'96 "R2 Limited" build. [Archive]

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 09:51 PM

So...early this year I decided to replace my supercharged NB with a vintage-style NA. I knew of (hell...everyone knew of) a very vintage white-over-red NA that was being parted out down in Florida. To make a long story short: through a series of conversations with the owner (Randy/Phatmiata) I cut a deal to pick it up. It had been 90% returned back to stock - but there were some goodies that I wanted included in the sale. So I had Randy put the red interior back in, the GV tail lights back on, and bolt the sexy hard top on.

I flew down from Dallas to Tampa and drove it back.

Saturday morning: near Tampa, FL.
http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/sat-am-florida.jpg

Sunday evening: near Dallas, TX.
http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/sun-pm-texas.jpg

I had already accumulated a garage full of parts to put on the car. So I literally got to work the minute I pulled it into the driveway. The engine wasn't even cooled off before I pulled out the somewhat ratty, tan '95M seats and started breaking them down for the new, LE-Red skins I had.

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 09:53 PM

The seats were apart and a little rusty. So I had a go at refinishing the seat pans with POR-15. Here's how it went:

Before starting the process you want to basically remove any huge chunks of rust and any other foreign substances that are stuck onto the metal you'll be painting. For me that just required taking a flat head screw driver and scraping off some chunks of seat foam that had bonded to the rusty surface. If this were a part that would actually be visible in the car (like, say, a rusty corner of the engine bay due to a leaky brake master cylinder) I would probably have taken a wire brush to it in order to really get as much coarse rust scale off as I possibly could. But I didn't because this is not a part that will ever be seen and because I read that POR-15 sticks better the more rusty the surface is.

So once all the "foreign substance" is gone, it's time to crack open the first bottle in the POR-15 package. It's a degreaser that you coat the parts in to...well...degrease them. I would have preferred a spray bottle, but I didn't have one handy so I just poured it on. I let it sit for about 2 minutes and then hosed it off per the directions. After letting them thoroughly dry under a box fan for about an hour, this is what they looked like:

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/por_after_degrease.jpg

Pretty gross, right?

The next step is to etch the metal with the second product. This product gets brushed on with a foam brush (included in the kit). For our method it said to let it soak for 10-20 minutes before rinsing it off with water. I was close to the 20 minute mark. It's pretty amazing to watch this stuff work. I don't know exactly what the chemical reaction is - but the rust turns black and actually quite a bit of it dissolves in the liquid. According to the instructions if you bathe the part in this stuff for 30 minutes or more it can completely remove rust. I believe it.

Here's what it looked like after my application:

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/por_after_etch.jpg

Another 45 minutes under the box fan to dry the pans off and I was ready to paint with the actual POR-15 product. (FYI - "POR" stands for "Paint Over Rust"...if that wasn't already obvious)

This was very undramatic - apart from the effect of the paint fumes. Definitely do this in a well-ventilated area. Application is via brush (included in the kit). The paint self-levels very quickly and smoothly. As you can see in the photo below - had I taken the time to actually wire brush these pans they probably would have ended up with an all-over smooth, shiny finish. As it is - I'm just happy they won't leave ugly brown rust stains on my nice red 93LE carpet when I'm done.

Photo below is after one coat of POR-15 - still slightly tacky.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/por_after_1_coat.jpg

What's most impressive is that this photo was shot on 1/4 sec shutter speed, hand-held after inhaling all those paint fumes.

One thing to note: this stuff takes FOR. EV. ER. to dry. I had wanted to do the top and bottom of both pans tonight but I'm going to have to get up early tomorrow to do the other side of the pans. They're still too wet to flip over and they've been sitting for about an hour and a half under a fan (on low). Granted - it's about 50 degrees out right now so that's probably not helping.

The instructions say to do 2 coats. If I have enough paint left over I may do a second coat on the bottoms of the pans. No sense in doing 2 coats on the pan tops because they'll be covered in foam and leather, in the end.

If you're reading this and so inclined, you can actually sand, prime and topcoat POR-15. So if you're restoring a rusty part of your car that people will see, this should make for a good stop-rust solution that you can cover with a spectator-friendly finish.

