Artiga

http://paultan.org/2011/04/21/youngman-artiga/

"Not bad". Those were the words that came out from my mouth. As much as this story has been re-blogged many times with every ones personal opinion, ideas and criticism, now it is my turn.

A 2-door 4 seater car, fully kitted with carbon fiber parts, wide arches, supercharged engine and hell of a nice color. If you buy a Honda, even a Type-R, the original Mugen aerokit price is gonna killed you straight away. Honda enthusiasts are dying hard to order fender extension/arches for them to use wider rims and that alone is another hefty parcel from Japan. This car has awesome wide fenders both front and back. I believe you could easily fit a 17x9 without rolling your fenders even. The front looks amazing to me. Supercharging would be the best combo for a small engine and you get to utilize some un-lag power through out the range. Rear diffuser, this is the cherry to the complete aerokit.

I think i am not gonna change anything on this car except for better and wider wheels. The rest id rather appreciate what has been designed. As we all know we always want to have something that has been done in our mind which we usually couldn't adapt and accept new changes. In other words, this is a "Proton Satria Neo" on steroids :)

Click Paul Tan's blog for more photos.

Mivek4doddle

Mivek4doddle Project Battery Relocation, Again.

I have relocated my battery to the back since a very long time ago.
Had the aluminium box customed perfectly for my NS60 sized battery.

My original plan to run a smaller battery did not turn out well when
my airfilter system blocked the battery and i did not hav enough space.
Other spaces in the engine bay was really right unless i run on ITBs.

So i relocated the relocated battery location again. 

I made an FAQ for those who plan to use this type of battery in the future.

1. What made you want to change to the smaller battery?
Because of the size. I was seeking something compact and lighter
than my original battery (NS60).

2. Why Odyssey and not Optima?
I have not seen any smaller version Optima batteries in the market 
and those using Optima are usually audio fanatics.

3. Is it heavy?
Lighter than my NS60 and it is around 6kg.

4. How do you compare Odyssey versus normal battery?
Higher CCA. High cranking. High resistance to vibration.
Maintenance free.

5. Can you use it if you have normal sound system.
Yes. Normal sounds system setup. 

6. Compare to those small race batteries like Spoon, any differences?
Track cars do not have power windows and sound system. It was meant
to crank and light up your headlight. Spoon is smaller and lighter
but not long lasting for daily driven.

7. Anybody else in Malaysia using it?
As far as i know only 2 people :) 3 including me. Maybe more, God knows.

8. Can it be used daily?
It was meant to be used daily.

9. What are the costs?
Rm8xx battery only. RM3XX custom box. RMXXX installation charges.

10. Is it bad to put the battery inside the cabin?
Only if its not dry cell. Dry cell has no acid to spill and no gases to vent.
Keep it far away from heat is the best way to make it last.

11. Is it legal to relocate the battery?
"Malaysia Boleh"

12. Experiences?
This is my 1st time using it and i will update again in the next 12-24 months
if this battery survive. Also choose the right battery for your application.
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/applications.htm

13. Do we have a local distributor in Malaysia?
No. Nearest is Singapore. 

14. Can i get other style of after market battery holders?
Try Google.

15. I heard Odyssey is not good but you still buy it?
I also heard that aliens are coming down and gonna probe your ass. I heard.

Project Battery Relocation Completed.


Mivek4doddle

Mivek4doddle Project Interior Restoration

I have taken the interior panels and have been riding without the rear interiors. Somehow or rather it makes me happier riding without them.

Authorities? If you happen to go through their daily blocks or checks, just be honest *smiles*.

Project Interior Restoration Completed.

Mivek4doddle

Modifications

Mivek4doddle Modifications Link
I have removed it since most of them are old mods since 2006. The posts are still alive if you wanna go through them by year.

Build-up Links
I have renamed them for easier search. Usually those links with "Part 2" are usually the end of it unless something new comes up, which i doubt so.

Mivek4doddle

Mivek4doddle Project Aero Mirrors

You really dont have much choices when you drive a Proton. So far i have seen in real life a friend installed a Ganador S15 side mirrors on his Proton Wira Aeroback. It looks good and Ganador dont come cheap both non-CF and CF.


Dont ask me how he fitted the damn mirrors koz it looks perfectly fit. Thought of pushing the limit a bit but the Craft Square prices were sick expensive.

There were not much of choices actually from the aftermarket catalog. They had CF versions like the APR style but that was more of form over function. Am not interested in the Spoon style mirrors also. The APRs are smaller than my palm and i prolly can see a tiny portion of the road. For a daily driven, the side mirror has to work especially during raining season. Blind spot is one story, not able to see your side mirrors clearly is another story.

When i got to know about the Vision Technica Sport TC (Touring Competition) which was for sale and brand new, i knew i had to buy it. No doubt the "motorcycle" or "bicycle" style look wasnt an in-thing. These mirrors do have in CF version but i doubt i can get on my hands on any of them unless i bid them hard.

I ordered them. Arrived less than a week. As usual, someone has to be crazy to do some DIY to make it fit. The face plate mounts were not for my car obviously but i still pursued them. When it arrived i had to ask an aluminium specialist to custom a plate for me. As you can see the difference in the photos. 

Once the plates were ready, it had to be sprayed as i wanted it to be black for this
prototype project.

After bolting it on, it looks good. Compared to my stock mirrors it looks slightly smaller but it functions like any other stock mirror. The size is bigger than the APRs incase if you are wondering.

Last but not least, they are non electrical powered mirrors. 


