Re-installed Moton Club Sports

After receiving the "old" Moton Club Sports back from ANZE Suspension a few weeks ago, I didn't expect we'd be able to install it until March due to the weather but we got a nice preview of Spring weather today so Hez and I took the opportunity to pop them in.

Ready to install the Motons - 2/21/2016

It only took us 2 hours taking our sweet time this go around since we weren't wasting time trying to adjust spring perches or figure out where to mount the external reservoirs. Needless to say, the installation went along smoothly and we set all the dampers to their middle settings for now.

Motons reinstalled - 2/21/2016

Front reservoirs remounted a bit more cleanly this time - 2/21/2016

Fresh shock body installed - 2/21/2016

I put about 200 miles on her today and I'm glad to report that the valving changes and the much needed reduction in nitrogen pressure made a world of difference. She responds very positively to undulating surfaces without any nervousness and I can definitely feel the reduction of excess spring rate now that the nitrogen pressures are back to more normal value for these springs.

Rear shocks reinstalled - 2/21/2016

I reset the spring perches back to the height they were at when we removed them late last year but for some reason the rear now sits a bit high. I'm going to let the springs settle a bit and adjust the height before I take her in for an alignment. Hopefully we get another break in the weather soon we get her alignment sorted before the first test day in March.

Moton Clubs Sport Rebuild

In the beginning of December last year, Hez and I pulled out the Motons from Lupa so I could have them sent out for a rebuild/revalve. I dropped them off at ANZE Suspension in Glencove Rd in Long Island later that month where after a quick inspection, we determine that two of the shock bodies would have to be replaced to damage on the threads along with a new upper spring retainer that had gotten deformed from when I had the springs without the helpers. This would require ordering new bodies from Moton in Holland and with the holidays under way, I was just hoping I could get them back in time before the racing season started.

Rebuilt/Revalved Moton Clubsports - ANZE Suspension
2/1/2016

Amazingly the guys at ANZE were able to secure me brand new replacement shock bodies and have it all rebuilt and revalved based on discussions we had around changes I wanted in a month. 

Shock Dyno - Front Full Range - 2/5/2016

Shock Dyno - Front match - 2/5/2016

Shock Dyno - Rear Full Range - 2/5/2016

Shock Dyno - Rear Match - 2/5/2016

After I got them back to the garage, I mated them back up with the springs and helpers and set the collar height to what they were right after we took them off. It's so nice having clean, fresh shocks where every collar moves smoothly again and all the pieces fit together just right. All that's left to do is to find a weekend to put these back on and get realigned before the first event in March so we can begin retuning the suspension.

Shocks and springs all back together again - 2/5/2016

Winter Demodding

When I built Lupa for STR over the summer, I knew that my old Moton Clubsports were long overdue for a rebuild and possibly a revalve (since they were valved for a B-Stock spring setup).  With some baseline data gathered from previous events, I decided that it would be best to pull the shocks off now and have them worked on over the winter so we'd be in tip top shape for next season. It would also be a good opportunity to fix/replace one of the rear shock bodies where there's an issue with the threads making ride height adjustment extra difficult.

Motons removed - 12/5/2015

We lucked out today with some good weather so I went over to see Hez and we used his new QuickJack to make quick work of swapping in the OEM shocks/springs and OEM wheels again.

OEM shocks back in - 12/5/2015

OEM 4x4 stance - 12/5/2015

In reality, Lupa will probably be washed and tucked away for the winter so the 4x4 like OEM stance isn't really a problem for me. It is pretty incredible how great the OEM shocks work and feel out of the box but they're definitely no match in competition to the Moton goodness.

Motons off the car with springs removed ready for relaving - 12/5/2015

Demodding Lupa for the winter - 12/5/2015

As an interesting side note, I took a picture of the tread on the RE-71s on the Koseis after 4 events with codrivers and 4000 miles (including the recently 3000 mile road trip I did). Surprisingly, the wear was even and I still have plenty of tread left for some serious competition next season. Great job there Bridgestone!

