Stickers are worth 5hp right?…So it was only logical to wrap the whole car in a GIANT sticker! Anyways, on a real note we knew that the @Halfmilespeed3 couldn’t just be fast, it had to look good and what Car Guy or Gal doesn’t want their car to look good?
We have a plan at CorkSport to wrap all of our R&D Shop Cars with an awesome blue that aligns with our “CorkSport Blue”, but we want each car to have a little unique character to it. Thinking about the halfmilespeed3 build and goal we had the brilliant idea of a split wrap…seems fitting right? Half and Half…
So what did the car look like before the wrap?
Metro Grey Mica is the color name and its pretty bland in my opinion. I added the white roof and hood accents along with white wheels to help brighten up the car, which it did, but it was time for change. Oh yeah; white wheels and track spec brake pads don’t mix, just an FYI.
So what is like to get your car wrapped? What’s the process? I can’t personally give you details as I did not do the wrap myself, but I was close to the action and watched it all come together. Respect to those that take this on themselves and to the professionals out there. It is a tedious process that requires attention to detail to get a great final result.
A local friend is a professional and was open to doing the work in the CS shop since the Speed was not in a running and driving state at the time.
Saul S. (@saulywood) did the work over a few weeks’ time in evenings and weekends. He kicked a** on a project that turned out to be a bit more difficult than expected.
Installing a wrap is a process of pulling, stretching, heating, cutting…lots of different skills and abilities to get the job done. All this has to happen without damaging the vehicle you are wrapping. It’s quite a feat.
Going through the process the build kind of evolved if you will. Luckily Saul was very open-minded to it and even a bit eager to try some new things.
Probably my favorite aspect of the wrap is the unique and new wrap from 3M. Called “Shadow Black” this wrap has a slight texture to it that depicts patterns sort of like camouflage.
We used this on the roof and in a narrow strip over the seam between Satin Black and Blue Gloss; it really added a unique aspect to the look and style and brought the two colors together. Pictures just do not give it justice nor can you feel the texture.
So let’s wrap this up (see what I did there?) with some finished images.
I have to admit I’ve fallen in love with my car again. The exterior of my car was pretty beat up and neglected with rock chips, scuffs, and just generally not well taken care of paint. With the new wrap there is a whole new rush of pride and enthusiasm to keep it looking amazing.
Lastly, and this is bit cheesy, I requested Saul to match my helmet to the car…
Why not right? It’s not just another black helmet and I love it.
With that I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into wrapping a Mazdaspeed. Stay connected as we share more and more about the @halfmilespeed3 build…engine, seats, roll-cage, and power! At some point this season an event will open and we can actually race!
Safety first right? As much as I want to survive an unfortunate incident while racing my 650+whp Mazdaspeed3…I have a bone to pick with safety. Sometimes it’s a real pain in the A**.
Let me explain…and hopefully help you learn from my experience.
Today we are talking about how to paint a roll cage, specifically one that has been custom built to fit tightly inside the cab of a GEN1 Mazdaspeed 3. How does this relate to safety? Well…a cage is made from raw steel in “mild” or “chromoly” materials. Both of these metals will corrode/rust over time. Not only will this result in a very ugly cage inside your car, but it could eventually affect the structural integrity of the roll cage, and that would defeat the whole purpose of it.
With that I decided to paint the roll cage in my Mazdaspeed 3. I daily drive and race the car AND I live in the PNW which has lots of rain and moisture. In fact, in the couple weeks that I did drive the car with the raw cage, I was already getting surface rust build up…gross.
To add to the difficulty, the cage in my Mazdaspeed was custom built from scratch vs a kit so it was very tight fitting and I have extra “X-bracing” added for increased roll over protection. This just added to the amount of surface area to paint and the number of locations with bars very close to each other.
The roll cage/hoop in my #halfmilespeed3 is technically a 8-point cage with an added X-brace in the main hoop and between the rear strut braces. The X-bracing is what helps with high speed roll over protection, but with a weight penalty. Go look at any modern rally car and you’ll see X-bracing plus lots more.
Ok, time to get our hands dirty. Here are the major items you will need to paint your cage:
Paint – I used a rust-oleum paint & Primer Combo. Make sure it works with a metal surface. 2-3 cans will be needed to complete the job and I’d suggest a high gloss enamel finish. It will be much easier to clean.
Safety Equipment – Goggles, Face Mask (a real one with a rating for fine dust), Bunny Suit (because you will get paint ALL over you), Gloves
Scotch Brite Pads – You will need this so you can remove any rust build up (assuming it is minor, if you have a heavily rusting and rough cage then you will need to get far more aggressive)
Cleaner and Rags – Gotta clean the cage after the scotch brite process
Plastic Wrap – This is like industrial size cling wrap. Easily found at Home Depot or other hardware shops in the painting isle.
Blue Tape – A few rolls of the 1.5” will do.
Step 1: Remove everything you can from the interior (which may not actually be much if you have a cage. Take your seats out, carpet (what’s left), center console, …etc
When I had the cage installed I decided I wanted to keep the front two seats as factory as possible. With that I have kept my carpet, center console, dash, door cards, roof upholstery…other than the door bars from the cage, you would have no idea the car has a cage when sitting in the front seats.
Step 2: Scotch Brite Time! Grab a pad and start giving your cage a nice rub down. You need to go over all surfaces of the cage if you want good adhesion of the paint to the metal surface. Once done, do a quick check and I bet you find some missed spots. Get those also…
Step 3: Clean up time! Grab some clean rags and a cleaner that does not leave any residue. Clean all the cage surfaces to remove any dust and/or oil. This is equally as important for good paint adhesion.
Step 4: Time to seal up the car. My number one advice here is avoid wind if possible. This plastic sheet loves to blow away in the wind…it can be very frustrating. If you have a friend that can help, that would be a great idea.
You basically want to cover all exposed surfaces inside the car and a lot of the outside of the car. While you are spray painting, you will be creating a lot of overspray mist floating in the air. This will settle on all surfaces inside and out.
I completely wrapped my doors and door edges, inside and outside of the car a bit.
I completely covered my dash and shifter assembly.
For the roof upholstery I did not use the plastic wrap, I actually used a piece of cardboard to act like a shield. I held the cardboard with one hand, shielding the roof while I sprayed the upper sections of the cage. It was effective and much easier than plastic wrap for that area.
Step 5: Time to actually paint. First you need to get into your bunny suit, get your gloves on, your face mask and goggles. Be proud of how ridiculous you look!
Before you start spraying, make sure you are in a well ventilated area and do not have any other cars or items in close proximity; they will get paint on them.
Actually Painting: I would advise starting with the hard to reach arrears first. You are essentially painting inside a jungle gym so get to the hard to reach areas first so you don’t have to worry about touching wet paint later. I started in the center and top of the cage because I had to be in the car to do so. Then was able to get to the more outer parts of the cage while outside of the cage.
Applying the paint is a bit of an art. You want to apply smooth and consistent layers. Your hand is always moving side to side as you spray. Don’t point and shoot or you will get runs in the paint.
Do a first coat that mostly covers all the surface area, then let it tach up for about an hour or reference the instructions on the can. Then apply another coat of paint. Trust me you will find thin or missed spots.
Step 6: Get out of the bunny suit. Hahaha ya this can be a process
Anyways, I pushed my car back into the garage and let the paint cure overnight before removing the plastic wrap. I didn’t want to risk the plastic wrap touching/sticking to the fresh paint. You may not have that luxury and if you don’t I would at least give the paint a couple hours to cure before removing the plastic.
Other takeaways – this was an ALL DAY PROJECT. I thought I could get it done in half a day, but with the concerns about keeping the still installed interior looking good, I was extra cautious with the plastic wrap which added time. I also did not want to do this again later so I was extra detailed with the painting process. Checking for missed spots and thin areas after each coat.
However, the result was well worth the work and I have no regrets about painting the cage. I can now drive my car without worry of the cage getting ugly or losing strength due to corrosion. I highly recommend that you take the day or so to make this happen in your car.
I hope you enjoyed this blog and thank you for following along with the @halfmilespeed3. Stay connected (instagram, blog & “Built With Barett” video series) as we share more and more about the @halfmilespeed3 build…engine, seats, roll-cage, and power! Rolling into the Shift Sector 2021 season we will have more great content to share!
Sometimes Form is more important than Function…and sometimes we find features in a vehicle that are not that useful to us. One of those features happens to be the rear wiper assembly. We felt this way and many in the community have informed us of this as well.
With that, we now have Rear Wiper Delete Kits for the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Generation Mazda 3 hatchbacks.
If you happen to live in one of the fortunate states that don’t get a lot of rain or find yourself not using your rear wiper very often, this is the kit for you. The CorkSport Rear Wiper Delete Kit completely removes the wiper arm and the motor assembly. This shaves weight (about 2 pounds) from your car and gets rid of the unsightly rear wiper arm.
The delete “plug” in the kit is manufactured from 6061-T6 aluminum and finished with a black anodized coating then laser engraved with a sleek CS logo. While this is a subtle mod for your Mazda, we are always shocked at how much better the rear end looks afterwards.
2nd Gen 2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3/Mazda 3 check out your kit here: Click me!
3rd Gen 2014-2018 Mazda 3 Hatchback check out your kit here: Click me!
4th Gen 2019+ Mazda 3 Hatchback check out your kit here: Click me!
Thanks for checking out the CorkSport Rear Wiper Deletes! For all the Gen1 Guys and Gals, we are working on a kit currently, we will have a kit ready mid summer!
Looking to take the next step on your MS3 journey and move beyond the limits of stock fueling?
Look no further than the CorkSport Auxiliary Fuel Tank for Mazdaspeed 3. We incorporated a ton of features into an aux fuel tank that sits in front of the driver’s side front tire. By using rotomolded construction, we were able to maximize the volume and ease of use to really make a fantastic starting point for your fuel system. Be sure to read on for more info and check out the product listing for full details!
