Blue Lion | Resurrection

[kung fu jesus]

I am going to start my documentation of a 10ae I bought for my wife back in 2009. She originally had a black '99 sport with a bit of custom work on it when we met back in '00.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/RGatDG02.jpg

She loved this car.

We sold this car to buy our first home together in '04. We would later move to California in late '06. Her job required travel to see clients, so I put her in an '03 Honda Pilot. Probably my least favorite car I have ever owned.

So, she found she wasn't really needing that much space and the Pilot was becoming quite an unreliable car, despite religious, dealer maintenance. We sold it and started looking for a replacement, which was another NB Miata. We searched all over the southland, eventually finding a 10ae in San Diego, 2-owner car. It had issues and about 140k on it, but the price was right and it had very minor modifications.

My wife, a bit of a nerd, named it "Blue Lion" after the Voltron character. IIRC, it is the only(?) lion piloted by a woman.

http://images.wikia.com/voltron/images/0/05/Blue_lion_with_pilot_standing_on_head.jpg

[tsingson]

Nothing else? Where is the rest of it?

[kung fu jesus]

Working maybe?

[I<3flippyheadlights]

Working maybe?

lol

I'm excited for updates only because you are an amazing story teller.

[Martin]

I miss the Pod Racer :(

[tsingson]

lol

I'm excited for updates only because you are an amazing story teller.

You should here the stuff that comes out of his mouth at the meets.....:mrgreen:

[kung fu jesus]

So I met wife because of Miatas. I had my '92, she had the '99. She had already done a few mods herself; sport bar, FM sways, springs, shocks, wheels, exhaust. The car also had custom blue/purple/green ghost flames you can *just* see here:

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/24017_1411873546855_2914228_n_zps5b66821b.jpg
We sold it in '04

Here is the day we brought the 10ae home in '09 (yes, we had three blue cars at the same time):

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/25517_1403511897819_2260094_n_zpsf43fae36.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/25517_1403511777816_354798_n_zps741c6a78.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/25517_1403511937820_6985885_n_zps5390a9e1.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/25517_1403511857818_6279913_n_zps3efd1d8a.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/25517_1403511817817_4474599_n_zpsb2d31cb2.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/25517_1403513577861_5588687_n_zps73793548.jpg

The car came with Konis already installed, a FSM, a bunch of receipts, Racing Beat front sway, and Racing Beat axel back exhaust.

I have to admit, I have always liked this model, but it didn't grow on me like I thought it would. Maybe my tastes changed, maybe the interior seemed dated, I dunno.

It was my wife's daily driver, and I had my own Miata and the M3. I was disinterested in it for a few years. I was primarily concerned if it ran and had good tire tread depth.

[Phatmiata]

please tell us where to find single Miata chicks!!! :teehee:

[tsingson]

And where to see these pictures you are uploading.

[Demon I Am]

please tell us where to find single Miata chicks!!! :teehee:
chicks? psshhhttt, you drives miata. :teehee:

[kung fu jesus]

I think I fixed the links.

[tsingson]

Yes you did.

[kung fu jesus]

It's formal coming out party at an OC KINOD meet for shabu shabu and bubble tea circa summer '09.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/user97_pic2360_1296015503.jpg

[tsingson]

Still looks odd without a roll bar.

[kung fu jesus]

You're gonna look odd with my thumb in your eye.

[kung fu jesus]

So, fast forward a couple of years to '12. I sold the M3 and my wife took a position in Raleigh, NC. We pack up our belongings and head east. I drove the moving truck while towing the NA. She followed me in her NB.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMAG0594.jpg

You can barely see the Blue Lion in the rearview mirror. Add 2500 miles and 5 days and the view was basically the same.

So, I put both Miatas on a crash course of maintenance. New ball joints and tie rod ends for BL, a ton of work for the NA. The plan was to tow one of the Miatas, if one went down we would swap them out on the trailer. Now, because I rarely drove BL around this time, I really didn't know what it needed other than what I just mentioned. Special shoutout here to Jon B, Rob, Emmi, Cody, and who ever was at Rob and Jon's house the night (it's kinda fuzzy - I was so tired) we thrashed on the NB before the move. We found the timing belt tensioner was installed incorrectly by the PO and fixed it, but incorrectly. It jumped a tooth and dies on the 605 S sometime around midnight. Rob had the car towed back to his home and we got it right. I think I got home sometime around 3 or 4 in the morning. KINOD FTW.

