3rd Miata - First NA - Maine

[MLambert19]

Well, I've been lurking around here for long enough, I suppose.

Hi. Name's Matt. I'm in Western Maine (some fantastic roads over this way, if I dare say so myself). I'm on my 3rd Miata, and hoping that this one sticks around a while.

I've had a bunch of bikes: 2004 KLR650, 2006 VFR800, 2002 SV650, 2007 DRZ400SM, 1991 GSF400, 2003 SV1000N. I used to ride about 8K miles a summer. Upon moving to the mountains of Western Maine, I discovered my bike season is cut significantly short of what it was in the middle of the state. It seems to rain, stay cold, and the roads have sand on them for much more of the year than elsewhere in Maine.

One of my best friends bought an early NA beater on eBay in college, and I recall how much fun he had with it. After getting caught in a spring downpour in 2012 and riding home near-hypothermic, I decided a Miata might be a great way to get around without fear of the elements listed above. I started reading, and decided an MSM sounded like the cure.

In June of '12 I flew with my girlfriend to the Carolinas, and drove back in a 22K mile Titanium Gray MSM GT. We did the Dragon, Blue Ridge Parkway, and a bunch of back roads before our timeline eventually forced us to the highway. The car was great. I drove it 10K miles that summer, and then, stupidly, sold it for a profit in the fall.

In the following months, I decided to try out an NC. After much hunting for a used PRHT, I threw in the towel and bought a leftover '12 at a great price. The only thing wrong was the color. Black. My VFR800 was black. It looked amazing, for all of 30 seconds following a wash & wax. Dirt loves black vehicles. I drove the NC 9K miles, and had every intention of keeping it forever.

Then I went and got married. My wife, not much of a car enthusiast, drove a Honda Fit. In fact, it's all she's ever driven. Lots of snow + Honda Fit = unhappy wife. Welcome to Western Maine, love. Fortunately, I had the foresight to buy another Miata. Little did she know, my NC would be getting traded for a Subaru this fall (if you're okay with black, I'd be happy to tell you where my NC is and how much they gave me for it).

Enter my current project. 1991 BRG #225. I flew to Buffalo, NY and bought this one, back in June or so (anticipating the NC would be sold or traded to avoid a payment and get the wife into an AWD). The good: 53K miles, hardtop, almost entirely intact, clean title, zero rust. The bad: repainted at some point, lots of deferred maintenance, ratty side bolster on driver's seat (looks like more than 53K worth of wear). 75mph the whole way back to Maine in one day, not a hiccup.

I swear, I'll get some pictures up sometime. Probably in a build thread. But here are the highlights of what's coming:

GV Tails
ITBs (A piece of Scrat is headed to Maine!)
A handful of JDM
FM suspension
Lots of maintenance and cosmetic stuff

Thanks for reading, hopefully that didn't bore you to tears. -Matt

[Winlowe]

Welcome aboard the MR forum

[— Dandy —]

Welcome! Nice back story. Let's see some pics of your roadster.

[MLambert19]

The day I showed up to buy it. Some scuffs and scrapes, grime & PINSTRIPES. Ugh. My father likes pinstripes, I do not.



The previous owner had some other BRG stuff kicking around, too. (That's a Caterham 7 in the corner).



Back in Maine after an all-day drive. Stripes removed, clay'd and temporarily stored at my buddies place until I could make room (read: sell my NC).



I couldn't find any pics of my NC (have some here someplace). Here you can just see it behind my bike. That SV makes more ponies than my 1.6...

Hopefully that all worked... -Matt

[— Phatmiata —]

Great choice with the BRG Miata !! Where is WASABI at?? Lol. Here is another BRG for you!!