresh for its age, and silly things like you rise or lower the roof at 130mph
and lower the roof on the remote as you walk up to the car
I've had it 7 years now I even worked on the clay model and show car for smart back in the day in Germany I've never
driven a standard model I had my one remapped the week before I pick it up at S2smartz so it puts out a 120bhp
I would love to fit a new S-Mann exhaust and sport CAT to get it up to a little over 130bhp but to be fair its just a fun
2nd car
In the 7 years I've owned it apart from service items its only cost me about £500 and £440 of that was on a new clutch actuator
and £12 on a brake sensor and £50 on a boost sensors but that's it
The Brabus comes with heated leather seats, A/C and some leather on the dash and doors ,fog lights push button starter (crap sound system :)
I've had a few big power cars 400/500bhp but this i love the most Plus there are only 332 of my ones left in the UK at the min
Last edited by bazza.; 20th April 2019 at 00:09.
Cheers, no where near Coventry unfortunately but appreciate the offer. They really do look like nice motors and like nothing else on the road. Does the remap make much of a diiference?
Shame , In all fairness when it comes to the remap I don't know I was working in Germany and had a 500bhp Evo X which would empty it's tank
almost twice a week driving to work and so I wanted a car I could use everyday which didn't cost the earth but was still funky and cool and so
I seen this one on PistonHeads some 7 years ago now.
I payed for it over the phone and got them to take it to S2smarts were they did a full service not many know but the roadster is a twinspark motor so
needs 6 spark plugs some people never change the lower bank of 3 as they don't know this .
S2smarts carried out the remap at the same time the power went from 101bhp to 120 its easy to tell if one has had a remap because it will boost over 1 bar
Ive had it up to 120mph but still had more to go and should do just over 130 normal but driving normal speed you should get over 50mpg no problem
From what I gathered, the Brabus tuned engines have more mods to deal with the higher output and is going to 100 ps not a good idea for the 60 kW. ´base´ engine. The 45 kW engine is best not uprated at all.
For any ECU upgrade, an upgrade to a 4.0 bar fuel pressure regulator form the 3.8 one was suggested to me. At 120 ps. you most likely have that.
I can imagine that with 120 ps. the Roadster is indeed livelier fun car!
The standard 100 ps one I tried was already a different car that the disappointing 60 kW car. Go figure another 20% more!!
You mention´lowering the roof´; it remains a targa ;-)
Right, back to hands on my MR2: Want to drill two holes in a steel panel where I have 25 cm. of space for my 40 cm. long drill....
Done
Looks like a bodge bracket to overcome insufficient or old engine mounts
Well, yes, one cán look at it like that.
Same thing harder polyurethane bushings replacing all rubber ones.
All a matter of perspective and perception.
Just went out for a drive on my norm-route and it is very much marginal gains. I would not have noticed anything if I had not known. Knowing it, I did perceive an ever so slight tighter upshift at speed through the highway bends, but then that may have been placebo.
Anyway, very low cost, very low effort and I thínk it is a (marginal) gain
I worked out the trick with the Smart Roadster Coupe was to left-foot brake and then you don't have to rely on a shift down into a corner and a shift up coming out of it. It also doesn't need big wheels and thin rubber. Brilliant car.
"A man of little significance"
New roof for the MX-5 this week, involving a three-hour trip to sunny (it wasn't) Swansea:
I took it out this morning at 6:30 for almost two hours of blatting round the Hampshire countryside, it feels superb:
Some light aural relief for the neighbours after quite a few early morning jaunts over the last couple of months in the Healey:
"A man of little significance"
Its true the summer rims in the pictures are OEM Brabus 17'' 235rear 205front which look good
But more fun can be had with my winter rim's which are little 15" smart steel one's plus they get of line quicker
That looks superb!Its true the summer rims in the pictures are OEM Brabus 17'' 235rear 205front which look good
But more fun can be had with my winter rim's which are little 15" smart steel one's plus they get of line quicker
"A man of little significance"
Some good looking cars Sirs!
Your MX looks in véry gpod fettle with that new rag top Foxy.