Also, we were moving in early May, so I figured everything would be fine. I didn't realize the A/C on BL didn't work and when we drove through the desert of Arizona on the first day of our move, it was HOT. So much so that when I took our dog out of the car of the moving truck (she was riding shotgun with me), she burned the pads on her paws on the pavement. :(. We pulled over for fuel near Havasu and while I was refueling the truck, my wife walked up to me covered in sweat. :lol: I offered to let her drive the truck a while, it had GREAT A/C, but she grumpily refused.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMAG0618.jpg
"I'm a desert breed, but I looooooove A/C!" My co-pilot for 2500 miles.

On the second day, we were blitzing across New Mexico and BL took some battle damage. I was approaching a road gator (delaminated tire tread) on the free way and I couldn't move over. I tried to warn my wife in BL, but my radio was dead. My attempts to keep the debris off her car was futile and she hit it. It knocked a bunch of paint off the front, ripped the belly tray under the engine and punched the bumper out, cracking the paint on that, too. :(

BL completed the journey without issue! When we arrived, it was a bit beaten, but it was only suffering the beginnings of a failing rear hub.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/Blue%20Lion/537638_10150891599077579_735315739_n_zps638e2524.j pg
Blue Lion's first modification. Courtesy of Woolery.

[tsingson]

You're gonna look odd with my thumb in your eye.

Freaking hilarious!

[treeafodo]

Good read so far, subbed for more.

[kung fu jesus]

Within a month of being back in the South, we had to fix the A/C on the Blue Lion. The RR hub was heading south too, so we found a good shop at the advice of Raleigh Miata owners here on the forum. It was sweet relief.

So we quickly found out that having our only cars being Miatas becomes a little ridiculous. Go somewhere with the dog, take two cars. Go to Costco, packing drygoods around my wife and watching people gawk is bit odd. We had to make a change. I work from home. My employer is in NY, so I have to drive to client meetings occasionally in the southeast. My wife's new position has her taking client appointments about 2-4 times/week, so her range is about a 200 mile radius. Begrudgingly, I decided to sell my NA. It made sense; it was a little over the top for commuting and way over the top for a drive longer than an hour and still looking professional on the other side. Besides, we sold her beloved '99 sport to clear the down payment we wanted on our home in Charlotte. It was my turn to take one for the team.

I mentioned in passing to a few friends in Atlanta that I was going to sell my NA and one of them made me a serious offer I couldn't refuse. It was bittersweet, but I am glad I know the new owner very well, and I believe he will take better care of it than I did. We parted ways with the NA in August or September of '12. 12 years of ownership is a good run. I will still get to see it and drive it. The new owner loves it and has an appreciation for the work I put into it.

I turned my attention to a practical car. I loved my '03 Civic Si and always regretted selling it. I couldn't find one I wanted so I settled for an '02 Acura RSX base with leather. It does everything we need and it is decent to drive. I wore the seller down with reason and logic and bought it soon after selling the NA.

7329

I call it "the Mule". We treat it like a pickup/suv. My wife uses it for customer appointments in case she needs to take a co-worker or clients to lunch. As you can see, I also added a bike rack I found on an Acura forum. We use it for longer trips, too. Loaded with us, a week's worth of gear and luggage, the dog and her stuff, we averaged 32mpg on a trip to the Outer Banks. Similar fuel economy on the trip to Atlanta. It needed some minor refurbishing, like separated seams on the seats, stereo, general maintenance, but it only has 113k on it now and run fantastic. Dings, dents, etc from the previous owner, but who cares?

Now I find myself spending more time with Blue Lion. Compared to my track-ready NA, if feels soft, loose and awkward. I found myself having trouble with the 6 speed. I'm not used to it. It doesn't feel as tossable as the NA. Still it's a lot more comfortable.

About this time, the top was getting haggard and degrading fast. Two small tears in the seams became gaping holes and I tried to stem the tide of wear with temporary patches. Not really a permanent solution. It's time to replace it. Goddamn it. I watch for used ones, but they are in fair condition. So, I start shopping for new ones.

