1995 Shitty Kitty build. Super cheap track beater.

[WildCJ5]

Posted this on the other forum but think it will appeal to this crowd more.

Picked up this 1995 a few weeks ago with 256,XXX on it for $700. From the factory no abs, ac or ps with roll-up windows.

Why so cheap? Well, other than the 256,XXX it was on two seven spokes, a daisy and one spare. The DS window crank was busted, the key was snapped off in the ignition, the trunk had been pried with a crow bar and then the lock drilled out and a crap top. And here is the one that gave it the title name............................there was cat shit and kitty litter in the trunk.

On the upside it had a Hard Dog bar, front lip, strut bar, FM adjustable endlinks, long mud flaps, Zoom gas lid and well, cat shit in the trunk.

Day one.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_1.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_2.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_3.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_4.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_5.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_6.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_7.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_8.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Day1_9.jpg

Time to clean and pull the stuff I can sell.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Cleaning_1.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Cleaning_3.jpg

Scored an unopened Rockstar. Don't judge me for drinking it.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Cleaning_2.jpg

After I pulled the carpet I put it on top of my trash-can until I had time to clean it.

Next day I came out to find this.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/TimeToGutIt.jpg
At least the carpet wont rust.

[WildCJ5]

I was already on the fence about gutting the car and the carpet gave me that little push.

Traded dash for full lock set.
Swapped in 4.3 Torsen. $400.
Heater delete.
Removed door glass.
Added a used vent window. Free.
Swapped in my old FM stg1 suspension. Already had it.
Removed soft top.
Autozone lifetime brakes. $40
Swapped for 1.6 gauge cluster. Free.
Cl used Mishimoto rad. $125 with fans and cap.

Removed and sold:
Gas filler cap. $100
Strut Bar. $15
Front lip. $20
Mud flaps.$20

Tried to set timing and ran into a slight problem. Luckily I had an extra pulley lying around.
FPutBv5hQ-M

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Ventedventwindow.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DashOut.jpg

Heading for Adam's for the first outing.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HeadingForFirstTract.jpg

So on the first day at Adam's the car did great. Ran half tank a tank of gas. It was 100 degrees out and the car stayed cool. Alignment it wacked and there was a strange clunk when going over the rumble strips.

[WildCJ5]

Traded a 4.1 open third member for a set of Megan motor mounts.

Both sides looked like this. I think I found the clunk.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/BustMounts.jpg

Pulled the homemade boat anchors off the front and back.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/BoatAnchor.jpg

Cleaned the goo off the doors. Still need to cut them down.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-4.jpg

Replaced the broken lenses with new Lexan.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/NewLexan.jpg

To do list.
Remove Hard Dog and replace bolts with quality hardware.
Gut and pin the trunk.
Cut up and paint dash bar.
Mount cluster with more than zip ties.
Get alignment.
Get a seat and wheel.

Started smoothing out the lights.

As they came off the car.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Lenses_1.jpg

Wet sanded in the sink with dish soap. Started with 600 then skipped to 2,000, both with a sanding block.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Lenses_2.jpg

Polished with Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound. Nothing special, just happened to be what I had on hand.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Lenses_3.jpg

Picked this up from CL. I believe it is 80-83 RX7 but could be wrong.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/80sWheel.jpg

Wheel is on and I am liking it. It is slightly bigger than stock but I am non PS so should be nice. While in there I used a cut up Redbull to get rid of the steering lock.

The more I work on this car the more stuff I find. Somebody had their hand deep in this cars cookie jar. Two of the bolts holding the airbag to the wheel snapped off and there was a screw missing on one of the plates behind the wheel.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Wheel_1.jpg

For some reason it looks huge in this pic.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Wheel_2.jpg

[Tylerq219]

Nice. Coming along good. What's the goal?

[I<3flippyheadlights]

I saw this car on the "other" site and fell in lobe. This car is very awesome. Having fun fixing it and beating the snot out of it.

[WildCJ5]

Having fun fixing it and beating the snot out of it.

^^^This is the goal and to do it as cheap as I can.

Anyone want to get rid of a Sparco? Looks are not all that important but being solid and cheap are.:8):

[WildCJ5]

So the handling seemed off, over bumps it felt like it wanted to swap ends.