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 09:54 PM

After it was all back together I was so excited I took this pic at the gas station with my phone.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/seats_done_cameraphone.jpg

By that point, the seats and R-package lips were done. Next up was the exhaust.

I should probably mention my thoughts on the leatherseats.com covers. A while back I had the privilege of doing this exact same process on the seats in my 1991 MR2 Turbo using Classic Soft Trim covers. For one thing - the CST leather kit was less than 1/2 the cost of the leatherseats.com kit. And the former came with door card inserts. It was also custom colors (black with grey inserts). Like the leatherseats.com kit I just finished installing, it was 100% leather with no vinyl panels.

I think the quality of both kits is comparable. I experienced a little bit more wrinkling/tufting from the leatherseats.com kit. I would say it fits 90% as well as the CST kit did on my MR2. For twice the price I was mildly disappointed.

To be fair:

A) I got the CST kit on a group buy and it was fairly heavily discounted.
B) The '95M seats are rare, in the grand scheme of things, and the fact that ANY aftermarket company has taken the time to develop a kit to recover them is pretty impressive.
C) I can't believe how closely the red matches the '93LE interior. It's spot on. It would have been really easy for it to be off by a few shades or have a slightly different hue. I can't say enough how excellent it matches. I was extraordinarily happy about this.

Also - for anyone in the future looking to do this project - SKIP THE HOG RINGS. I wrestled with those things so much trying to use them. Maybe I didn't have the proper gauge...maybe my hog ring pliers were crap. Whatever the case....I switched to zip ties and my life instantly got a lot easier. Next time I'll do zip ties from the start.

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 09:57 PM

About that time I started browsing Yahoo! Japan auctions and picking up some items as I saw good deals.

R-Limited boot cover.
http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/tonneau-cell-pic.jpg

Runabout fuel lid.
http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/runabout2.jpg

Runabout M2 Mirrors
http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/runabout_mirrors_1.jpg

M2 Incorporated 1028 Steering Wheel
http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/m2-1001-wheel-2.jpg

This was the epic unboxing photo that so many people love.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/jdm_unpacked.gif

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 09:59 PM

Also, another rare item became available again. A red Nakamae carpeted center console in great nick. This console was actually originally in my car back when it wasn't my car. It was nice to reunite it. (One day I'll have the shotgun exhaust back, too. You know who you are...watch your back.)

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/nakamae_center.jpg

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 10:00 PM

M2 wheel and runabout mirrors installed.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/vintage-teaser-interior.jpg

Also installed a set of vintage-style "EUNOS" stripes along the rocker panels. These are now items that I sell at www.r2-limited.com (http://www.r2-limited.com).

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/vintage-teaser-rear.jpg

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 10:02 PM

This is jumping out of order a bit (as you can tell by the last photo above) but I also installed a set of 949 Racing XIDA CS coilovers.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/shocked1.jpg

They took forever to get to me and the installation didn't go quite as smoothly as I'd liked. But that was mainly because I didn't know (not sure anyone really knew) that these coilovers put your car LOW. My car in the photos you see in this thread is as high as I can get it on the XIDAs. I was hoping they'd be a bit taller. That said, they ride like magic. Love them to death.

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 10:04 PM

A little photo shoot:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6058329050_3e09f2c6b1_b.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6058327784_ba829468be_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6058323466_2cbf5b6b29_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6057775321_d82a220fd6_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6181/6058336352_903abd41b1_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6057770539_0ca7877db5_b.jpg

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 10:06 PM

In my quest to remove all references to "Mazda" and "Miata" from the car I installed a pair of "Roadster" polished side sills in place of the "Miata" ones that were there. The red Limited Eunos Roadster floor mats compliment this nicely. Though, admittedly, I wish the metal plate on the floor mats wasn't a bronze color as it's the only metal in the interior that is like that.

