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Thread: Cars, Coffee and California...

  1. #151
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    I see green in the near future of Pete's garage...
    '01 NB2 aka MisF1re: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....218#post207218
    '97 M aka Warbird, gone but not forgotten: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....B&goto=newpost
    Instagram: @greasemonkey2000

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  3. #152
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TNRooster3 View Post
    Soooooo by what you are saying I think I see a nice NA in your eldest's near future...???
    I wouldn't buy him a car, full stop.. something about my views on entitlement and all plus the fact that I don't think it hurt me none that I had to work bloody hard and save to buy my first car in my second year of college, etc, etc. "Now in my day and age"...

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  5. #153
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greasemonkey2000 View Post
    I see green in the near future of Pete's garage...
    I told you I was way behind!! ;)

  6. #154
    4,000 rpm - entering the fun zone Roadster7's Avatar
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    Spoilers from IG

    When's the BRG getting a build thread? Congrats on the pickup, looks like it's in good shape.

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  8. #155
    Idling - Listen to it purr...
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    I can't believe I've missed your build thread after all these years Pete! Great work & it was a joy reading into Benny's history. Now post up some pictures of that BRG!

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  10. #156
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Damned IG.. but the updates are sooo easy ;). OK, let me get the lead out filling in the blanks up to last weekend...

    While I was noodling on what to do about becoming increasingly protective about Benny and the Sunburst (my other brother named it “Eggs”, cause its yellow and “Eggs Benny” sounded funny but Mrs. R failed to see the humor ;) I had much Miata excitement on the horizon.

    Adam was making a pilgrimage from New Mexico to SoCal with Sharka. I was finally going to see my first true Roadster muse in the metal!! I’d been coaxing him into coming to KINOD and used that as an excuse to push the locals to ensure a great turnout. I wrapped up a work event on Thursday and made my way home to find Adam having just arrived. Sharka was on my driveway right next to Benny (clearly too much excitement as I didn't even think to get my camera out)!! Perhaps appropriate to say: So much excite. Many happiness. That paint.. so deep. Pictures have not captured the depth of Montego or that stripe! Despite the hours and miles, Sharka already looked pristine. Nevertheless, the first order of business was giving both our steeds a good wash. So wild to see Sharka in motion and to be driving these two cars together.


    After getting home Adam showed me his trick to fix the KGW panel so that the “CH-Eng” and ”Belts” script wasn’t cut off any more (OCD now at bay). While we were doing that the post man showed up with a box from EMS. Karma?


    My littlest helper got to work opening the box and unpacking. The GV headlight lid for part of Benny’s next chapter, a sunglasses case for Mrs. R, seat bolt caps, an issue of Tipo with the crazy T-House Clubman car I had to see in print and a KG Works mirror I picked up cheap from YJA because of some superficial damage (small dent on the back). We immediately swapped in the new mirror which looks superb.. even better when it’s looking back at Sharka!


    We supped and talked until late with some fellow MRNetter’s fwdtamiya and JonB and I again learned so much more from some of the community’s OG. The best bit was being part of these guys connecting face to face in person after years of having known each other online.

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  12. #157
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Dammit, that’s what rushing gets you. So out of sequence as even before Adam arrived, I had the pleasure of welcoming Antonio on Wednesday after he first landed from Italy ahead of his seven month stint in Southern California. Unfortunately the only pictures I took were of our sushi (has become my preference for post jet-lag nourishment)…


    It was great to be able to take him for his first drive in a Miata along the coast with the top down and to talk about his Roadster history, passion and inspiration. Fingers crossed he’ll be finding a Roadster to enjoy during his time here and that we’ll get the chance to be seeing more of each other while he's on this side of the pond.

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  14. #158
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    So back to Friday. Jon B, Adam and I drove tandem down to 949 Racing to see Emilio, Dave, Sonny & John and to meet up with Darryl and a whole lot of other folks from the Ohio Miata Club that had made the trek across the country! It was fantastic to see Adam’s reaction to people pouring over Sharka. It surprised me he hadn’t experienced that before but I guess it makes sense that New Mexico wouldn’t have quite the same level of MX5 fanaticism as we do here…


    We then had some tacos and made our way to Mazda R&D. I believe Darryl arranged it but all I knew was that it was crazy awesome to be invited along. They had a scale color test car mounted in reception where we signed our NDA’s (not for sale ;).


    They also had some other incredibly stunning reception decorations..


    Once all signed in and NDA'd we were taken to the vault. Keeper of so very many precious things…

    Cars numbered 14, 15 and 17 from Chicago Autoshow 1989 along with the Club Racer (Mazda USA knew before they launched the car what potential the platform would have and what people would want to do with it).


    I actually had a *moment* thinking back to that show and the excitement it kicked off in both Dan and I. That was the actual blue car that got me on the path to find Benny. There in the flesh! Those were the cars that lit us up into a frenzy about the brilliant concept of this lightweight car, designed to be driven.. but not break down like that lovely, wretched ’78 Fiat Spider.

    There were so many amazing cars like the Cosmo I’ve always loved


    And some of the concept cars I poured over in the magazines in the by gone days pre internet but was now seeing the flesh. The M Speedster concept from 1995

    They also had the stunning M Coupe from 1996 and the only 1998 Miata (NB design study)


    ... and the 500,00th Miata, the 750,000th and a whole host of race cars like the 1979 RX-7 IMSA GTU along with the stunning 1991 RX-7 IMSA GTO. 767B and 787B’s. So much wow.

    Adam got to experience typical LA traffic with the slog back up the 405 from Irvine during rush hour and then a brief rest before heading off for a bite at In N Out ahead of KINOD. My phone doesn’t take night pictures worth a damn but it was great to finally get the three smurfs together with Gene Rodriguez and

    KINOD had one of the best turn-outs aside from the anniversary meets and I’m hoping was a great reminder to many why it’s one of the best car events I’ve frequented in the six years since I moved here. Wow, how could this Miata fueled week get any better…

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  16. #159
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Ever since I started searching for Benny I’ve kept an eye on Craigslist, Carguru, Autotrader, BringaTrailer, et al to see what’s out there. Twice I’ve missed out on a couple pristine examples of the Starlight Mica LE that’s among my absolute favorites. Almost up there with BRG (but still behind the M2’s ;). In fact, BRG is what I would have gotten if the sentimentalist in me didn’t think Lego Blue was the only true tribute color for Dan. I’ve seen many and also watched prices rising. After a few weeks of discussing with Mrs. R I finally got the sign off (and in the end encouragement!) to buy another NA, for me. That last bit is important. I’m not planning on modifying much of the exterior and wasn’t looking for a completely unblemished car since I wanted a car I felt more comfortable about Son #1 driving. That still felt pretty awesome since I didn’t really have access to a car until I bought my first one during my second year of College. I also really have an issue with entitlement that seems to be more prevalent now. Another car also gives me the flexibility to diverge the direction of both cars. One more vintage racekor, the other a retro gentleman’s roadster.

    Pictures from the ad that caught my attention. I managed to speak to Kurt, the mechanic that had just checked the car over and done the timing belt service. He remembered it well and gave me a heads up on the things he’d spotted. That gave me the confidence to get a deal done.


    So after Friday night KINOD and winding down for some shuteye at about 2am, the alarm got me up Saturday morning to head off to LAX with Son #1 for our flights to Phoenix! As excited as I was about the car, I was more fired up about the idea of a 393 mile father/ son roadtrip. What a pleasure and privilege it is to have that kind of one on one time. We landed at 12:25 and taxied straight to In N Out (closest restaurant to the seller.. poor planning on my part though as back to back burgers was a bit much). We walked over to the PO’s house and that’s where she sat.


    The transaction went like clockwork, no real surprises on the car, test drive gave some more reassurance so signed over the paperwork, handed off some Benjamin’s and we were on the road by 2pm..
    First fill-up in AZ at $2 something a gallon - $18.00 to fill the tank!


    A few hours in and back to the land of $3.29/gallon


    First rest stop where we switched drivers



    Happy chappy going through the incredible fields of wind farming


    The only other fill-up


    Coming in to LA just as the sun was setting…


    And finally home safe and sound and a bit stiff/ exhausted after an incredible 393 mile adventure together. Amazing how much better you can connect with your kids with the absence of wifi or screens.

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  18. #160
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Despite our fatigue on Saturday night I was somehow encouraged to let him do a thorough vacuuming and a few little interior bits put on like the JDM brown carpet mats I already had on hand + an OEM gear shift/ brake handle (the Nardi ones are desperately in need of refinishing). Oh, and of course my help was enlisted to swap out the RPF1’s that had been stacked in the garage ever since my Mk2’s were put on. And then of course another test to see how it felt with grippier rubber (mmmmm!). Then finally some sleep…




    The next morning set us off to give it the first real washing up followed by gas then some more test drives...




    Then back home for some other *important* things like adding a few stickers



    And now the trilogy is complete. Benny is ready for the next stage of his evolution which will see new parts added and hand me downs moved over to the BRG.



    I’ve got a deadline of MRLS in October to get things closer to where I want them to be and thanks to Chris at Vinyl Tecnica, I’m again ready to represent on out track.

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  20. #161
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    What a series of awesome updates! That Mazda R&D visit, OMG! And BRG looks great, cannot wait to see more.

    BTW a fill up on my NB2 here costs about 65 euros, or 72.7 USD as google tells me...

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  22. #162
    Forum Sponsor revlimiter's Avatar
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    AWESOME updates!!!! And that BRG is just a beauty. Wow.

    I'm slowly going through my Basement pix. Gonna have some up tomorrow.

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  24. #163
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HarryB View Post
    What a series of awesome updates! That Mazda R&D visit, OMG! And BRG looks great, cannot wait to see more.

    BTW a fill up on my NB2 here costs about 65 euros, or 72.7 USD as google tells me...
    Thanks Harry - the backlog was getting me down, now just need to do a better job of keeping up. Personal goal is to update here first before loading up IG .

    And thanks for the reminder, it's been six years since we left EU and I've obviously re-acclimatized to cheap petrol!

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  26. #164
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by revlimiter View Post
    AWESOME updates!!!! And that BRG is just a beauty. Wow.

    I'm slowly going through my Basement pix. Gonna have some up tomorrow.
    Thanks. Am definitely looking forward to some more exceptional pictures from you..

  27. #165
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Instagram ain't gonna get the jump on MR.net this time!

    First things first, after an amazing Miata filled weekend I received an unexpected care package from Adam on Wednesday containing none other than the oem-esque Mazda stickers for the front bumper (who knew that they weren't white and black but *light gray* and *dark gray*? Adam.. that's who!). He also included a Mariner Blue ND HotWheels.. something we may have been impressing upon Mazda R&D to consider just last week (If Soul Red is the 2017 interpretation of Classic Red, I'd love to see their take on Soul Blue!). So much awesome!



    Then I came home last night to find this sitting in the entrance way...


    Filled with much of this...


    Which was protecting the first mods for the BRG...



    Just as I told Mrs. R, I swear I honestly had no plans to make any changes like this so soon but then the internet happens. Sean from Hawaii was in an accident in his awesome white NA around the same time I was finalizing the decision to pick up the BRG. As his car was written off he decided to go a different direction with his replacement and part out what he could. I was trying to be respectful and give him 24 hours of mourning before asking the question (and missed out on a couple things in the process ;). I did score his Nakamae center console, GarageStar license plate bracket + lightsaber.. um handbrake handle, the shift knob, a key blank and the HVAC panel + knobs. The interior feels so much more like home now. You may have noticed the RS Products HVAC isn't the one I received. I actually swapped the silver one into Benny and put my black one in the BRG. Hand-me-downs is a dangerous yet wonderful opportunity. Those Mark2's would look amazing on a BRG as would Rev9's mini flares... Anyways, back on the HVAC panel, I believe I've complained in the past about how the black knob controlling the air flow never worked on Benny. A few others even chimed in about having similar issues. The funny thing? It's Benny's HVAC. They work perfectly on the BRG but even the silver one doesn't do anything on Benny. Now I definitely need to find a solve...


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