Al N.

Todd, it's actually my current car... Al N's Superlight Shoot me a PM via USA7s.org or email me at al at mintadv dot com. Car is currently in NYC...on static display at a store of friends.

Of course Jon posts none of the times we went over 10 mph! Perhaps not so similar to my rain-soaked auto-x pace? :jester:

harold- You know when I commented that you should somehow treat that little center bolt on the TMW set up? Actually, that bolt is fine. It's the four allen bolts that hold the blue thing down that are a bit corroded on my car... -A

Awesome news! Of course, I know a great marque-inclusive website that would be a great place to showcase the new initiative....

wonder if it was anyone here (or over on the CCC)?

Todd...was this you? Elise on Killboy.com To get props from Killboy (aka. photographer Darryl Cannon) is a very high honor. And if you are interested in a very nice Seven in the NJ area, I happen to know of one for sale....

I'm honestly a bit yawn on this one... Since we have guys running Duratecs and guys running sequentials over here in the US already, this is a bit of a non-story to me. And I'm not loving the rear clear corner treatment. New r500 unveil at Jalopnik...

I think seller would be better off parting out the car. Sell the chassis as is for cheap, then try to get the $$$ for the motor...if it is the last one Mickey Thompson touched, it will command a premium. Together as presented, it's sort of a not incredibly compelling project car. Just my opinion, of course.

Well, you know, because I treat it like an "almost-trailer-queen"...:jester: Believe me, after driving it a few times already this season, I'm thinking long and hard about ways to keep the car in the family! Box can vouch.

If you're in the NYC area... you can see Orange in person at my friends' store: Groupe1620 on Elizabeth between Houston and Prince: Here's a link to their corporate blog: Al's car in NYC retail store... It'll be there until early May, in time for Carlisle!

I'd like to see more of what Brian is doing on this front...until then, I'd say that Westfield's variant seems to be the most true to the original XI...I read somewhere that a Westfield's panels will actually fit an original. That Kokopelli doesn't work visually for me. It's elevenesque, but not close enough...just my 2 cents.

This is why I don't track my car! (yes, I know that a hillclimb isn't a dedicated race track, but you get my point...i hope. Even those orange cones, yikes, might muss my carbon fenders!) :jester:

I think the calendar idea is great. We should really pursue this. Let's use this thread to collect pix...I think we should only have pix taken by or of USA7s forum members' cars and available for use in high-rez format (including release from photog and/or vehicle owner). If you like someone else's particular pix, please chime in so we can get a feel for crowd favorites. We'll want a mix of marques, settings, events (USA7s ones if possible?!?), and vintages of course. Perhaps the final selection made by some of the more artistic types here: Gwar, John Donohoe, Steve T? In terms of production, we could price it out with the internet providers, and I could get a quote from our preferred printer here in NJ. We should get some Se7en-centric dates on the calendar too... Great idea Kit Kat/Mike M!

Actually, you have to get the photographer to release the photo and the "model" too.... So if we pursue the calendar, you need to check with the photographer first (since it's for a not-for-profit club, hopefully they'll be cool about it) and be sure to give photo/owner credits. Obviously, we're going to want the highest rez files too...another reason to speak to the photographer... -Al

I'm sure you could get Keith Tanner to sign it, if you want. He's on here from time to time.

i think any shot that captures some moment of some memorable drive is the best...and each owner/fan has their own favorite — and surprisingly, it doesn't necessarily have to feature one's own car to be a favorite (as Mike as already proved). My personal favorite, perhaps of all time, features the Friday AM drive from the Dragon. It had rained overnight and the roads were still damp. It was super early too, like 6 or 7 or something, and most of us had just gotten in the night before. While I knew Mazda, I had never met Norm B. or Michael D. before. And then to throw Jonny L., the journo from Jalopnik into the mix...I didn't get out on the road too much that weekend and for me, the shot of from Michael's car looking forward to Norm and I in a particularly twisty stretch is priceless. It's the screen saver for my second monitor as well as the photo from the USA7s banner. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/946596632_WetDragon.jpg And then, there was this shot, which was taken right after our non-parade...just one car in the foreground, but I can remember the camaraderie and "Well, that was cool." vibe that had settled on us all that AM. Good times, good times. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1881888560_GroupPhoto.jpg

I've noticed a lot of recent sign ups lately. And then I looked at the member counter and saw we are in the mid-600 range. Amazing! Thanks again to Mazda and all the people who contribute to the forum.

Tom M. of Manik (the new Westfield importer) is a great guy and so is Doug, the Westfield dealer in NC. I'm pretty sure Tom has a demo vehicle in TX. I love these things, btw...

I find that "Chrome" setting is good for legibility, yet retains grey bars and syncs with new header..

You know what I just realized about the ads? They both use the descriptor "Ultimate"?!? And is it just me or is the Westfield headline extremely close to the BMW line...not that I disagree with it, of course.

Wow! It really makes the site look different — more "professional" really. I like everything except the reverse type (white on black), which is even in this text input box I'm typing in now. I'm pretty sure Mazda can adjust that, though. BTW, Mazda, on my browser I see the following at the very bottom of my screen (below forum): yaf_pageload: 0.013 yaf_topic_info: 0.001 yaf_forum_list: 0.001 yaf_forum_listpath: 0.001 yaf_post_list: 0.012 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.000 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.016 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.000 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.000 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.000 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_usergroup_list: 0.001 yaf_watchtopic_check: 0.001 yaf_active_listtopic: 0.001 yaf_forum_listall: 0.002

Jack- Welcome (or at least, a semi-official welcome now that you're no longer just a lurker)! I'm sure the Stalker faithful will be over to help soon, but I wanted to let you know that I've seen a Seven on Oahu...a Caterham I think. I think you could get a used stalker for about the $$ you are looking for, but the shipping fee might bump things up a bit. Best of luck. -Al Navarro

Sean- You know another HUGE difference? Rear visibility. That X-brace is smack in the middle of my view!?! Maybe I should offer the FIA bar to one of the more trackday types out there?!? and kill two birds with one stone (the other bird being the fit of the Jill Judd cover)... -Al

No...differences in weight as "measured" by hand...

Great to see you again Box! Thanks for making the trip in. Many folks here were discussed fondly and/or with awe/amusement. I had a good time at the NYC show, and the car was well received (honestly, it's always a bit of a star in mixed model company...especially with the kids, a number of whom I let sit in Orange — easier to do than with the other cars on dispay). Driving in the city was a mixed bag. We were stuck in crosstown traffic coming out of the Javits for about 30 minutes and I was worried the car would overheat. Jon and I discussed a less-trafficky early Sunday AM drive of the streets sometime in the summer. If I still have the car, I'm in. The car is now installed at my friends' store in NoLita... http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/882949659_OrangeatGroupe.jpg It'll be there all of April, coming out early May in time for Carlisle meet up. -Al