New era has begun. Picked this up today:
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Printable View
New era has begun. Picked this up today:
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White NA's (& NB's) are the best!
yes! white for the win. Looks sharp.
Looks good! Any plans?
Clean, reset, move some stuff from the NA to the NB. The Xidas, maybe a few small bits.
Add red and black interior.
NB1s with tupperware are awesome. Red lotus seats would look awesome in that.
I will likely keep the NB2 MSM seats in the NA. I will restore them.
Red on white plans?
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Knocked the chalk off the finish today.
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Painted the weathered wiper arms
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And I *think* I may have found the first surprise. The car is on 225/50-15 (not a typo). This speed was confirmed accurate by GPS:
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I will have to mark the driveshaft and axles to confirm, but this car may have 4.7 diff gears. Woot!
Does it still have the softtop?
Nope!
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Just not right that you have two Miatas with hard tops and I have a lovelorn stork and a Civic. Story of my life...
LOL!
The hardtop is what pushed it to the front of the line. The price was very good and I passed on looking at a 10ae with 78k locally to look at the white one in AL.
The top made me forgive its tan interior.
Need some phat ass wheels?
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Invalid attachment. :)
Fixed?
Nicceeeee.... If you do that scheme, you'll get to it much faster than I will that's for sure :) I'm going for all black interior with red seats (darker red of course). White NB1 as well. Swapped in NB2 seats...would like to refinish them in medium red skins.
Confirmed during lunch, it's a 4.3 diff. That's perfectly A-ok to me. I was concerned about having to wear ear plugs if I drove on the freeway frequently. :p
I will go for something similar to this, but red carpet and accents.
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We are fighting for our equal rights with those pesky BRG's.
They get all the prestige with their green privilege.
We want our due!
looking at the photo, it appears that the Llama and Rider as One Approves ...................... :teehee:
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Dang. Nice choice!
I’ll be looking your way soon, Adam. I may send my wife (roadstergirlie) to your site for some holiday gifts.
Sorry guys. As much as I love the white, gotta say I love the Silver just a tad bit more.
I like the white, but that tan has to go!!
I like the tan.
Ah, very nice. It'd be fun to meet at some point and have the cars side by side (assuming mine gets completed within the next decade or so) - black/red on white in different ways.
Edit: I also just looked at my old build thread and saw that photobucket just screwed all the photos. Where does everyone else go nowadays to host?
RE: photobucket, there is a plugin for most browsers, but a lot of people became frustrated and pulled their images down. The plugin works well on a computer.
Not sure I follow.
I think he means he put his NB up for sale?
Between conference calls and project updates, I pulled the exhaust manifold, the midpipe, both O2 sensors, and EGR. This came apart easier than on my 10ae.
The car had a CEL for rear O2 sensor, like the 10ae, but I knew better. At 160k, it’s still on the original cat. When I reset the codes, the catalyst and EGR monitors wouldn’t go to ready, so I knew this work was needed.
I had ordered a Cobalt cat and midpipe from Moss, as it was on sale, it’s stainless and 2.5” in diameter so it should uncork the exhaust nicely. My friend has an NB2 exhaust mani and EGR tube, so I’ll pick that up from him and put it all in the car.
I cleaned the EGR with throttle body cleaner and emory cloth tonight as well. The rear O2 sensor arrived as well (Amazon Prime FTW!). I’ll get this all in the car over the week end and smog it Monday.
There may be some horse tradin’ going on Saturday, so this project has kicked into high gear. :)
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The stock exhaust mani and down pipe. This took more than a few ugga-duggas of the ol’ impact wrench to get apart. Thankfully, no stripped or broken hardware!
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Ye olde cat and midpipe. No surprises here either, whew!
I need to do my cat and O2 sensor I believe. Light comes on every so often and reads Cat but when reset, it takes a while to come back. I will probably get to it in the summer.
I remember when we did my 01 mani. Good times.
Anthony, check your coils and EGR as well.
One of the primary mods I have in store is converting to COPs just to stop the chain reaction effect bad, stock coils cause on the NB1s.
It said P0420 which I read was Cat?