Rear RE-71s after 4000 miles - 12/5/2015

S2000 East Coast Road Trip - Day 6 (The End)

Well, I finally completed my trip. Lupa and I drove a total of 3,137.6 miles over the course of 6 days covering 9 states and a tiny stint in Washinton D.C. all with the top down except for that one day of heavy rain. I'm not sure what I expected from this trip. Part of me thought I wouldn't be able to make it and I'd have to turn back at some point from back pain or something. It's not because driving to Florida and back is particularly hard. Lots of people do it all the time, especially old people that go back and forth apparently, but driving a S2000, in particular, a STR prepped S2000 is a different story. The only thing that bothered me was the lack of sleep and the ever changing weather since I had vowed to drive top down in all but heavy rain. The hot and humid days in Florida were brutal but so were the really cold days when I got back north. Leaving Charlottesville, Virginia this morning at 38F just as the sun was rising with the top down had me questioning my sanity for example.

Final fill up for this trip - NJ - 11/14/2015

I'm really happy how well this trip went. Lupa is prepped for SCCA's STR autocross class which stands for Street Touring Roadster and a 3000+ mile road trip definitely puts the "street" and "touring" into context and of course she is a "roadster". She's such an amazing car to drive. She puts up a fight and can get it done when she's being raced but on the street she's refined like a lady with a tiny bit of attitude on the side to keep you in check.

Back into NYC via the GWB - 11/14/2015

I got to see some parts of the country I hadn't yet seen. It was interesting. I didn't really hate any of it in a way that would prevent me from passing through again in the future but then there were places like the Shenandoah Valley that I know for sure I want to come back to every year. There really isn't anything special about this trip if you look at it on paper. Sure I drove 3138 miles and sure I drove it solo but so have plenty of other people in other cars. The difference for me is like having fat-free, sugar-free, vanilla ice cream in a cup versus a hazelnut ice cream with brownie bits, nuts, chocolate syrup in a chocolate dipped waffle cone. Sure, both will get you a sweet tooth fix but only one will really make you feel like to lived a little.

Finally done, 3137.6 miles later - New York - 11/14/2015

More importantly, this trip helped clear my mind, put things into perspective and inspired me. I can honestly say after this trip that "I lived" and that is an appropriate segue into the video I put together to capture the essence of this trip. It's been quite a while since I did a video project. I've been utterly uninspired recently to put this kind of effort into anything but for this trip it seemed fun, exciting and natural and it was near and dear to my heart which didn't make it any easier to create but it did make the entire process that much more enjoyable. 

S2000 East Coast Tour 2015 Video

Photo/Video Equipment

• iPhone 5S
• GoPro Hero 3 Plus
• Canon 5D MK2 with 24-70L 

Audio Equipment 

• Azden SMX-10 mic and of course built-in mics in the video equipment

Edited with 

• Final Cut Pro X on 13" Macbook Pro (Late 2013 Retina)

Music 

• "I lived" by One Republic

Sound bites 

• Shigeru Uehara, lead designer and "father" of the S2000 and NSX - S2K home coming 2015 and S2000 EuroMeet 2014
• Jeremy Clarkson - Interview by Eric Bana in "Love the Beast"

S2000 East Coast Road Trip - Day 5

The past 4 days of this road trip have mostly involved driving long distances from destination to destination and then spending some time exploring each area on foot. For this last full day away from home, I wanted to cap it off with a more pure driving adventure. I was strongly recommended by several friends to make sure I swing by the Shenandoah Valley and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive in Virginia. I stayed near Charlotte,  North Carolina, last night so my plan was to leave early for the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center near Roanoke, Virginia and get on the Parkway there and take it north all the way to Skyline Drive. I suppose I should've checked first but it turns out that the "season" is over and all the visitor centers along route were closed. The road was still open though and the upside to the season being over was that there were very few cars out. I had the whole road to myself the vast majority of the time just the way I like it.

Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center - Roanoke, VA - 11/13/2015

If you've ever driven I-95 or in Florida before, you know that it's basically a bunch of straight lines so while I racked up many miles, I didn't exactly have to turn the wheel much unless I was exiting. In stark contrast to this, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive were nothing but corner after corner for miles and miles. It was the most amazing thing ever. The speed limit was only 45mph the parkway and 35mph on Skyline Drive but this suited my purpose well because I wasn't trying to race through this area. I wanted to enjoy the twisties and have it last for as long as I could. It was roadster heaven! To top it off, I got blessed with the most incredible weather. It was mid-50s, sunny and clear skies for as far as the eye could see. It was perfect hoodie and top down weather.

Roadster heaven - Blue Ridge Parkway - 11/13/2015

I even had all the overlooks to myself. I could pick and choose whichever one I wanted, soak in the spectacular view without any distractions and even had time to set up my tripod and camera for more awesome shots to document this trip.

A man, his S2000 and the open road
Skyline Drive / Shenandoah National Park - 11/13/2015

I thought I couldn't surpass the inspired feeling I had yesterday but the 4 hour drive through these winding roads really helped me appreciate not only the beauty of nature but how incredible the S2000 is and that brought an even greater sense of inspiration. As I rowed through the gears and kept constantly transitioning to follow the corners, I felt truly at one with Lupa and the road. I was telling her what to do, she executed perfectly and in turn was giving me feedback through all my senses what was going on underneath me on the road. It was like a coordinated dance, she moved that rear around predictably and with confidence. The cool air was perfect for the engine and I could hear that F22C run through the revs smoothly as she breathed easily. She was like a race horse at the start line, wanting, no, begging, to be unleashed but we kept it civil, only occasionally testing the limits of her cornering ability through some of the hairpins. There was no drama, only perfection. The S2000 was in her element and it showed. This is what Shigeru Uehara designed the S2000 for...to negotiate the touge quickly and effectively, rewarding the driver with smiles to last for days. For those few hours I felt truly free and happy. I felt the happiness of a kid on Christmas day, the excitement of meeting someone and falling in love and the adrenaline of being chased by a wild animal all at the same time. It was the feeling of being alive, of being in the moment, of living life passionately, of not taking for granted any moment. It was Carpe Diem on 4 wheels. It, was, to put it simply, the most perfect day a man and his S2000 could ever ask for.

Onto Day 6...

S2000 East Coast Road Trip - Day 4

Today started the long journey back to NY but before leaving Florida, I was recommended by a colleague to go see the Kennedy Space Center which was just 2 hours north of where I was staying last night, right off I-95 on the way back. I'm so glad I went because it was a truly inspirational visit.

Lupa at Kennedy Space Center - 11/12/2015

I generally get excited about "space stuff" but I came here not really sure what to expect. I thought it would just be a simple museum you could walk around but oh no, it was much more than that. I got on the tour bus that took us around the complex so we could see the vehicle assembly building, launch pads and other interesting tidbits about the space center and the tour ended at the Apollo/Saturn V (pronounced Saturn Five) center where there was an incredible show detailing the history of the Apollo program including sitting over the real equipment used in mission control during that period where they re-played audio and video of the launch of Apollo 8, the first manned mission the moon. That was a real treat and made my hair stand on end. We were then able to see an actual Saturn V rocket, the scale was just incredible and awe inspiring.

Real mission control equipment from the Apollo program
Kennedy Space Center - 11/12/2015

I then rode the bus back to the main area to check out the space shuttle Atlantis. That also included a video showing the history of the shuttle program, the problems faced by the engineers and finally the successful first mission by Atlantis. Then you were treated to seeing the real space shuttle on display. You could see the discoloration caused by re-entry into the atmosphere and a really detailed look into the materials used in its creation.

Space shuttle Atlantis
Kennedy Space Center - 11/12/2015

Clearly I was blown away by this and I regret that I initially only allocated 2 hours of time to see. I really needed a whole day. I ended going over that time by quite a bit because it was worth it but I have to come back again to really explore everything in full detail. This is probably the highlight of this trip so far. It put a lot of things into perspective. I don't think people truly grasp how important the space program is and those that argue it's just wasted money don't study history enough to realize that many of the amazing things we use today were born out of technologies pioneered by space program. The push for faster, lighter computers brought into being the semiconductor and later integrated chips. Advancements in material sciences of new alloys are in use in today by many industries. GPS and other satellite based systems would not be possible today without the space program. An entire generation of scientists and engineers were inspired by this. It made America great! It makes me sad that many people don't understand that we need to make this investment if we want America to continue to be a pioneer in technology going forward.