The Healy almost looks módern on that D-types. I can imagine it being wónderfully audible :-)
The Brabus on 15" steelies looks the dogs ball afaik!! Oh ánd the obiquitous MX5 behind it ;-)
Allthough heavier than same in forged allow, they are definitely lighter than the oberkill 17" originals and the rubber.... mán what an improvement in compliance = road contact.
The larger rims may be fashionable but Í think the steelies look way more rugged, serious. Some 10 years ago I went to Mijas pueblo to look for a bog standard red/grey 60 kW Roadster on steelies. Mán it looked cool. Went home, called to make them an offer and... it had been sold.
In the case of the Brabus rims, the steelies are a world more .... real world instead of the too wide, too soft alloy too prone to buckling in real world pot holes/ broken up road sides.
Have you by chance weíghed the difference??
p.s. you write ´quicker off the line´. Be aware that this applies to braking too in reverse. Larger rims do nót look cool under a lorry. Quite a sobering idea that.
Last edited by Huertecilla; 21st April 2019 at 09:44.
The Brabus rims an know for being on the soft side but lots of drivers don't take care of there pressures which doesn't help
I also opted for some higher profiles tyres front and rear as the sock profile are more akin to rubber bands.
I did check the weight once but for the life of me I cant remember it now, at speed the bigger rims feel more stable 70+
I did fitted 4 pot brake calipers and steel lines up front with better pads but to be fair the car is so light braking isn't a problem
Here are a few photo's of my old S2000 I really enjoy this car didn't do much to it didn't need to
Véry few light, proper, sportive cars need anything done to the brakes. They have the same system as the rest of the family but weigh less so brake better.
Ditto the tyres. Rubber is load sensitive in the friction coefficient so lighter car brake better. Period.
I put harder aftermarket brake lines on mine but tbh the OEM ones on the toy are good too; hardly any difference and upgrading not worth the money imo.
Gordon Murray was a great fan of the Smart Roadster. Drove one for 13, 15 years or so.
He was not keen on the roof and less still on the turbo.
He would have made it stiffer, lighter and non-turbo, but loved it as prefectly practical fun as it was.
Was not a fan of the Brabus ´upgrade´.
As to the standard Brabus wheels. That was simply marketing; distinguishing it from the standard models and also a bow to fashion. Véry níce looking wheels no doubt; eye catchers on an already eye catching car.
I would have been about as happy with one as I am now with the MR.
The two aspects that ´bug´ me most; what asks the most adaptation are the car being so low/small in traffic and the lowness bringing the horizon of your view on the road closer. The lower/smaller the car the worse it is so the Smart Roadster has that more still.
The Triumph Spitfire though was worse; the longer/higher bonnet limits your view on the tarmac further still.
The smart is a nightmare in winter times when I'd be driving to work in the morning
when it's dark and your sat at traffic lights because most cars head lights are right at your
eye level and the same with cars in front waiting with there with there brake lights on to
But after all is said and done I could never see myself selling it as it puts a smile on my face
Every time I take it out, plus for a 14 year old car it still turns head this week alone and I'm not
Making this up but I've have 3 lots of people ask to take photo's of them next to the car
I'm in Czech at the min and I'm going to drive it back to the UK some 900+ miles Thursday so
Hoping all goes well
I've done a full service including gearbox box oil which they say you don't need to but I think
Thats a load of rubbish :)
When your sat in the car its that low that you can touch the ground with your hand here is it
Parked next to my old Evo X
That´s the same lot who only change 3 spark plugs ;-)
Good for you.
Both the oil change and driving it across Europe!
It is nothing if not reliable but a grand touring it is not. Try not to drag the knuckles over Europe :-) Whishing you fun!!!
It’s the same with BMW and Range Rover they both use long life oil in the gear box’s they say you don’t need to change it , but I know of 5 guys who gears box’s are now dead
Longlife oil may be less prone to oxidise but a manual gear box has synchromesh rings and an automatic has clutch bands (or plates). Both wíll pollute the oil. Changing it is relatively cheap so why not?!
Buenos dias ´Bazza´.
Will be going down to Málaga before noon; enjoying a damp but rained clean mountain route. The views will be só clear and green. Twice as long, at least, in time but making the trip part of the goal.