Project Aero Mirrors Completed.


Mivek4doddle

Counterfeit Hondata S300

Whether it works or not, i dont wanna know. Its like Robocop with a monkey brain waiting for something to go bananas. Yeah, it may be the same "cheap" components by another "damn good electrician" with mass demands for cheap EMS, this is something you dont want to fool around especially on a modded engine bay with your monthly paychecks.

More infos :
http://www.hondata.com/s300_counterfeit.html

Mivek4doddle

Mivek4doddle Project Mugen Lugs

I have added some photos on an old thread.

http://mivek4doddle.blogspot.com/2010/11/project-build-up-iii-part-2.html

Mivek4doddle

MIvek4doddle Project Extractor Swap

My 1st aftermarket extractor was RPW's 4-1 full steel extractor which i purchased a used unit from a close friend. It was full steel and it was heavy. One thing i noticed clearly was the collector joint which is the biggest i have seen so far at that time. It made the Mugen 4-1 for ITR looked small. The collector size  is no doubt 2.5", but the extension that goes to the joint is as big as my clenched
fist. Maybe bigger. 

Unfortunately, the ground clearance for the RPW extractor was not hump friendly. As you can see i did a comparison with an oldschool Nokia cellphone and hell it was low. JFA Motorsports (Sunway) did a custom plate and it lasted to the last day.

Based on my less than 180whp spec, it performed well. Mid range and top end was good. The low end was a bit of sluggish but it was not that obvious for my daily driven beater. It was smooth and good on the highway.

After using it for 5 years, i decided i wanted to try something different. Since Cusco do not make anymore of their 4-2-1 extractors for the old 4G92 Mivec, i had to source a local custom copy which was brand new and cheap. The RPWs was sold to another
RPW fanatic.

As usual before the installation that tiny dilemma bullshit of "4-2-1 vs 4-1" ran into my mind. Since i never had the opprtunity to try a aftermarket 4-2-1 before this, this is my golden opportunity. It was stainless steel and light compared to the RPWs.

The collector size was 2.5" and the bend was not low this time. After the installation i had a few runs and the low end and mid range power was good. I felt a bit of choke at the top end but at that point i know my power was dropping which i dont need it
to rev more.

Incase if anyone wants to know about the fuel consumptions, i am still hitting mid 5XXkm for a full tank of ron97. There are no magical theories about it unless i run my collector like the drag cars on the side of the bumper. Ha ha.

To some this is an upgrade, to others its a downgrade. Up to you how you wanna call it.

http://www.rpw.com.au/ (by the way, they have them in stainless steel already)


Mivek4doddle

Panda's Long Hiatus

It is almost new year and the last time i blogged was almost a year a go. I am here. Did not go to Alaska and live with the bears (which i dream to do it one crazy day). So yeah, here i am back in action.

Blogspot 
After my last entry i had gotten to know that some of my photos were missing. When i checked the links to the photos it seems it was kept in another Blogspot server. I then randomly clicked some of my pages and disappointedly found out many photos were missing. Yes, i felt miserable especially when it comes to the DIY photos which were not that great but it could have help somebody else in achieving the same project. I tried to restore from my backup files but it was fucking tiring. I managed to restore 90% of it and the rest nothing much i can do. Will do it when i have the time.

Work
It was above my head. 2011 was a fantastic, pathetic, shitty, damn productive year i had so far. To balance things off, i am re-starting my blog and this time gonna dedicate more on my little projects.

Clean-Up
If you have noticed i have thrown away the online magazines section. You can refer them on your Facebook since they have their pages there. On the write-ups, i left only 2 good guys (my brother and Redza) which are still pursing their mods and projects even i have forgotten to upload their photos *sorry*. The rest which has sold their cars and stopped modding, i have removed them for good. I have also lost contact with some of them. You can always do a search on them which i did not remove their write-ups for your references. I have checked most of the links and i think Kinsler's website is down at the moment. I have added AT Power for those that like shaft-less ITBs and Clock Wise Motion for roller barrel ITBs. I have added my good friend Hizam's new blog on his Honda Integra DC-5.

Blog Layout
The new templates from Blogspot looks nice, dynamic and bit confusing. So i decided to stay on the same simple style for easier access to my pages.

I have done a few little projects this year which might interest some of you guys. I will update this blog in the coming days and hopefully i can cover all mods for this year before New Year. Just a tip, i did not do anything extraordinary which i believe some people have done it and even proved it legally on the track. As long i manage to keep them documented, i am a bloody happy man.

Hope you guys are well. Those of you whom are still reading my blog, i apologize sincerely for the long hiatus. Keep up with the continuous improvement and dont forget to have fun koz fun do not make you sell your cars *laughs*.

Mivek4doddle

Satria Neo Concept

In the recent KLIMS event, i went to see this car. To be honest, i loved it a lot. The black and yellow color contrast is awesome. One thing for sure they managed to fit the new wheels nicely. The engine bay is nice, clean and turbocharged. I got some info on that particular day that this car is gonna be prepped for 2011 time-attack events. With such a small displacement and good torque figures, i have yet to see it perform this year at the track.

Probably this concept model would cost more than the green goblin Neo. But then again, this is the best i have see coming from Proton for sports car enthusiasts. The japanese are already concentrating on hybrid models and also smaller displacement like the 1.5 engines, so i reckoned this is better for petrol heads unless you dont mind driving a family Volvo.

I am giving this car a 10/10. As long R3 is still around, i have good confidence they can do some magic for other future models.