Hasu - Riefdaddy's Build

[riefdaddy]

I figured I would start a build thread on Hasu. Her name means Lotus in Japanese and I thought that was a fitting name - based on the Lotus Elan being the historical reference for the Miata. I bought her in November 2012 for the grand investment of $800, due to her being wrecked on the passenger front. I knew I was in for a bit of work, but I enjoy challenges like this. :fp:

The list of battle damage was as follows - destroyed items included, bumper cover, passenger fender, inner fender liner, one wheel, lower control arm, shock, steering rack, end link, tie rod, sub frame, windshield, and the oil pan. All easy fixes, right?! Yeah, I know, I could have gotten something in better shape, but around my area $3,000 buys you a 175+K car with no maintenance history, worn out tires, suspension, electrical "modifications", rust, bad tops, rat infested interiors, etc. I figured I could come in at or below that price point if I shopped around and was resourceful. Oh, I almost forgot the funny thing the guy told me. He claimed the damage was done at no more than 5 miles per hour. Yeah, right.

I should be further along, but life intervenes and I was diverted to other issues for three months thanks to work and then another month getting back into my old work schedule. Now that seems to have settled down and I have had time to work.

On with the picture show!

Taken as we attempted to load on a front wheel dolly. You need to realize I couldn't turn the wheels thanks to the frontal damage. So I had to get creative. It took almost two hours to get it on the dolly! After it was wrecked, they left it sit on the dirt... that ends up biting me, but more on that later! I'm the guy in the hat.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8552/8704594179_d51af3cdf2_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704594179/)
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Luckily it was only a few miles to my house. Here she is being dragged up the driveway.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8115/8705716636_f916b29fd8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704594179/)


She winked at me, knowing that I would save her.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8537/8704593749_261fd02df4_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705716636/)
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[riefdaddy]

She was now home and it was time to put her on her four little feet, but there was a problem, she couldn't roll. So I put her on $7 Harbor Freight furniture dollies. They worked great and I am still using them. Don't you love her pretty spare tire?
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8135/8704668711_dbc08e99f3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704668711/)
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The interior also was kind of nasty, thanks to sitting on damp soil in a shady location. Nice mildew everywhere.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8271/8705790728_51c4a76625_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704668711/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8270/8704667627_58f6d709e4_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705790728/)


It was gross, but it cleaned up easily. The dash has no cracks as she was kept in a garage.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8133/8704666721_f193c04b53_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704667627/)
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The ponytail holder was free - score! As were the Jolly Ranchers and Cliff bar that had melted into a mass in the console. Picture an old person candy jar with all the pieces stuck together and you start to get the picture. On a positive note, it did eventually pop out as one mass. I didn't take a picture as it was very gross.

[riefdaddy]

Did I mention she was in a wreck? Does this look right for steering angle? :?
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8262/8704665531_0257fc4b28_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704665531/)
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I had to remove the fender to try and get the wheel off.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8129/8704664155_56f0b356e1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704665531/)
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It didn't help. The wheel was wedged to the rear of the wheel well. I ended up undoing the lower control arm to get the wheel off. :shock:

[riefdaddy]

For the sake of making her look pretty, I moved a good wheel to the driver's side for some photos.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8119/8704662577_8b8fe91d21_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704662577/)
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http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8263/8705785756_3e295d294f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704662577/)

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[Grip Driver]

for $800, it doesn't look too bad, rest of the car seems fairly straight.

[riefdaddy]

How is this for a control arm? It is shaped like a boomerang. It is supposed to be straight. Everything is rusty, but you can see the busted end link. The tie rod end was undone by me to get the wheel off.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8118/8705786176_4069b571a8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705786176/)
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Houston, we have a problem. Okay, I probably said something closer to fu......, but I have to look through rose colored glasses to keep from crying. I said the same thing many times working on her to date. This particular time was the obvious suspension issues, but if you look at the front bumper cover, the trained eye may note a $250 bumper replacement in my future.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8275/8704663511_34aceffba8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705786176/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704663511/]

[riefdaddy]

I agree, she is otherwise straight and has a new canvas soft top with a glass window. So the price was a steal in my book. My biggest issue to date is all the rust that occurred while she sat in the dirt. It is amazing how quickly she degraded. I can say this with certainty as I debated buying the car for three months and saw how quickly things were going south.

[riefdaddy]

To save time I will fast forward a bit. I rounded up a subframe, lower control arm, new steering rack (that I depowered), new ball joints, new inner and outer tie rod ends,engine mounts, and an oil pan for a fun filled weekend. It was non-eventful, beyond the occassional nick, or having a wrench come off a bolt and smacking something pointy. :lol: I had to work quickly since I had the engine hoist for the weekend. Did I mention my helpers all bailed on me? Something about Christmas shopping, NFL playoffs and just being tired.