DS rear lower suspension bolt is bent. Putting a wrench on it and turning it would cause what looked to be over a quarter inch of toe out. It took a small sledge and another bolt to drive the bent one out.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/bolt.jpg

Car feels so much better now. Took it out for a session at Adam's tonight. Best time 48.39, not bad for what it is. My brother and I also brought his 91 NA and we were getting low 46's in it. Mono Flex, 6ul's and nto1's ftw.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo.jpg

A few runs from Adam's tonight. 7/31/12

The lead car is my brother. His car is a full two seconds a lap quicker.
5tIN5rAwFB4

At 1:45 you can hear how bad the lifters a clattering.
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TxzSpnWOFR0

[titch]

For some strange reason - considering how stock it is - I really like this. Seems it's had a rather... strange history, however.

[tsingson]

I'm glad that you were able to get it on the road in a short amount of time. Sometimes those projects can take forever to get running. And that carpet was nasty as hell....

[I<3flippyheadlights]

Dude that was lifter noise? Sounded like someone put rocks in your engine.

[WildCJ5]

Scored a six speed at the junkyard today.


Also picked these up. Plan on painting them white, a little nervous about installing them.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/AeroCatch.jpg

[WildCJ5]

^^^ No complaints at all.

Dropped the trans today. Whoever had this car was a gorilla! My HF gun couldn't remove even a single bolt. What a bitch.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/transOut.jpg

[WildCJ5]

Six speed is in and working. I still need to hook up the speedo and reverse lights.

The only trouble I had was getting the trans back onto the engine. Took about 45 minutes to realize the new Megan motor mounts were keeping the engine from sagging back. Jacked up the front of the engine and it all snapped back together.

As a bonus I scraped about ten pounds of oil, sand and dirt off the PPF and underside of car. I don't think I have ever been this dirty from working on a car.

Still a long list of things to do on the car.

[WildCJ5]

Today was just way too hot to do much in the garage. Instead I tried my best to work in the house as much as posable.

I got the other vent window last week. It is not in the greatest condition but it was in my price range, free. Tried hitting it with polish and wax, it came back to life but still has scratches and is a little hazy. For my needs it is more than serviceable.

Next up was my 90-94 oil gauge. Did this in the living room with the ac cranking and the ceiling fan humming. If you haven't done this you need to. You just need the gauge and the sending unit, plug and play.

Got to be about 4pm and I figured I put it off long enough. Time to brave the heat and get the window, oil sending unit and gauge cluster in.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo2.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-11.jpg

90-94 oil pressure sending unit.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-31.jpg

My 95 cluster with a junkyard 90 oil pressure gauge.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-41.jpg

[Blueiii]

I have to say, for $700 its a nice score, especially if you have miatas in junkyards around you. Living in the midwest kind of sucks, since there are practically NONE in the boneyards out here.

[atank]

Man what a deal you got, and your build is the shit (kitty) great job!!!!

[tsingson]

Still lookin' good man

[WildCJ5]

It was 105 in the garage again today, too f'ng hot.

Installed the CL Mishimoto fans I picked up a few weeks ago with the rad. I removed the metal ring with the logos. They didn't look like the did anything other than show off the brand and add weight so in the trash they went. I checked them with the battery to be sure they work and all is good.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo3.jpg

Also came across this horn hiding in the bumper. The horn hasn't worked since day one. I will have to see were the problem is.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-12.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-21.jpg


Took the car out for a test drive and the fans are not kicking on. For that matter I'm not sure the old fan was working so one more thing to work out.

After pulling the six speed from the yard there is some confusion over what rearend I have. I pulled it from the same car. When I originally found the NB in the yard it had a five speed knob so I assumed it had a 4.3 dif. When we went back last week to grab the motor it was noticed that it actually was a six speed car. That would mean a 3.9 rear. The NB had at some point had a rollbar and it did have sport breaks, Flying Miata sways and an after market exhaust which the junkyard had cut. Because of this I suspected that maybe the NB owner had swapped out the 3.9 because my car feels quick so fingers crossed.

During the test drive to check the fans i used my gps to check gear ratios. At some point I will just pull the dif and count teeth.

At 3,000 rpm in each gear I ended up with:

1st-13 mph
2nd-22 mph
3rd-31 mph
4th-40 mph
5th-50 mph
6th-60 mph

Tires are worn Star Spec 195/60/14.

[WildCJ5]

Fuck this, garage is closed!
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/108.jpg

[WildCJ5]

My dad just gave me a cd with pics and a few videos he took on the cars first day out at Adam's. Too much fun!

