Sunday, December 31, 2006
EXE-crew in Hot4's Issue 147
Just got news that our photoshoot that we did back in July with Jun Sawa for Hot4s magazine has finally been published. (Issue 147 out until January 2007 I think!) It includes a review of EXE-crew from pages 170-176. Here are just some pics I took of the pages, if you want to read it then go out and buy a copy now!
EXE Track Day 11th December 2006
I came into this track day with a few hiccups, the main one happened on Saturday when I bled the brakes with Shaun (senk9) and found that my front right wheel hub had a broken stud which made it two on that corner.
After tightening the remaining wheel nuts on very tight to make sure the wheel wouldn't come loose, Silas helped me bleed the final brake caliper on Sunday. That was also when I installed my straight through exhaust pipe (woo it sounds so nice!).
My personal best from last track day was a 1:58.5000 with my catback exhaust, 16" rims and whiteline rear adjustable swaybar.
I was aiming for around 1:54-55 this time around and when I hit 1:55 in the first session I was over the moon!
By the end of the day I had managed 1:50.5510 with Straight through race pipe, Whiteline strut brace + rear swaybar, AWR engine mount, CAI, WRX bucket seats and 18" rims.
Here is a break down of my laptimes, session 1 was riddled with yellow flags so I pulled in after 4 laps and everyone followed me in haha sorry guys.
Pratice
2:08.3550 1:59.5230 1:58.2990 1:58.6400
Session 1
1:59.3980 1:55.2750 2:11.7310 2:05.2700
Session 2
1:52.7980 1:52.0950 1:59.3480 1:53.5610
Session 3
1:51.3660 1:52.3650 1:54.6040 1:52.0440 1:52.0100
Session 4
1:54.0640 1:51.6280 1:54.2100 1:51.3600 1:50.7000
Session 5
1:55.5830 1:51.6070 1:51.0990 1:52.5940 1:58.8130 1:53.5910 *:**.**** 2:02.9260 1:54.2900 1:51.8200
1:50.5510 1:50.7510
Individual Session
1:54.7760 1:50.8510
A detailed list of lap times can be found here
http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/results.cgi?11/12/2006.WIN
Differences to my laps from last track day that I noticed were that I braked a lot later and have improved my heel-toe so I can get the most of my engine braking now. Also managed to enter the sweeper without braking at 115-120km/h and exit at 110km/h whereas last time I braked before the sweeper and did the whole thing at 100km/h.
These 2 and a half month old tyres also gave me much better turning, even though they squealed and squealed, they kept gripping and turning where I wanted. I would love to try semislicks for the next track day and experience how they handle in comparison to these R-compound street tyres.
Thanks to everyone who turned up for the event and all of the EXE crew for helping it run as smoothly as possible. The morning scrutineering was pretty hectic but with everyone working together it was enjoyable and wasn't a drag at all.
Also thanks to Shaun for helping me bleed my brakes and Silas for doing some last minute fixes to mine and a few others cars, even though he was trying to reset on Sunday. Without you I probably wouldn't have been able to run on track day.
Bring on the next track day!!
After tightening the remaining wheel nuts on very tight to make sure the wheel wouldn't come loose, Silas helped me bleed the final brake caliper on Sunday. That was also when I installed my straight through exhaust pipe (woo it sounds so nice!).
My personal best from last track day was a 1:58.5000 with my catback exhaust, 16" rims and whiteline rear adjustable swaybar.
I was aiming for around 1:54-55 this time around and when I hit 1:55 in the first session I was over the moon!
By the end of the day I had managed 1:50.5510 with Straight through race pipe, Whiteline strut brace + rear swaybar, AWR engine mount, CAI, WRX bucket seats and 18" rims.
Here is a break down of my laptimes, session 1 was riddled with yellow flags so I pulled in after 4 laps and everyone followed me in haha sorry guys.