They played a snippet of President Kennedy's "we choose to go to the moon" speech (of course) but hearing those words again resonated with me today. Anything worth pursuing truly is difficult. Choosing the thing that is difficult often makes the experience more rewarding, more meaningful. If anything, you learn a lot of things about yourself when you dare to dream a little and push your boundaries. In many ways, it's a great back drop to this trip. I could've done any number of things to make this trip a lot easier but instead decided to up the difficulty a little and it's been an incredible experience so far. I've done similar things in various aspects of my life and looking back I've always been glad I chose the thing that wasn't easy, but the one that was hard.

Sometimes you just have to listen to it again!
President Kennedy's - "We choose to go to the moon" speech

Unfortunately, because I spent so much time at the space center, the 7 hour drive to my next overnight stop in Charlotte, NC required me to go straight through with minimal stops (mostly just for gas). Not only was I already exhausted from baking in the hot Florida sun and walking around but the drive would take me into some night time driving through highways I'd never been on before. I don't like that for many reasons but mostly for safety especially if I'm driving through areas that I know might have wildlife like deer ready to commit suicide at any time. Thankfully I got to my destination just fine but it was interesting to feel the stark contrast in very uncomfortable 85F humid heat this morning to the low 50F temps in North Carolina. I went from running the AC at full blast to having to wear my hoodie and blast heat instead all in the same day. I blazed through Georgia and South Carolina to get here and tomorrow it's off to Virginia to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway and all its twisty glory.

Onto Day 5...

S2000 East Coast Road Trip - Day 3

"Drive south, keep driving until you can't drive south anymore, then turn around and drive home!" That was the rough plan I had when I concocted this crazy trip. Today I did just that, I drove south until I got to the southern most point of the United States in Key West. It didn't quite go according to plan. My GPS had it estimated at a little over 4 hours from Palm Beach so I was hoping to leave around 6:30am, get there at 11am at the latest and then have enough time to walk around and explore. While I was eating breakfast, I saw on the news that a there was a major trailer accident on I-95 south of me right in my path and only one lane was open. Needless to say, it took more than 4 hours to get there after rerouting...it was closer to 6 hours.

Enjoying the slow crawl 100 miles on the
Overseas Highway to Key West - 11/11/2015

1475.8 miles later we arrive at the Southermost point
of the USA in Key West - 11/11/2015

By this time I was really hot and sweaty (so easy to forget how miserably humid Florida can get) and starving. I had a pretty funny moment. I got out, looked back at Lupa and the first image in my head was Forrest Gump looking back at all the people following him after he did all his random running and decided to just go home haha.

Yep, this was pretty much me after I got there today

Since I lost so much time and I had already been to Key West before anyway, I figured I'd just take a break and eat. I ended up eating at the Banana Cafe right around the corner since I had already found a nice spot to park Lupa. Assuming the worst, that I might hit similar traffic heading back to the the hotel, I opted to start driving back north right after eating. I had already made plans to meet Henry (s2k2knyc on s2ki.com) for dinner for some good Cuban food and to catch up and I was looking forward to that more than just randomly killing time in Key West.

S2000 long distance micro meet with Henry - 11/11/2015

The slow cruise to Key West was one of the most tiring but inspiring parts of this trip so far. Since we were going at such slow speed and I was surrounded by incredible scenery, I had a chance to just get lost in my thoughts and listen to music. I will say that driving by the water in the the tropical heat reminded me very much of Hawaii and how I have to go back. Florida is nice and all that but yea, Hawaii takes the cake for me in terms of pure tropical bliss. Well today ended my southern journey as I ran out of land mass to continue driving so it's back up north I go and frankly I'm excited to be back to cooler conditions. I now understand why so many Floridians own convertibles but leave the top up all the time. The sticky heat is just nasty and I'll take hoodie weather top down driving in the fall in the NorthEast over this any time.

Onto Day 4...