The auction that I got these floor mats from said they're from an R2 Limited. If they are...that's pretty awesome. But they're undoubtedly the same mats used on any Eunos Roadster with a red interior. So they're not as rare as the R2 Ltd itself.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/roadster-mat.jpg

The color of the mats is a bit faded and mis-matched to the rest of the red interior. It would be nice if they matched a bit more closely but it is what it is. I spent a lot of time cleaning them using a solution of vinegar and water that I read about on a few auto detailing sites. I didn't want to use anything that might pull more of the red color out of them.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/roadster-sill-mat.jpg

And...a close up of the decade-plus old sill. They cleaned up really nicely.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/roadster-sill.jpg

This is what I used to polish them. It's a powder that you sprinkle onto a damp rag to create a paste. It's just abrasive enough to scrub the metal clean without scratching it up. The sills in this photo are the "Miata" ones that I just pulled off the car. They're not as clean as the newer ones.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/bar-keeper.jpg

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 10:08 PM

This was an epic update for me. I installed a set of über-rare Bellof low-pro headlights on the car. I also replaced the NC-style "Roadster" badge that was on the back with a "EUNOS" emblem.

Pics of the lights up, on and bright.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/bellof-trifecta.jpg

The install was very straightforward. Take out the old lights, install the new ones. The instructions that came with the lights were nearly impossible to decipher because they appeared to be a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy of tiny japanese illustrations. That said, there was one little part that I wouldn't have figured out without the instructions. They give you a spacer that you need to use for the inboard-front headlight lid mount. It moves the screw point up by about 3/4" - which is necessary if you want your headlight lids to sit flush with the body when they're retracted. Without the instructions I wouldn't have figured out what that little piece is or how to use it. Or maybe I would have...who knows.

I tell you what...getting those headlight lids to line up perfectly with aftermarket headlight buckets on a car that's had body work is NOT fun. It took me about 40 minutes to get the passenger side lid to line up. I used a couple small washers as spacers and also bent the mounting ears on the headlight lid to make it work. I finally got it as good as I wanted it to look. It's still not exactly perfect - but it wasn't with the OEM headlights, anyway.

Also - when the lights are up, the passenger side is a little bit higher. That's because the headlight retractor rods (on both sides) need replacing. The little nylon cups that are in the ends of the rods are almost completely shot. On the driver's side I got the assembly to stay together for the photos. But the rods on the pass side kept popping out of the lip on the cups. This left the light with almost 1/2" of slop. Once the rods are replaced (new ones on the way from Rosenthal) they'll be perfect.

On to the ass.

When I bought the car from Randy it had a really cool "Roadster" emblem on the GV tail panel. (See earlier pics). I liked it a bit. But it's from a NC Roadster and the style of it was a bit too modern for my taste. To stick with my theme I wanted a Eunos badge. I managed to find one from a Eunos 800 (Mazda Millenia) that I really like. The standard "Eunos" badge that came on the Roadster looks like this:

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/eunos-original.jpg

That's actually a photo of one I got in case I changed my mind on this other one.

Here are the pics of the one that's on the car now...

Finding the perfect spot for it while my son plays with one of my old helmets:
http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/enos-taping.jpg

Mounted pics:
http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/eunos-final-rear.jpg

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/eunos-final-34-mid.jpg

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/eunos-final-34-close.jpg

I like the look of this a lot. The wife prefers the bar emblem. We'll see if I ever end up agreeing with her. If I do, it's good that I have one I can clean up and install.

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 10:09 PM

And about a week after installing them, I had a chance to take the car out and grab some proper photos of the new headlights.

The location kinda sucked. Lots of random stuff in the background. But I didn't have tons of time.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/bellof/medium-side.jpg

This is with the low beams on:

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/bellof/front-34-1.jpg

This is with the brights on:

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/bellof/dead-on-front.jpg

A detail shot. The low beams (not on in this pic) have a bit of a yellow cast to them. The high beams do as well, but the projector lens in front of the bulb also creates a prismatic effect which is kind of weird. I'll have to take pics in the pitch dark some time to show it.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/bellof/detail.jpg

When I opened this one up and decided it was my favorite, I realized it's a very similar angle to the pic of my NB that was in the CR.net calendar. I think I just really like the body of our Roadster from the high front 3/4 view.