I sometimes forget how well I know some of the Miata vendors personally. I also forget how many my wife knows. Being back in the South, there was only one vendor we knew to go with for the top: Joe Alphonso at R*Speed.

Tina has known Joe far longer than I have. Everytime I call him I get prices, he asks if it is for my car or Tina's car. If it's Tina's he takes, like, another 30% off. Then if I try to readdress my parts, he adds 50% over the advertised price. :| He also likes to remind me my wife is too good for me. :lol: I love Joe. He hooked it up with the RoadsterGirlie Disount (RoadsterGirlie is my wife's name on the Miata forums). It arrives a week later and it is BEAUTIFUL.

I get my buddy to help me and we install it in the hot, southern sun on a humid day. F. M. L. We got it in relatively easily and this is how it turned out:

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMAG0758.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMAG0757.jpg

I love the seamless style of it.

[kung fu jesus]

My wife uses a lot of electronic gadgets while she drives; cellphone, ipod, GPS, FM modulator. I was questioning her about trying to simplify. Basically, she had a a 3-plug splitter coming out of the 12v cigarette lighter. Wires everywhere on the passenger seat, the floor, a real mess. I was worried that the car would either be broken into or she would get in an accident. I am a huge fan of bluetooth handsfree devices and keeping things hidden. Just less to worry about. On top of that the stock Bose system is really mediocre at best. I wanted to clean it up, update it, make it easier for her (and me) to use.

My NA and the Mule have media-based headunits that don't play CDs, but integrate ipods, cellphones and include a handsfree mic. I like it very much and the system works great all around. My clients rarely know I am in the car driving and the customizable options on the head unit are very good to make it look congruent with the interior lighting. So, I researched a new stereo system for the Blue Lion.

I have the opinion that I don't need a great stereo in a Miata. It would take up too much valuable room to configure one for quality sound and the car has a lot of road noise anyways, so it's just not something I feel speding a lot of money on will return a great result. I am also not an audiophile, so I don't need to distinguish violas from violins, I just want it to sound decent with the top top and be loud enough to have a good time.

So, I after the research and satisfaction of my wife, I decided to get a JVC headunit, KDX80BT:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41U58aSvGkL._SY300_.jpg

A nice amplifer, the Polk PA330:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21VfxTh8qgL.jpg

and some nice speakers, Blaupunkt GTx 803-de 8" speakers for the doors:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91%2BIsraWkSL._SL1500_.jpg


Because I was adding an amp and new wire to the speakers ( to handle the power), I didn't remove the stock Bose amps. I may do that later if I remove the carpet to clean it or whatever, so this installation was pretty easy. Running the wires into the door was the most time consuming part. I ran it through the grommets properly so it's a tight space and takes a little patience. It's worth it in the end, though. I also added a properly-sized amp wire installation (4 gauge).

The headunit install was a breeze I had already soldered the harness together, so I just had to run the I pod cable to the glove box. I thought about running it into the center console, but I may retrofit an '01+ console and I may also install a USB charging port there later for the phones. Because I was removing the OEM double DIN, I picked up a centerstack cubby to replace the factory tape deck. I LOVE having the extra storage here!

The speakers are quite big and I had to trim the door openings about 1/8" all the way around. I made quick work of it with a pair of tin snips. These speakers fit great and have plenty of room inside the door.

I mounted the amp behind the passenger seat. It is a little thicker than I was expecting and interferes with the seat travel a little bit, but it's not that big of a deal.

Altogether, I think I spent about $375 on everything. I discovered soon enough that the previous owner had removed the Bose speaker from the driver door. :fp: Well, that explains the shitty sound, but I hate Bose systems anyways. The Blaupunkt's really push hard and sound great! The system is loud, clear and adds to the enjoyment and entertainment of the car sooo much. :) I really like the bass these put out; not overpowering, but it still hits hard enought to say, " Ooo!". The only wire coming out of the cigarette lighter is a little USB plug to charge the phone, which fits nicely in the new cubby. My only complaint is I didn't put new tweeter in the OEM locations and simply cut the wires to the existing ones. I may add new ones here later, so the sound comes up a little higher.

