PDA

View Full Version : Dave, a love story. Sort of... Well not really.



Echonova
06-10-2012, 10:11 PM
Not sure what I'm supposed to say, never really planned on making a build thread. My daughter informed me that I have to "name" my cars... I don't really think that way, so I named it Dave just to piss her off... Because apparently cars are supposed to have girl names.


Anyway, it all started many years ago...



I traded for my Silvia clone that didn't run for my Miata. Anyway, had a this car...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x249/Echonova1/9b2e7859.jpg


Motor spun a bearing, I lacked the time/space and/or tools to rebuild the SR20DET in my garage... So I paid my "buddy" to rebuild the motor. He owned a small shop in downtown Atlanta that seemed to be popular with all the 240/drift kiddies... Yeah. He rebuilt it with mis-matched used parts, closed up shop and moved to Florida. From what I hear, I was one of the lucky ones.


Anyway, had enough rare goodies (was building it to be period early 90's correct) that even with a non-running motor I got a 1994 Miata with 75-ish K on the clock.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x249/Echonova1/aba57571.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x249/Echonova1/phelps-goku-1.gif


Had XXR rims on it... they had to go. I didn't do "fake" rims. I even bought a shirt



http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/953bfd63.jpg


LOL, my how things come full circle...

So, let's address the elephant in the room. "fake" wheels. Never had them before... As you can see above, the 240 sat on Wantanabee's. My Supra before that had Wed Bavaria's

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/1939.jpg




I "hated" fake wheels... So I traded the XXR's for a set of Carol Shelby mesh rims painted highlighter yellow... Don't have any pics of those. Somewhere in this time frame I bought a set of Diamond Racing wheels (before they reached internet fanboi fame)



http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/61310SFK-30.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/4702412436_fabdc944aa_b.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x249/Echonova1/e43ba0b4.jpg

and traded my CS rims to Rutledge (yes the TG USA guy) for a set of his 13's painted Daytona green and with a -32-ish offset if I'm remembering right.




http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/023.jpg

Not too bad right???


Wrong

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/025.jpg

So I had this dream I was gonna hack up the fenders, do flares and big wheels and be an internet phenom...


the -32's weren't cutting it so I went with -64-ish (again if I'm remembering right)
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/2011-03-20132800.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/Miata43011004.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/Miata43011003.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/Miata43011002-1.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/Miata43011001.jpg


Never could bring myself to cut perfectly good fenders... Oh, well.




While all this was going on, I traded my Diamond Racing wheels for a set of BBS RS 001's. Yeah, you read right. Straight up trade. I never get the good deals, this was the one exception in my life.

So here we are...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/5110809913_d1f753d960_b.jpg


And then I get a wild hair up my ass... Start asking around to some of my friends if an idea is possible... One says absofreakingloutely, so off the wheels go for painting.


~Intermission~
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/tumblr_lmpk7tBp2a1qa7ee8o1_500.jpg







http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/denzel-training-day_z7http.jpg










Meanwhile back at the Justice League...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x249/Echonova1/IMG_3697.jpg

How many of you have painted whilst using a black light?? (Yes I said whilst)
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/photo.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/181830_10150129510457154_620122153_7755297_1872553 _n.jpg


Daytime
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/3-24-2012078.jpg

Garage closed, lights on.
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/Miata42712066.jpg

Darkness...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/Miata42712067.jpg



Anyway... Words cannot express how much I love my Miata. It will never be up for sale, just hit 100k in it and looking forward to the next 100k. Which at the rate I'm going will be 2096 (the Miata is just a weekend toy) before I get there.

So anyway, getting back to the fake wheel thing...

Yeah, took my BBS's (rims only).


http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x249/Echonova1/f910a6ea.jpg

and traded them for this...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/79Toyota019.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/79Toyota017.jpg


A running (albeit rust-filled) '79 Toyota 3/4 ton pickup. Already has a 5-speed swapped, teaching my daughter how to drive a stick on it. She fried the clutch in the Miata after 3 tries... Yeah... I love you sweetie-pie but you're not allowed in Daddy's car anymore.

So as of right this second the Miata sits in the garage on jack stands. Waiting for new wheels...

Thinking about some Rota RKR's... Mostly because I can't see wasting that much money on "real" wheels again, don't care about internet fame or impressing people I don't know, I just wanna drive my car and have fun.




Fuck everyone else.

Agent☣Orange
06-11-2012, 06:57 AM
Please insert more intermission photos.

