Kansei photo update!

[kansei]

I took a lot of Photos today, here they are!
click for photo gallery on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/clauretano/sets/72157602202050244/)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1003/1459687163_9936cb638f.jpg

Aside from lots of various detailing efforts, as you might have noticed I removed the lower front grille which was hiding my front mounted intercooler oh so well. I'm going to put the grille back in after the races tomorrow.. not that it makes a difference for performance, but I just wanted to see if I'd like the look. I painted the mounting tabs and bars for the grille black so that they wouldn't stick out so badly.

here's the engine bay photo (yes, I actually cleaned up a bit under there for once).. pardon the rust, it snows ~300cm per year here, and they salt heavily with a special, very corrosive salt blend.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1096/1460520910_8cdd5425a9.jpg

[D-rock240]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1074/1460470520_93cef1b5bd_b.jpg

I say leave it off and cut the 3 plastic pieces. And damn, your engine bay is hot :clap:

So much better than MOTM

[kansei]

Problem is, 3 of the 4 corner clips that hold the grille in place are broken. It is mostly held in by those 3 bars. I mean I guess if I want the grille back in all I have to do is buy a new one and the corner clips can hold it ok..

[AzteCypher]

I agree, cut those 3 bars out and it'll look sharp. The grill shouldn't be that expensive to replace if you ever wanted to put it back in.

[kansei]

I think it's $13.00.. seriously one of the cheapest parts for our cars ever.

I wonder if it'll sag without the 3 bars in. I still don't like how it looks, because it really shows off the slight misalignment of the intercooler.

here she is in video today at the last autocross of this year's FLR SCCA Solo season

videeeeoooo (http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/chaksq/?action=view&current=MOV02397.flv)

I met some dude from imazda.com who lives in Connecticut (where I'm originally from).. I talked to him on that forum before but had no idea at all that he goes to the same university I do (RIT --it's where the autocross today was held).

what a small world ;)

[kansei]

I dunno if I ever posted about the accident my car was in at the end of November, so here's a photo update. The car was in a 10+ car pileup on the New York State Thruway (speed limit: 65mph or about 105 km/h). I was actually the front of the pileup, but not the one at fault. Traffic came to an abrupt stop as drivers were distracted by a serious accident on the other side of the highway. I stopped casually as I saw the car in front of me stopping. The car behind me did the same, though not leaving enough distance for what was about to happen. The Honda Accord (a bigger, heavier car than the Accord sold in Europe) behind me was struck by a car traveling at at least 40 mph, who apparently sucks pretty badly at driving. The Accord was rammed into the rear of my car, inflicting me with chassis damage as the car struck my rear liftgate and didn't hit the big steel rear bumper support at all.

click on the images for bigger size

morning of the accident:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2001/2064413382_37e06a5257_b.jpg

accident:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2063646909_395d75eebc_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2122/2064440628_57fbf48089_b.jpg

after repairs (with Mazda wheels and hood for winter):
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2119/2178918173_881218d0d9_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2045/2179714188_299693e6eb_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/2178932267_5dce23b273_b.jpg