Most likely. I had the same (similar because CA emission codes) on the 10ae. I replaced the cat, midpipe, and rear O2. It went away. However, I had it earlier for the front cat, replaced it and it fouled again really fast (<1 year). FWIW, the midpipe I ordered from Moss shipped from their VA warehouse. Keep in mind it will likely increase the sound on your exhaust too, piping that large.
Might have to just do the Cat. Not really wanting my exhaust any louder than it is now.
But really digging the NB1. With the tan leather interior, was this an LS model?
Any muffler shop could *probably* just replace the cat, but expect them to say the whole midpipe needs to be replaced with it. IF you choose to go 2.25" ask them to ask a resonator to reduce drone.
Not sure of the package on the NB. It's white with tan. Leather seats, PW, 5sp, Torsen, CC, fogs, 5sp, Nardi wheel, Bose, hardtop w/ headliner and defrost. It has Bilstein yellows and stock springs. The tan is going away. It also has crossdrilled rotors, Powerstop pads, Advanti Storm S1s (15x8 +25), 225-50-15 A/S tires.
It also has VBR upper ball joints, RB intake, RB axle back exhaust. It's really well maintained and largely unmodified, very clean underneath. Got it for $4k, so I think it's a good price for this.
I've repaired the CC (easy fix), cleaned up the paint, adjusted the door. I've got some nice upgrades ready when I get it smogged and registered next week.
That's awesome. I know you had the midpipe for Blue Lion done at Henry's but was just wondering if it might be cheaper to get a bolt on piece instead.
I thought about that too. I couldn't remember what I paid at Henry's and I'm sure there are some great options here around Atlanta, but I am pressed for time. I figured the Moss piece was a pretty good deal, even at just shy of 3 bills, shipped, for stainless. Compared to other other off-the-shelf midpipe combos for NBs, it was a great price.
If I remember correctly, it like $300 for the whole thing.
It’s a time/reward play. I paid to have it done on the AE. It wasn’t stainless nor as large as the one I’m putting on this car, but it was about an hour and half at the shop, chewing the fat with the mechanic while he did it versus me doing it at home. I have a decent garage now, and the time under the car allows me to get a closer look at it.
On like Donkey Kong, mothertruckers!
Those seats are for the NA. The MSM seats in it now are going in this NB.
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The NB2 center console should have been in all NBs.
Agreed! And I think I have a couple for sale too, although I imagine shipping would be a turnoff
I picked up an NB2 header and EGR tube after I dropped those pieces in my office. It was great timing Alex was driving through here, so I got speak with him a bit. VERY nice guy.
Once I returned home, I got jamming on installing it.
There was *something* about the last time I did this, on the 10ae, that I was trying avoid. I couldn’t remember. It was something that caused an issue. It was that the studs on the NB2 are a different pitch than the nuts on the NB1. I’m talking about the ones the join the manifold to the downpipe. It all came back when the first nut started cross-threading. :|
Fortunately, I was able to get it off.
I found some nuts that worked in my tool chest. They were BMW guibo/driveshaft nuts from the e30. [emoji4]
Extra-extra ugga duggas from the impact wrench got the bungled stud re-treaded. On the 10ae, the stud snapped and the job seemingly took forever. The stock NB2 heat shield and EGR went on without a hitch.
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The midpipe install went smoothly after that, except apparently I ordered the upstream O2 from Amazon. I put it in then ran to the store to get a universal 4-wire for the rear. I used the wire instructions from Flying Miata and the plug, grommet, and retaining bracket from the old unit.
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I went for a quick drive because it has been a busy day. The car is not as loud as I thought. It sounds the same, but maybe a bit throatier, slightly more growl under WOT. I’ll drive it more in the morning.
I also installed a stock NB2 crossover my friend gave me. It has a Helmholtz resonator that is supposed to add a little torque.
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If you want to come full circle, I have Blue Lion's AEM intake...:teehee:
I’ll trade you my RB intake and NB2 tract for your AEM
Text me some pics? Is that the one that turns back towards the front?
Yeah. I’ll shoot some in the AM.
And lo, the emissions gods smiled upon me and bestowed all systems ready.
I did the vacuum reroute, drove the car and the pesky EGR monitor finally gave me the OK. I am ready to smog the car!