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/bellof/front-34-high.jpg

And, I took this pic since I had the 3-window top up...I really like it on this car:

http://www.steveandlee.com/galleries/miata/na/bellof/rear-34.jpg

R2Limited

12-23-2011, 10:11 PM

Recently, I had my gracious wife help me pull the hard top down off the garage wall so I could put it on for the couple of cold months we get here. Ironically, it was a decent day to roll with the top down and heat on and I would have liked to do that. But it gave me the chance to take a few snapshots of the car with the hard top on for the first time since the rocker stripes have been installed.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/side-hardtop-on.jpg

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/rear-3-4-hardtop-on.jpg

Pardon the awful retouching. The shots were crap and I don't feel like spending lots of time on them tonight :)

I also recently got my hands on a very, very mint MSSS2 head unit courtesy of Phatmiata. I plugged it in and was A) delighted that everything works wonderfully B) found an extra bonus, easy-listening/light jazz CD was already in it.

I think it looks great. Now I'm really jonesing for an aluminum shift knob/ebrake handle combo.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/msss-vibrant.jpg

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/msss-bokeh.jpg

Next time I'll have a chance to tool around with the car will likely be the first Saturday in 2012 when I take it out to Dallas Cars & Coffee. Can't wait!

FooSchnickens

12-24-2011, 12:46 AM

Loving those headlights. Square low-pros are what these cars should have shipped with.

atank

12-24-2011, 01:10 AM

Lovely Car!!!!!!!!!

Oldgrayfrog

12-24-2011, 01:37 AM

If only Mazda had sold the M2, as you have interpreted it here. Just a lovely car. The 95m seats reupholstered in 93LE colored leather look totally at home with the rest of the 93 LE interior. The stripes balance the car well. It is one of those rare cars that is more than just the sum of it's individual pieces. This car is a cohesive vision. Well done!

phillyb

12-24-2011, 02:20 AM

steve, my fav things about your car...
in order

bellof headlights
gv tails
everything else
and then the wheels...
any plans to swap em for a more "vintage" look/feel?

iamdallas

12-24-2011, 04:35 AM

The minute I saw your car... I felt gypped. You stole my brain, extracted my dream build, and built it.

I think, quite literally, the only things I would do differently are the wheels and lip. Watanabes and a GV would be my first choice. Gorgeous car - a perfect example of subtlety and style.

R2Limited

12-24-2011, 11:50 PM

and then the wheels...
any plans to swap em for a more "vintage" look/feel?

I think, quite literally, the only things I would do differently are the wheels and lip. Watanabes and a GV would be my first choice. Gorgeous car - a perfect example of subtlety and style.

I actually really like the wheels - despite the fact that they're Rotas. (I've never personally had an issue with the brand as others do.) I think the aesthetic suits the car - their styling is benign enough that it doesn't overpower anything and the lip is nice - and the size/weight compromise is pretty spot on for me. I've never been a huge fan of the minilite style. I mean...I like it on other people's cars a lot but I can't see myself flaunting it. It's not quite my style.

So...that's the long way of saying "no". No current plans to change the wheels up any time soon. I've got other big-ticket items to take care of first. (like a fancy, polished roll bar and forced induction). That said, in my ownership of my NB it went through 5 different sets of wheels. That's an average of one for every year of ownership. So I can't promise I won't switch these up eventually.

And - while I loved the GV lip on my NB - I am not the biggest fan of the GV lip for the NA. I think the R-package lip looks perfect so I plan on keeping it.

iamdallas

12-25-2011, 02:37 AM

Yeah. I have nothing against Rota either. And the wheel style is just a preference. I've got 15x7 +15 XXR 513's on my car because I like the look of the Minilite style. They were cheap, and look nice to me. People say they're too common and I would agree when it comes to the internet. But, I've literally seen 2 other sets in person. They're good enough for me. :)

I'm thinking I might snag the new Rota RK-R's for my car when they become available though. I think they're very subtle.