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http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8120/8704781205_d558fc7ac6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704779647/)


http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8128/8705902868_601370bf13_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8704781205/)

I think she is broken...
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8264/8705903318_7bb8586745_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705902868/)


After the oil pan was removed, the crank looked good, as did the oil pickup tube.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8137/8705902520_c2809bdce1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705903318/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705902520/]

[riefdaddy]

Nice new oil pan installed. :)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8408/8705902140_f21fb131bf_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705902140/)


I don't have many pics of the process. I was too busy getting things done to stop for photos.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

That oil pan isn't cracked, it was destroyed! Man, you are tackling a huge job but it will be worth it afterwards. I would get over working with such rusty bits and bolts quickly.

Is there any rust underneath the car? Any plans to deal with that? How are the rocker panels? I WANT MORE

[riefdaddy]

I'll be adding more and I have done quite a bit since then. I have coilovers on it, new tires, new windshield, and I am ready to get my alignment as soon as I get my new catalytic converter. As for rust, it is clean except for passenger side has some rust thanks to a clogged drain. The only other area is the rear subframe and I will deal with it next winter. At this point I just want to enjoy driving her hard and putting her away wet. Okay, not wet as I am tired of rusty bolts. Hehe

[atank]

Oh thats a very good score for $800....

[riefdaddy]

Thanks, atank!

When I swapped out the control arm I found that my shock had fused with the bolt and I decided to go ahead and replace my 122,000 OEM shocks and springs with FM VMaxx coilovers. I didn't get the adjustable dampening set as I don't plan on doing too much autoX at this point in time. I just wanted to get something that was better than what was on the car and had a height adjustment. Now I should have known from the first shock that I would have issues with the others, but hey, if I had thought about what I was doing it might have taken longer to pull the trigger. I will say that I was lucky and only the front lower bolts were frozen. The rear was very easy... well, anyone who has changed shocks on a Miata knows that is a loaded answer. That drivers side rear is a &^%&$ to get to. I didn't have much issue unbolting it, but I did find it tricky getting the nuts back on.

This is how my car looked for months while I sorted out the front end. It really was easy to move around.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8406/8707535289_b9e5c97830_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8707535289/)
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Now comparison shots of stock v. FM VMaxx front and rear lengths and dirty, rusty v shiny and clean. Front first, then rear -
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8416/8708658072_ef0a6b3a5b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8707535289/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8137/8708659902_ab79a81284_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708658072/)


The fun part was having to assemble and preload the springs. I found that installing the coilover in my vise made things go fast. Another tip I have is to use two vice grips to hold down the tophat to get the top bolt started. Oh yeah, I got NB tops instead of the NA tops.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8406/8707536449_7b7b41c9cb_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708659902/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8707536449/]

[riefdaddy]

Here is the rear shock removed. Notice all the PB Blaster on the lower arm. Note to self... buy stock in PB Blaster and Kroil...
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8542/8708659460_5ca165d271_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708659460/)
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...and in the time it took you to scroll down, I had the new one installed, and torqued to Mazda specifications. :lol:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8277/8708659042_0c624a6ba0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708659460/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708659042/]
Ah! I forgot to preload that one before I installed it. I had to remove it and take it back to the bench.:fp:

[riefdaddy]

Here is the rear shock removed. Notice all the PB Blaster on the lower arm. Note to self... buy stock in PB Blaster and Kroil...
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8542/8708659460_5ca165d271_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708659460/)
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Don't be hatin' on my rusty, scaling, pencil thin rear sway bar! I will eventually replace both front and rear with upgraded items in the future.

...and in the time it took you to scroll down, I had the new one installed, and torqued to Mazda specifications. :lol:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8277/8708659042_0c624a6ba0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708659460/)

Ah! I forgot to preload that one before I installed it. I had to remove it and take it back to the bench.:fp:

The other side I preloaded before I installed. Yay, me! :beersong:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8265/8708657748_1bfc5f2a3a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708659042/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708657748/]

[riefdaddy]

The front install was simple. I had no wheels on the car. I had no shocks to remove. The sway bar was disconnected, steering rack wasn't there, and all the bolts were loose on the front end.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8408/8707536189_205c4a03fe_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8707536189/)


I like shiny new items on the car. :mrgreen:

[riefdaddy]

Next up was the steering rack. My car is a 94 A package, so it had power steering, no power windows and no AC. I decided that I would convert it more to an R package and to that end it couldn't have power steering. I decided to follow the Flying Miata depower instructions and removed all remnants of the power steering equipment that I could. My daughter helped me with depowering the rack. It was most enjoyable to see her help me, plus the boys in her 9th grade classes think it is cool that she knows a bit about cars.

Here is the new to me rack.. well I couldn't reuse the old one seeing it was snapped in two!
Remember...
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Here is the new one prior to tear down. For some reason I didn't take pics during the rebuild.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8548/8705904808_e62b63828e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705903318/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8705904808/]

[riefdaddy]

I also had to get a new rim and four new tires. I got 185/60/14 Falken RE912's. Not wide, but they are more for street use and I want a retro look, so I will probably swap out the 7 spokes with Chapparal wheels at a later date. So now that all of that was done, it was time to actually let her sit on her four wheels for the first time since I bought her. This was early April and I bought her in November. After this photo I think I had her on and off stands about 10 times trying to get the stance I wanted. So no, this isn't the final product. Just a proud owner taking a photo before he was too tired to think.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8254/8708657042_6c29b42888_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708657042/)

That was at 11" front and 12.75" rear. I am now 12" front and 12.25" rear.