Pratice
2:08.3550 1:59.5230 1:58.2990 1:58.6400
Session 1
1:59.3980 1:55.2750 2:11.7310 2:05.2700
Session 2
1:52.7980 1:52.0950 1:59.3480 1:53.5610
Session 3
1:51.3660 1:52.3650 1:54.6040 1:52.0440 1:52.0100
Session 4
1:54.0640 1:51.6280 1:54.2100 1:51.3600 1:50.7000
Session 5
1:55.5830 1:51.6070 1:51.0990 1:52.5940 1:58.8130 1:53.5910 *:**.**** 2:02.9260 1:54.2900 1:51.8200
1:50.5510 1:50.7510
Individual Session
1:54.7760 1:50.8510
A detailed list of lap times can be found here
http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/results.cgi?11/12/2006.WIN
Differences to my laps from last track day that I noticed were that I braked a lot later and have improved my heel-toe so I can get the most of my engine braking now. Also managed to enter the sweeper without braking at 115-120km/h and exit at 110km/h whereas last time I braked before the sweeper and did the whole thing at 100km/h.
These 2 and a half month old tyres also gave me much better turning, even though they squealed and squealed, they kept gripping and turning where I wanted. I would love to try semislicks for the next track day and experience how they handle in comparison to these R-compound street tyres.
Thanks to everyone who turned up for the event and all of the EXE crew for helping it run as smoothly as possible. The morning scrutineering was pretty hectic but with everyone working together it was enjoyable and wasn't a drag at all.
Also thanks to Shaun for helping me bleed my brakes and Silas for doing some last minute fixes to mine and a few others cars, even though he was trying to reset on Sunday. Without you I probably wouldn't have been able to run on track day.
Bring on the next track day!!
Friday, December 29, 2006
Mtec Cosmos Blue Fog Lights
Ever since I got my HIDs, I never used my fog lights. I didn't like the yellowness of them and how they didn't match the HID colour.
So I've been searching around for good replacement halogen bulbs (didn't want HIDs in my fogs.. yet ) and read many good reviews on the Mtec Cosmos Blue bulbs. They're only rated at 4750K but in testing, the actual output was 4838K, higher than Philips DiamondVision which is rated at 5000K but testing proved it to give out 4552K light.
People were saying they're the closest halogen bulb to matching 6000K HID and there was even a long thread on Mazda3Forums showing pics of every that had them from the club.
Sure enough these bulbs turned out to be a very close match to the HIDs and I'm as happy as Larry
Can't get the real look of the bulbs on photo dammit, but here are the pics anyway.
So I've been searching around for good replacement halogen bulbs (didn't want HIDs in my fogs.. yet ) and read many good reviews on the Mtec Cosmos Blue bulbs. They're only rated at 4750K but in testing, the actual output was 4838K, higher than Philips DiamondVision which is rated at 5000K but testing proved it to give out 4552K light.
People were saying they're the closest halogen bulb to matching 6000K HID and there was even a long thread on Mazda3Forums showing pics of every that had them from the club.
Sure enough these bulbs turned out to be a very close match to the HIDs and I'm as happy as Larry
Can't get the real look of the bulbs on photo dammit, but here are the pics anyway.
BOMZ Racing Cold Air Intake
Bought and installed a BOMZ Racing CAI on Monday. It's an Injen replica. Initial thoughts are that it feels more responsive and has good pull through mid range. The expected and famous "hoover" sound is louder than I thought it would be. I already had removed the intake resonator ages ago and there was a hoover sound then, but with this installed it's at least double the volume now. That's not to say that it's only giving out annoying sounds.. I love the "pss" noise it makes when you change gears and hit the accelerator. Kinda like a BOV sound but only when you accelerate lol. Need to hit the dyno again to see what kind of figures this thing pulls, and to compare the power curve
New Tyres
Ahh one of my tyres (left rear) was damaged, it had a slash in the sidewall and was constantly going flat from it. Not sure how it happened, if it was sabotage or something..
