They only 'needed' to make 200 but have sold nearly 30k so far. 300 made it to UK. New model coming out this year.
Having grown up in Northamptonshire I have a soft spot for fast fords as well. Cosworth Engineering were next door to my Dad's business back in the DFV days. I also used to hang around with members of the lotus 7 club and the duratec engines were much loved. The 2.3 could hit 300HP natasp with very little work if you rev'd it high enough.
My dream car is a mk2 escort in full rally trim.
I wonder how that would work out, just getting the whole world involved might be impossible, especially with how things are done in other places as it is, have to think about it. And, we are on the wrong timeline anyway, we do not start the 1st of the year on the right day as it is let alone for those that do, celibrate certain holidays on the right day or sometimes even right premise....and still using fractions instead of metric here, pretty ridiculous....OK, venting a bit, time to move on....
After just a bit of thought that is not too bad an idea it seems though not sure how valuable it really would be in the greater scheme of things.
Rick
After just a bit of thought that is not too bad an idea it seems though not sure how valuable it really would be in the greater scheme of things.
Rick
How about something car audio related here?
There are a few ways to get great imaging, height, depth, etc...and the vehicle plays a big part in a great deal of what install type and difficulty to obtain them.
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Easiest way that works in most vehicles:
Tweeters in the A pillars:
Mount them 2" above highest part of the dash, facing right at each other, can be slightly aiming up and forward but usually no more than 10 degrees. Yes, forward, not back, though it might work in some installs I have not heard one I liked but have not been into high end car audio for a long time now. Make sure no air bags in the way, usually not, be careful with them if so, read up on disconnecting battery, waiting a bit for them to discharge, etc. I like the clean look of simply cutting appropriate, tight fit, holes in the trim, wrapping grill cloth over them and pushing through from the back. Get them lined up and a bit of silicone to hold them in place. Reverse the polarity compared to the midbass drivers usually in the doors. I have made just the simple move from wherever they were to the pillars and had outstanding results in all cases, some not even needed much tuning and can work on passive crossovers but I always prefer active and bi, tri, etc amp the system.
Easier vehicles, not to wide and small console
There are a few ways to get great imaging, height, depth, etc...and the vehicle plays a big part in a great deal of what install type and difficulty to obtain them.
------------------------------
Easiest way that works in most vehicles:
Tweeters in the A pillars:
Mount them 2" above highest part of the dash, facing right at each other, can be slightly aiming up and forward but usually no more than 10 degrees. Yes, forward, not back, though it might work in some installs I have not heard one I liked but have not been into high end car audio for a long time now. Make sure no air bags in the way, usually not, be careful with them if so, read up on disconnecting battery, waiting a bit for them to discharge, etc. I like the clean look of simply cutting appropriate, tight fit, holes in the trim, wrapping grill cloth over them and pushing through from the back. Get them lined up and a bit of silicone to hold them in place. Reverse the polarity compared to the midbass drivers usually in the doors. I have made just the simple move from wherever they were to the pillars and had outstanding results in all cases, some not even needed much tuning and can work on passive crossovers but I always prefer active and bi, tri, etc amp the system.
Easier vehicles, not to wide and small console
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My favorite place of all kick panels, mids and tweets:
I learned this from Matt Bogart, might be the best installer of all time or dang close, I met him when working for Eric Stevens at Image Dynamics, I used to drive up and work for free on some weekends, some all nighters, just to learn what I could, great guys as well of course. It is where I met Doc Edgar and got my highly upgraded and loved Slimlines.
Really best to have a very low height console or none at all but if you can line them up it works in any vehicle and other aiming methods likely work in paces this exact method does not, I have not had to try it. Smaller vehicles, cars, trucks, etc.....
Open up the back of the kick panel area into the lower A pillar, put a bit of deadening mat in and around the area then stuff a bit of filler, pillow stuffing works fine. We are going to use the air chamber there to get much more bass out of the drivers this way.
This takes two people that can trust each other to do it right but I have done it with dowels glued to a piece of wood over the driver location but much more difficult.