Your car = your car. You should never do anything to please someone else, even though you already know that. haha.

hooligan

12-25-2011, 06:52 AM

looks great, im following a similar theme with the full red interior however i had my car resprayed in mazda graphite grey pearl.
enkie rpf1 14x7et19 ordered up and enroute, variouse parts at the trimmers being redone including windscreen surround and im considering having the dash covered....
mine is still a while off being finished maybe done by the summer show season in the UK!

and i will be hitting you up for the sill decals eventually just need to decide on what colour to go for

oldcafe

12-25-2011, 03:01 PM

omg five Steve
very interested, I did not know the two companies CST and lestherseats.com, but at present CST produce a kit for miata?

exdotcomer

12-28-2011, 07:41 PM

amazing!

phillyb

12-28-2011, 07:42 PM

spoiler plans?
or trunk plans?

Callasports

12-28-2011, 09:09 PM

White with Red interior is my all time favorite look for a convertible -- whether it's a first year, '53 vette, a 65 Mustang, a Austin Healey, or a Mazda Roadster. It's timeless. This car, if left in present condition, would look just as good 30 yrs in the future as it does today. And the wheels WORK well to boot. Nice build.

R2Limited

12-28-2011, 11:47 PM

spoiler plans?
or trunk plans?

Keeping my options open. Currently nothing specific planned. Though, I've seen a few Roadsters lately with junk on the trunk that's caught my eye.

etikoner

12-29-2011, 03:10 AM

I just thought that a white paint matched front lip would look amazing.

This build rocks. That is all.

Bman2310

12-30-2011, 02:33 PM

Love the car, every little touch is perfect. Can't wait to see what else you add to it.

R2Limited

02-04-2012, 08:35 PM

Bump with a random pic from Cars & Coffee: Dallas this morning. The S13 in the background is so clean it makes me embarrassed to park that close to it. The guy is super cool, too. We chat about what's new each month. He had me sit in his car and try the new short-shifter he made for it.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb_candc1.jpg

Up next: new aluminum radiator and slim fans from eBay.

Oh...and I bought a '99 head that's going to be thoroughly worked-over :D

Chops

02-06-2012, 02:19 PM

R2Limited

02-06-2012, 04:43 PM

Looks great! I'm surprised Randy hasn't said anything on here yet.

You better watch out for him too. If he sees you making all of these new mods to his old "pride and joy", he'll probably try to buy it back from you! LOL

Well...everything has a price, right? I know what Randy thinks, despite his absence from this thread. I don't think I've disappointed him yet. Except for the fact that it doesn't have a polished stainless roll bar yet. haha

I'm excited about the next step in the evolution of this car. It's all happening under the hood.

NAautoxer

02-06-2012, 08:33 PM

sounds awesome. i wish i had cash to drop into mine.. i've got a 99 head just sitting on a shelf.. waiting to get worked over..

love the build man..

Chops

02-07-2012, 08:30 AM

Well...everything has a price, right? I know what Randy thinks, despite his absence from this thread. I don't think I've disappointed him yet. Except for the fact that it doesn't have a polished stainless roll bar yet. haha

I'm excited about the next step in the evolution of this car. It's all happening under the hood.

I highly doubt you'll disappoint him with what you're doing. And judging from what you've done so far, I'm sure your plans for "under the hood" will be nothing short of stellar! I for one am looking forward to seeing this next evolution.

WASABI

02-07-2012, 10:09 AM

Steve,

Beautiful car. Tasteful mods, that work so well together. The vintage stripes tie in so well with the interior color, thumbs up!!! I like the size and color of the wheels, just racy enough, without overpowering the whole package. Keep up the great work!

-Cheers,

Jim

P.S. I think Randy is happy with what has become of his car. Just knowing that someone is treating her right makes you feel good!

Phatmiata

02-07-2012, 10:18 AM

Looks great! I'm surprised Randy hasn't said anything on here yet.

You better watch out for him too. If he sees you making all of these new mods to his old "pride and joy", he'll probably try to buy it back from you! LOL

Not my car anymore :( but everything Steve has done is just great :) , the car needed a fresh set of ideas anyhow, he has taken it further than I would have thought up on my own, and in doing so has even inspired me to build something bigger and better than before.