[riefdaddy]

I tried to start her to drive her back into the garage, but she wouldn't start. The fuel was old and stale. I added an additive to the fuel and changed the filter. She fired up and after running for a minute the lifters quieted down. Shell Rotella oil did a great job of cleaning things up. After running her for 30 minutes before returning her to the garage some hooligan took her out on the street and did three donuts. I promise, I will was my finger mercilessly at whomever the culprit was! :whistle:

All I had left was the front bumper and the windshield replacement before I could get her inspected and road legal!

I did drive around my neighborhood and someone did a few donuts in other cul-de-sacs on a few nights. Things were going great and I was excited that the end was near. However, on one trip I noticed the car was bouncy in the rear at speeds about 10mph. I figured I would take a peek at what was happening and what I saw made me want to cry.... and Jazz can relate as he had the same issue.

[riefdaddy]

Oh no she didn't! Umm, oh yes she did. She broke her tail trying to wag it too much. Okay, my thought is that there is a design flaw in the rear differential. Anyway... pics tell it all.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8274/8708664508_54e56d06e0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708664508/)
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[riefdaddy]

So let me share something at this point. Rusty bolts suck in ways that I shouldn't write. However, (very long pause, followed by a deep breath) the do not compare to rusty PPF bolts going through and equally rusty differential. Four days of my life we wasted trying to get those damn things loose and I lost a trusty 1/2 inch breaker bar and an impact socket to the removal of said bolts. In the end the forces of evil were too great and I went back to the pic-n-pull that I got the replacement differential at and grabbed the PPF and the drive shaft. Why the drive shaft? Well, mine was rusted solid to the differential and after two days soaking in acetone and ATF it wouldn't budge to my BFH and chisel approach. The drive shaft and PPF frame cost $30... I should have grabbed them on my first visit if I had known they were that cheap.

So it was time to go back together!
First, something needs to fill this void.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8553/8708656158_86c0c0e0d7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708656158/)
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Here is the volunteer to shore up that gap!
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8132/8708655790_3b733a8378_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8708656158/)
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I installed the new parts in less than 30 minutes by myself. I was very pleased with myself. All I had to do was reinstall the exhaust and I was in business!
I got excited and went to work. I hung the system and then started torquing down the bolts. I was rushing to get done and decided to reuse the old bolts on the catalytic converter. No big deal. I have reused bolts before...
I tightened them all down and went back to torque them. DAMN!!!! The head snapped off of one. Okay, no big deal. I will just take it out, tap the hole and reinstall with new hardware.

Start taking the other three bolts out. Snap! Bolt two is FUBAR. Okay, two bolts won't take too long. SNAP! and SNAP! &^%&%&%!!!!! All four bolts snapped?!! Are you #$@#$@ kidding me?!! I start drilling out the remnants of the bolts. SNAP! The drill bit snapped off in the bolt. &^% me! I decided to visit a machinist. He looks at it and asks what type of bits they are. I said carbide and he said, sorry, I can't get that out. So.... I ordered the new catalytic converter yesterday and it should be in sometime this week.

On a positive note I did get the front bumper on and once the cat is in, I can get it inspected and aligned. Sadly I have to go to a wedding this coming weekend and I won't be able to drive Hasu for another week. You might read this and think I am upset, but I am not. I look at it as a journey and that I am building a very good relationship with my car, my wife and my daughter. I'll get to the destination, but until I get there I will pay attention to the scenery and plan what to do next. :smilet-digitalpoint

[wannafbody]

Good work, I can sympathize with rusted bolts. While doing rear shocks the captive nut broke loose, I had to try to reassemble everything and drive to my mechanic and get him to remove the entire rear lower control arm and shock assembly. Working on 20 year old cars can be a pain in the butt.

[riefdaddy]

Yeah, rusted bolts aren't fun. I thought this would be an improvement over my 52 Chevy. In most ways it is, but those bolts! I guess I can say I was lucky and the captive bolt on mine stayed in place.

[riefdaddy]

Hooray! I put the catalytic converter in this morning, got her inspected and a nice alignment. It took until 7pm for them to get the alignment done, due to client backlog. I then took her out on some of the backroads for a 10 mile trip home that should have only been a mile. The depowered rack is heavy, but does lighten up at speed. I think I need to work on the brakes, but otherwise she runs great. Oh! The tach is bouncing all over the board. Is there a specific ground point that I need to look for, or any particular item that people find when they have this issue?

[wannafbody]

Setting the caster at 3.5 degrees lightens the steering effort.

[riefdaddy]

Thanks Wannafbody, I'll have to check where I ended up. It isn't too bad, just different. I haven't had manual steering in almost 25 years.

I did figure out the fluctuation tachometer. On 94-97 models there is a ground just to the right of the throttle body. If you get the bounce you want to fix it asap. Not only is it annoying, but it can burn up your coil packs. All I did was clean the connector with 500 grit paper until shiny and reinstalled. Tach is now as steady as a rock.

