videos

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Please note that this site predates YouTube and it has not been updated with modern video players. Life is much easier now.

Sideline video of the Seven at the track, Open House 2006 (2.88 MB)
Not the fastest lap, but a quick one from the 2006 Flyin' Miata Open House. It's a little shaky because it's a handheld video at a high zoom level, but I still enjoy watching it. From the reaction of the spectators, it's my speed though the chicane that stands out. For me, it's the sound of the car going by on the straight that I enjoy - I never get to hear that! The other two cars that go past the camera are the black WRX I often play with and a high-horsepower turbo Miata. A big thanks to John Hunter for the video. Filmed August 19,2006.
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Sideline video of the Seven at an autocross. (1.54 MB)
The Corvette autocross from October 15th. This is my first run but it was still the fastest one of the day so far by a 4.6 second margin. For those wondering about the odd line at the end of the slalom the first time, I went wide to give me a better angle at the 90 degree turn following. I have no explanation for the wide line taken the second time other than the fact that it was my first time through the course! The odd color is due to truly bizarre color problems on the digital camera used to record the video. October 16, 2006
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Fastest time of the day at a local autocross. (1.75 MB)
A year after the first time on the track, the Seven goes cone-hunting again. It's pretty quick. This run was nearly 5 seconds faster than anyone else was able to manage! May 1, 2006
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Can you drift a Locost? Why, yes you can. (1.2MB)
Ever wonder how they get those cool oversteer shots for the cover? Larry Webster from Car and Driver was doing skidpad testing on my car when he discovered that it's kind of fun to drive sideways. So he proceeded to drive sideways around the pad. And around. And around. For some reason, my rear tires took a bit of a beating. If you look carefully, you can see the black rubber dust that both spinning rear tires are throwing up.
It is interesting hearing the sound of the car change depending on whether the intake or the exhaust is aiming at the camera.
You can also download a larger version but it's nearly 5 MB. Apr 27, 2006
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From the Car and Driver test, another (better) trackside flyby. Audio only. (252 KB)
Throttle bodies, the Magnaflow exhaust and a healthy dose of sea level air. This is a run up to 60 before braking. You can hear the throttle bodies sucking air on the shift. There's a bit of an echo effect as the exhaust bounces off the walls lining the drag strip. Apr 27, 2006
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From the Car and Driver test, a trackside flyby. Audio only. (245 KB)
Throttle bodies, the Magnaflow exhaust and a healthy dose of sea level air. Apr 27, 2006
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A 1/4 mile drag run taken from trackside, shaky camera (450 KB)
Not the most exciting editing or even very good camera work, but the sound is definitely worthwhile. This is one of the test runs for the Car and Driver article. Warning, the video is really shaky because I was all full of adrenaline as I watched and tried to film. If this bothers you, don't watch it. Apr 27, 2006
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Music video of the Seven (4.3 MB)
Made from bits and pieces of various moving footage and set to the music from one of my favourite videogames, this is just meant to be a music video. It's not high art but it's fun. Sept 12, 2005
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On the track at the Open House (2.44 MB)
I believe this was the fastest lap of the day at the Flyin' Miata open house. I'm trying pretty hard and it shows. A tidier run would have been faster. It's a pity the camera isn't better placed as it's fun to watch the LED tach bounce around and there is a lot of wind noise. On one of the short straights, I actually managed to peg the rev limiter. The track is 0.9 miles and this lap averaged just over 42 mph. Most of it is in second gear with a couple of spots that use third. Ignore the gyrations of the temperature gauge, it turns out there's a voltage leak in there somewhere. Aug 22, 2005
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A faster autocross run. (4.0 MB)
This is the second run at the August 7 autocross. It's not my fastest run, but it's the fastest one with a camera running. You can see the Revlight tach attached to the mirror. It's working, but I didn't watch it at all. My first handbrake turn didn't quite work well and a hit a cone hard. The second little cone kiss didn't move the cone, so it didn't count. It's obvious I'm feathering the throttle through the fast sections - that changed on the next run and I shaved 2 seconds off. Aug 8, 2005
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Autocross ride. (2.9 MB)
Fastest time of the day at a local autocross. There's a lot more time here but it was as quick as it needed to be to win the day. The driver needs some work! Huge fun though. I tried to launch fairly gently but I just couldn't hook up the back end. There are two laps of the track with a flying finish. The first-gear exit from the last corner was purely gratuitous and probably didn't speed things up at all but, well, there was a crowd watching. Including a smack-talking coworker who had just set the fastest time and I felt he needed to know that I could go faster. Mar 14, 2005
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Before and after. (1.9 MB)
The first time I was at the Pueblo track, I was driving a red Miata with dual exhausts and stripes. Did I just encounter a ghost? Mar 14, 2005
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Briefly chasing an Elise. (1.5 MB)
I tried all day to get near the Elise to play with it. This is the only time I got close thanks to some traffic. He waved me by almost immediately which was quite disappointing. It was the first time the driver had taken the car on the track and those who rode with him report that he was being fairly conservative on the corners. He spent all day taking people for rides, three laps at a time. It was so hard to get close to him as he kept pulling off. Mar 14, 2005
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Traffic on the racetrack. Huge file! (10.2 MB)
A bunch of Miatas including at least one turbocharged one. Passing on this trackday is fairly limited so I spent a lot of time just putting around and waiting. There is a passenger along. Mar 14, 2005
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A lap of the Pueblo racetrack. Big file! (4.7 MB)
There's nobody to play with here but it's a reasonable lap. The time is about 1:57 and a good driver could certainly cut that down. I had a passenger so the power/weight is a bit down. I'm also a real chicken under hard braking. Mar 14, 2005
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A dyno run in widescreen! (0.7 MB)
The poor microphone on the camera had trouble with the noise, but it sure sounds good. This a Rototest dyno that bolts to the hubs, so there's no drama as there is with the roller type dynos. There's a wideband A/F meter on the scuttle and the main dyno computer is both datalogging everything from the ECU and of course the dyno run itself. This run was around 125 hp at the rear wheels. Feb 20, 2005
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Starting off. (0.7 MB )
Starting and moving off from the shoulder. Click-click go the cover and ignition switch, on goes the fan, vrooom and pull away. Street acceleration.Dec 12, 2004
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Let's go for a ride. (2.5 MB )
This road is right on the edge of town! You can tell I'm not terribly committed - the tires aren't good in the cold and there's some gravel in the road. It's pretty obvious when I let the car cut loose. I'm short shifting every time though. There's at least another 1000 rpm.Dec 12, 2004
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Bumpy road (long) (1.96 MB )
This section of road makes the suspension work pretty hard. You'll see the car struggling to put down some power due to the cold, the gravel and the lumps. Despite appearances, there's a fair margin for error left here.Dec 12, 2004
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Bumpy road (short) (0.5 MB )
For those with a short attention span, you can see the suspension deal with some fairly major bumps. This is childish fun to watch. It's a short version of the previous video.
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Acceleration (0.6 MB )
Around a slow corner and them blam! Out of it. Now I just need to get the ECU tuned for full power and stop shifting early...Dec 12, 2004
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Two-lane passing (0.6 MB)
Need to pass? No need to downshift. The turn indicator switch is on the transmission tunnel - you can see me reach down for it. Dec 17, 2004
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