And FWIW im quite sure the owner of that S13 probably feels the same about your Miata as you do about his car. Lets face it, your Miata has no miles, and is super clean for an almost 20 year old car. ;p

Chops

02-07-2012, 04:34 PM

Well Randy has spoken. There goes the neighborhood... LOL

R2Limited

02-17-2012, 10:48 PM

I think I'm going to need some fender work...

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/breezy_who.jpg

R2Limited

02-17-2012, 10:51 PM

Wtfdoublepost

Tekel

02-17-2012, 11:04 PM

Lop, tub it out! Also might need some adapters :)

Benbrg

02-17-2012, 11:05 PM

Remove fenders, add epic sized spacers, fit wheels. Now you have poor man's pt cruiser.

revlimiter

02-17-2012, 11:48 PM

Winning!

iamdallas

02-18-2012, 11:50 AM

Remove fenders, add epic sized spacers, fit wheels. Now you have poor man's pt cruiser.

This cracked me up. Hahahaha

R2Limited

02-24-2012, 04:08 PM

"Rooster"

http://www.chinapage.com/images/rooster.jpgf

This character loves to strut his stuff for anyone who will watch. He is exuberant and flamboyant, full of energy and life.

They have swagger, don't they? After all...the term "cocky" is named after them. My wife and I were talking about my car last weekend and in the course of that conversation my car spoke to us. It became apparent, all of a sudden, that he wanted us to know his name.

Meet my Roadster, "Rooster".

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/meetrooster.jpg

sss1987

02-24-2012, 05:51 PM

psulja

02-24-2012, 05:54 PM

Love the new name. Within my group of Miata friends we always refer to Miatas as chickens so the name makes perfect sense to me lol.

imperfekt

02-24-2012, 09:57 PM

nice name choice :) i digg...

...and i'm glad you said what you did about your car calling to you

-nobody understands me when i tell them my car tells me things...

R2Limited

02-25-2012, 12:35 AM

Seriously...Wow. /\/\/\ awesome picture. Your previous pics of the car that ive seen, didnt really do it justice..the recent ones youve taken..did make me go woah..:)

On another note.. are you able to do wheel centres in rota centre cap sizes bud? Could you possibly pm me a shipping price to the UK.
Ps im also eagerly awaiting your eunos badge keyring to come out for the Keys to my Eunos S Spec!

Thanks for the props on that photo. Obviously it came from the same series as all of the other "recent" photos - which really aren't recent at all. I don't think I ever posted that one before, though. It's a bit "in your face".

Rota has tons of different center cap styles. Some of them I can do badges for...and some I cannot. If the area that the badge is meant to stick to is flat, then I can absolutely do it. If it's convex or domed in any way, unfortunately not. LMK which scenario you're dealing with. Cost would be $65 shipped to the UK.

Keyrings are about a week away. I've got a batch of badges curing right now. Family's been sick all week so I've been working from home...nowhere near my vinyl cutter, unfortunately.

WASABI

02-25-2012, 07:24 AM

Long live the Rooster!

Remember, many women love a man with a small white..."male chicken"

revlimiter

02-25-2012, 03:13 PM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uAE6Il6OTcs

WASABI

02-25-2012, 04:38 PM

http://youtu.be/dmJI3tipgUU

From the Love Guru

R2Limited

02-26-2012, 01:23 AM

A few weeks ago I saw this thread (http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread.php?403-Another-Ebay-Aluminum-radiator-for-sale) that was reviewing an eBay aluminum racing radiator that came with slim fans and was a steal of a price. The review was really positive. My radiator was old, crusty and brown so I decided to give it a shot.

One of the most pleasant surprises every time I work on Rooster is how everything on the car is so clean. Keep in mind, my black NB had 140,000 miles on it when I sold it. It was very well maintained but it still showed it's age - especially on the undercarriage. Rooster also shows his age on the undercarriage...only it's the fact that he's traveled a mere 40k miles in 16 years that shines through.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rad1.jpg

The plastic engine under-tray made me chuckle. My NB's was a ratty mess and half of the bolts were stripped or cross-threaded. This one is so crisp and it has bolts I never even knew were there. It was almost annoying.