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Some gratuitous outdoors shots because I haven’t shot any since I bought this.
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Your new 4X4 looks great man.
Lol! Right?
Hoping to get the Xidas swapped over soon. Had to get it legal first. [emoji4]
It looks REALLY high parked next to the NA.
Congrat. Looks like fun!
Awesome progress so far!!!
Thanks for your help Alex! :)
I pulled the MSM seats from my NA to prep them for refinishing. They aren’t too bad, so I don’t anticipate too much of an issue.
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The driver’s side bolster shows the most wear:
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I started using a fresh sponge with a little soap and warm water. I washed and scrubbed them (gently), twice, then wiped them down with fresh water and clean towels, twice.
I waited for them to dry, then applied Colourlock heavy cleaning foam. I worked it in side to side, rubbing all the leather surfaces:
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After doing both seats, I went back and rinsed it off with fresh, warm water and another clean towel (twice again to be sure to get it all off).
I am waiting for the surfaces to dry before applying the dye. I used the clean scotchbright of the sponge to rough the surfaces.
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I hit my groove, so I kept going. :) My set isn’t nearly as bad as the set I restored for my friend.
I started with the tedious, detailed bit.
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The trick here is that the dye will color the contrasting top stitch, so I have to be reaaaaally careful and take my time. Here’s how I did it:
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Yeah, I dipped a q-tip in the dye, and steadied my hand against the bolster. Sort of like pin striping, but the q tip leaves a more natural texture than a brush (would leave brush strokes). I chase each application with the heat gun and after 2 applications, I start to make progress:
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After 4 light applications, it looks great:
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With the tough part done, I focus on working the rest of the seats. This is a little less tedious, and done with a fine synthetic sponge. The dye has to be applied by dabbing/stippling the panel end to end, then apply the heat with the gun. Two to three passes on each leather panel took me about 2 hours for both seats, 3-3.5 altogether for cleaning and dye applications. Like I said, this pair was already in pretty good condition.
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I will let these sit for a couple of hours and apply the UV protectant and wear prohibitor.
I waited a couple of hours, then applied the UV protection and wear prohibitor:
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After about an hour, I worked in the protectant. This is AKA elephant fat. Agent Orange should be thoroughly aroused at the combination of leather, latex, and lube:
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I massaged in the fat and then, yup you guessed it, applied heat to get the leather to pull it in.
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I will soon wipe off the excess with a clean towel and let the seats rest over night.
Final buff. Altogether, about 5 hours including rest.
Driver’s seat:
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Passenger seat:
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I think you’ll be more successful dying black than my buddy who did it in tan. He did the same process, sanding, scuffing and staining but the amazing results soon faded.
I won’t disagree. Tan, and lighter colors, are much tougher and are treated differently. Not all leather dyes are as durable either.Quote:
Originally Posted by Agent[emoji1282
I have had great results with darker colors but the entire surface should be treated.
Lighter colors absorb dirt and oils in ways that show differently if they were re-dyed in spots. The extra steps afterward help to prevent the absorption.
Wow, they look almost brand new!
No moss under my feet. ;) Did a little work today.
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Vacuumed and washed the floor pans and tunnel (ugh!).
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Starting to transfer the dash...be back later!
Knocked off more ugly by swapping the guts of my tan dash to a black one.
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Washed the HVAC tubes, too!
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Busy 24 hours, but satisfying. The best is yet to come!
Damn, you waste no time! Great work sir!
Loving it! Good time to install frame rails
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That cleaning part is what makes me wanna pull my dash too; however too afraid of broken clips and rattles afterwards to do so...yet. Awesome progress, cannot wait to see more!
I have to agree. My NA6 dash was easier, but a lot more fragile. No broken clips here on the NB dash.
All the screws have found their place.
The airbags slowed me down quite a bit, but I had the interior stripped in about three hours working alone.
Some great work on this thing so far. Interested to see it all come together.
During lunch today, I touched up some areas of the pan with leftover alpinweiss paint from my e30.
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Any time I pull a dash, I do all the work on a table. I take a lot of pictures for reference because there are a couple of short screws, and the HVAC tubes are intertwined pretty tight.