Some things I may do in the future to improve this may be adding sound deadener to the doors, rear parcel and rear bulkhead, just for comfort. The USB charger will be integrated into the center console, when I find a better one from a later model. I might also hide one in the side of the centerstack to plug the GPS into or just make a custom mount for phones and use those as GPS.

[tsingson]

I had Focal 6.5" drivers in the other and I loved the sound of those. I think I will be using those again. I just need to get a head unit I really like.

[kung fu jesus]

I think that is what I had in the NA. With the amp in that car, they were really quite good. The Blaupunkt's really have better bass than those. The extra size helps, I'm sure. IIRC, they have a peak of 260 watts.

[kung fu jesus]

So, now in the spring of '13, we have been in NC for almost a year. BL is up for inspection in 6 weeks and it can't have any codes to pass. The car is at about 169,700 and it has an intermittent CEL for a bad pre-cat. Well, I replaced that in CA about years ago, so I am doubting it. Replaced the O2 about the same time. I replace the spark plugs ( signs of wear), wires, and front o2. It didn't help. I decide to swap out the coilpacks, no change, code keeps coming back. Eh, I have a few other options to track down.

I decide to source an '01 header to eliminate the shitty precat and garbage cast manifold. In the process, I need an O2 bung welded in further down stream because the '01 header has them mounted this way. Also, BL is a CA emissions car, FML. I look up an exhaust shop with great customer reviews, head down early on a Saturday and ask for the bung to be welded in. Well, I started asking about a custom mid pipe and new rear cat and 90 minutes later, I leave with this:

I kept the RB axle back, had the pipe mandrel bent from 2.25" and a matching diameter cat.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMG_0388_zps3d49a0e5.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMG_0396_zpsd2577225.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMG_0395_zps827ac8be.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMG_0394_zpsa6b0d1d1.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMG_0393_zpsb0f69d2f.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMG_0392_zps3516654c.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMG_0391_zpsaec9673c.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/force_mccocken/IMG_0389_zps0f32d652.jpg


Car sounds a *little* lower in the exhaust note, definitely feels a bit uncorked. Sounds good at WOT.

Now, about this time, the steering starts acting up. It feels rubbery, noisy. Great, maybe the rack is heading south? The BJs and tie rods I changed out can't be bad, there is only 8k miles one the car since then! Wrong. While out for a drive, one of the newer lower BJs separates. Awesome. :(

[kung fu jesus]

Now I'm starting to take no prisoners. I'm tired of dicking around with BL. I am beginning to thing I am suffering the 10ae Curse. I refuse to give up and will repair it into submission. I have the car towed immediately to a shop I trust. I don't have the room and time to fix the ball joint, and I am REALLY not trusting anything the PO did to the car. I get a call from the shop the next day and order inner/outer tie rods, lower ball joints, alignment, and balance the wheel the control arm collapsed on.

I am wondering if I will have time to do the water pump this summer so I order the shop to do that, the cam and crank seals, timing belt accessory belts, VC gasket, coolant hoses and coolant flush. Yeah, so I went full-retard. You know what? The car is "reset".

I get it back and it feels GREAT. Guess what happens when I go for a drive? Yes, CEL. DAMMIT. I found a great deal on a NEW coilpack from Beck Arnley and pull the trigger. I'm gonna rebuild this friggen' car sooner than I wanted. :fp:

[kung fu jesus]

Between the time I had the midpipe made and the the time I had the shop go nuts on the car, I ordered new brakes, pads, rotors, fluid and stainless lines. I had originally put new rotors and pad on BL around 2010. They were Axxis Ultimates and performed fine for what the car was used for.


This time around, I got Carbotech AX6s and Centric Rotors from 949 Racing. I added Russel lines and went to town.

7371

7372

7373

7374
Look at all them shiny new parts! Dayum!


7375

Yeah, those pads were done. New pads bite better. They seem to like to squeal when warm, but I consider it as a warning to those in front of me that I am approaching.

[kung fu jesus]

I met up with a local Miata salvager, Jason Fraley. Good guy. He has a 10ae in very good condition, except a front right hit. He will be parting it out this summer and wanted to express interest and introduce myself. I see good things coming from it. I bought a new used cowl and belly tray and left. I painted the cowl and installed it.

