ZN6

Stock.  Or at least boring SCCA Spec.  This is a continual challenge for me, as fellow FT86’ers tease me with cool purchases and part installs.  In addition, the classification of the ND Miata into C-Street with the FR-S, makes this a less meaningful Solo car than it was for its first years of existence.  I have however, decided that I take great satisfaction from not being that guy who shows up for dinner with a GT wing and no back seat… especially when I can run in front of that guy on event day.

So for the near future, the car exists largely as Mr. Tada created it, and in my opinion he created it well.  Now 27 months into ownership, there is only one other car that I have ever owned for longer.  And while most of my car life relationships are love-hate, this one is all love.  The car is certainly the slowest car that I’ve owned in a very very long time, but it reminds me constantly of all the great things about those other cars, while steering clear of the common pitfalls.

I continue to dream of a car that will always clearly be a ハチロク: naturally aspirated, minimalistic and highly floggable.  For now I am just going to live with one that is a bit soft around the edges.

zn6-sunrise
stupidpackwoodpro
superlative_dish
onlyonevenue
allstock
zn6-winter
firstday
firstgrey
purplehart
401Ian
montanafall
summer
technocast_corsia
titanium
zerocones
onlyonevenue2
sparklycast
interior
zn6-work-emotion-cr
tomei60s

[Show slideshow]
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Specifications of the Machine

Qs Not That Exciting ZN6 FOOTWORK

  • Strano Parts Tubular Fr. Stabilizer Bar
  • Hotchkis 25mm Tubular Fr. Stabilizer Bar
  • Hotchkis Tubular Adjustable Rr. Stabilizer Bar
  • Crash bolts #SU003-02818
  • All the Tire Rack junk

POWER-UP

INTERIOR

  • ノーマル

OTHER

  • Nameless Cam Plate
  • EBC Yellow
  • ARP Extended Wheel Studs

SHOES

  • 16 8J +35 Watanabe F8
  • 16 7J +48 Speedline Acropoli
  • 17 7J +47 Technocast Corsia
  • 17 8J +35 Racing Hart Superlative Dish
  • Motegi Tracklite 17 7J +45
  • Enkei RS-III 16 7J +51-10
  • Work Emotion CR-Kai 16 7J +44
  • Enkei TS10 17 8J +45-5
  • Falken Azenis RT-615K+ 225/45
  • Super Advan Generation II 17 8J +40
  • Michelin Primacy HP 215/45
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Maybe… The 2017 Model is getting closer, and I’m struggling with my car life direction. Now two years and a mere 12000km into modern 86 life, and I have very few complaints with my car… but I always imagine that it could be better. A couple weeks ago I took the car out to our local “road course” for the […]

FS: 2015 Scion FRS

3

I’ve been working my ass off, and often finding myself in crowds that don’t give my lowly 200hp ZN6 any respect at all. It has been a bit of a downer. The end result is often that I find myself awake late at night with a bottle of blue, browsing for a Corvette, or a Porsche… or anything else that […]

A Works “Race” Car

3

Not only have I thrown non-OEM parts on the car now… they aren’t even Japanese. My stamped steel OEM cam plate has been a real PITA to seal, often acting just fine every day on the street, but dripping constantly when flogged at the track. There is a good variety of aftermarket plates available, but I went with a Nameless […]

Not How It Was Meant To Be

The first solo of the season was today… and it was soaking wet.  With a full year of events behind me in this car, I was a bit surprised to realize at the days beginning, that it was going to be my first opportunity to really flog the car in wet conditions. I have always loved driving in the rain… but […]

2016 SASC #1 – Rain

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The Lexus gets a flat tire, and I have no choice but to “unleash the beast” and load the trunk up with punctured Pirelli’s.  Car is tame… more so than the IS300… but the sight of it is enough to turn me on.  The smell too.  Yah my ZN6 with less than 10k km on it has another major oil leak. […]

Rip, Torn.

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Too many friends have keys to the shop? This was a funny surprise, as I have actually been toying with bringing the car out again. Winter has been short, but challenging. Paying monthly on a car that sits is not a new thing, but it isn’t particularly comfortable when no money is coming in. With spring comes employment opportunity. There […]

Spring Sprung

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2 thoughts on “Spring Sprung”

  • Robert

    I find that people who complain about the car’s lack of power stock, then buy some form of F/I, are usually still unhappy once they have it. The car has a particular philosophy and appeal and it seems people don’t really want to understand or accept it. It’s simply a car built for the enjoyment of driving, and if you can’t have fun with the car as it is, no matter what engine you drop in or how much power you make is going to change that.

  • Quentin Osborne Post author

    hell yes!

    I’ve told myself in the past though, that any modification might fall into that same category. If I need to change a car to enjoy it more, when will my enjoyment ever be maximized? 🙂 Probably never… hence why modifying only ends when I have no more money.

    It’s something I’m considering deeply right now, as I really want to personalize the car more.

    As usual, the best answer is nice fancy wheels… and Bilsteins. But mostly wheels. Damn 5X100 ruins everything.