Place the driver or dowel on wood as far forward and back into the corner as possible. I usually move whatever I can out of the way first, wiring, brackets, etc and if much take the big hammer and move things a bit if I need to.
The critical part:
Aim the midbass located in the passenger footwell at the drivers side window, two inches below and 5 inches forward of where the drivers ears will be located. Obviously things will change a bit when different people and or seat locations are used but not that bad. In a completion build I move the seats back as far as they go and lean them back a bit. Then do the drivers side driver the same, aiming at the passenger side window. I then place the tweeters on the same plane right next to and further towards the rear of the car, closer to the door opening. glass in the area behind them and leave it open to the A pillars then do the front in MDF, fiberglass, etc as needed. Wire them in phase, passive or active.
Easier vehicles, not to wide and small console.
Rick
I learned this from Matt Bogart, might be the best installer of all time or dang close, I met him when working for Eric Stevens at Image Dynamics, I used to drive up and work for free on some weekends, some all nighters, just to learn what I could, great guys as well of course. It is where I met Doc Edgar and got my highly upgraded and loved Slimlines.
Really best to have a very low height console or none at all but if you can line them up it works in any vehicle and other aiming methods likely work in paces this exact method does not, I have not had to try it. Smaller vehicles, cars, trucks, etc.....
Open up the back of the kick panel area into the lower A pillar, put a bit of deadening mat in and around the area then stuff a bit of filler, pillow stuffing works fine. We are going to use the air chamber there to get much more bass out of the drivers this way.
This takes two people that can trust each other to do it right but I have done it with dowels glued to a piece of wood over the driver location but much more difficult.
Place the driver or dowel on wood as far forward and back into the corner as possible. I usually move whatever I can out of the way first, wiring, brackets, etc and if much take the big hammer and move things a bit if I need to.
The critical part:
Aim the midbass located in the passenger footwell at the drivers side window, two inches below and 5 inches forward of where the drivers ears will be located. Obviously things will change a bit when different people and or seat locations are used but not that bad. In a completion build I move the seats back as far as they go and lean them back a bit. Then do the drivers side driver the same, aiming at the passenger side window. I then place the tweeters on the same plane right next to and further towards the rear of the car, closer to the door opening. glass in the area behind them and leave it open to the A pillars then do the front in MDF, fiberglass, etc as needed. Wire them in phase, passive or active.
Easier vehicles, not to wide and small console.
Rick
There then are horns, I have only heard a few systems I liked as well as properly done horns and none better.
Far better to have a smooth rounded up, same design or close to it lower dash fascia (what most just call the dashboard)
Horn bodies as wide apart as you can get them unless a super wide vehicle they might need to be a bit closer together but I had no issues with that with a 2006 Duramax 3/4 ton. Front of the horn body flush with the bottom of the dash but sometimes if room, it is best to move them further under the dash and then use filler to have a smooth transition to the bottom of the fascia.
MIdbasses are fine in the doors, just deaden very well.
Usually wired in phase with each other but sometimes not.
Far better to have a smooth rounded up, same design or close to it lower dash fascia (what most just call the dashboard)
Horn bodies as wide apart as you can get them unless a super wide vehicle they might need to be a bit closer together but I had no issues with that with a 2006 Duramax 3/4 ton. Front of the horn body flush with the bottom of the dash but sometimes if room, it is best to move them further under the dash and then use filler to have a smooth transition to the bottom of the fascia.
MIdbasses are fine in the doors, just deaden very well.
Usually wired in phase with each other but sometimes not.
I have heard just a few outside those install methods that worked amazingly well but they all were done with the very top level audio competitors and one guy in a van with all drivers in the doors and I was dumbstruck as to how he made it work so well.
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Active variable crossovers are great for dialing things in.
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EQ, a higher level at subs, smoothly dropping down then pretty even across them mids to a gentle sweep up into the higher freqs is what my tuning always ended up with, never flat, sound horrible in a vehicle. I have used a quality RTA and dialed it flat and it was lifeless and dull. RTA is only good for roughing it in and great for finding spikes in the response which must be turned down, always best to reduce than add gain when tuning with an EQ.