[riefdaddy]

In the first week of driving I amassed 200+ miles going nowhere. I work from home and this is my play toy, so normally my wife's new Optima gets taken everywhere. Thanks to the fun factor of the Miata, we are now taking it whenever we have the chance and are putting on some miles. Those miles were mostly trouble free. I did have an annoying clunk at the drivers front corner. I took the wheel off and found that when I installed the lower ball joint the top bolt hadn't seated properly. I took it out, cleaned the threads on the bolt and the nutsert and then reinstalled and retorqued everything. Hrm, she was now pulling to the right, so back for a realignment. Now that is all sorted, but I am pulling a 32 code on my airbag. My understanding is that means the driver airbag is not connected. My guess is they took the wheel off to center it during the alignment and didn't seat the plug correctly. I guess tonight I will fix that little annoyance.

My only other noise is a chirping sound on the passenger side front. I tracked that down to the reinstallation of the old brakes and pads. The pad is rubbing on the outer wear line of the rotor and causing the squeak. Since it isn't doing anything but annoying me, I am leaving it alone for now and will replace all the rotors and pads later in the summer.

On a fun note, I did shave the tail lights to get rid of those pesky markings that build up with old wax. They look much better to me, but my wife and daughter didn't notice. Oh well, they think I am a bit touched anyway with my attention to detail.

[kung fu jesus]

I admire your perseverance with this build! Glad to read you are enjoying the results of your efforts!

With the way that car sat all busted up, maybe consider rebuilding the calipers (seals)? That broken diff may be residual from the collision. It's not common for them to break like that, but it does happen. I know some people use the carrier off an FC(?) RX-7 because it is a bit stouter.

[tsingson]

I appreciate you resurrecting this car. I applaud the effort and wish you tons of luck and I will be reading this whole way through!

[riefdaddy]

Thanks for the kind words. I wish I knew about the RX-7 parts when I got the differential. There were a few RX-7s at the pick-n-pull. Of course, they had been will picked when I got there. I always forget to look at other models from Mazda. I will usually look at items and compare for cross pollination, but didn't on that particular trip.

I am going to rebuild the calipers in the fall at the latest, if I can hold off. :whistling: At that time I plan to replace rotors, pads, fluid and new ss brake hoses. I was able to get rid of the caliper noise at lunch by manually positioning the pads about 1mm lower in the caliper. I should have just replaced these parts when I had them off the car, but I was starting to lose interest and needed to get behind the wheel and connect with the driving experience. I am also making a list of improvements I need based on real world versus my heart. One item I plan on getting real soon are the Hella H4 replacement headlights. I swear the stock headlights are related via nobility to the British aristocrat Prince Lucas and I believe this aristocrat is the Duke of 20 Feet of Usable Light. It is the closest thing I can find on this car to my old TR6. :toomuch:

[kung fu jesus]

Yes, cross-pollination helps a lot if you have good salvage yards to pick through. There are Ford, Kia, Hyundai and even Suzuki models you can search too, if you know which ones have Mazda DNA in them. Brakes, engine parts, trim pieces, interior bits, etc.

[riefdaddy]

KFJ, I did a bit of research and figured I would add a link for anyone looking for info on the RX7 differential housing swap. The RX7 differential is much more stout, but man, that looks like a ton of work. I might be down for it.

Here is the link and it has a ton of good info, brought to us by the good folks at Flyin' Miata. http://www.solomiata.com/Drivetrain.html

[kung fu jesus]

Been reading about people swapping in the Miata differential in the FC RX7 housing.

7708

[riefdaddy]

That top brace looks pretty stout!

[kung fu jesus]

Doesn't have the notch, either.

[riefdaddy]

I noticed that also. You would have thought that since the NA Miata was a parts bin car that they would have just used the previously engineered RX7 part. It might have been bullet proof, but there are lots of over engineered pieces on a Miata. A good example is the intake manifold brace. That thing could suspend the whole engine. Maybe it was a carryover from the FWD design?

[kung fu jesus]

No. I have had a few B6 and BP powered FWD models in the past. They have shorter, smaller intake manifolds that point the other way. The IM sits close to the firewall on those models.

The chassis is really stout. Helped someone put one together using a half-cut to replace a damaged Miata with the front rails laid over from a front hit. When you start looking at the gussets and the way the structure is put together, it's apparent. Sort of amazing, really.

[riefdaddy]

So, I have shown the suspension work, but I haven't shown the engine. It wasn't that I didn't want to. It was due to laziness on my part. I didn't feel like uploading photos and then doing the posts...