Today, the coilpack came! I took a flier on it after finding it on Amazon. I confirmed the part number from Beck Arnley online. It is the exact same as the OEM pack, sans the little grommet bushing on the bottom. Who uses that anyways? :p

car runs much smoother and hold idle like a boss. Part throttle acceleration is improved. Let's see if the CEL stays away.

Ol' 988/7500, Blue Lion's number, will run correctly whether it likes it or not! :twisted:

The '01 header goes in this weekend!

7376

[kung fu jesus]

I started and finished the '01 exhaust manifold retrofit installation this week. Working on it a few hours a night. I actually did it twice, but more about that a little later.

I sourced an '01 exhaust manifold and downpipe from Alex at 2nd Chance Roadster. Since my car is a CA emissions vehicle it has the massive cast iron manifold AND the log of a pre-cat. It's problematic and expensive.

The removal was pretty easy. The hardest parts were removing the nuts at the downpipe, tight spaces there. The EGR fitting at the manifold is also tight and wouldn't budge, so I left it attached, only detaching at the intake manifold. I bent the pipe towards the firewall and a little down to clear the coil pack and coolant lines. When I removed the exhaust mani, I rotated it and the lifted it up and the EGR pipe tracked right along the top of the bell housing. Not too bad. Since my '01 header had the EGR pipe with it, I didn't need to worry about the old one.

The install went fine, nothing unusual. My biggest mistake here is I didn't pre-fit the nuts of the old mani (at the down pipe) with those of the new one. They were a different thread. :( I realized this after installing the first two nuts. I though they were fighting me because of the oxidation on the studs. Wrong. When I heard the first stud creak and move, I stopped and tried to remove the nut. Luckily, the stud just backed out of the flange cleanly. No big deal, I'll get new hardware and thread it in, so I thought. The second one didn't come out, only the nut. So now it is crossthreaded...BADLY. This also happened to be the one that was hardest to work with under the car.

I ran out to get new hardware and thought I could work the correct nut back on the damaged stud. NO. I tried about a half dozen times and the stud was pretty mucked up at this point, so I quit for the night. I couldn't get another nut on there to jam the first, so I was in a pickle. I researched a stud removal tool that night and found one at Northern Tool.

The next day I attack the stud with the removal tool. No dice. Just not enough room to work. The header had to come back off. So off it comes.

I struggle with the removal tool, but the stud barely budged and the tool would slip. The stud is useless. So, I pull out mu tap and tie kit to see if I can re thread the flattened stud and get a couple of nuts on it (hiyo!). Lo and behold it threaded just enough to get two jam nuts together on it! YAY!. I work the stud off after about 30 minutes and notice the stud left threads behind. It had partially fused to the flange. I drill the hole out with a 7/16" drill and start to reinstall everything loose this time. I call it a night again.

The next afternoon, I start reassembling everything. It goes fine! I had bough extra ratchet extensions and the three bolt flange bolts up much easier. It takes me about an hour and I'm done. I checked the gasket at the downpipe-to-midpipe. It was falling apart and the one I bought at the autoparts store was completely different. I pop it back in and hope for the best.


I fire it up and no leaks! Well except at the aforementioned gasket. :| I rush inside and place an order with Rosenthal, splurging for next-day delivery. Hope it arrives tomorrow! The quick test drive I did felt like the motor has been greatly uncorked! It's just a bit loud and "poppy" with the gasket leak at the mid pipe. :) Blue Lion wins this fight, but loses the battle!

Here are the pictures:

7429
Here is three-bolt flange I wrestled with. New hardware holds it together.

7430
Ooo! So shiny! O2 sensor 1 sticking out there.

7431
Underneath shot from inside the driver's side front wheel well.

7432
Remember the midpipe I had custom made? Here's the downstream O2 sensor now!

7433
Heat shield installed. Reminds me of Bryan's OEM plus.

7434
Fancy new-used cowl I bought and painted..the wiper arms too! Sexy.

7435
Oo yeah!

7436
All buttoned up!

[Grip Driver]

Quite the battle!

[kung fu jesus]

Everything on this car seems a battle. 10ae CURSE!