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Subs, next time I get back to this
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Vehicle (room) treatments, the foundation of any good system, mobile or home, might be more so in a vehicle.
Rick
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Active variable crossovers are great for dialing things in.
--------------
EQ, a higher level at subs, smoothly dropping down then pretty even across them mids to a gentle sweep up into the higher freqs is what my tuning always ended up with, never flat, sound horrible in a vehicle. I have used a quality RTA and dialed it flat and it was lifeless and dull. RTA is only good for roughing it in and great for finding spikes in the response which must be turned down, always best to reduce than add gain when tuning with an EQ.
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Subs, next time I get back to this
---------------
Vehicle (room) treatments, the foundation of any good system, mobile or home, might be more so in a vehicle.
Rick
The rules were minimum 25000 to get the GR Yaris homologated. Very roughly half of these were built as proper GR Yaris and the other half was built as a Japan-only FWD version with a completely different smaller engine and CVT auto gearbox(!) And yes they sold out everything and let the production continue after hitting the homologation numbers.
I had my GR Yaris a couple of years but sold it last year. Super fun car to take to track, autoX and winter driving IMHO
https://rejsa.nu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=119834
Ps: Had a Datsun 610 in the early eighties, A 180B SSS Coupé -75 😁
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Love the picture, running with the big dogs, sweet! I have ran with and passed many supposedely superior cars, usually driven by ego and not much talent, and also ran with some pretty fast race cars in street driven highly modded cars I put together. Most all fail in modding when it comes to suspension, just not setup right, just $$$$$, buy and bolt on and go slower than they should be capable of. I spend more time setting up the suspension that any other aspect of the mods. I like to draw it in full scale on the shop wall for great visualization. I have done tests with a purposely overly lowered set then raised just .25" and gone back out and been hugely faster and easier to drive, just to prove a point.
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I will have to see what I can find for pictures, my early days were on slides, all stolen during a move a long time ago, most lost when my system was hacked before I knew what happened and was doing the remote backup and lost 6 months of business and years of personal files, photos, etc....another story not sure mentioned here before, cost me most everything as the hack was just the tip of the attack. I survived, wife stayed with me and she is incredible, have my health, live in a beautiful place, eat amazing prepared from scratch food all the time...so much to be greatful for that is far more important than any hobby of the many I have had
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I will have to see what I can find for pictures, my early days were on slides, all stolen during a move a long time ago, most lost when my system was hacked before I knew what happened and was doing the remote backup and lost 6 months of business and years of personal files, photos, etc....another story not sure mentioned here before, cost me most everything as the hack was just the tip of the attack. I survived, wife stayed with me and she is incredible, have my health, live in a beautiful place, eat amazing prepared from scratch food all the time...so much to be greatful for that is far more important than any hobby of the many I have had
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I just drove my first electric car as a rental. They said only electrics were available at the time and it looks like the airport rentals are really going this way. It was a Toyota bZ4x. Never even heard of it before but I really liked it. Roomy inside and nicely done interior and dash and displays. It was quite fast (tests online show 5.8sec 0-60) given it was not meant to be a performance car. The take off from zero was amazing - all that torque. Very slick.
Not sure I posted this here before. In 2005 I wanted to start a new project car for my business and my son was with me and wanted to do a Prius so we bought one, hated it immediately. First day put real tires on it, big improvement but still a lot left to be desired including horrid road noise. No worries there, I owned possibly the best sound deadening mat product on the market and was the biggest buyer, thus seller of insolite foam, developed for aerospance and airline use, fire retardant, great product, I bought many times more than Boeing. Next, start looking at a small turbo build, custom coilvers, see if I could do something with the brakes, much wider, light weight wheels, sticky tires and possible make it from a poor toaster into a real car....but before I started that it was figuring out how to tap into 200 VDC battery pack. After not finding much info I called two highly regaurded engineers I knew and one had just bought the same car, the other a Honda, one sold out the other decided to leave it stock. I needed three $5k modules to tap into the 200 VDC and be able to have a silent as possible power source, while parked during audio comps. There was no info on whether the modules and factory computers would act nice together, Four days later I took it back and traded toward a Scion tC I ended up going pretty nuts on.
