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Thread: Cars, Coffee and California...

  1. #286
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    On Saturday morning, we finally got around to finishing the suspension on BRG. We did it over two weekends starting with the sway bars and endlinks. I thought it would be helpful to spread the workload out since whenever working on cars at home, there’s usually some chores around the house I get co-opted into. What I didn’t think through was the hassle of removing some of those parts to install the coilovers (the worst of which was the Racing Beat bracing h/w that’s such a hassle to get in.. which had to be taken out to accomodate the long bolt method).

    So last weekend we swapped over the sway bars (Racing Beat 1.125” front and Supermiata rear 14mm) along with the 949 endlinks.

    Jacked up and ready to go


    New and old endlinks (is there any reason to keep these??)…


    Front sway bar – in!


    The best part was doing the work together and having eldest son do much of it himself.


    Then onto the suspension itself. Those old shocks were toast.


    Ah, more better.


    Final adjustments to get the pinch weld heights at 5” front, 5.25” rear.


    The first real test drive was phenomenal. With the Xidas, BRG’s driving characteristics were finally much closer to Benny’s for both my eldest and my delight. Now I just need work to ease off a bit so I can get some track days planned for eldest and I since I have this dream of bringing him to MRLS this year with me. Oh, and an alignment.

    Got to wrap up another awesome Miata-filled weekend with a good ol Sunday clean.


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  3. #287
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift JamieH's Avatar
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    Mmm, dat fitment.

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  5. #288
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    2001 NB2 aka Misfire
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    Geez, Pete, the roadsters just keep getting better!
    '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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    oldgrayleather (04-02-2018)

  7. #289
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Yesterday EMS delivered something wonderful to the office…



    The KG Works made its way to BRG when I received my AWD TypeA set-up for Benny upgraded with RS Refine rings. I always preferred the TypeB version given the contrasting black and silver so when one showed up on YJA along with the type 独立型” rings (!!) and a set of needle caps I put in a "reasonable" offer. I ended up winning it so the metal panel from the Premium G series will move over leaving just sizing up the gauges so I can order some RevLimiter glass! Oh happy days...

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    Agent☣Orange (04-08-2018),benpopham (04-04-2018),Greasemonkey2000 (04-04-2018),HarryB (04-05-2018),JamieH (04-04-2018),Roadster7 (04-04-2018),speedypenguin (04-05-2018),ueru (04-08-2018)

  9. #290
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    I've always thought BRG was the perfect color for GV's. And then, someone online posted up a black panel with the reverse and porter lights for sale. I deliberated briefly and then contacted him and bought it. Shipping was a hassle and ended up being more expensive than it should have been but it was on its way. Two days after it was shipped a local guy posted the same set-up for sale.. BUT it was already painted BRG. Feck. That would save money. So I met him Thursday after work and picked up a third set. Today eldest son and I got to business...




    Pealed off the old decrepit gaskets and replaced them with spanky brand new ones (thanks Priority Mazda for the quick shipping!).


    GV all the things...


    And done!


    Not really twinning, one's wide, one's not. One is quite content being bone stock.


    BERG was really not supposed to change much but now? I think I need to spend more time driving that car!


    Now just need to figure out what to do with the spare set. Even though I've never bought anything I wasn't going to install, maybe like Phat I'll just pack it away for another day...

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  11. #291
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    Loverly!!
    '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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  13. #292
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    faster now with the Ecotec 2.4 (1992 white NA)
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    Love the GV tails, they both look great!
    What did you do for paint? Rattle can? Other?
    I am asking because I have a set I will install in the next couple months.

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    oldgrayleather (04-08-2018)

  15. #293
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MiataQuest View Post
    Love the GV tails, they both look great!
    What did you do for paint? Rattle can? Other?
    I am asking because I have a set I will install in the next couple months.
    Quote Originally Posted by oldgrayleather View Post
    Two days after it was shipped a local guy posted the same set-up for sale.. BUT it was already painted BRG.
    '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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  17. #294
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift JamieH's Avatar
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    You remember to apply some silicone between the panel and car above the taillights?


  18. #295
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greasemonkey2000 View Post
    Loverly!!
    Thanks you!