[Demon I Am]

no don't say that!!

[etikoner]

I took one for a test drive. 6-Speed is a little strange and robotic feeling, might wanna look into the Miataroadster short shifter kit for the 6- speed ;)

Awesome story, definitely gonna check back for updates!

[kung fu jesus]

I am still getting used to the 6 speed. Its not as intuitive or fluid to me, I grab the wrong lower gear often while down shifting. I need a little more time with it. I will change the trans fluid soon.

I replaced the battery yesterday and drove it. It feels very good. The brakes are loud, the new exhaust comfiguration added a lot more midrange than I expected!

I believe I may rebuild the shifter. Not a fan of short or modified shifters on these cars.

So, quick review in the last 500 miles/month:

new inner/outers
new lower ball joints
alignment
waterpump
timing belt
cam/crank seals
acc belts
coolant hoses
coolant flush
brake lines
rotors
pads
brake system flush
new coil pack
new plugs and wires
new fuel filter
'01 exhaust mani retrofit
new cat
new custom midpipe
new O2 sensors, upstream and downstream
new stereo, amp, wires, speakers
new battery
new/used cowl and trim
repainted wiper arms
new/used belly tray

Damn. If that CEL pops, I am burning this car to the ground...

[kung fu jesus]

Accidentally closed the thread! Oops.

[etikoner]

Looks like you've dropped a lot of coin on those parts.. I bet the car feels a lot better now vs before, awesome job!

I'm not one to push parts on people, but the Miata roadster tall/ angled shifter really transformed my car into something else. I've heard nothing but good things about it when pertaining to the Miata six-speed, and it comes with oem replacement parts as well. Really worth it IMO.

[tsingson]

I don't know if the six speed uses the same 3 bolt inner boot as the 5 speed does but if it does, you can use the NC one.

M513-17-480A (NB)- $39.38 from Rosenthal
http://parts.arlingtonmazda.com/products/BOOT%2CDUST-%28M513%252d17%252d480A%29.html

R501-17-47Z (NC)- $12.52 from Rosenthal
http://parts.arlingtonmazda.com/products/BOOT%2CDUST-%28R501%252d17%252d47Z%29.html

That's the one I used for mine. I actually ordered all of my parts from Rosenthal for the rebuild.

[kung fu jesus]

I built enough six speed shifters for Crusher and Enzo at 949 Racing, I just need to get the bushing p/ns. Pretty easy. The boots are good.

[tsingson]

Ok. My boots were beyond that. Your thoughts on the exhaust now? Sound level? Fun factor?

[kung fu jesus]

Ordered the shifter rebuild kit through our sponsor Planet Miata, threw on two quarts of Motorcraft for the tranny. 10% discount through MR! Cha ching!

The exhaust is louder than I expected it to be. Definitely noticable. Fun factor? Yes! The exhaust drowns out the intake and the new streo can overpower them both. :)

still feels weird without a rollbar...

[tsingson]

It felt weird not seeing one when we were heading to Lowes. I had to admit though. BL felt great. Brake squeal was kinda loud though.

[kung fu jesus]

My NA was like that. You kinda get used to it. i bedded them and they aren't as bad now. I also let Tina drive it around today and she loves it. The exhaust reminds her of her black '99, but the tone is lower pitched. She loves the stereo and I walked her through how the phone works with it. She loved the way the brakes bite and the extra power.

just dropped another $600 on parts for the Mule; pads rotors, cat, O2 sensors.

[tsingson]

Nice man! It will be definitely interesting to see BL with a roll bar.

[kung fu jesus]

Maybe later this year. If one shows up on CL or through Jason, I may grab it. Otherwise, I will wait and just drive out to Bethania.

[tsingson]

We can take the Expedition if needed. I might try to pick up some padding for the roll bar. Looking for diagonals for your rollbar or one without?

[kung fu jesus]

I prefer the diagonals, but I have to see what Tina likes. I may order one raw and polish the steel or powdercoat it custom.

[tsingson]

I was thinking of painting mine silver. But that's a lot of work.

[kung fu jesus]

Had a buddy in Denver who polished a steel one and it looked good! Have get it clear coated or powdered clear. I may try a vibrant silver or chrome-ish powder, too.