The radiator itself is really good quality, considering the low price. I was impressed with how everything fitted. Well...almost everything. More on that in a moment. The radiator and fans are about the same thickness as the OEM radiator and fans. However, what it gains in core thickness it loses thanks to slim fans.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rad3.jpg

As mentioned in the thread I linked to above, you have to swap a lot of mounting hardware from your OEM radiator over to this one. Once you have them side-by-side it's dead easy to tell what needs to be swapped over.

One thing I decided to do was wire in the OEM fan connectors so that the new setup would plug and play. The fans come with basic bullet connectors.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rad4.jpg

I soldered, heat shrunk and taped the OEM connectors on.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rad5.jpg

The wires on the slim fans are plenty long enough. You really don't need anything but the connector itself but I included a couple inches of wire from the OEM pigtail just in case. There is plenty of opportunity to ziptie the excess out of the way.

The one detail that had me scratching my head was the upper water neck on the new radiator. For some reason its' canted down at a relatively significant angle.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rad6.jpg

The OEM neck comes out of the top end tank at a 90-degree angle so that it's parallel to the ground. I have not a clue why they angled this one down. Not only is it a little awkward looking, but it also causes the upper radiator hose to interfere with my IAC hose.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rad7.jpg

They actually touch. I'm sure it's not really a big deal. But it's an unnecessary deal and a little disappointing considering how impressively well designed and made the rest of the kit is.

Here's a top-down view of the whole kit installed so you can see how much room it leaves. Again...pretty much the same as the OEM radiator/fan setup but with a thicker radiator and thinner fans.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rad8.jpg

The other thing I FINALLY got to get to was the front tow hook. I haven't had an opportunity to bolt this up since I had it custom powder coated to match the burgundy side stripes on my car 6 months ago. Of course, I'll take some decent pictures some time very soon.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rad9.jpg

I'm not sure what kind of tow hook it is. I got it used from a local member a while back. He mentioned that it's one that was popular several years ago but no longer available? I dunno. I have one for the rear, too, but ran out of time to fit it. I'm not sure if it will even fit with the R-package rear lip.

At the end of the day I was really happy to spend some time wrenching on the Roadster. Haven't done that in a while and it was long overdue.

etikoner

02-26-2012, 02:55 AM

Nice update, I wish my under carriage was even a bit as clean as yours.

I would totally look into one of those ebay radiators. But mine is fairly new and It's an automatic model so I THINK I should be fine.

Tow hook looks neat on there, too.

psulja

02-26-2012, 03:06 AM

Wow, that last picture shows just how clean the paint on your car is. Keep it up!

R2Limited

02-29-2012, 10:58 PM

In the midst of making stripes and badges, I managed to bang out a few more stickers for Rooster. Got 'em mounted up this evening and snapped a few pics.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/rooster-sticker-2.jpg

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/rooster-sticker-1.jpg

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/rooster-sticker-3.jpg

WASABI

03-01-2012, 05:01 AM

Very nice Steve. Well done. Like the rest of your car, it's clean.

Stoly

03-01-2012, 10:05 AM

Perfect name for the perfect roadster with the perfect stickers to show it off. Well done, my friend, well damn done!

stormin'norman

03-01-2012, 10:31 AM

Incredible. Excellent taste man! Have you given more thought to what kind of rollbar will find its way inside? I think I was urging you get something polished at one point.

R2Limited

03-01-2012, 11:08 AM

Incredible. Excellent taste man! Have you given more thought to what kind of rollbar will find its way inside? I think I was urging you get something polished at one point.

