jaredef's White Roadster

[jaredef]

So I thought it was about time I started a build thread somewhere on the interwebs.

Back in February 2011, I was perusing craigslist for a daily driver. I was in too much of a hurry to buy car, a mistake I wont make again soon. I would have settled for some crapped out vw jetta; I'm glad I came across an add for a miata instead. I paid 2400 for an 89 NA with 178k on the ticker. I knew nothing about these cars.

When I got it, it looked like this.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/mymiata_02.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/mymiata_03.jpg

Overall not in bad shape. No rust and a mostly straight body. The factory red had been repainted (not very well) in a pearl white, which I have a love hate relationship with. Washing and waxing it the first time, I discovered where the paint had runs and blemishes. I decided quite early on that I would repaint it someday.

First to go had to be those terrible chromed daisies. Inspired by adam's sharka, I pulled the trigger on some 14x7 +28 RPF1's.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_1566.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/2_1920x1080.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/1.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_1572.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_1660.jpg

Not too soon after I decided I needed some racingbeat sways. Looking back now, I should have bought decent coilovers first, but live and learn I suppose.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_3704-small.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_3706-small.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_3715-small.jpg

I had transformed it into a race car and decided it was about time I showed everybody at the autocross up. Turns out m+s tires on blown shocks arent the best combo for autocross. lol.

I guess its not a good drifting combo either. The boy racer in me couldnt handle the massive amount power under my right foot and I oversteered into a curb, in the wet, at the local highschool parking lot.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/CIMG1520.jpg

Bought another. Drained of cash, the next mod was some plastidip'd wheels. I wish I hadn't.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_1693-edit.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_3432-1.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_3460.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_2338.jpg

Photoshopped some low on. ^

Summer was fun in this car.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/miata_tablerock_1280.jpg

Next came some white surrounds. I wish I hadn't.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_3836-small.jpg

A month later, I decided I needed to indiscriminately waste some money, and decided to buy another RPF1.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/DSC_3903.jpg

[jaredef]

Almost a year after buying the car, I had had enough of blown shocks; I started collecting.

In a month or so I had attained Koni Sport shocks, Eibach pro kit lowering springs, and Fat Cat Motorsport shock mounts, and prothane poly bushings.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h215/jaredef/suspension.jpg

It was time for the install.

http://i.imgur.com/5P6jz.jpg

Projects strewn about

http://i.imgur.com/0zGZI.jpg

rears first.

http://i.imgur.com/SH0Tl.jpg

i lost one of the shock mount stud nuts down inside there, that sucked. Also found a hand lotion packet stuffed down there.

http://i.imgur.com/WlNLX.jpg

Spindle bushing out! I love and hate this tool.

http://i.imgur.com/1JAGE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ndnY2.jpg

The rears are done, off to do the fronts.

http://i.imgur.com/0Q8dg.jpg

I used the long bolt method to get the shock out. I know why they call it the long bolt.

http://i.imgur.com/WCXHz.jpg

Despite giving all the bolts a liberal dose of penetrating oil, I still had to use the beatle head.

http://i.imgur.com/qkmV9.jpg

Why we call it the beatle head.

http://i.imgur.com/qw5fy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eLNRD.jpg

I didnt want to mess with ball joints. Has anyone else done it like this?

http://i.imgur.com/opeI5.jpg

Front bushings in!

http://i.imgur.com/YGQBS.jpg

All buttoned up.

http://i.imgur.com/tbpeS.jpg

While I was in there I also did like stormin norman and put some washers in between the swaybar bracket and frame. Worked like a charm.

I was able to do both fronts and rears in 20 hours total, ya seems like a long time, I had hell with some of the bushings.

http://i.imgur.com/11a0c.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/B3UeG.jpg

The next day I went and got it aligned. They were able to get the rear end to -2 degrees camber, no toe. Front is -1.2 degrees and 1/32 toe each side, caster 5.1 degrees. I'm happy with the handling. There is a bit more road noise with the bushings but nothing terrible. These springs seem to work well, a lot of people hate them, I dont know why. They are not nearly as soft as people make them out to be, its definitely a stiff ride, but the konis and FCM mounts sop up the sharp impacts really well.

Photo shoot to come.

[iamdallas]

Ahhh, I need 14 RPF1s.

[jesseshoots]

The 14's look way better than the 15's. Especially in white

[SISKO]

i got the same wheels but in 19 offset going on my car soon as soon as i decide on rubber lol! and those are 185 60 correct?

rpfs look good in white by the way!!!

[Maikeru]

Nice car. You should paint those surrounds back to black though. lol

[Conundrum]

I agree with Maikeru. Nice progress so far.

I need to install my damn bushings...im slaking.