I keep all the fasteners in a dish, and I lay parts on the floor in a similar way they came out. It’s nice to have good lighting, and a chair.
I didn’t paint the crashbar like I did on the NA, but if you remove the dash harness, label connections with tape and have some fresh zip ties to reattach the harness.
When reassembling the bar/harness to the dash, a few different length screw drivers are really helpful, especially if they are magnetic. Lay the dash on a clean, soft towel to prevent scuffs and damage. When you start attaching the dash to the bar, take your time and make sure it’s all lined up. Repair any broken bosses with epoxy before any of this, if possible.
Start in the center and work outward, equally towards each side. As you thread in the screws, feel for resistance, you may be threading in at the wrong angle. Doing this could break off the boss. Stop, look at how the screw head should land, and re-attempt. It should screw in with a little resistance but not much.
When you get the screw about 90% of the way in, stop and move to the next one. Snug them all down when they are all in place. Do not Hulk-smash tighten them, or bosses will break, no joy.
The HVAC tubes are thin and blow-molded, like a milk jug, so they give a little. Watch to see that the detents on their connections line up.
:)
I thought about painting, but it would piss me off if the paint didnt’t hold up and I wound up pulling the dash to fix it. [emoji4]
Do it right, do it once. Also have a number of Miata-specific breakers in the region. Scratchnsniff (Alex) has been a huge help and his parts are excellent.
My friends and wife didn’t bat an eye when I gutted this car less than two weeks after buying it. [emoji4]
Right now, I’m waiting on a new heater core. It’s an easy job with the dash out and preventative maintenance. I have a lot of other small projects to do while the car is in this state, so while this all looks daunting, it’s not my first rodeo. Organization is key.
This being a new (to me) car, this gives me huge insight to where the car is structurally, mechanically, and it’s history. It’s like reading the rings on a cut tree.
Another one of those “while I’m in there” jobs is the seal on the fuel pump. The pump itself tested fine, and it was replaced in the past 2-3 years by my estimate with OE parts. The seal wasn’t, not uncommon.
Before:
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After:
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I hate working on an open tank, so I work quickly with no distraction. I know the procedures here, so it went really smooth.
I also swapped the VIN plates on the dash. A minor detail, but important to me. :) I heated the back side of the dash where the plate rivets poke through, one at a time, with the heat gun. I pressed on the rivet stud with a pick until it popped out of the dash while applying heat. Repeated on the original dash, then pressed the plate through the existing holes with my thumb. Less than 5 minutes.
Since there are a ton of really good tips and tricks related to most auto work above, another good tip is to start a screw by placing it at the hole, adding gentle pressure while turning counter-clockwise. Within a rotation, you will feel the screw threads drop into the thread path, then you can tighten away. I do this with pretty much every screw or bolt that I've ever handled, especially spark plugs.
Get yer lotion and close the blinds. Here’s something that may make your pants a little tight...
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(my NA sees you ‘batin)
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Sexy!
Those red seats that Phat is selling would sure look nice in that interior!
Linky: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....558#post212558
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If they were black I sure would have bought them.
I predict the finished results will create sticky keyboards.
Exactly what I had in mind!!! so much sexiness!!!
with all the OCD cleaning you have done, you have to paint those tin cover panels on the back shelf before they corrode or rust like they do on the NA cars.
this thread is getting awesome fast! :frantic:
Already painted the tank cover. I will insulate and paint the parcel shelf when I do the rollbar in the future. :)
OH. MY. I need to go clean up my keyboard and desk...
Yessssssssss. Sexual.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
wow that does indeed look very nice!!!! I take it you're going to swap the doorcards for black ones too like you did with the dash?
Cant wait to see the seats!
Oh, fuck. I have been discussion this with RustRat a bit in the past. I would give painting the lower part of a tan dashboard in red, to create the NB equivalent of a 93LE. Something like this (excuse the crappy photoshop)
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Please, PLEASE add an oxblood canvas top as well, please!
Thanks all. :)
The seats in previous posts are going in over the carpet. I will use black door cards with NB2 cards later.