I do have a plan for the roll bar. Unfortunately, it wont be polished. Mainly because I want to pad it properly and covering an $1,800 roll bar with padding so that you can barely see the shiny bits is a waste of money. I will probably powder coat a HDHCDD Chaste White and have LE red leather padding covers made.

phillyb

03-01-2012, 11:12 AM

that sounds great

Phatmiata

03-01-2012, 11:29 AM

That Rooster Sticker is way cool!! Nice touch!!

stormin'norman

03-01-2012, 12:26 PM

I do have a plan for the roll bar. Unfortunately, it wont be polished. Mainly because I want to pad it properly and covering an $1,800 roll bar with padding so that you can barely see the shiny bits is a waste of money. I will probably powder coat a HDHCDD Chaste White and have LE red leather padding covers made.

This sounds like an even better idea. But seriously that Rooster sticker is spot on. I love it.

theothersawyer

03-01-2012, 05:17 PM

Just like the rest of the car, everything is absolutely beautiful!

imperfekt

03-01-2012, 09:53 PM

i usually don't like stickers but heck yeah, very classy :)

and mannnn, your undercarriage is clean :\

...makes me wanna go detail my undercarriage and engine bay...

R2Limited

03-14-2012, 02:16 PM

Browsing Yahoo Japan Auctions is bad for my bank account.

I was not at all intending to replace Rooster's Rotas any time soon. I mean, I know they're Rotas and opinions vary on that particular brand. I've received comments - some in this thread - that the one part of the car that lets it down are the wheels.

I disagree.

I like the K7's. The size is perfect for 225 RS3's, the look is to my taste with a decent lip, they're not particularly heavy (or light) for their size and they are unique. I only know of one other person who has even test-fitted a K7 on a Roadster. And that was an NB.

Best of all...they're cheap.

I'm not sure why...I think maybe it was the Yahoo Auctions thread...I decided to take a peek at what's currently up for auction in Japan in a 14" diameter and 4x100 bolt pattern. There were a few hundred auctions to scan through. I clicked on a few that caught my eye but everything was FWD Honda sizing. Not exactly up my alley.

Then I saw this picture.

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/wats2.jpeg

So I clicked and saw the specs.

This set is used for offset +12 4 · PCD100 · Speed Star SSR aluminum wheel hole Watanabe Watanabe RS-8 · 14 インチ · 7J · 4! Rare is the size of the rim depth! Wheel is a small wound, abrasion, scratch Ghali, chipping paint, paint float, dull, corrosion, dirt, etc there. Rest (in kind goods and received a state you think is worse than the picture, who are looking for, please refrain from the tender beauty goods) model of the title is intended for search, detailed images Please judge or questions We recommend checking on, we ask that you please consider reference in regard to matching the size stated. If you were bending and distortion of my degree is not noticed by visual inspection should be noted that the wound will pardon etc., on your understanding, I hope in a no claim no return enough content and that it is used above. The carriage is (with insurance) (Okinawa islands except Hokkaido) 3,500 yen nationwide uniform of the advance payment

14x7 +12....not bad. Actually, pretty damned perfect for me.

More pictures:

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/wats1.jpeg

http://www.r2-limited.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/wats3.jpeg

They're old. They're used. They're not perfect. I am likely looking at a full refurb on them. It wasn't an easy decision because this money was earmarked for power upgrades.

Then I got an email from a wise friend as I was wobbling back and forth on the fence trying to make this decision:

There will always be (a '99 cylinder) head. There will always be megasquirt. Rare wheels don't come up very often. And that's still a heck of a price.

Note that he said "rare". I've yet to do any real research into these wheels. I'd like to get a general sense of how common they are. What I do know is that they are SSR's....and they are Watanabes. Apparently SSR made/owned Watanabe wheels for a short period of time.

Centers are magnesium and lips are aluminum, I think.

I also know that every example of this particular SSR Watanabe RS8 that I can find online has nowhere near this much lip. So I'm curious about that. I wonder if they'll really be 7" wide ET12 when I measure them. I've seen examples of these wheels re-lipped to be wider while retaining the old, narrow measurement stickers on the inner barrel.

Bottom line: I'm excited to get these things and mess with them. And the K7's will eventually get stacked in the corner of the garage so that I can use the RS3's on the track some day.

Now I need to sell a whole lot more keychains to fund the power project I was about to embark on...