Thought I'd post a few images I took at the MRCCFL.com meet (Gold Coast BBQ) event that took place Friday and Saturday. I was there Saturday only but there were at least 40 cars in attendance. It was a great time, especially visiting SpeedSource. Not many individuals get a first-hand look inside a real race prep shop and their RX8's were amazing (well everything inside that shop was amazing). They're not in any particular order (they're backwards chronologically actually). The event included a dyno session in the morning, BBQ in the early afternoon, and a visit to SpeedSource in the late afternoon.



First pic, outside SpeedSource with a bunch of the club cars in the parkinglot. Lots of 2nd gens, a handfull of third gens and about four RX8's.

 

Here's one of three SpeedSource-built RX8's that will run in the Speedvision Cup. They make about 250 flywheel hp and feature stock engines, brakes, roll cage, Motec engine management and a few other nifty features. It's apparently faster than the Boxter these guys ran last year, the car that won the championship. They feel very confident about the upcoming season.

 

And yes, they started the car after much prompting from the croud. Guess what, sounded like a rotary! They also popped the hood but no pictures were allowed. Not much to see. They're stock Renesis engines. The engine/tuner guy commented it's by far the best rotary engine ever made by Mazda in terms of internal balance and tolerances. Right now they're running the stock Mazda 2pc seals but are trying Ianetti's Ceramic seals using the older (3rd gen and previous) apex edge radius. Apparently they're also going to create new ceramic seals with the updated "Renesis" edge radius/shape.

 

Here's something most of us will never see (at least not for 10 years when 8's start showing up at the junkyard!), a fully stripped complete chassis. It weighs 801lbs. with doors.

 

here's a better shot of the interior roll cage. Mazda provided technical data on how to build the roll cage in these cars. The chassis is about 300% stiffer than the third gen and according to SpeedSource, easier to drive at the limit than the third gen (which is pretty darn easy IMHO). The two yellow cars are Mazda Factory backed cars. Other factory backed entrants are Lexus (IS 300), Acura (RSX) and BMW (3 series 4 door). There are at least two other Mazda's running in the same class, those being a Protoge' and a 6.

 

The cars feature U.S.-spec Mazdaspeed body kits. No rear valiance however. The MSpeed front end in the US has a smaller opening to cover the bumper bar we use here but not used in Japan. Can't believe they're using stock brakes! (upgraded pads and fluid however)



He wouldn't give out spring rates, but the balance would be the same as running 1000lbs. front to 800lbs. rear. Stock rear swaybar, MUCH beefier front bar (dialing out understeer anyone?)



The cars run ZERO split on the timing with the Motec. None, zilch. The tuner has tried tons of different combinations with no real or significant changes in output. The intake ports are pretty much maxed out in his opinion but the exhaust has a bit in it. Just the ports however. No one has made any hp going to a tuned header, mostly due to the side port configuration not being "tuneable" for exhaust pulse. Apparently the stock log manifold is designed well.

 

The silver car is semi-privateer. All told, they're scheduled to build five RX8's. One is running in a Belgium series and another is for a privateer if I remember correctly. The shop is immaculate and they also run in the Daytona Prototype series with Ford Cobra-engined cars.



The rims are Racing Hart CP035's made to their specifications to be even lighter. RH provides rims for the Mazdaspeed series of cars so there's a "Mazda" connection. They have unique offsets and center design which runs sans center caps. They're even lighter than the off the shelf piece.

 

One last shot of all three completed cars. They've tested the cars quite a bit.

 

First gen, Cosmo 13B motor, single turbo, blowthrough turbo kit. Yes, they're swapping jets out on the dyno.

 

See, told you they were swapping jets...Normally he runs fuel injection but his Haltech went down. Put on the carb just for this event and made 371hp at the rear wheels. Nice. Very nice.