Anyway after driving around on those tyres for a while afterwards, I noticed I was not getting the cornering performance I used to get, and that I couldn't keep up with the boys on our slow Sunday drives along twisty roads lol.
Here is part of the reason why.. from what I could see the tread on the tyres was still okay, but after looking at the inside of each tyre I realised they were almost bald.
Anyway after driving around on those tyres for a while afterwards, I noticed I was not getting the cornering performance I used to get, and that I couldn't keep up with the boys on our slow Sunday drives along twisty roads lol.
Here is part of the reason why.. from what I could see the tread on the tyres was still okay, but after looking at the inside of each tyre I realised they were almost bald.
So I went out and bought new tyres which have just been fitted for a day. Out with the old: Falken Ziex ZE-512 In with the new: Hankook Ventus RS2 Z212
Everytime I look at the tyre now I drool at how sexy the tread pattern is lol. They handle brilliantly too, have already noticed that the cornering capabilities are beyond what I ever had with the Falkens. Have to still see how they perform in the wet, but I believe they will be fine. Damn tyres cost an arm and a leg I'm more broke than ever.
Angel Eyes
Just installed these last night and today at a group install party night hehe. Started at around 8:30pm last night, took bumper off, headlights out and everything by late..
Started taking apart everyones headlights (that took ages) time consuming to heat the silicon and pull the things apart.
Installed the halos in and let them set for about 2-3 hours.
Started putting our headlights together and ended up finishing that at 7.
Went for McDonalds breakfast, then fell asleep at 7:30am, woke up at 9ish I think and started putting our cars back together. Then came the tricky part lol, figuring out how to wire them up.
Finally got it done by about 3pm.
Started taking apart everyones headlights (that took ages) time consuming to heat the silicon and pull the things apart.
Installed the halos in and let them set for about 2-3 hours.
Started putting our headlights together and ended up finishing that at 7.
Went for McDonalds breakfast, then fell asleep at 7:30am, woke up at 9ish I think and started putting our cars back together. Then came the tricky part lol, figuring out how to wire them up.
Finally got it done by about 3pm.
Whiteline Strut Brace
Purchased off Cain (krnage)
Installed today with help from Cam
Thanks everyone it feels far better in turning in now.. I thought the rear swaybar was the best money I'd spent on the car when I got it, this comes very close.
Cam also helped me to reinstall my LED indicator mirrors today too, some of you might have realised my wiring was exposed coz I was too chicken to drill into the mirrors, he showed me it isn't that scary at all lol.
Now there's no wires exposed from the mirrors!
EXE Drag Day 24th June 2006
Thanks to Kenny (kthl) for these pics and vids.
My best time with my 18" rims 16.6646sec @ 84.52mph
With my 16" rims 16.1246sec @ 85.54mph
Me vs R32
Me vs Krnage's SP23
My best time with my 18" rims 16.6646sec @ 84.52mph
With my 16" rims 16.1246sec @ 85.54mph
Me vs R32
Me vs Krnage's SP23
Front Lip
Here is our quick test photo that Silas took with Irawan and me holding the lip hehe.
It's still not painted yet but I think I can get away with it unpainted until I get side skirts and a rear!
Recruited to EXE-crew!
I feel so priveledged to be invited to join EXE-crew, they're such a great bunch of people with the same interests in cars and also in other things in life. The social gatherings held by these guys which include just meeting for dinners, BBQs, playing pool, coffee and Pancake Parlour is what makes this club special and different to other clubs. Not only are they a car club, but they're friends and feel like family to me. I put the EXE decals on my car with pride on the 7th of May 2006 :)
18" 5Zigen Inperio rims
Rims rims rims!! 18" 5Zigen Imperio rims in white with polished lip, 225/40/18 tyres Thanks for helping me get them Silas and Cain (krnage) Also thanks to Irawan and Silas for the pics at the recent carwash meet! Wish I had their camera skills!
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