Top 10 New Years Resolutions for a Car Guy

It’s about that time of the year where we tear out a piece of a paper and jot down all of our New Years resolutions. Most forget about these resolutions halfway through the year, but this year is your year. It’s time to grasp your resolution with your bare hands and get it done! Here are some New Years resolution ideas that you can incorporate into your own list:

1. Hit the local Autocross event this year.

We all love going in the straight line or hitting the racetrack, but there’s nothing like the accessibility of an Autocross. An autocross gives you more of a visual of your driving abilities and gives your car less of a beating than if you were on a full-length race course or a quarter-mile drag strip. Of course this depends on how smoothly you go through the course and whether or not you lodged any cones in your wheel-well.

2. Buy the Corksport Adjustable Struts & Shocks Combo you’ve always wanted.

We’ve all been here. Every session online you get distracted by visiting the Corksport web store and stop by the Corksport adjustable struts and shocks combo product page. You keep looking into the Mazda forums, doing research, and dreaming how that pesky wheel gap makes your car look like it’s a monster truck. Now is the year to save up and finally treat yourself. Try getting a jar and commit to saving a small percentage of your paycheck to work towards paying off the suspension kit (or any other awesome modification) with straight-up cash.

3. Attend a Mazda Meet.

There’s nothing like attending a Mazda Meet and talking cars with other Mazda owners. This is where you can get inspiration, connect with other local Mazda owners/enthusiasts, and even local tuning shop owners. Have an issue with your Mazda? We bet you can find somebody at the meet who had the same problem and knows exactly how to fix it. Checking out the forums is a great step but there’s nothing like a Mazda enthusiast actually seeing what the issue is in person. Besides, who doesn’t want to make more Mazda friends?

4. Learn to Race.

We’ve all taken on-ramps at a faster than suggested speed, trying to establish a race-line. It’s fun to think of yourself as a race car driver. What if you can actually be one? There are a lot of opportunities at your local track to get instruction from professional race car drivers. A great place to start is the SCCA website. Maybe it’s time you actually became a race car driver?

5. Let somebody change the radio station or playlist.

Most people hate it when a passenger starts messing with the radio. Who wants to listen to a slow jam with four dudes in the car (maybe some of you do)? From the great words of the most played out song in 2014: let it go! Relax. One day just let a passenger do whatever they want to the radio. Only once of course.

6. Finish that project.

Everybody has that one project that sits untouched in the corner of their garage or shop for what seems like forever. It’s collecting dust, and you’re starting to pile stuff around it. Time to get it out and finish it up. Whether it be plasti-dipping the valve cover, finally getting an alignment after lowering your car, or actually installing that Corksport Transmission Motor Mount that’s been sitting in your garage for a few weeks. Maybe it’s time you set everything aside and just do it.

7. Take a noob out to the shop.

We all have a friend that is very eager to learn more about working on cars or just about cars in general. This person can be just one of your friends or even your 7-year old nephew (it’s never too early to learn how to turn that wrench). It’s time to pass on your knowledge, because, to be honest, everybody remembers that one person that taught them everything to help them get started in tuning and modding. It’s time for you to be THAT person.

8. Help a friend with their project.

We all have that friend who buys a ton of parts and pays for an auto shop to install it for them. It’s time to lend your services and give your friend a helping hand. If you think about it, you can technically complete resolution number 7 and 8 at the same time.

9. Give a friend a bluetooth device.

With all the laws being passed in every state regarding hands-off communication devices in the car, this can not only prevent your friend from receiving a ticket but also keep them safe on the road. Buy one for yourself if you haven’t already!

10. Participate in the next Mazda toy drive.

It’s time to give and have fun doing it. Every year a local car club runs a toy drive to benefit needy kids in the area. It’s also a great time to meet other Mazda owners and just talk cars. Most car clubs will do a food drive in November and a toy drive in December. You’ll be doing a good deed and you get to see some awesome local Mazdas.

Don’t forget to put your New Years resolution somewhere that’s highly visible. To be honest it’s hard to complete all the resolutions you ever make but there’s nothing like that accomplished feeling you get when you do complete one.

Good luck this year and don’t forget to keep reminding yourself about your resolutions by posting notes EVERYWHERE!

– Corksport

ZoomZoom

December 31, 2014December 31, 2014

Corksport Aluminum Swaybar Bracket

Feeling a little loose in the rear end lately?

Take a peek and you will probably find another broken steel, gold zinc-coated bracket. Stop your 4 month ritual to the local auto parts store and upgrade to something much better!

Introducing the new CorkSport Sway Bar Bracket!

Manufactured from high-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, these precision machined brackets are strong, durable, and look great. Plus it’s 100% designed and manufactured right here in the Pacific NW, USA. (BUY NOW)

But wait, there’s more!

Not only did we fix the broken bracket problem, we went a step further. We use 1” and 1-1/8” poly bushings to really get your sway under control. Made from 90A durometer polyurethane, these bushings are far stiffer and much more durable than rubber bushings. Polyurethane will not deform or crack over time like the rubber counterparts so frequently do.

Time to get technical!

If you have any doubts about the strength of the CorkSport brackets then let the next images put your mind at ease. The magenta arrows represent the force that is applied in the approximate direction that the bar pushes on the bracket. The green arrows represent the “fixturing” or bolting of the bracket to the vehicle.