Well, I'm fixing that now, but don't expect expensive parts. I like to restore what I have, so no cool intakes, headers, turbos or anything like that. The engine was looking tired when I got the car. Here are a few before photos:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3721/8813851476_2bc2470a85_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8813851476/)
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Yeah, there is a bit of corrosion on things. :fp:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5449/8813850652_ae8ef0cf94_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8813851476/)

Yup, you guessed it, more rust and oxidation...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/8813828658_e5759443cf_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8813850652/)
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But we can rebuild it! We can make it better! All with elbow grease and gratuitous amounts of spray paint! :lol:

[riefdaddy]

All things are possible with a little **imagination** <que visual image of Sponge Bob making the imagination rainbow with hands>. Oh yeah, and a bit of work...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/8803258847_8d7bd76b06_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8803258847/)
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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7436/8803260443_fd7c96d3a6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8803258847/)


http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5451/8813846232_2c81c06ea6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8803260443/)


http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5329/8813827744_9d1c7f98dc_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8813846232/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8813827744/]
I broke my dipstick in a most unusual manner. I tried to check my oil and it snapped.:shock: WTF!? Apparently the dipstick is one item Mazda did not over engineer. I have plans for it, but still contemplating how to best modify it - not replace it.

[riefdaddy]

The CAS o-ring has been replaced. You can see the oily mess associated with the leak. I have also renewed the throttle bracket, so it is no longer covered in rust.

[kung fu jesus]

I've seen people glue stuff to the broken handles before...Kenny figurines (from Southpark), saw one with a .30 cal round attached to it.

[riefdaddy]

I was off today and it was raining, so what I had planned to do was postponed until tomorrow. After I did the other posts, I decided I wanted to add a little pop to the engine bay. Something subtle, but visible and interesting in my mind at least. I looked at the fuel rail and thought, you ugly, u-g-l-y, you ugly...

I think you will agree, it was ugly.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3679/8807838587_1344324131_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8807838587/)
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I gave her a bath, stripped the factory finish and prepped for paint...
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2871/8807834627_5ef84b528b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8807838587/)


The I figured a nice gold color would look the best. So, that is what I went with and I think it looks good...
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5342/8807830263_b83e5342ec_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8807834627/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7291/8818415748_42d119f88a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8807830263/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8818415748/]

It had to dry and I needed to clean the injectors, as well as go buy some new o-rings....

[riefdaddy]

When it finally dried I cursed like a good mechanic always does and proceeded to try and get the rail back in without messing it all up. I should have waited until tomorrow to install it, but hey, I am all about instant gratification. So I reinstalled and I like it!

Just a little peek...
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8412/8807839843_2430ea0aa5_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8807839843/)
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...and maybe just a bit more...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7416/8807841141_b9712a3648_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8807839843/)

...and the gratuitous frontal shot...
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2838/8818429458_22d10286f0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8807841141/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/8818429458/]

I know it isn't a huge deal, but I have to say I like the way it looks. It really gives the engine bay a nice charge. The next piece of this task will be removing the injector wiring and rewrapping with cloth tape and then tucking it under the rail for the whole length. I think that will really give it a good look. I'm going for a vintage vibe and the plan is to eventually carry that through to the interior and exterior, in that order.

[riefdaddy]

Today I changed the transmission fluid. I really hate the smell of used gear oil, but otherwise it was uneventful. I knew I need to do it as getting into reverse was getting hard as was downshifting above 3k rpm. Now it is smooth as butter and no difficulties getting into gear. I used Castrol Synthetic 75W90 as I couldn't find the Motorcraft fluid I was looking for. I guess you have to go to the Ford dealer to get it and I didn't feel like doing that today. Instead, I just enjoyed the back roads and enjoyed how well she is running. I do hear the front passenger wheel bearing chirp on occasion, but I can milk that until the fall. For now I just want to drive.

[bootz]

I LOVE builds that have an unstoppable optimism like....

I bought an old banger for really cheap and
this broke and I had to fix it....
then this broke and I had to fix it....
then this broke and I had to fix it....
then this broke and I had to fix it....

Yours is right up there and looking good.

[riefdaddy]

Thanks bootz! My airbag light is now flashing code 32. I have troubleshot it to a faulty computer. Of course they don't make them anymore. So, I will be looking into rebuilding mine at some point. There are 4 capacitors that need to be replaced, doing a ritualistic dance, and a healthy dose of praying - per m.net...

So my fix it spirit will be kept busy. I will admit I like to tinker, so all of this is good to me. :)

[kung fu jesus]

IF you remove the blue box, the SRS brain, you won't have to worry about it, but I think I read here that VA requires all that stuff to be in place?

[riefdaddy]

Right, I have to keep all safety features functional for the model year of the car. That means I have to keep SRS intact. I took the blue box out this weekend, opened it and saw that one of the capacitors is starting to swell. I will replace all four at the same time to be safe. The good news for me is I have a year to get it fixed. The bad news is I have a year to get it fixed... I am a procrastinator by nature, so I will have to create a personal deadline.

[kung fu jesus]

You may be able to score the brain for free. A lot of people remove it and chuck it, particularly racers.

[riefdaddy]

Good point. The part that irritates me is I have to keep it in the car by law, but the part isn't manufactured anymore. It is almost like a planned obsolescence for older cars made with air bags. You'd think politicians were paid off by organizations lobbying for car manufacturers.... nah, stuff like that would never happen...