    Quote Originally Posted by MiataQuest View Post
    Love the GV tails, they both look great!
    What did you do for paint? Rattle can? Other?
    I am asking because I have a set I will install in the next couple months.
    As Greasemonkey picked up, this one did come pre-painted in perfectly matching BRG and had been done properly.

    Quote Originally Posted by JamieH View Post
    You remember to apply some silicone between the panel and car above the taillights?
    Even though it never rains here I did indeed remember this important step. Then after getting it all sealed up, I remembered that I'd forgotten to add a few washers to the lock mechanism to bring it forward.

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  20. #296
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    After Saturday's install, late that night I enticed a couple KINODers to come round for waffles and sausages early Sunday am and for some pointers on how to hook-up the reverse light (electrical things have always intimidated the hell out of me). We got our start around 6am while the cars had just a little morning dew.


    Gutted I failed to capture a picture of the whole crew with two smurfs, two BRG's and the Sunburst. Every time there's more Miati around I think my neighbors get nervous we're adding more cars to the collection. haha

    With a vamp clamp, hooking up the light was super easy but really appreciated the experienced onlookers to ensure I didn't mess it up. They also finally helped me figure out how to remove the crappy alarm that was in Benny when I got him. Appreciated getting the extra junk out of the engine bay even if I only figured out the Racing Beat intake that's been sitting on my shelf for a few years wouldn't fit with the Carbing three point bar.

    Also got to try JonB's gstring on. Always thought it was the perfect balance for semi-open air motoring but given I almost never drive with the top up not sure how much I'd actually use one. It does look pretty!


    All told wrapped yet another another great car filled weekend. Monday mornings never feel as bad when they start with a full tank of gas and the top down...

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  22. #297
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Another great Roadster weekend. I managed to persuade Jeo to make it down to KINOD since it had been too long since BlueJay and Benny got together. (Truth be told, I bribed him with KINOD stickers that Adam so very kindly made up for the meets.) Thankfully Jeo acquiesced and made the 45+ mile trip down to meet-up…



    So much fancy going on under the hood of that car and the sound of those ITB’s.

    Co-pilot approved


    Sometime past midnight and after saying good-byes and seeing Jeo off, I came back to my car only to be completely stumped. I couldn’t get Frodo into the car as there was something on the co-pilot seat. Shiny.. light… familiar. Fwdtamiya, Sonny and some others that were hanging around had a knowing smirk which only confused me more. Turns out Jeo left a little surprise. He ended up with a few sets of Chad’s drilled wiper arms as he’d built for Warbird and Jeo was kind enough to gift me a set! I cannot tell you how deeply I was/ am touched.

    Chad’s original post: https://goo.gl/4Wr3U9

    And back at home


    Got them installed first thing Saturday…


    I also fixed an issue with the driver’s side Nakamae door handle popping because the top thread had been stripped. Discovered while I was at it that the screw on the door handle cup had also been stripped (not by me) so I couldn’t remove the door panel. There’s no space to get in there so not even sure how I’m going to fix that issue but will see to it another day.

    Eldest son added a Roadster badge he’d got for the back of Berg…


    … and youngest son helped me put Benny’s old Garagestar aluminum radiator cowl into Berg since it didn’t fit with the Barchetta front installed.

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  24. #298
    Admin / Pit Boss / Miataholic Phatmiata's Avatar
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    loving this thread so much !!! keep it up!!

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  26. #299
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    I'm so happy Jeo was kind enough to gift the other sets of Warbird drilled wiper arms to two other great guys, Adam and yourself, with beautiful roadsters. Really hope you enjoy them, Pete!

    I am pretty proud of them(despite the imperfections) and need to get back on the ball and make more, get the process down and make other enthusiasts smile over a small and insignificant detail.
    '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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  28. #300
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greasemonkey2000 View Post
    I'm so happy Jeo was kind enough to gift the other sets of Warbird drilled wiper arms to two other great guys, Adam and yourself, with beautiful roadsters. Really hope you enjoy them, Pete!

    I am pretty proud of them(despite the imperfections) and need to get back on the ball and make more, get the process down and make other enthusiasts smile over a small and insignificant detail.
    Some of us live for these small, significant details! I'm honored to have some of your handiwork on my car!

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    Greasemonkey2000 (04-16-2018)

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