[stormin'norman]

Just fyi the front lower control arms are easily removed without touching ball joints. ;) Good stuff except I don't agree with painting the wheels or headlight bezels white. Keep it up!

[jaredef]

Just fyi the front lower control arms are easily removed without touching ball joints. ;) Good stuff except I don't agree with painting the wheels or headlight bezels white. Keep it up!Ya, I just didnt feel like pulling them off. :) The headlight surrounds and wheels are going back to normal before too long.

[sss1987]

How you finding the handling on the koni/eibachs? What perch setting you using bud?

[jaredef]

Thanks for all the compliments!


How you finding the handling on the koni/eibachs? What perch setting you using bud?
The perch is on the middle snap ring groove. I havent spent any time screwing with the shock adjustments but I am happy with the performance so far. I've heard a lot about these springs being too soft for the amount of lowering they give, but I dont think i've been on the bumps once yet, its not a bad setup for a daily but the car comes alive in the twisties now. I take an uphill road with some tricky off camber corners and mid turn bumps, it use to be kinda scary with the old blown setup, not confidence inspiring. I find myself comfortable taking the corners 10mph faster now. I am quite impressed.

Anywho, some photos from last night.

http://jaredfoy.com/images/roadster/4066.jpg

http://jaredfoy.com/images/roadster/DSC_4060.jpg

http://jaredfoy.com/images/roadster/pano-small.jpg

[Benbrg]

Looks clean. A front lip would set it off :)

[jaredef]

Looks clean. A front lip would set it off :)Thanks! Thats the plan.

[etikoner]

So jelly of your RPF1's.
I agree with everyone about the headlight surrounds, and adding a lip would be excellent :)

Cool car, stop drifting into curbs please :P

[chris87]

There are only few white Miatas i like. Yours is one :fab:

[jaredef]

A small update.

I had tired of the white headlight shrouds long enough. Time for some de-ricing.

Unscrewing...
http://i.imgur.com/Fwfnp.jpg

I had plasti dipped the shrouds black before spraying a coat of rustoleum white on them. My thoughts were, ya the paint will peal right off once i get the plastidip started, not a chance. The only way is paint stripper or a heat gun. I didnt have paint stripper around and the heat gun was nearly warping the molded plastic. Wat ev, I'll just paint over the white.

I also decided to remove the angry eyes; I wasnt quite feeling them anymore.

http://i.imgur.com/n271b.jpg

My product of choice for this little project.

http://i.imgur.com/FyT53.jpg

I was quite amazed at the result. Plastidip is amazing stuff. I've found it gives the nicest finish when applied in liberal coats. It dries to a nice satin finish, and if not painted over, is very easy to remove.

http://i.imgur.com/9tnWq.jpg

I also picked up this bad dad.

http://i.imgur.com/z8lLn.jpg

I dove right in and populated the MS3 board. I may have over-populated it. Maybe I should read the miata specific instructions.

Anywho, next time I update you may find some DIY frame rails that will totally blow boss frog and FM out of the chassis stiffness water. Maybe some hella e-codes too.

[jaredef]

Cool car, stop drifting into curbs please :P
I dont do curbs anymore. :)


There are only few white Miatas i like. Yours is one :fab:Thanks!

[jaredef]

So I have been adjusting my konis. I found this just now. What the f*ck.

These shocks have two weeks of daily driving on them. Is this supposed to be coming out the top of them?

http://i.imgur.com/uTLnZ.jpg (http://imgur.com/uTLnZ)

http://i.imgur.com/HO7Co.jpg (http://imgur.com/HO7Co)

[stormin'norman]

That is odd. At first I was wondering how in the world what appears to be shock fluid could end up there. But then I remembered the koni yellows have a damper adjustment up top.

[jaredef]

I'm as perplexed as you. I shot Shaikh an email, maybe he'll know whats up.

[jaredef]

So I filed a warranty return request with koni but havent heard back from them yet. Hopefully they will replace or fix it free of charge. Today I hit a huge ass piece of log in the road going 50+ mph. The damn thing was in the middle of my lane and would have eaten up my oil pan for sure. I swerved just in time to catch if with both front and back tires on the left. I was surprised how nicely the car handled it. The log was as tall as my sidewall (185/60/14) and it didnt seem to upset it at all.

Anyway, I got this today. The tab was broken on my old cupholder, one less rattle to track down.

http://i.imgur.com/V7mb2.jpg

Installed the moss motors shorty antenna.

http://i.imgur.com/ui5SP.jpg

And lost one of my favorite stations. :(

And de-riced the rpf1's on the right. I still have two to go and this rustoleum isnt coming off without a fight. :(

http://i.imgur.com/frViO.jpg

She needs a wash really bad too.