[riefdaddy]

I haven't posted much recently. Mainly because I have been enjoying driving and not doing anything else to the car. I did start getting concerned with the radiator. I noticed that after a long ride I would look under the hood and the radiator was a very light brown by the upper radiator hose. When the engine was cool, that area was black with just a hint of brown. It worried me that I would be out and have the radiator blow. So, I did what anyone else would do, I bought a new aluminum two core radiator. Two things I noticed immediately, that thing is huge compared to the old one and it holds way more fluid. Both pluses in my book! Temps are still what they were before, but I didn't expect any change, since the thermostat really controls the temp and I have now way of knowing if it cycles less frequently or not. I neglected taking pictures prior to install, but here is with it installed and a few dozen miles under its belt.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7328/9277972520_eebde804af_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/9277972520/)
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The only other change is the windshield frame. I wanted to try a black frame to give it more of an open speedster feel. I know others have done it, but I really like the look and plan to keep it this way. I did it in Plasti-Dip so that when/if I do get tired of it, I can easily reverse the decision.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/9277972134_58f24e3aa7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/9277972520/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/9277972134/]

[riefdaddy]

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2071/13085655565_9f954da60c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/13085655565/)

As you can see my alternator belt had issues. I knew it was squealing and had issues, I didn't notice it was that bad. I think the issue is I don't have the plastic underbody tray installed and I caught a pebble between the belt and the pulley. Not to self - buy or build an underbody tray...

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3188/13085611145_265bcba158_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/95437282@N05/13085611145/)

I replaced it with a new Gates belt. Funny story, I got the belt the computer said I needed (K040347), it was not correct. It was too short to fit. I looked at the one I removed and it was a K040350, so that is what I got. Fit like a glove and no more squealing upon startup. This was a purchase from O'Reilly's, so not sure what other places show as the replacement belt.

[Phatmiata]

ah that reminds me I need to check the belts on my car too!!

[riefdaddy]

I noticed that recently I have had issues with the right front bottoming out when turning right on an inclining right turn. I thought it was odd that I didn't have the same issue on the left front (doing the opposite turn, of course). When I replaced the belt and I had the front end up high enough to look at the suspension I noticed I had a problem. See if you can spot it...

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3095/13085610515_72f528f29e_z.jpg

I rebuilt the front end last year when I got the car and replaced the end links at that time. They were replaced with stock pieces. I guess I got a bad one, or I drive too aggressively around corners. I'm going with a bad part. So I don't want this to become common, so I purchased Racing Beat end links and a solid front sway bar. That should solve the problem and I might be able to attack corners harder. I will have to learn the characteristics of the new sway bar before I get too crazy. Of course this means I might need to replace the rear sway bar and end links too, but as a married man I must do things over time and not at once. I plan on setting up the new bar in a neutral position. Will I get more under or over steer as a result of just replacing the front? I've read that track drivers often just replace the front.

The parts should be in Friday according to UPS Tracking, so I'll try and post up the install and review of the new parts this weekend. After I beat the snot out of 'em. :8):

[riefdaddy]

As I feared, the winter weather delayed the UPS truck and my part was in Laurel, MD as of 3am this morning. I think it will be Monday before I get the parts. Stupid brown truck. That sucks as it was supposed to be sunny and mid-60s tomorrow. Monday is supposed to be rain and sleet and snow for Tuesday. Winter just plain sucks at this point. :concern:

[riefdaddy]

I got my sway bar and end links and installed them in quick order.

Racing Beat End Links - jewel like and nuke proof (I hope)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/13312184603_9cfeb0169c_z.jpg
Sway bar and poly bushings + lots of grease = no squeak
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/13312175083_b1934df3a7_z.jpg
Old and wimpy versus New and Improved Swaybar
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3811/13312396884_87a7503026_z.jpg
Camera 1 post install
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/13312027215_c5947c0f1e_z.jpg
Camera 2 - notice all the grease oozing out. Squeaky bar is no beuno.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/13312403224_a26d9c7bd5_z.jpg

Sadly, I received everything during an ice storm and I had to wait to drive the car with the new parts installed.:fp: Then it rained for a few days.:| Long story short, I was able to first test the bar on wet, cold roads.:mrgreen: It was very fun, as the rear end breaks out much quicker than before, but in an easy to control manner. On dry pavement, I haven’t had a chance to push the limit. I drive on public streets and haven’t had any turns that have done anything odd, or abrupt. I will say I notice a more balanced turn in and a bit of understeer. I like it. The car also feels stiffer and less prone to roll. Yeah, goes without saying, huh?

[riefdaddy]

I’ve notice a small oil leak during the winter months and kept messing with the valve cover thinking it was the seal. I had a second cover that I’d bought a while ago and wanted to modify and install to resolve the problem. I just had to wait until it warmed up some more to do the work. Luckily, I had the chance this past weekend.

New to me valve cover - oooh... ahhhh...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/13312341344_d623054c72_z.jpg

My plan was to shave the text on the cover. I used a grinder at first, but it was way too aggressive. In the end I used a flat file and sand paper on a sanding block. In maybe 20 minutes I had it ready for paint. It was too cold to paint when I shaved it and I had to wait until today to do so.

