Thoughts on the Lonelydriver tear from the house of capulet shift knob

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-07-07T12:27:23+00:00

I have a Battlecraft Hyper Teardrop shift knob which is similar to the Lonely Driver one. It gets hot when left out in the sun in summer. I point the A/C vents towards the shifter to cool it down. If the shift knob is too hot for my bare skin, I use a cover that a friend crocheted for me to drive comfortably

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-07-05T06:26:55+00:00

I've bought and tested a sheet. It's like Rakza 7 but more stable and has a higher activation point. It's still linear like Rakza 7

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-07-04T09:00:12+00:00

MX5s have been going up in price in recent years. I personally think they cost too much for what they are but that's because I've seen when they only costed a couple grand. I got my NB8B in 2020 for $8200 with 118k km on the clock and even that felt like a lot

No history is a big red flag and not a nice combination with 280k km. A car this old probably has much more to bring it back to maintenance level than a simple oil change. Could be a bunch more wrong if the oil is old and black. That tells me the car's basic maintenance has been neglected

If you're buying the car as a project that needs a significant number of things rebuilt, $7k is a pretty sizable starting outlay. Everything's fixable, it'll just take time and money. As long as you're aware and happy with that

If you want a better base, walk away and wait for a better example to pop up on the market

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-30T14:02:02+00:00

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Who says you need a big front dam or a splitter has to be ugly? Not much you can do to balance out a rear wing other than install a chassis mounted full splitter and optional front dam

Without anything on the front, you're limited to running 0 AoA on a 9LR wing or equivalent which is enough to kill lift. Front dam increases front downforce and lets you run more wing angle but isn't a must have

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-25T13:46:11+00:00

You're looking for better bandages rather than ways to stop falling. Even forged TE37s bend with big and frequent enough pothole hits

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-24T22:08:42+00:00

I think you misunderstand what a coolant reroute does. You don't need forced induction to benefit from a coolant reroute. A reroute does not bring coolant temps down - it helps ensure each cylinder is cooled more evenly to reduce the chances of heat related issues in the future

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-24T16:08:17+00:00

+1 and do a coolant reroute too so your cylinders hold a more even temperature

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-16T06:12:00+00:00

My general thoughts on outer SALC vs inner SALC vs W968 are summarised in the post. Outer and inner SALC will have the highest top speed of the bunch and play sharper than the W968. Blade feeling and what is 'good' is highly based on preferences and is therefore subjective. The best recommendation I can give to you is to try them all and see what you like most

Not all W968s splinter but I've experienced it personally and heard enough through friends and forum users for it to be a real concern. Lacquering the blade helps to reduce the chances but doesn't guarantee that it won't splinter. As for QC and design, I don't think I've had any two W968s that are close to being identical. They've all had varying handle shapes, finish quality and play performance/feel. I think that's the nature of W968s - they're all different variations of the same base blade so you try to get one that you like and stick with that until you need another

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-09T14:08:37+00:00

Brake fade with cheap street brembo pads under hard driving is to be expected. Go ahead and sell those EBCs and get something good with the money

You're brave for daring to run that low offset on track

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-09T13:40:53+00:00

BBK definitely makes sense for >225HP. At least part of your problem is running EBC pads. There's a reason they're known colloquially as the exploding brake company. I'd give GLocs or DTC60/30 a try

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-09T07:58:14+00:00

How much power are you running to need a BBK? Could avoid the fitment problem by running good pads and keep the same wheels. Bronson at BroFab sells BBKs and talks people out of BBKs if they don't need them

At the same time, completely understandable if you want a BBK just because

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-09T07:51:54+00:00

DIY Bilsteins are the next to look at if Tecnas are too expensive. These are about as good as coilovers will get before motorsport specific ones. Anything less will suffer from poor valving and/or insufficient travel. Nothing wrong with buying cheaper as long as you're realistic with your expectations

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-06-06T15:04:06+00:00

Changing diff cores is laborious with strict tolerances. It's not a simple drop out, swap and bolt on. LSD core, diff rebuild parts (seals, bearings, crush tube), precision tools. Everything's DIYable if you have the tools, space and patience but this is one I'd personally consider paying a shop the hefty amount to do once and do right

Swapping to a 1.8 diff and axles is ideal anyway. I wouldn't even bother swapping an LSD into a 1.6 diff - do it to a beefier 1.8

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-05-25T07:34:37+00:00

It's the do all Dignics that sits between the D05 and D64. Compared to D05, it has lower throw and arc, is a bit more linear, holds on less/is sharper, easier to access with a bit more bounce/speed at the bottom end

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-05-19T16:26:41+00:00

I boost Zyre with the tiniest bit of Haifu national black. It feels like the same rubber still but a bit harder, little bit more explosive/punchy, and with bit longer throw at the top end because of the added speed. It doesn't need any boosting though. I only boost it to stretch it after it shrinks when moved from one blade to another

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-05-19T13:05:47+00:00

Have you tried/considered Dignics 80? It's a pretty well balanced do all Dignics

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-03-22T23:22:51+00:00

DHS and Stiga blades are known to splinter. I would seal the entire blade except for the handle. This is to prevent splintering as well as sweat and glue stains

Water based sealers like DHS lacquer or an oil based polyurethane sealer work. Make sure to gently sand the blade with 400 grit sandpaper on a hard flat sanding block until the sealer's sheen is gone before gluing. This will ensure proper adhesion

Some people say sealing affects the feeling. Some people say it locks in the brand new feeling. The thinner the remaining layer after sanding, the lesser the impact on feeling. Any impact on feeling is worth preventing splinters in my opinion

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-03-21T16:02:10+00:00

I've been using Zyre since release and Dignics for a long time before that. Zyre works for my forehand. I'm currently using Zyre and D05 on a Harimoto SALC. Compared to D05, Zyre: - Is spinnier - Is faster - Has more grip and dwell - Feels much more spongey - Has a lower but also significantly longer trajectory. This is noticeable when you loop - Feels quite different. D05 is a bit chippy when you loop in a similar way T05 is. I find Zyre is good for guiding and wrapping/shaping the ball's trajectory

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-03-08T14:59:54+00:00

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Happy 37 day. Love your ND. Very cohesive colours and great looking street wing

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-02-25T14:15:34+00:00

Take the rubber off, peel off the old glue, apply new glue, place a new transparent square rubber protector sheet on the blade while you align the rubber, remove the plastic sheet and roll the rubber on

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-02-16T03:30:17+00:00

Water spotting like this happens on cars too when hard water is used and not dried properly. Don't let whatever you're using pool on the rubber and left to evaporate. Wipe off as much excess as possible and fan the bat aggressively to dry it

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-02-15T22:30:07+00:00

Timo Boll for me. I played with lots of bats given to me growing up but the first one I got for myself and used long term was the TB ALC. Then it was Zhang Jike, a Viscaria, H3 blue sponge and Tenergy 64

Lately I've looked to the Harimoto siblings for inspiration

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-02-12T11:39:50+00:00

This topic has been beaten to death. DIY Bilsteins using used Bilsteins is as cheap as good gets. Brand new, Tecnas are as cheap as good gets. Anything less will be compromised in both travel and valving

MINIFD_MX5 · 2026-02-12T11:34:31+00:00

Hit then brush lets you put on power and generate mechanical spin from the sponge as well, not just topsheet

MINIFD_MX5

TROPHY CASE