I am thinking when I do this, I will add a bit of sound deadening throughout the cabin and doors.

I keep seeing various pics of 10aes with hardtops, sooo sexy.

also slowly starting to think about wheels. Lots of options in 15s but I pike the proportions of the NBs on 16s.

[tsingson]

I do too but I like the pricing of the 15" tires. And yes, the AEs with hardtops are the sex.

[kung fu jesus]

Rebuilt the shifter. Replace the bottom cup, the upper and lower rings and both wave washers. Feel nice!

Thanks for the pro tip from Anthony (tsingson), I replaced my lower shift boot with one off the NC (p/n R501-17-47Z). It fits! It was $12.52 through Arlington Mazda, versus the 90-05 (p/n M513-7-480A) which is $39.38. Go figure. While not an "Exact" fit the bolt holes line up and the bottom seals flat against the turret.

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[atank]

Lots of $$$$ & time invested!!

[kung fu jesus]

You don't wanna know. :bop:

If's my wife's car, so I feel better knowing it is solid and she fell in love with it all over again.

[atank]

You don't wanna know. :bop:

If's my wife's car, so I feel better knowing it is solid and she fell in love with it all over again.

Oh I can imagine!!!! But you are right in knowing everything is tip top!

[tsingson]

Glad everything worked out as far as the shifter goes. The price difference was way too big for me to even think about the other shift boot.

[kung fu jesus]

Definitely! Even the onion skin gasket on the NC boot lands on the turret's flange. Great find, my friend!

[kung fu jesus]

http://photos.imageevent.com/afap/animatedgifs/Zombie.gif

Back from the dead!

Took some time off to deal with a new acquisition. (http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread.php?6589-KFJs-quot-God-s-Chariot-quot-e30)

This car has officially been retired to 'toy' status. I put my wife in another vehicle that she (we) uses for daily driving and long distance trips.

I have a few items to plan for. The first is a set of P/U bushings generously donated to me by Pfunk! :) I am planning to refurb the control arms, so that would mean removing them, the old bushings and installing the p/u ones. This also means new mounting hardware for the control arms. My experience has been that most of the control arm bolts and the camber bolts either bend or stretch from age and use. Not all, but some. This can mean cutting them to get them out. So, I am starting to source this hardware to attack this project over the winter.

Also, my understanding wife also bought me a nice addition this Christmas:
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Harddog HCDD rollbar with harness tabs. :)

Coincidentally, I have also scored a set of H&R race springs for a really decent price. Not the high-end suspension the NA had, but it will be an improvement for now and get me going on more HPDEs for the future. I already have Konis and a RB front sway, so I think it will hold me over for a while until I sort through other things.

Because the front steering and braking components are already refreshed, this should be the final step to buttoning up the underpinnings on this car. That said, I will also roll the fenders as I currently have an Eastwood rolling tool on loan from a good friend. :) That should help me expand future tire and wheel choices. For the time being, I will track the car on a set of factory BBS wheels from my daily driver e30:
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15x7 +24

Also in the plans, I will cut the rear bumper, a la Art Center Miata style (http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread.php?2842-How-To-Rear-Bumper-Cut-Outs&highlight=rear%20bumper&p=88478#post88478) (kudos to Jeremy for the write up!) and may remove the tuperware side skirts from this tired 10ae. Because the paint is also shoddy and a bit faded, I am looking at painting the car, plastidip style, with one of their pro kits. I figure $300-400 and an impromptu paint booth set up in my car port may be just the ticket to polish this turd! Color choice will be kept secret until a future date. :)

I will also be watching for a set of door bars to button up the chassis rigidity on this limp noodle, too! I am probably getting too far ahead of myself, so please be patient and bear with me! This is a budget racer that will grow as I transition from street/hpde to full race car some day soon!

[kung fu jesus]

Track slut status...ENGAGE!

Took advantage of a REALLY nice day in late December (74 degrees) and installed a Christmas gift my wife gave me early....

103631036210361

5.5 hours from wheels up to wheels down.

This baby needs door bars. SRSLY.

[atank]

Looks Great KFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blueiii]

Wish we had 74 degree weather in Ohio... In the meantime, my "den" is a bit occupied....