Notice the deeper cuts on each side of Miata. Yeah... that'll buff out...
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/13312119363_8a9cb55142_z.jpg

The camera really shows issues, but believe me, this was smooth and ready for paint. I just had to do the other half. It was easy.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/13311958345_d72206b353_z.jpg

With everything painted and me being impatient, I decided to replace the cover post haste.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3764/13312130413_05b0207d87_z.jpg

When I got the old cover off I saw that I was mistaken regarding the leak.:angry: It is the exhaust cam seal that is the culprit. I’ll replace it in a few weeks. I’m getting ready for a trip to Bermuda and don’t feel like dealing with the seal right now. I’m not losing a quart of oil, maybe a capful at most. So logic tells me to wait. Why? Well, I will do a new timing belt/water pump/tensioners/cam seal at the same time. So if it has to be torn apart, I’ll do it after my vacation. I don’t think my wife wants my hands cut up for the formal dinners during the cruise.

[WASABI]

I got my sway bar and end links and installed them in quick order.

Racing Beat End Links - jewel like and nuke proof (I hope)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/13312184603_9cfeb0169c_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/13312403224_a26d9c7bd5_z.jpg


Looks much better. What ride height do you have? Also, let us know what you think of the RB endlinks.



this was smooth and ready for paint... It was easy.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/13311958345_d72206b353_z.jpg

Better pictures!!!! I don't think I've seen anyone take all the lettering off before.


I don’t think my wife wants my hands cut up for the formal dinners during the cruise.

Look at you... being all thoughtful and stuff. Honestly, this is a really good point!

[riefdaddy]

I'll post up some larger images of the process and the finished results. It isn't too difficult and honestly takes less than an hour to shave.

[riefdaddy]

The end links are awesome. They come disassembled and you assemble them to the stock length using your old ones as a reference. From there you can either shorten, or lengthen. If you lengthen them you preload the bar and from what I gather, you will have more understeer. I like them set neutral. In both instances you have jam nuts that are the final task after install. I recommend them.

My ride height is 11.5 front and 12.5 rear at the moment. The back has to come down to 12 as it looks a little odd sitting like it does. I'll post up pics as soon as I lower the back. Today is in the 70s, so I am going driving. :mrgreen:

[riefdaddy]

In my previous posts I mentioned I was going on a cruise. I went to Bermuda for five days and enjoyed running around on scooters and looking at the Kei cars they drive. The island is very small and the roads are smaller. It was scary to ride two scooters abreast if that is an indication. I'd say the roads were 8' wide in many areas outside the city of Hamilton.

We got back, had a garage sale, went to a wedding, mowed the yard, groceries, teaching daughter to drive, cleaned the house, delivered leftover items to charity... Yeah, I was tired by Sunday. At 6:45pm Sunday I finally sat down to enjoy my couch. I decided to fall into old habits and went to see what was for sale on CL. The top ad was for a Miata hardtop listed at $120. :shock: Yes, you read that right. I called immediately. The lady verified the price and I said I would take it. Apparently she had posted it and said I called within 2 minutes of her posting. I had to drive 40 minutes to get there, but heck, I was up to the task! On the way she called and said she was being hounded by people wanting the top and asked if I would do $500. I agreed and kept driving like a man possessed. The top was off of her 96 M Edition, Starlight Blue Mica Miata. Not red, but very dark in color and it looks good on my car. I don't think it is a factory top. It has a sticker inside that says Snugtop it does have rear defrost and a headliner. Quality is quite nice and I really enjoyed how I could actually see things in my rear view mirror with the top up and no cowl shake. :lol:

Here are the pics to prove it really did happen...

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/riefmiata/DSC_0627_zps4726fa24.jpg

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/riefmiata/DSC_0631_zps58001a09.jpg

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/riefmiata/DSC_0628_zps905a507c.jpg

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/riefmiata/DSC_0630_zps10936812.jpg
The truck is my 70 Chevy CST10.

[atank]

Thats a deal on the HT!!!!! Looks good with your red Roadster!

[WASABI]

Super deal on the hardtop! I found a similar deal on Craig's List... A black hardtop for $140.00, mint condition. It pays to keep checking CL!

[riefdaddy]

My horn quit working and I figured out it was the clockspring. Rx2 the part and beep-beep it works! :) I noticed the brake light was on. Hrm? I topped off the reservoir and the light went out. That was Wednesday.

Today I was pulling into the mall to get my wife her birthday present and my brakes go out. I mean, my pedal went straight to the floor and there was a metallic thump at the passenger front corner. I ease into a parking spot using the handbrake and wonder wtf. No time to check, I go in and get her presents. $300+ later I am outside and decide to pop the hood and see what the damage is. The reservoir is still full. ?? I get in, fire her up and back up and smash the brake pedal. It is firm and no issue. I was leery of driving home, but I decide to do it. No issues at all. I even tried to make them fail and nothing.