It looks to me that it is my brother Dave driving my car and I am driving the red one in the videos. You can tell by the black helmet and by the way he babies my car.

cJzR4qB5M5g

yEARY9llLiw

stDujw29tcE

g5ukIraLKo8

[WildCJ5]

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PICT0074.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PICT0066.jpg

In these three pics you can see the talent just slip away into smoke.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PICT0085.jpg
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PICT0086.jpg
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PICT0134.jpg

Pops swears he was just shooting my custom dash work but I have my doubts.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PICT0078.jpg

[SISKO]

dang rob, i didnt even know you had a build thread. i was going to tell you to make one but then i come across this lol. im defenitely subscribed and good job!!!!!!!!

[tsingson]

Check your relay for the horn. That's what was keeping mine from working.

[Caoboy]

More pics of that girl up there in the short shorts.

[tsingson]

Second that!

[WildCJ5]

Here you guys go. Lucky for you my dad is a dirty old man. Take a look at the Monster she is holding to get an idea of how tiny this girl really is. I asked and I forget the actual numbers she told me but she is well under five foot and around 85lbs. Her words were "I am fun size".:shock:

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PICT0070.jpg


I am proud of this forum, the other forum just wanted pics of the cat shit in the trunk.:fp:

[WildCJ5]

I got out in the garage a little after 4pm today. Another hot one.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-22.jpg

Started out pulling off the stock boat anchor.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-61.jpg

Replaced it with this. I got this off another Miata my brother and I bought to flip about a year ago so it was basically free.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-51.jpg

Swapped the five speed speedo gear assembly onto the six. Easy, pull one out and pop the new one in. Did spill some gear oil but not much.

Five speed unit.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-71.jpg

Six speed unit.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-8.jpg

[Caoboy]

Wait, there is a car in this thread?

[LOL]

Sell me your stock exhaust?

[WildCJ5]

Sell me your stock exhaust?

PM sent.

[WildCJ5]

Got around to checking what dif i really have. It is in fact 3.9. My brother and I checked by putting the car on jack-stands, marking the drive shaft, turning the wheels together 10 rotations and counting how many times the drive shat rotated.

3.9=39 rotations.
4.1=41 rotations.
4.3=43 rotations.

We know Dave's car has a 4.3 so we used his car to confirm this would work.

We marked the tape with a Sharpie and on my iphone it was very clear, the youtube video is harder to see but if you place your mouse at the notch in the tape it is easy to count the rotations.


My 3.9.
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Dave's 4.3.
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We took the cars out to play just a little and my car is indeed quicker, but he has a full interior so it isn't exactly scientific. And before it gets brought up, we were not out street racing.

[tsingson]

Her words were "I am fun size".:shock:

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PICT0070.jpg


I am proud of this forum, the other forum just wanted pics of the cat shit in the trunk.:fp:

Did she say it just like that? Cause that reminds me of the chick from Full Metal Jacket.

I'm still waiting to see the cat shit also. But the chick pics work for now.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

I would love a six speed swap with a 3.9 led rear. I'm so jelly.

[WildCJ5]

Only because it was requested.

This is after cleaning, it has fused itself to the car so for now it stays. Enjoy!
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo4.jpg

[tsingson]

Damn man. I thought you were showing a picture of some landscape for rock climbing....That is just horrible.

[WildCJ5]

Today I installed the AeroCatch latches. Wasn't too bad, more of a pain in the ass than difficult.

I used the holes from the stock rubber hood bumper.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_1.jpg

Put the pins on adjusted down really low. I used a dab of model paint to mark where to drill the hood.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_2.jpg

Paint mark on hood.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_3.jpg

Small pilot hole drilled in hood.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_4.jpg

Hood pin size hole drilled.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_6.jpg

Adjust pins up so the go all the way through the hood.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_8.jpg

Using the pin place the latch over the pin and mark a few locating spots with a pen.
Use the supplied template to mark the shape to be cut out.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_9.jpg

Cut through the top layer of the hood.
I used a Dremel and a cut off wheel.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_10.jpg

Cut through the second layer.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_11.jpg

Under hood section cut out. This need to be larger than the top so you can access the lock nuts that hold the latch down. I used the cut out piece from the top as a guide for cutting out the bottom.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_12.jpg

Latches placed and ready to drill the mounting holes. I left the latches on the hood and used them as a guide for the drill.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_13.jpg

Holes all drilled.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_14.jpg

Latch mounted.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_15.jpg

Adjust the pin height. This took some time going back and forth getting it just right.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_16.jpg

Rubber stops cut and placed on the pins.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_17.jpg

Final result. Not really my taste for a street car but for me they are worth it to get the huge stock hood latch off the car.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HoodPin_18.jpg


Here is what they replace.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Oldlatch.jpg

[tsingson]

Great write up on the hood pin install man! Did you use any type of sealant to prevent rust underneath the assembly?