Echonova
06-11-2012, 08:15 AM
Please insert more intermission photos.I'll get on that right after this short intermission.



http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/a7ddf540.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/473cb532.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/0991a01c.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/6a743d48.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/8244a7ea.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/7710a4ab.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/1260d599.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/aef615cf.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/2b2a9e3b.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/2d49e52b.jpg
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd441/frenchylb/bliss/20d1a30c.jpg

Echonova
07-01-2012, 06:04 PM
Alright guys... Try not to flame me too bad, because you might hurt my e-feelings... And as you know, complete strangers opinions rule my life. To recap for our viewers that weren't following along...

Traded my BBS wheels...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/DSC_0001.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/Miata42712067.jpg




For this truck...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/550960_419023474809064_544240368_n.jpg


Miata has been up on jack-stands ever since waiting for me to decide what rims I want... Just when I've made up my mind, the rims that have been for sale for umpteen-gagillion months suddenly sells putting me back at square one. So I picked up a set of temporary wheels yesterday.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/tempwheels001.jpg

Color combo looks like liquid ass... So today...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/001-2.jpg





Still need 20-25mm spacers to get them back to almost flush. So far I have an entire $17 and change into it. And to be quite honest... I sorta like it. Would be much happier with a set of Falken Hanabi's... But whatever. It is what it is.

I<3flippyheadlights
07-01-2012, 06:13 PM
You have to buy real wheels... you have a shirt.

I think that truck is cool, but I have very strange taste. The new wheels don't look bad either.

Echonova
07-01-2012, 07:51 PM
You have to buy real wheels... you have a shirt.I kinda sorta agree, but I also kinda see the other side. "Real wheels" don;t hold the sway they once had. But like you said, I already got the shirt... Tough decision.


I think that truck is cool, but I have very strange taste. The new wheels don't look bad either.Uhhh... As Micheal Jackson sang "You are not alone, I am here with you"...

My dd... in front of my wife's mini-van...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/TURBOWPOWA002.jpg


My dd next to the Toyota...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/79Toyota018.jpg

Trees in my front yard...
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/Echonova2/3-24-2012073.jpg


But I digest.

Demon I Am
07-01-2012, 10:39 PM
Ha, I finished reading this, and log into CL:Raleigh, and guess what I see? http://raleigh.craigslist.org/pts/3110643208.html
He's got a cheap set of Konig Villians, also http://raleigh.craigslist.org/pts/3110653338.html

Echonova
07-02-2012, 09:32 AM
Ha, I finished reading this, and log into CL:Raleigh, and guess what I see? http://raleigh.craigslist.org/pts/3110643208.html
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz30/nerd_by_proxy/ffffffuuuuu.gif

Demon I Am
07-02-2012, 10:07 AM
That was about the reaction I expected. Wish I could pick them up, but that would tap into the engine swap fund. We could probably work something out, if the dude didn't want to ship them to you. I would be willing to pick em up, and store them (for a bit) or ship them, if needed.

mhogan0
07-02-2012, 12:58 PM
haaa thats sooo funny

Echonova
01-22-2013, 08:01 PM
So New Year's eve was not so great... Had to pull the plug on my wife's mom and found out my dad has leukemia and less than a year to live. All with-in the span of 6 hours.


That being said, literally just finished paying for my wife's mom's funeral and what do I see...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271141111840?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619


http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt6/tkavil/GIFS/1279530695_fffffffuuuuuuu.gif

Echonova
01-27-2013, 08:47 PM
So this week. Don't really have money for the wheels I want...



But I did have enough for a used DIY FM turbo kit.

http://i470.photobucket.com/albums/rr62/flylike2kites/aww-yeah.jpg

Echonova
04-07-2013, 12:57 AM
Some of you may know, most do not... My father's health has been failing. Got the call last Wed night that he had taken a drastic turn for the worse. Searched for plane tickets, but the only plane that had two seats (for me and my daughter) arrived at 10:30pm Friday night, I thought... "Damn I can drive there faster. I'll get a rental car.". Only to discover that since years ago, I shed any form of debt. While I owe no man a dollar, most rental car companies were reluctant to rent me a car once I told them my destination was Tucson with just a debit card... While waiting for some faceless GM's approval I said F*** it. I'll just take the Miata.

Pre-trip maintenance meant I removed the sub-woofer so I would have room for a duffel bag and to put the spare tire back in.


But whatever. Halfway through Texas I figured "maybe I should document my journey". Didn't bring a camera so all the pics are i-Pod quality... Sorry.

