Reciprocating Mass

Looks very... Soviet.

video with more info on these.
http://tinyurl.com/7xpgtzb

Thanks Jeff. And it is very, very nice.

WTF!?!

Quote

... we must ask for moment of silence to commemorate the passing of the stick-shift Ferrari. The California had been the last Ferrari to offer a six-speed manual in place of the dual-clutch automatic, but with that choice now officially off the table, you can no longer buy a Ferrari with a manual transmission. It's hard to criticize that move, however, when you realize what the take rate for the manual was: two. Not two percent -- two cars. Out of some 8000 Californias sold.

That's it - next year I'm buying a Miata no matter what my wife says. I'm not waiting until our kids are out of the house, only to discover manual transmissions don't exist anymore.

By "dual clutch automatic", do they mean those paddle stick gear changers on the steering wheel?

Paddles don't require a dual clutch system. The TSX loaner I drove last year had (non dual-clutch) paddles, and I hated them. I haven't looked at cars since I bought my Integra in 2000, and I've been shocked to discover:

1. Ferrari no longer offers manual transmissions.
2. Lamborghini makes SUVs.
3. Ford & GM stopped making minivans.
4. Honda's cars are so boring, even Consumer Reports doesn't like them.

Paddles vary a lot. They are loads of fun in the right car. And when coupled to a dual clutch transmission are "Think it... do it" fast.

I just like hearing the Top Gear guys saying "flappy paddle gearbox", whether they like it or not.

ddt

I like Honda cars...

Whats wrong with the integra?

12 years old, 130K miles, burning a quart of oil every month, trunk motor died, window motor getting slow, don't want to invest $$$ fixing a car this old...

Unfortunately, Honda doesn't make anything like it these days.

Uh, if you're motor is in the TRUNK... lol....

I loved my Integra (bought in 1988; totaled by a drunk driver who ran a red light in 1998), and I really like my 2005 TSX. And my first car was a 1983 Civic hatchback that, while slow, was a tossable little thing with a great manual transmission. But, yes, Honda seems to have slipped pretty seriously in design and driving dynamics in the last few years.

I loved my (used) 1987 Honda Civic CRX. Sporty, but affordable for the cash-strapped.

I do like that they are beginning to produce the new Acura ILX in Indiana right now.

84 mpg from USA-made, bone stock, medium sized car driven 1,600 miles on interstate by Aussies.
http://fxn.ws/Jfs49Q



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2012 12:04PM by El Jeffe.

My Miata is 21 years old this year and it has been completely stock in every way... except for the audio system.

I'm finally starting to do a few things to it. Starting small... I enhanced the interior lights using foil tape to improve the light output. I also removed the useless visors and I'm going to fabricate dome lights to put where the visors were.

Next up... advancing the timing to boost squeeze out a few extra horses.

I spent a bit of time yesterday looking at Miatas online. I don't think I have ever driven a Miata. But for some reason I am 'looking'.
But on the track-day car side of things. Here are pages I perused. I know it's a bit messy, not sure of a quick and better way. I got interested in or by watching the Targa Newfoundland video produced under the Moto-Man (no idea who this nerd is, very un-BillSmith err un-Stud-like), and in there is the Flying Miata guy/team with Zach Bowman from Autoblog (I hear him on the Monday night podcasts). Anyway, that led me to the flying miata website. Also, I have been looking at or into NASA (National Auto Sports Assoc) stuff; again based on what I heard on Autoblog this week. And anyways, here are some links. Not a deep dive, more schizo-surfing; but I found them interesting.

http://www.flyinmiata.com/oracle/main.htm


http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/08/motoman-at-targa-newfoundland-part-two/#continued


http://mazdaracers.com/classifieds/item/740-east-street-racing-sms-the-fastest-cars-in-the-country/
http://mazdaracers.com/blog/31/entry-297-2012-sm-build/
http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-Miata/2529803/-1997-Miata-Jim-Drago-s-123HP-personal-car.html
http://mazdaracers.com/classifieds/category/1-root/page__sort_key__price__sort_order__desc
http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-Miata/2528488/1990-Spec-Miata.html
http://mazdaracers.com/forum/100-spec-miata/
http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-Miata/2495473/-Lowered-1991-mazda-miata-Navarre-fl.html
http://www.racingjunk.com/category/1080/NASA-Spec-Miata.html?sortby=time-newest&page=2
http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-Miata/2566258/planet-miata-99-1.8.html
http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-Miata/2543326/90-Spec-Miata.html
http://www.macedition.com/forums/read.php?4,75,37687#msg-37687
http://mazdaracers.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkxLn0IaC34 (local track near here NASA race)
http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-Miata/2497838/1991-Turbo-Miata-FS-FT.html
http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-Miata/2535908/1991-Spec-Miata-Trailer-Extra-parts-car.html

Quote
El Jeffe
84 mpg from USA-made, bone stock, medium sized car driven 1,600 miles on interstate by Aussies.
http://fxn.ws/Jfs49Q

That's amazing fuel economy. VW is made in the US now? Weird.

Chatanooga, Tennessseeee. (I can't spell Tinuhsee)

Nor Chatanooga.