Almost envy you driving accross most of Europe later this week in a driver´s joy car. Hope you can take several days to take a scenic rout/ any detour you feel like and appreciate the quality time!
I’ll be there in three weeks time, I hope the rain has stopped by then.
´The rain´ is more showers and from end of april likely to be just the odd one and mainly bright sunny. Wonderfull time of year; fresh green having enough water, bursting into abundant flower under a not yet too hot sun.
Idéal road trip weather.
Be aware that if you have planed to go out in Málaga that the place has developed in a major tourist destination with boatloads of 6000 at a drop. So all bars/restaurants in/around the center are full with lines waiting for a table.
Plan accordingly; go early and/or move elsewhere later on.
Last edited by Huertecilla; 22nd April 2019 at 10:00.
Maybe only once in the old town, park in the underground car park and walk up, I will be staying in casaris and spending most of the time down that end
I was out this morning on my road bike just 50km the weather is great at the min I took the car out yesterday for a little roof
Down action the roads out here in Czech are pretty good for that you can still see the snow on the mountains in the distance
As for the drive back to the UK I'm plaining just a fast run up to the Hook of Holland and then the over night ferry to HULL and
Then down to the Midlands will be the 1st time my car's have been back there in years , so leave Thursday morning drop the
Car of Friday and fly back Saturday to do it all again a few weeks later in my CTR
I used to live in Germany a lot so have done The Ring a few times and been racing (oops I mean driving fast:) at The Pass Masters in
The Dolomite Mountains that was fun
But unfortunately its time to go but the UK which is not what I really but work is work
@AdrianW
Ah, the town of Casares. That is quite to the west of Malaga province. Beautifull sights, drivers paradise roads. You will find that the road from the coast up to Gaucin has been renovated POR FIN!!!
A flash flood has destructed the green river vallye halfway :-(
A mini hop further, júst in the Cadiz province the CA-8200 is imo worthwhile.
If you like classical music; the concert of either the 26 or 28th http://www.colmus.org/concerts/#announcements is worthwhile.
Wishing you a wonderful trip!
@bazza
Oh, que pena; I like the journey to be a destiny too. It is such a waste of time otherwise. The Brabus is imo not really a fast GT.
The Dolomites; man, some stunning passes. Unfortunately increasing clogged with ´cycling terrorist groups´. I am an avid cyclist myself but take very much care not to molest motorised traffic.
Oh, que pena; I like the journey to be a destiny too. It is such a waste of time otherwise. The Brabus is imo not really a fast GT.
The Dolomites; man, some stunning passes. Unfortunately increasing clogged with ´cycling terrorist groups´. I am an avid cyclist myself but take very much care not to molest motorised traffic.[/QUOTE]
The Brabus cruse's ok at 70/80mph it can go up to 120 but its no GT car your right I may need some ear plugs for the journey :)
As for the Dolomites they are fantastic The Stelvio Pass wasn't so good as going up it was really busy but heading down the other side super
There were super amazing cars here are just a few
Went there several times for the Madonna di Campiglio motorcycle meet early in the spring. The first time in ´77, the same year Top Gear first aired, never mind they ever héar of the Stelvio pass ;-)
We drove on wáy south to a village/event I forgot the name of and had the motrcycle blessed.
Quite a different world; my italian brother in law´s Alfa Giulia 105 was a hot ride then.
No cyclists on mountain passess and campers did not really exits yet.
Oh and the equivalent of the affordable small sports cabrio was the Fiat 850 Spider. The Alfa Spider was already too lardy imo; go figure.
77 I was only 4 years old :) there was a lovely Alfa the first time I went on the PassMasters in are group
You get a mix of new super cars and some great classics
Aye, I raced a GTJ for some time. Even won my class on the old Salzburgring.77 I was only 4 years old :) there was a lovely Alfa the first time I went on the PassMasters in are group
You get a mix of new super cars and some great classics
Went back to motorcycles till the end of the century. Then the shrines to lost lives on two wheels we visted dring the seventies came back in my life...
Last edited by Huertecilla; 22nd April 2019 at 22:58.