So here I am driving through Texas.
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/006_zpsd0a1d114.jpg

5 hours later... Still in Texas
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/007_zpsa9ec8bcf.jpg

Still more hours later... Yep still in Texas. My father passed before I reached El Paso. Hence I wasn't in a picture taking mood. But I was determined to press on for mom's sake.
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/009_zpse17969b2.jpg

Many hours later I entered the great state of New Mexico
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/010_zps9272c284.jpg

Started to approach Arizona
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/011_zpsb6475d08.jpg

Yea!!!! Reached Arizona!!!
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/016_zps23e40430.jpg

Reached my parents house 24.5 hours flat (many, many hours were spent @ 90mph+) after leaving Bethlehem, GA. Friday @ 6pm. Should have been a 27 hr drive according to Google. But Google is the perfect example of the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Google don't know shit about Miata power. Although I wished I had cruise control... The 19 year old car performed like a wizened porn star on a casting couch. It did everything asked of it and more with nary a complaint.
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/024_zpsf0dfc130.jpg

After settling in, I realized half the things I thought I packed... I didn't. So off to the store for mundane things like clothes, and toothpaste.
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/025_zps5808e809.jpg

While I was off at the store my mom made a run to the Starbucks, that is literally .28 miles from her house. Got a nail, tire went flat after she pulled back in the garage. Never fear, the Miata in here.
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/026_zpsacaea91c.jpg

Now I'm sitting in the backyard watching the sun go down whilst enjoying a tasty adult beverage.
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/027_zps6041027f.jpg

Monday the real work begins for the short two weeks I am here. I will try to document my trip back better. But needless to say, the Miata has earned an even more endearing place in my heart.

Demon I Am
04-07-2013, 08:11 AM
Sorry for your loss.

tsingson
04-07-2013, 08:47 AM
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Chops
04-07-2013, 09:53 AM
Yes, very sorry to hear about your father's passing. You and your family are in my thoughts as I know what you're going through as I went through the same with my mother's passing a little over two years ago... Gee, it's been over two years already.

Again, very sorry for your loss. We're here for you.

Echonova
04-07-2013, 11:01 AM
Thanks for the kind words guys. He's been sick for a long time, he went peacefully and without pain. If only we all could all be so lucky.

Echonova
04-07-2013, 06:50 PM
So went to wash 2,000 miles of bugs off the car. Nice and shiny again for the trip home in a couple weeks.

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/AZtrip001_zpsa0d5f8f0.jpg
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/AZtrip007_zps27f07361.jpg

Echonova
04-07-2013, 06:53 PM
Found this pic of me a my dad in the Miata.

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/Grandparentsvisit2010005_zps63661db3.jpg

atank
04-07-2013, 08:00 PM
Hey man looks good, and I do like the teeth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Martin
04-07-2013, 08:26 PM
That's a great pic of you two in your car. Sorry about your loss.

Echonova
04-15-2013, 02:08 PM
So, everything was taken care of. So I drove home Sat/Sun to save some vacation time to go check on my mom from time to time the rest of the year.

Goodbye Tucson

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip001_zpsa7456d26.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip001_zpsa7456d26.jpg.html)

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip010_zpse1d3ecd3.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip010_zpse1d3ecd3.jpg.html)

Still in Arizona

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip015_zps34ef638e.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip015_zps34ef638e.jpg.html)

New Mexico

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip021_zps98901316.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip021_zps98901316.jpg.html)
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip020_zps58f558e9.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip020_zps58f558e9.jpg.html)

Texas

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip024_zpsff385a16.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip024_zpsff385a16.jpg.html)

And more Texas

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip026_zps04831ae6.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip026_zps04831ae6.jpg.html)

And more Texas

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip028_zps37aadf43.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip028_zps37aadf43.jpg.html)

Surprisingly enough... more Texas

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip029_zps1c61550d.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip029_zps1c61550d.jpg.html)

Yea...

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip031_zps74b86f24.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip031_zps74b86f24.jpg.html)

Words cannot explain how horrible driving across this God-forsaken state without cruise control is.

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip035_zps71c41aa6.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip035_zps71c41aa6.jpg.html)

Louisiana

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip038_zps90a3e3ad.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip038_zps90a3e3ad.jpg.html)

Mississippi

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip040_zpsa6e989c7.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip040_zpsa6e989c7.jpg.html)

Where it started raining...

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip047_zps1fa4e9b0.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip047_zps1fa4e9b0.jpg.html)

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip048_zpsea8ab80b.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip048_zpsea8ab80b.jpg.html)

Alabama

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip049_zps09bc34f6.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip049_zps09bc34f6.jpg.html)

Back home

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/Echonova3/ReturnTrip061_zps8351052a.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Echonova3/media/ReturnTrip061_zps8351052a.jpg.html)