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Anyway, I need to go drive a decent electric car sometime just to experience it. I am actually considering a hybrid, used as seldom buy new stuff, or electric but it would stay mostly stock if I do. I do not think I will like the weight of any electric car no matter how much they try to hide it, always liked very low weight cars my whole over 50 years of modding them.
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I will most likely buy a 2015 2.5 manual trans 5 door Mazda 3, that is a drivers car with very few mods can be amazingly quick in the twisties, great stock as it is! They can get up to 40MPG on the road, which is most of our driving so makes more since than electric in many ways.
I have had around 6-7 Miata's, loved everyone but have an 85lb of sweetheart muscle dog that just will not fit in my wife's lap or on the floor.
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Anyway, I need to go drive a decent electric car sometime just to experience it. I am actually considering a hybrid, used as seldom buy new stuff, or electric but it would stay mostly stock if I do. I do not think I will like the weight of any electric car no matter how much they try to hide it, always liked very low weight cars my whole over 50 years of modding them.
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I will most likely buy a 2015 2.5 manual trans 5 door Mazda 3, that is a drivers car with very few mods can be amazingly quick in the twisties, great stock as it is! They can get up to 40MPG on the road, which is most of our driving so makes more since than electric in many ways.
I have had around 6-7 Miata's, loved everyone but have an 85lb of sweetheart muscle dog that just will not fit in my wife's lap or on the floor.
I opened the hood of Toyota bz4x and surprisingly, the “engine bay” had a lot of stuff in it and looked almost like an engine with hoses, cables and aluminum casing. There was also a standard 12v battery like you would find in a gasoline car. Probably for accessories, lights, radio, computer etc. I am curious what the rest of the stuff was but imagine it’s the climate control and regenerative braking storage etc. in any event, there is a battery for car audio! The car was a joy to drive - no complaints.
I know electric cars are getting better all the time, my real concern is where is all the electricity supposed to come from, especially in planes like CA with a massive power grid issue. I think we need to break open some vaults and dig out all the hidden ways to make cheap and nearly free power I have read so much about, hope it is true and it does happen. I would love to see the end of so much dependence on fossil fuels, in a viable way that is.
The Prius obviously had a battery but not big enough for a decent car audio install, not the kind I was doing at least. In the one I had I wanted power in kilowatts...I used nearly all AB back in the day, McIntosh, Zapco, Arc Audio and other high end gear. I even used some D class Arc Audio but not in competition builds but one street/track/audio comp build I did and it worked great. State of the art for the day and not cheap in the least.
I wonder if they have a way to top off the regular battery in that bz4x if used for car audio and running a decent powered system.
The Prius obviously had a battery but not big enough for a decent car audio install, not the kind I was doing at least. In the one I had I wanted power in kilowatts...I used nearly all AB back in the day, McIntosh, Zapco, Arc Audio and other high end gear. I even used some D class Arc Audio but not in competition builds but one street/track/audio comp build I did and it worked great. State of the art for the day and not cheap in the least.
I wonder if they have a way to top off the regular battery in that bz4x if used for car audio and running a decent powered system.
In the East-coast, much of our electricity comes from coal or natural gas burning power plants. Guess where electricity for charging an electric car comes from? Not exactly reducing greenhouse gases. People need to not kid themselves to believing that it’s so much better for the environment. Until the majority of electricity comes from hydro/wind/geothermal/nuclear will we be rid of making greenhouse gases. Until then, driving an electric car allows to consolidation of the greenhouse gas to a central plant where perhaps better controls on emissions of NOx etc may reduce acid rain and ozone harming compounds from NOx. But there really isn’t much reduction in making CO2.
2015:
Projected 2035, not much better:
Other research shows similar trends:
2015:
Projected 2035, not much better:
Other research shows similar trends: