I call it fun, they call it a mid life crisis!

[dustin a]

Ok guys and girls bear with me on this one as it is my first build thread and I am doing the while thing from my phone haha.

so I bought my car a couple of years ago as something to save me some money on gas and I wanted something fun to drive. I had seen the car multiple times just sitting in somebodys driveway in my neighborhood so one day I just stopped to see if he would sell it, the car wasn't even for sale but after a little bit of talking he agreed to sell it :) he wanted $3500 for it so I went straight to the bank, I knew nothing about the car and I hadn't even driven it but I didnt care because I was in love! So I grabbed the money and paid him and he signed it over to me and then I got all of the info on the car and took it for a drive. It is a 1995 R package and was in decent shape, just one pretty bad dent in the rear and she was pretty dirty. to my surprise I found out that the car only had 30,000 original miles!!!! I couldn't believe it.

This is about what she looked like when I got her
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/0814001650.jpg

From there on I just started buying up all the parts I could find and the car went through many changes
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/0924001015.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/IMG00023-20101026-2243.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/1125001219.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/1128001217.jpg

From this point I decided it was time to give her some new shiny paint but I had to do all of the bodywork first
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/0204011125a.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/050211173638.jpg

Now that that was out of the way it was time to start painting
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/050411172941.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/050511082225.jpg

this is how she sits in her current state
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/050511181244.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/060312094141.jpg

I am nowhere near being done with this car as I have many other plans for her so I will do my best to keep this updated with all if my progress.
Thanks for looking
Dustin

[dustin a]

A couple pics from over the weekend
I buffed and waxed the car
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/060212192927.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/060212194110.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/060312093732.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/060212192125.jpg

[Keep]

Wow, the car looks great man. I like the color matched intake piping.

[kung fu jesus]

I have never met anyone who has bought a car like that! Especially an R-pack with so few miles at a good price. :)

I think it was fate.

[dustin a]

Thanks keep!

I believe it was fate also Steve cuz I am kind of a quiet guy and I dont usually approach random people like that but on that day for some reason I did and I ended up with this awesome car :)

[xjdesertfox]

What intake is that? Monsterflow?

Looks like a 99-05 AEM?

[dustin a]

It is a 99-05 AEM, I just had to modify it to make it work. Just a little welding was all :)

[dustin a]

Small update. I went to yosemite over the weekend and saw a bunch of these rocks in a shop and thought it would be cool to make a shift knob out if one of them so I bought one to try it :)

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/060912165313.jpg

Its still not done yet but here a few pics to give you an idea of what it looks like.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/061112125744.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/061112100229.jpg
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/061112125653.jpg

[I<3flippyheadlights]

1. Wow that is super badass.
2. How much for one?

[dustin a]

Haha thanks :) I am going to try to get it done tomorrow and put on. I will post some pics. I dont think I can sell them since I am not a forum sponsor but the rocks vary in price between $20-$30. I plan on going back soon and I am going to get a few more to make a few different knobs :)

[kung fu jesus]

classy!

[dustin a]

Well I got it on there temporarily while I try to find a treaded insert that I can put inside
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/061212163327.jpg

I am going to be starting on this one for my girlfriends car (yes she drives a miata also :)) hopefully I will find a good insert for them by the time I finish hers
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/2012-06-1295121005.jpg

Thanks for looking
Dustin

[I<3flippyheadlights]

That thing is so cool.

[dustin a]

Thanks :) I like it so far. It is in for good now.
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/061212191408.jpg

If there is enough interest in these I may consider making more and going through all of the necessary steps to be able to sell them :) let me know what you guys think

[I<3flippyheadlights]

How much does it weigh?

[dustin a]

I'm not sure yet, I need to find a scale to check but it feels like it has a pretty nice weight. I will check it and let you know

[I<3flippyheadlights]

Wonder if its heavier then a stock one.

[dustin a]

I think it is buti dont have a stock knob so I'm not positive

[dustin a]

I could also add a little weight to it if I drill a little deeper and drop some small weights in there :)

[I<3flippyheadlights]

Thats a great idea. How did you do the thread? I'm thinking about turning a sword handle into a shift knob and have no idea how to go about it.

[dustin a]

I just put a piece of plastic in there and threaded it for now but I am still looking for something better like some sort of metal insert. Depending on what kind of material the handle you want to use is made out of you might just be able to drill and tap it.

[dustin a]

Well it's been a while since I have updated this.
This is how my car stayed for a while well I was collecting parts to do the timing belt and what not.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/092812145010.jpg

But one night I was drive home and I hit a wheel on the freeway and destroyed a few things on my car :fp:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/100612224706.jpg

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/100712000907.jpg

Shattered my GV lip(yes it was a real one), broke the front bumper, ripped the plastic under tray up, bent my exhaust and cracked another part of it, bent some of the bracing under the car, and broke my koyo 37mm radiator.

I am pretty much ready to start fixing the whole thing and have a mountain of parts gathering in my room

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null.jpg

Koyo 55mm radiator, koyo 1.3 bar rad cap, mishimoto silicone radiator hoses, new thermostat, water pump, new gates belts, gates timing belt kit, valve cover gasket, 949 steal braided clutch line, magnecor plug wires with ngk iridium plugs, new front bumper, and a new lip.
I should be able to start rebuilding this weekend and then it's off to my dads shop to paint my new bumper and lip.

[tsingson]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Sorry to hear that man! I hope all works out for you.

[dustin a]

Thanks, it will work out. I will have her back to normal within the next few weeks :bangle::drinkto:

[dustin a]

Well I got the car on jacks and started working on it tonight

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-1.jpg

Broken radiator and old hoses are now out

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-2.jpg

:cry2:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-3.jpg

Oh and while I was under the car I fount this little guy stuck in my tire. Looks like I will be getting new tires also.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-4.jpg

More to come tomorrow.

[RuckkehrMiata]

Well I got the car on jacks and started working on it tonight

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-1.jpg

Broken radiator and old hoses are now out

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-2.jpg

:cry2:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-3.jpg

Oh and while I was under the car I fount this little guy stuck in my tire. Looks like I will be getting new tires also.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-4.jpg

More to come tomorrow.


I am super jealous of your overhaul, even tho I am going to be doing it myself soon :D

[wannafbody]

That tire can be patched from the inside, it still has some life left.

[dustin a]

Thanks ruckkehrmiata, I'm sure yours will be awesome, take pics along the way and make a build thread.

Wannafbody, I would patch the tire but they have some pretty bad wear on the inside edge from driving with the nice alignment that I got from hitting that wheel. The toe is pretty bad so I will be get an alignment and tires.

[dustin a]

Ok guys, well the car is back together and running well. Heading up to my dads shop soon to paint my new bumper and lip.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-9.jpg

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-15.jpg

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-16.jpg

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-21.jpg

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/Dabbatoye/null-22.jpg

[bahurd]

Ha... I like the cam alignment tool! Necessity is the mother of invention...

[dustin a]

Haha, thanks! I can't take credit though, I had previously seen it done on another motor and it is suggested online as an alternative.