I was four in 1977, my father liked driving but only had company cars (I still have a soft spot for the E28 528i). I do remember staying as a child in the Hotel de France near Le Mans because John Wyer used to base his Aston Martin and then Gulf Racing teams there, and driving back from Germany and taking a diversion to Spa to drive round the old Grand Prix circuit. I wish he'd turned his enthusiasm of cars into something in the garage, or worn a watch (had he had a nice weekend car or watch they'd have been really good ones!) but at least I have his record collection and a pile of James Bond first editions!
"A man of little significance"
First company car my dad drove was the round model (pre slanted rear window) Ford Aglia. He backed it into the milkman´s cart ríght in front of the house, waving at us. We waving frantically to warn him, he waving more frantically back and ... BÉNG!!! Incredible noise, incredible mess with all the broken glass milk bottles.
Don´t remember anything else of that car.
More of the scooter he had before and sometimes took me to kindergarten with.
Or the slanted rear window model Anglia that came after. I think we must have travelled the whole of the Netherlands with that. The days of concrete slab highways and not yet separating barriers in the middle even. Also those horrid threelane roads with the middle being the overtaking lane for both directions. Not fun with a bit overly scared mother...
Am amazed that there is nothong on the internet about the´centauri´ that flocked to Madonna di Campiglio in the sixties/seventies. Ok, none from the UK but still. But then that is symptomatic for a lót of European history; not anglosaxon pre-internet and it did not happen.
Granted that the italian motorcycle and car lovers events, however much fun, crazy and mythical, were known only on the continent and even then amongst very few enthususiast; did not get any mention in the magazines.
I only knew because my gf sister had married an Italian motoring fan and lived there.
The non-organisation was absolute yet still all went smoothly because all cooperated in the same positive enthusiast spirit.
There must have been only two four lane highways at that time in Italy. One went accross the north to Venice and one to the south. Never went on any of it; was too expensive toll road.
Just found an old photo of us in the rain at a road side restaurant. She in Kett wax-cotton suit on her NSU Max next to my Norton Domi 7. Therefore summer ´76. Don´t remember where we went on that trip. Must have been Italy as I have a tent roll and sleeping bags on the back.
Amazing decade that was. Neither me nor the gf had any navigational skills, we took no maps and we still always got where we wanted. She was a véry pretty and charming redhead which opened local motoring musea on any day :-)
Last edited by Huertecilla; 23rd April 2019 at 11:53.
@AdrianW
Went into Málaga center this noon/afternoon with Málaga gf.
Áfter Easter, Tuesday midday mid April and more tourist than tables/chairs already.
Coming weekend gréat weather so staying well clear of Málaga and adjacent beaches.
I think I´ll go via Antequera, Campillos, down past the lakes to Mijas coast, great touring with the hood down.
First back up though tomorrow. Currently strong winds, rain, even hail in the mountains so good thing, a hard top.
Last time we were over we all went out for a meal in mijas, restaurant overlooking the motorway, most expensive meal I have ever had in Spain, can’t you cut across to Córdoba by country roads from where you are?
Mijas costa is, like most of the coast line, mainly a tourist trap. Never mind Mijas pueblo.
I go thataway only to visit a specific beach.
One can cut accross country roads from anywhere to everywhere in Spain.
I have even done so on unmetalled roads :-)
As I live in the northeast corner of Málaga province, my country exploits are about as much accross Granada and Cordoba province.
For no particular reason have not had a gf in Córdoba (capital) yet so not local guide experience. It is on the agenda :-)
Only know the capital from a few visits. Two romantic, two competition.
The province I know rather well. A bit of a problem with Córdoba province is that large distances are incredibly bóring countryside. Not as bad as Jaen but close.
You need to cover a lot of distance to get to the (stunningly) nice bits.
During the summer months the interior, Córdoba, is só much hotter than the south side of the mountain range.
The tourist pressure is reverse. Cordoba interior is basically empty of foreign tourists and wáy cheaper than Mijas :-)
Oh and unlike in Málaga province, one has to be conscious of the fuel situation in Córdoba. When cutting accross the distances are longer and petrol stations further between.
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