The main focus of the CS aux fuel tank is to maximize capacity without compromising usability and features. We chose rotomolded cross-link HDPE construction to do this. Manufacturing the tanks with this method removes a lot of the restriction that comes with sheet metal tanks so we could keep the tanks cheaper for you while incorporating extra features.
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Adjustable mounting brackets
We were able to maximize the tank to approximately 2.6 gallons for both the GEN1 and GEN2 while retaining great fitment. We even incorporated adjustment into all of the mounting brackets to account for manufacturing and setup variances from one car to another.
Along with fitment comes the flexibility to make the tank work best for your fuel system. We have incorporated mounting locations for both methanol pumps and a standard 044 style mounting bracket. This means you can run a basic single nozzle meth setup while on stock block, then move to a full PI setup once you build your engine, all while using the same tank.
The CorkSport MS3 aux fuel tank also incorporates a bunch of other great features:
An included low level sensor and warning LED that will trigger with ~0.8 gallons remaining in the tank. This gives you plenty of warning before running your aux fuel system dry.
A sump is molded into the bottom of the tank for the fuel pump feed. This prevents fuel starvation from fuel slosh during hard cornering.
A fuel return port is present for use with full port injection setups. If running methanol, this port can be easily plugged.
Warning light, anti-leak, easy refueling, and more!
A billet aluminum cap keeps the tank sealed. Dual O-rings are used to keep the cap in position and prevent any leaks, even if the tank is upside-down.
The tank fill neck was carefully sized to fit with most gas can nozzles and funnels for easy refueling.
An included vent tube keeps tank pressure in check.
The CS aux tank is made from rotomolded 0.19” thick HDPE. This is the same material that most racing gas cans are made from, so you know it will be safe no matter the fuel you use. Each mounting bracket is laser cut and precision formed 304 stainless steel for strength, a great look, and corrosion resistance.
Each cap is made from black anodized billet aluminum for reliable and easy use while being stealthy in your engine bay. Finally, each tank comes with full color installation instructions and CS customer support so you can be sure you will be in a good spot for the rest of your fuel system.
Every time you drive your Mazda you directly interface with four critical controls; seat, pedals, shifter, and the steering wheel. These control interfaces give you tactile feedback of your driving experience, so why not get the best feedback possible?
Take your driving experience to the next level
We introduce to you the racing inspired and genuine leather clad performance steering wheel from CorkSport Mazda Performance. We are so excited to bring this option to the community, to give you the opportunity to take your driving experience to the next level.
When we set out to develop a performance steering wheel for the facelift 3rd GEN Mazda 3 we had to define the major attributes needed: Performance, Style, Fitment. Without these what is the point?
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Performance: While the OEM Mazda wheel has a nice shape to it we wanted to push this further with a more aggressive racing inspired style, deep thumb grooves, and the option for genuine leather or alcantara inserts. This gives you the choice to fit your style and the confidence on the track, autoX, or back roads. Sweaty palms? Don’t worry, the high contact area uses perforated genuine leather to help your hands breathe…we got you Fam.
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Style: We’ll say this again, Mazda did a pretty good job on the higher trim level wheels, but if you have a lower trim level with the vinyl/plastic wheel it just looks MEH. You know what we mean. Step up your game with the CorkSport Leather Steering Wheel. It looks so good through the window, even better right in your face, and feels fantastic in your hands.
Genuine leather and/or alcantara, aggressive thumb grooves, and red stitching just bring the whole interior together and to the next level.
Fitment: This one is a BIG DEAL for two reasons.
EASY
When a part fits correctly it installs easily. We don’t want you to fight with the install or have to come up with some disconnecting hub or whatnot like other “racing” wheels. This is a 100% new casting that retains all the OEM connections and fitment.
SAFETY
While we do use true racing steering wheels with the quick disconnect hubs; these are only on our dedicated track cars with tons of other safety equipment. Your car is your daily and your weekend toy. We will not compromise your safety so we designed a performance steering wheel that retains all the controls and airbag like the OEM steering wheel.
Alright, let’s pull these three back together. Racing inspired performance steering wheel that uses genuine leather and gives you the option for alcantara inserts, form follows function because it looks great from the driver’s point of view or any point of view, and you get this without compromising your safety or losing your quick access features on the steering wheel.
Hold on…there is one thing…
If you have a heated steering wheel from the factory you will lose that feature. We investigated adding this feature (and we still can if there is enough demand), but damn it is really expensive. Let us know in the comments and drop us some info in this link if you really want a heated option. I WANT A HEATED STEERING WHEEL
Lastly, we want to mention this; this is can be a tuff performance modification to justify trust me, but once you lay your hands on the wheel and take your first apex you will be sold and wished your Mazda came with it from the factory. It’s such a visceral feeling that it’s hard to explain.
With that we will leave you with the obvious decision to make. Do the right thing for you and your Mazda.