When I got home I decided to check the system out and see what's what. First issue, the car has lug locks on it and I can't find the damn key. No problem, I sacrifice a 19mm socket and hammer it onto the lock and then spin them off. So I was now short 4 lug nuts. Everything looked good, but the passenger front caliper is bad and a few hoses are sketchy. Plus I need new pads and rotors. :(

I'll be ordering everything tonight and should be back in business soon. I've decided to replace both front calipers as I don't like differences side to side. I know I don't have to, but call it my OCD tendencies of preferring to keep things symmetrical. I'm not going fancy, I don't race so regular pads/rotors/hoses for me. I will probably paint the calipers because I don't like rust.

I almost forgot! The lug nuts. I had the dreaded 35mph shimmy and when I replaced the lug nuts, it disappeared. Amazing to me that something as inconsequential as a lug nut can cause a car to bounce like that.

[WASABI]

You'll find that the brakes are pretty simple on these cars. The fronts are very basic, one piston, straight forward, the rears are a little more involved with a hidden adjuster screw. All of your brake calipers require a yearly check, and re-grease of their slider pins. Oh, and flush your brake fluid if it's yellow/brown, as it should be yellow clear.

Keep up the good work!

[riefdaddy]

Yup, I'm replacing all the fluid so I have a good reference point for maintenance going forward. My rear calipers are extremely rusty and I hope the bleed screws aren't seized. If they are, I guess I'll buy new ones. I guess that goes for all the bolts that I have to deal with. I don't think they have been off in a long time. Just par for the course of a used car. My parts are supposed to be in today at 11am. I'll have to work on it this afternoon since tomorrow is Mother's Day and that equates to family time.

[riefdaddy]

My calipers and brake hoses are back ordered with receipt on Tuesday. My wife doesn't want me driving the Miata until it is fixed. Instead I have to drive my 8 mpg, 1970 Chevy truck. I'm glad I work from home. :)

[WASABI]

You couldn't find a set of calipers at and Auto Zone or Napa? They are about $40 for fronts and $60-$70 for the rears, with a core charge for your old set. You might be able to get a set of brake lines from the dealership.

BTW, your car is looking great!

[riefdaddy]

Everyone in my area is out of stock. I checked Autozone, O'reilly's, Advanced, CarQuest, and NAPA. All of them had to back order to their warehouses in other regions.

[riefdaddy]

I did the brake job and everything went well. I still want to bleed the brakes a little more. There is a bit of sponginess in the pedal. Otherwise, it is good to go.

I also received the new nose badge and key chain I ordered from Sharka's friend, Adam aka revlimiter. Adam did a great job with the parts and I give him two thumbs up on these products.

The kit was complete and while it doesn't show in the picture, I did get 20# 3M tape to attach the badge. He also packaged everything nicely and had detailed instructions for installation of the badge.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/14036286739_17ce7a7439_c.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/14199796436_d2cab8992a_c.jpg

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https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2920/14243122453_6076514864_c.jpg

With the red car it looks like a superman badge. Not in a bad way, but it is not subtle - if that is what you are after. I like my badge and got a number of compliments from people who aren't familiar with Miatas and who thought something was different with my badging.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5237/14222734864_e8625f7b82_c.jpg

[WASABI]

Looks great! Adam does nice work.

[riefdaddy]

I placed an order to Project-G and that package arrived today.

The item came in a small box...
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5198/14145070619_a8cdfe3b3e_c.jpg

I opened the box to see the contents and wasn't disappointed...
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3902/14330007992_590c545de6_c.jpg

A view from the left...
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2907/14308599196_dcaac299c8_c.jpg

A view from the right...
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3878/14351934873_e8632bf6a0_c.jpg

...and the gratuitous closeup...
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3875/14330012382_08c7c2659e_c.jpg

It is a Precision Series 1.2 Oil Cap. I have to say it is very nice, nay, jewel like. The knurling is deep, the brushed finish looks great, and it has a nice weight in my hand. Definitely a quality piece.

[riefdaddy]

So I've been driving and enjoying and not much else. This past weekend I decided to fix a leak I had on the exhaust cam seal. I ordered up all the parts (cam seals, crank seal, water pump, timing belt, valve cover gasket, and a CAS o-ring). I was just finishing all of that up, plus cleaning and doing other things along the way that didn't need to be done. Anyway, as I was saying, I just finished up and got it on the ground only to see a drip of coolant on the ground. Impossible. I replaced every gasket, every hose is new, no way I have a leak. Wrong, the thermostat housing is cracked. :fp: So I have placed an order with Rosenthal Mazda and I hope it gets sent out today. Oh well, I guess I need to smack the person who torqued the housing bolts... oh wait, that's me! :scream:

I'll post up pics later. I did shave casting material off the intake manifold among other weight loss projects.

[Paul B]

I really enjoy this build. this car has come a long way. You got such a deal on that hardtop.

[riefdaddy]

Thanks, Paul. I've got pictures to upload showing the engine bay after my work, but right now my PC is not cooperating with me. I've been working on getting it back online and hope to be able to post soon.

[WASABI]

Get to it man!!!!!