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Thread: The miata that waited, a love story

  1. #1
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift I<3flippyheadlights's Avatar
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    The miata that waited, a love story

    Ha bet I dragged you in with that title. Anyway, I figured it was time I made a build thread for my lovely little car Amy but first some background story! It all started in 1996 when my father purchased his Miata. For the next ten or so years I would love this car, had great memories driving with my Dad in this car and hoped one day I could own one. It was a sad day when my Dad had to sell it to help pay bills during a bad time in our lives. I had always wanted one since and it has been one of my dream cars. After getting my first car I had still wanted a Miata but never thought I could afford one, so I kept dreaming. Eventually I got tired of driving other cars, cars with seats for friends, more "reliable" to people and hard topped cars. I finally wanted a Miata. So my search began. I joined a lot of Miata sites to start reading up on things and asking for opinions, I also joined tampabaymiatas.net which also helped when looking for my future car. Well in Florida all NAs are really high priced. I kept finding crappy car after crappy car and was losing hope. I needed to find something fast because people wanted to buy my car. Well I thought I had found one, it was a 97 M, low miles, decent paint, a very huge maintenance history and I loved it.


    They let me drive the car for the weekend. The mans reasoning was if I drove it for a weekend I could find out if I really wanted it and if something went wrong I couldn't come back and blame him. This Miata was great but something didn't feel right. It didn't have that pep, the zest of a Miata so I looked at its huge file of maintenance records and I found the people had turned down some services offered by shops. It made me feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Took it to a shop and they believed something in the block was bad and for 3500 bucks for the price of the car , I didn't want to find out. At this point I was heartbroken. I thought I had found my car but to no avail it had failed.

    So I started my search again and I called a local Mazda shop by the name of Maztech to see if the owner knew anyone selling a Miata. When I called Jeff the owner told me he didn't know anyone, but before I said bye he told me he just bought a Miata. It was a 1990 that a customer sold him on the cheap because he didn't want to fix the water pump, timing belt, and clutch. He explained he did all the maintenance on it but it needed a lot of work cosmetically. He didn't make it sound like a good car and I didn't even want to go. But, I did and I had found my car. When I pulled up she was under a tree, she was seven shades of red, had a dilapidated top, crappy wheels and a dirty inside. But when I drove her I feel in love. This car felt like no other Miata and I needed to have it. While driving I came across a few problems. Brakes were stiff, rough idle and I think something else but I forgot. I was preparing myself for a very high price so when I got back I asked. He explained he wanted 1500. It was the cost of the parts and work, plus the body of the car. He also explained he would fix the other things before selling it. My friend Javier told me I needed to buy that car, and I did. I took her home about a week later after selling my car and I couldn't be happier. Everywhere I drove I had a smile on my face because I finally owned my dream car. This is what it looked like after I got it home.

    WP_000120.jpgWP_000119.jpgWP_000118.jpgWP_000121.jpgWP_000122.jpgWP_000123.jpgWP_000124.jpgWP_000125.jpg

    Thus began the journey of me losing my mind on this car.
    1990 Miata, she was red but now she is Spirit Green!

    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....d-a-love-story <--- build thread!

    Also check out the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IHeartFlippyHeadlights !!! Its a facebook page dedicated to the awesomeness which is flippyheadlights! Not me, but the actual headlights! High time someone noticed how awesome these things are; check it out!

  2. #2
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift I<3flippyheadlights's Avatar
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    So whats the first thing you do when you get a car? You clean it! So I did, I also painted my wheels and added a HD lip.

    I also got the peeling leather off my steering wheel and replaced what was my shift boot with a red one from an RX7. I thought it was neat. My best friends in the world helped me do this all day, and our reward was five guy
    Attached Images Attached Images
    1990 Miata, she was red but now she is Spirit Green!

    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....d-a-love-story <--- build thread!

    Also check out the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IHeartFlippyHeadlights !!! Its a facebook page dedicated to the awesomeness which is flippyheadlights! Not me, but the actual headlights! High time someone noticed how awesome these things are; check it out!

  3. #3
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift I<3flippyheadlights's Avatar
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    1990 Spirited Green Miata!
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    moar pictures!

    WP_000146.jpgWP_000145.jpgWP_000147.jpgWP_000148.jpgWP_000149.jpgWP_000150.jpgWP_000151.jpg

    I also replaced my finish panel that was broken. Now my Amy looked better. Oh and on the first day I drove her home she over heated on the highway. The radiator was broken and wasn't working at 60+ mph. Jeff replaced it the next day.
    1990 Miata, she was red but now she is Spirit Green!

    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....d-a-love-story <--- build thread!

    Also check out the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IHeartFlippyHeadlights !!! Its a facebook page dedicated to the awesomeness which is flippyheadlights! Not me, but the actual headlights! High time someone noticed how awesome these things are; check it out!

  4. #4
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift I<3flippyheadlights's Avatar
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    1990 Spirited Green Miata!
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    Well those daisies didn't last too long. There was an add on craigslist for a guy who had tons of stuff for sale and I already bought my finish panel from him so I went back again. I walked away with the 6 spoke stock wheels, new tires on them for just 150 bucks. I also got a full set of koni's for just 100 bucks. I went for the R package lips, they were bought before I got there, but I think I got something much better out of it. And I also got the window trim for just 10 dollars! But, I don't have any pictures so moving on.

    I eventually got a new top, turn signal intakes and had the urge to get new wheels and tires. Stock was boring and then this happened.

    WP_000106.jpgWP_000100.jpg

    I had no idea what I was in for and these wheels were too big and I was in 400 bucks deep. Then along came Chris Juliano, who is a good friend and a great person to deal with. He wanted something with a lower offset/wider and I wanted something that would fit. So he traded me his 6Ul's all the way from Pittsburgh. Also during this time I picked up a GV lip (fake cause I'm poor) and sent my car into the shop to be painted. It felt strange not having my car for the 3 days it was gone. In fact I was like a worried parent. Wanting to call to make sure everything was ok, that the people were taking care of her. It was all very strange. But when I got my Amy back she was perfect! I didn't plan on this color, and in fact chose it last second and it was worth it.

    This is how she sits now, along with some of her and my new friends.

    all the miatas.jpgpassing by.jpgrepresenting.jpgseems nor- OH FUCK.jpgsex.jpgsexy.jpg

    Big change right?
    1990 Miata, she was red but now she is Spirit Green!

    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....d-a-love-story <--- build thread!

    Also check out the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IHeartFlippyHeadlights !!! Its a facebook page dedicated to the awesomeness which is flippyheadlights! Not me, but the actual headlights! High time someone noticed how awesome these things are; check it out!

  5. #5
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift I<3flippyheadlights's Avatar
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    1990 Spirited Green Miata!
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    MOAR!

    up close.jpgthats an angry miata.jpgup top.jpg

    All these pictures were from a photo shoot some local guys and I did. I have to say without the huge influence of the community I wouldn't keep striving to make my car better. My next plans are to make it lower, different exhaust, intake and new AFM, seats and wheel. Oh and MOAR STICKERS! Then way future me will want a turbo so that will happen one day, but that is after two things. 1, I learn more about building an engine with a turbo and 2, learning how to drive with the power I have. I plan on doing my first auto cross in the next month or so. Well that is it and if you read all of this thank you so much for your time. Now someone else has an insight on to why I love this car so much.
    1990 Miata, she was red but now she is Spirit Green!

    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....d-a-love-story <--- build thread!

    Also check out the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IHeartFlippyHeadlights !!! Its a facebook page dedicated to the awesomeness which is flippyheadlights! Not me, but the actual headlights! High time someone noticed how awesome these things are; check it out!

  6. #6
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! The Driver's Avatar
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    And the saga continues...




    Cool story bro... No, really! ;)
    96 Montego, replacing a 95M... I miss: My running peeps in Tampa, running barefoot @ Clearwater Beach and First Choice BBQ, in Brandon. In So Cal I miss: The Malibu Canyons, CA 33 and In & Out Burgers ! I'm from Tampa, if I was from Tampa Bay, I'd be a fish!

  7. #7
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! afc2112's Avatar
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    Never knew you had gold daisies.

  8. #8
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here!
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    That's the Mazda2 Spirit Green Metallic paint right??? I love that! I've been dreaming about painting mine Samba Green from the old Del Sol, but I like how nice the new green is. Also, that pic of the Miata hiding in the parking garage is EVIL. Awesome.
    1996 Brilliant Black 2,020lbs wet.

  9. #9
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here!
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    mmmmmmmmmm 5guys.



    Did they paint the enginebay/trunk/door sills also?
    1997 Red Miata -SOLD
    2005 TI MSM - SOLD

  10. #10
    1,000 rpm - releasing the clutch weeata's Avatar
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    Nice progress with your car, it looks sharp in that color. I love the 'Angry Miata' picture! That's funny.
    2002 - Blazing Yellow Mica Special Edition - Track Toy
    2003 - Porsche Boxster S in Speed Yellow - Daily Driver

  11. #11
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift I<3flippyheadlights's Avatar
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    No the inside of my car is still red, I call her Amy the Watermelon now. Thank you everyone for the compliments ^^
    1990 Miata, she was red but now she is Spirit Green!

    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....d-a-love-story <--- build thread!

    Also check out the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IHeartFlippyHeadlights !!! Its a facebook page dedicated to the awesomeness which is flippyheadlights! Not me, but the actual headlights! High time someone noticed how awesome these things are; check it out!

  12. #12
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! The Driver's Avatar
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    1996 Montego Blue Leather Package + 5 Speed = Torsen II
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    Lakewood (Green Mountain), CO.
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    Quote Originally Posted by I<3flippyheadlights View Post
    MOAR!

    up close.jpgthats an angry miata.jpgup top.jpg

    All these pictures were from a photo shoot some local guys and I did. I have to say without the huge influence of the community I wouldn't keep striving to make my car better. My next plans are to make it lower, different exhaust, intake and new AFM, seats and wheel. Oh and MOAR STICKERS! Then way future me will want a turbo so that will happen one day, but that is after two things. 1, I learn more about building an engine with a turbo and 2, learning how to drive with the power I have. I plan on doing my first auto cross in the next month or so. Well that is it and if you read all of this thank you so much for your time. Now someone else has an insight on to why I love this car so much.

    Where this taken at the Marshall Center parking garage. over @ USF?
    96 Montego, replacing a 95M... I miss: My running peeps in Tampa, running barefoot @ Clearwater Beach and First Choice BBQ, in Brandon. In So Cal I miss: The Malibu Canyons, CA 33 and In & Out Burgers ! I'm from Tampa, if I was from Tampa Bay, I'd be a fish!

  13. #13
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift I<3flippyheadlights's Avatar
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    1990 Spirited Green Miata!
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    No it was a random garage in the westshore area
    1990 Miata, she was red but now she is Spirit Green!

    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....d-a-love-story <--- build thread!

    Also check out the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IHeartFlippyHeadlights !!! Its a facebook page dedicated to the awesomeness which is flippyheadlights! Not me, but the actual headlights! High time someone noticed how awesome these things are; check it out!

  14. #14
    Idling - Listen to it purr... shenanigan's Avatar
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    i <3 Amy

  15. #15
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! afc2112's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Driver View Post
    Where this taken at the Marshall Center parking garage. over @ USF?
    It would make sense to shoot there if we ever want to do another garage shoot. We can even do it on the same day as one of the USF car meets...

    Though, I think I'd prefer the one near the library & the Education bldg.

    Quote Originally Posted by shenanigan View Post
    i <3 Amy
    Amy is like the nerdy girl in the movies that turns into a pretty girl by the end...lol

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