Above is the FEA (Finite Element Analysis) result after applying a force of 1000 lbf to the steel bracket. Obviously the bracket has deformed significantly, but is also an exaggeration to show the deformation. The deformation scale factor is 16:1 (I’ll talk about this in more detail later). Now there are two key things to see from this image. 1. The yield strength of the material is ~51k PSI, but you can clearly see that the maximum stress in the bracket is ~150k PSI. 2. That maximum stress is represented by the color red. If you look back at the first image in the blog you will see where the typical fracture in the bracket is; the exact same location as the red in the image above.

Now let’s take a look at the CorkSport bracket with the same force in the same direction.

Above is the FEA result after applying a force of 1000 lbf to the aluminum CorkSport bracket. Obviously the bracket has deformed significantly, but is also an exaggeration to show the deformation. The deformation scale factor is 192:1 (Yup, you read that right). Now let’s compare those two key things. 1. The yield strength of the material is ~31k PSI, but you can clearly see that the maximum stress in the bracket is only ~26k PSI. 2. The bracket is not experiencing any yielding (permanent bending) due to the 1000 lbf.

Let’s talk about that “deformation scale factor”. In most instances when conducting FEA, the material deforms so little that you can’t actually see it. To assist in the designing process the computer program automatically scales the deformation (exaggerates it) so that the naked eye can easily see it. So what’s another way to “look” at this deformation scale factor? If the same force of 1000 lbf is applied to both brackets, yet the steel bracket has a 16:1 (small exaggeration) scale and the CorkSport bracket is 192:1 (extreme exaggeration) scale, then there is an obvious difference of strengths.

With such a huge difference, my engineering curiosity kicked in, I began investigating. The conclusion I came to is staggering. The steel bracket began to yield when a mere 350 lbf was applied, whereas the CorkSport bracket could handle 1200 lbf. This means that the CorkSport bracket is nearly 3.5 times stronger than the steel bracket!

Excited yet? You should be! Stop your 4 month ritual right now with the CorkSport Sway Bar Bracket Kit! Zoom-Zoom!

-Barett, CS Engineering

December 24, 2014September 13, 2018

Twas the Night Before Christmas, the Corksport Version

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that some new parts soon would be there.

The Car guy was comfy and snug in his bed,
While visions of racetracks looped in his head.
The Mazda in park, the keys tucked away,
Just one more night of sleep,
then we’ll all race away.

When out of the blue, a thought came to mind,
why on earth is he waiting?

Let’s go for a drive!
He grabbed up the keys, woke the girl with a shout
Hey baby, it’s Christmas and we’re headed out!
The family forgotten and plans set aside
We’re headed to the track, let’s go for a drive.

It was simple and planned, so quickly it seemed,
in her sleepy state
it seemed just a dream.
Okay mister, whatever you say.
She slipped on her slippers and they were on their way.

Car guy beamed from head to toe,
he knew their destination
just one place to go.
The track wasn’t far, and the traffic was light, This will be the best Present
Such a simple delight!

No family, no mess, no ties and no dress,
Just you and me girl, this 1 time request.

They got to the track in no time at all,
Sparkling white on the ground just a light snow fall
When over to his right something caught his eye
“We’re not alone” thought the Car guy
Of course to his wondering eyes there appeared
An old style sleigh being pulled by reindeer?
He tossed it in gear to confirm his delight
He shook his head, disbelief at the sight

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
He knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than mustangs as drivers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!

Don’t over do it boys! Steer clear of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

They were so quick, so fast, as if they could fly,
Car guy thought to himself, perhaps we should try.
Revving the engine he pulled right on through
To the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

The smile and twinkle in that old mans eye
Made car guy grin and look to the sky.
No flying, not crashing, we’ll take on the course
The old man smiled, do you know of this force?

A simple nod of his head is all it took
He looked over the sleigh and each tiny hoof.
Carguy turned and looked over his opponent,
Just giving in to this memorable moment.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had sorted in the back,
he looked like a veteran, he could drive ’round this track.

His eyes how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

You know what to do Car guy said to his girl,
She hopped right out and gave her scarf a twirl.
On three boys, please be safe and be clean
She raised it in the air, how fitting it’s green.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Old Saint Nick might be something to dread.
His whip in hand, he gave it a crack,
And off they went, leaving behind the toy sack.

The wind blowing through that snowy white beard,
Carguy could hear the sound of the cold in his ears.
Jingling as they went, the sleigh in tow,
The reindeer were fast, damn car is feeling slow.
Curses thought Carguy as he slammed on the gas,
I want to beat him, we need to be fast.

He awoke with a start, to the sound of her voice,

Knock it off Carguy or I’ll give you a choice.
To the couch with you if you can’t control,
Your twitching and turning and stupid body roll.
He laughed to himself, of course just a dream,
But what’s in his hand, a scarf of green?

He went to the window and looked into the night
He heard the jingle and saw a plain sight
There he was right there in the drive,
St Nick and his sleigh, of course he’s alive.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a yell,
Get on it boys, we won, all is well.
Carguy shook his head and laughed at it all,
He would swear that he saw,

St Nick and his reindeer give him the “paw”
Carguy learned something that‘s true,
Don’t race Santa and his eight reindeer crew.
He looked into the sky, to see them in flight
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!”

December 14, 2014September 13, 2018

10 Famous Quotes that Surprisingly Apply to Your Car

Here are some famous quotes that we’re sure you can relate to when it comes to your car.

1. When you first begun your journey of building your car, and you find CorkSport’s website:

“You have only begun to discover your power. Join me, and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy.” [by finally hitting a 10 second 1/4 mile!] -Darth Vader (Star Wars)

DarthVader