Planned Winter Projects

[psulja]

So since a lot of people are putting their cars away as winter approaches I'm sure a lot of people have projects they plan to accomplish over the winter months while their car is in storage. Post up what your planned projects are for this winter since building cars is one of the fun parts of winter.

For my NB the plan is pretty simple; do some basic maintenance to keep it on the road for as long as possible as a good winter beater/daily driver. Also need to start getting it ready for any track days I may take it to in the spring time. This includes pads, rotors, SS brake lines, tires, and possibly wheels but not likely.

The NA is a bit different.
- install megasquirt & rx7 injectors and get it running properly
- start ordering turbo bits and hopefully get those on by the spring time
- clutch & flywheel
- other miscellaneous maintenance that may not have been done yet
- finally install my revlimiter gauges

Lets see what everyone else has planned for their winter projects!

[ctrench]

oh god, im going to be broke during winter....

-tan top injectors
-2.25" exhaust from header back
-99+ trans, new clutch, slave and master cyl
- (hopefully) build and install MS

[maharaj]

Probably rotate my tires, add flame throwers and reinforce my oil pan.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

With my break from school I hope to get some stuff done.
-clean oil rings
-put on a new head
-new motor mounts
-fix rust
-get all my parts for my supercharger and install!

[ctrench]

With my break from school I hope to get some stuff done.
-clean oil rings
-put on a new head
-new motor mounts
-fix rust
-get all my parts for my supercharger and install!

DANG!!! so it looks like your gonna have to pull your motor, and might as well buy new rings and not just clean them lol

let me know, and ill help you out, motor rebuilds are easy now that we've done it during school!!

[I<3flippyheadlights]

No motor pulling here. Gonna put in motor flush and ATF to clean the rings. While that soaks I'll be replacing the motor mounts. After the flush, we will see how the car does. Then I'll either do a whole rebuild or just the head.

[ctrench]

oh true, but if your replacing the head, its not too much harder to just pull the motor/trans

[I<3flippyheadlights]

Whats the point though? I'm not tearing into the block nor replacing the clutch. Seems like extra work for nothing.

[Blueiii]

Back on topic!

Although I have a garage for storage, its hardly big enough to work in. (Its literally a shed, but hey, its a miata!) My neighbor, however, rents his house and has a 2 car garage that he's not parking any of his 3 cars in. (Instead, he blew all of his leaves in front of my house a month ago so he could park in front of his house.)

I asked him if I could rent a spot and work over the winter, specifically February... so I'm hoping to save up and install the following:
1.) RB Front Sway Bar
2.) Koni Sport shocks
3.) New (to me) used factory springs (without surface rust.)
4.) FCM bumpstops
5.) Exhaust (Roadstersport 3 or Enthuza... still undecided)
6.) Stainless brake lines (should be here within the next week!)
7.) Sway bar reinforcement

Total, since I won't be buying used, is around $1300.... into a car I bough for $1600. I'd say "don't tell the girlfriend," however "we" already decided that if (when) my winter beater gives out, Camber is getting converted to hardtop DD / autocross mode with snow tires for the Ohio winter and another 'otter shall be purchased.

[kung fu jesus]

I am in planning stages of building a car and team for Chump Car.

Consecutively, I am also in initial planning for retiring my wife's 10ae and turning it into my own PTE/SM/ITA car.

[Phatmiata]

I might actually be able to drive my Miata "legally" soon, :roll: DMV is screwing me right now. They don't believe the mileage on my car so I had to send a separate odometer disclosure statement to the seller to fill out and send back to me, and then turn that in with the rest of the paperwork to the DMV. I won't bother to mod the car until I can actually drive it, just been stock-pilling parts until I ready to start wrenching. :fp:

[maharaj]

DMV is screwing me right now. :

Hmmm, imagine that?!

[adam777]

I'll play.

Got a the competitive bug and I'm working to make my car a competitive STS-class autocrosser. Started placing decently this past season so I'd like to up my prep level. Car is a 91.

After the car was put away for the winter:
swapped in a Koni Race front and Koni Sport rear suspension with 700/400 springs. Also went from DIY NB mounts to FCM mounts up front. Still rocking a set for FM rears repurposed from from previous Bilstein/Ground Control set up.

As soon as it is warm enough for me to work in my garage again:
Prothane poly bushings in the control arms and diff
Installing an AEM F/IC6. Debating going with E85 or sticking with normal premium. I can get a couple more horses on E85 but I'm not sure i want to deal with the hassle. Plus, it may get banned for STS anyhow. Should be I the 120-125 whp range when all is said and done. The guy helping me tune is getting 125 whp on his E85 1.6 now and thinks there is more to be had.

Non-performance: WP&TB change. Belt is newish, but service records from the PO don't show the pump being changes at that time.