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a101/bleuiii/Cars/P2150031_zps7109d4b7.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/bleuiii/media/Cars/P2150031_zps7109d4b7.jpg.html)

[kung fu jesus]

Man pants. Put them on.

[Blueiii]

Still can't get into the shed (despite weather in the 50s all week) after shoveling my driveway last week. REALLY need to find a weekend when my neighbor will be out of town and let me use his garage.

[kung fu jesus]

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What have we here?

[tsingson]

Everything makes sense now.

[kung fu jesus]

Changes are afoot! I am on a limited budget, so I have been scouting used parts for performance and upgades. Some of these parts are excellent values, so they are bing bought with the intention of either using them or flipping them to attain something better. Sort of like this:

http://jalopnik.com/5591644/how-a-17+year+old-craigslist+swapped-an-old-phone-for-a-porsche

I'm not going for a Porsche here, but I am hedging on rare finds at good prices to attain what I want and need.

This has been a week of excitement! I found a set of excellent condition BBS RG-F 15x7+33 wheels locally. These are authentic, forged wheels, weight a slim 10.6# each. I may use them or flip them, not sure. I have also come into a set of silver, recent generation 6uls. This is a serendipitous event that allows me to focus on a few other items I want for the car...namely a hardtop, better suspension, door bars and seats.

1045410455

Speaking of suspension, I have also come into a set of H&R race springs for an NB. I am planning to install them when I swap out the bushings on the control arms, but I am building such an inventory of wheels, I *might* just be able to upgrade to something better sooner than I thought! :)

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I feel like the friendships and contacts I made over the years are bringing me generous, humbling results that make me proud as a human being and as an enthusiast.

I have my first trackday scheduled for next year in March. As much as I enjoyed the last one at AMP in the e30, I want to bring the Blue Lion out for her inaugural event dressed to kill.

[kung fu jesus]

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Defrocked! :)

[Martin]

Looks better to me :)

[Demon I Am]

you're ruining a limited edition 10ae omgwtfukzors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:blaugh2:

[kung fu jesus]

Purists will hate me. I will bathe in their loathing.

[tsingson]

How did the drive go? You take this or the E30?

[kung fu jesus]

Good. Took the Miata.

[tsingson]

Purists will hate me. I will bathe in their loathing.

What site do you think you are on? Mdotnet? :blaugh2:

How were the panels under the tupperware? Any damage?

[kung fu jesus]

Yes, three holes drilled for a substrate to hold the skirts in place. no big deal.

[kung fu jesus]

New shooz for BL!

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[TimTim]

Awesome dude! What is the wheel width and tire chosen?

[kung fu jesus]

15x8, +36, 205/50-15
949 6ul

[Sharpie]

Lookin great. Great work Steve. Tell Tina Hello from me.

[kung fu jesus]

Lookin great. Great work Steve. Tell Tina Hello from me.

Thanks, Chris! Will do!

[Sharpie]

I wanna see it with the BBS'

[kung fu jesus]

Sorry, Chris, sold them to Taylor. :)

In other news...happy early-birthday to me!!

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my wife is awesome. :)

[Dandy]

Wow, a new box!

http://blog-imgs-46.fc2.com/s/i/s/sisinmaru/20101122-01.jpg

[kung fu jesus]

Stepping up my game! Installed the doorbars in about 2 hours, wheels up - wheels down. Not my first rodeo...

As expected 99% of the rattles are gone, car is soooooo much more composed over rough and uneven pavement. Turn in noticably quickly, plants harder. Sweeeeet.

[kung fu jesus]

I will add this, too. The doorbar clearance from the bars to the door panels it tighter than on the NAs, so if/when you installed you rollbar, just make sure it is mounted centered. I did when I installed mine last month, I was within +/-2mm using a basic vernier caliper with the plunge. My bars don't make contact with the panels. The stock seat fitment is *tight*, so go ahead and buckle the seatbelts first during installation.

[Agent☣Orange]

Very cool! I'm impressed.

[kung fu jesus]

I have 7 weeks until the first event of the season at AMP. Need to do a lot of suspension work. Bushings, camber bolts and springs. *Maybe* a rear main seal, too. Hope to get the e30 wrapped up to get on this!