[WildCJ5]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. I searched for a how-to about installing them. I found lots of stuff on how they work and how they look on x car but not much good info on how to actually install them.

No I didn't seal the latch to the hood. The hood is aluminum so it shouldn't be an issue. One of the PO's used sealer when they mounted the Zoom gas cap and what a bitch that was to remove. I am still scratching my head on how to get the remaining sealer off the rear quarter.

[tsingson]

Oh ok. I remember seeing guys in High School putting hood pins and seeing them rust over time. So I thought I would ask.

[SISKO]

whats that white miata i see in the background??? are you hiding something from me rob lol?

[Caoboy]

Thank you for the aerocatch write up. I've been wanting to add them ever since I got poly motor mounts.

[WildCJ5]

whats that white miata i see in the background??? are you hiding something from me rob lol?

It is a 93 we picked up from an old couple at the local retirement community. Just waiting on the pink and it will be up for sale. Clean car, all stock, 166,xxx. Just waiting to be molested, I mean modified.

[WildCJ5]

One thing I should have added in the write up was to put down a trash bag or towels over the engine and cover anything else in the garage you don't want coated in aluminum and cutting wheel dust. Also, wear safety glasses, dust mask and a long sleeve shirt. What a mess.

[wannafbody]

Try a small snow scraper on that kitty litter.

[WildCJ5]

Started stripping the wire harness. As i cut I would start the car and make sure everything still worked. When I was done for the day I put away all the tools and was happy to have not f'd anything up. Jumped in the car to put it away and it was DEAD! No click, no lights, no nothing. I thought I fried the harness or something. Luckily for me a buddy came over and after about five minutes figured out the end of the battery cable was jacked. Nothing to do with me so I was relieved. I will be replacing it tomorrow.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo5.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-13.jpg

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-23.jpg

[tsingson]

Those food shots were one of the reasons I jumped off Facebook. Kinda got tired of seeing what people ate and when they took a dump and stuff.

[WildCJ5]

I guess I can't argue with that.

[WildCJ5]

Headed out to Adam's this morning. It made it to the first corner as popped a rod bearing. I figured it was already fucked, why not run a few laps.

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Leaving the track. It is only thirty-five miles to my house, it should make it.
XsMpXP9yYy4

Halfway home.
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Three miles from the house and it doesn't sound good.
bhhS8no3paw

And that is that.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo7.jpg

JDM motor will be in shortly. To be continued..........

[Blueiii]

I clicked play on rod 1 and thought, "That sounds horrendous! How could it sound worse?"
I clicked play on rod 3 and literally jumped. That sound is, quite frankly, more scary then any horror movie I have ever seen.

Why not keep the aforementioned 93 and wash your hands of this one / use it for spare parts as needed?

[WildCJ5]

^^^^
I would rather just change the motor than swap out everything else. Plus, the 93 sold last night. Just in time to buy the below.


This was dropped off this evening. Already been cleaned up, new t-belt and water pump.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Newmotor.jpg

[tsingson]

Damn man that sound was awful to listen to. Glad you have everything ready to go.

[WildCJ5]

I got a quick 20 minutes in before dinner. Put on ramps and stands, hood off, airbox out and most wiring disconnected. Tomorrow I should pull it out.

http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/photo-15.jpg

[Big Red]

Thread is a brilliant read so far, I like what your doing here. :)

I have to do a engine swap at some point.... My 2nd car has a nice bottom end rattle too :/

[SISKO]

five bucks you swap that engine in before i do my timing belt lol

but seriously, you move fast!

[WildCJ5]

^^^
Bet, I can use $5.

[tsingson]

$5 can get you 5 mcdoubles at McDonalds. You just have to find a couple of dimes for tax.

[WildCJ5]

Got the motor and trans out this evening. Really wasn't bad. I have everything in ziplock bags so nothing will get lost. I have to go over everything I need to order, rad hoses, injector o-rings etc.

Coil pack bracket is broken.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Coilpack.jpg

Getting some help to guide it out.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/upandout.jpg

HF welds are weak!
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/GhettoHF.jpg

What a mess.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/enginebay.jpg

Bringing down the property values. I am sure this is against my HOA.
http://worldswildweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/cleaningBay.jpg

[atank]

"WildCJ5" whats the status of the engine replacement?