I didn't want an all red interior, it's just not suitable to my style or intentions with this car. I drew up mockups and felt this was a better combination and realistic choice for me and what I want. I like where it's going so far. That is aftermarket carpet for a '94-97 in Bright Red from stockinteriors.com. The interior bits were supplied by our forum sponsor, Alex at Scratch n Sniff.
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Oh my... brb, going to touch myself a little. White exterior with red interior, killer combo.+1 for some red soft top.
Also, Alex is the man. He has helped me source various LE parts, since there were none in Europe.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
here is the closest they came in Japan, Red Interior Swap NB from the factory, no red carpet though, I like the red carpet much better, but i might be bias ........
2000 Mazda Roadster RS
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4553/...01923db0_c.jpgNB Miata Red Interior Swap by Randy George, on Flickr
This was a quick exterior study I did after I drew up the plans. This was even before I had bought the car, or really started looking. I like a fixed hardtop, so that's what I've going with. I have some quick sketch studies of the interior somewhere.
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There is a white NB2 in the auctions right now w/ an un-touched front end haha!!!
Cool render; mind asking where did you got that model from and if you are willing to share?
Also did I mention I am both jealous and inspired of the awesome work you are doing? This is already on my list of "favorite builds".
Randy I also believe JDM NB2 RS models came with red seats as well, I have drooled over multiple sets on YAJ while contemplating an LE-style interior swap.
My gold RPF1s would look so good on there.
Sorry, but I am not feeling the gold wheel love. I can say that since it's just a model in the early design stages, right :mrgreen:
In my mind the gold has nothing to do with the white, black, and red cues of the car.
The wheels look like a set of wheels borrowed from another car as a temporary work around.
The model also looks like 16" wheels versus 15"
Old guy says... Maybe change the wheels in your model to be similar to my Audi 5000 wheels.
Try it, you'll might like it.
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I plan to do that to my White NA, they can be siblings!
Gold isn't for everyone. I feel the same about the black wheels. :mrgreen:
I would love to see black RPF1s with red stickers, but gold 6ULs would work too, I guess
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I had some gold Panasports on my old White NA Miata, I personally loved the look but yeah, some folks didnt "get it" and would tell me "I like everything "except" the gold wheels".
But do what you like Steve, its your Miata. For me it fit well with my late 80's / 90's retro looking Miata.
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I like the gold with the polished rims. That works for me.
Yes, do what you want, but looking at multiple models really helps the decision making process.
Steve has been in the game for years. He knows what he wants.
The model is from one of the 3d d/l sites, I can’t remember. If you search “MX5, 3d CAD” something should show up. It is a low poly model, so good for playing around with.
Color-wise, I understand the opinions, but I’m sticking to my guns. I’m a professional industrial designer, so colors are something I’m comfortable with and thoroughly understand.
I do not like black wheels, they ruin the design of the wheel themselves and feel they may as well be steelies if you can’t tell where the tire ends and the wheel starts. Fine for a racecar, or using corrosive pads that will destroy the finish. Polished barrels aren’t in the cards either, not the style I want. Thanks for the input though! [emoji4]
The car will be white/red/black with silver interior accents, 949Racing Bronze wheels. I like their wheels, they are good friends, and I like their functionality.
The gold/bronze will pull some of the yellow/red that Chaste White has. Not sure if they will be 8 or 9” yet.
A little more progress from last night and during lunch:
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Yeah, they are NB1 panels, but I need to make sure I have all the pieces for the NB2 swap, so these will do for now. I have a few ideas to make them better in the future.
I also restored the spare OE Nardi wheel I picked up:
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Nice NB2 Nardi! I almost went with the 6ULs in Bronze but got a really good deal on the RPFs. The 6ULs looked amazing on Blue Lion so I agree with your choice. I even tried to buy your 6ULs but he wouldn't budge.
Ooh! Dibs on the NB1 panels if you sell!
"I do not like black wheels, they ruin the design of the wheel themselves and feel they may as well be steelies if you can’t tell where the tire ends and the wheel starts. Fine for a racecar, or using corrosive pads that will destroy the finish.
======================
We are in total agreement on that!
Taking a small break tonight. Just doing some small details instead of huge tasks. :)
I swapped out the locks on the new center console and glovebox, washed some parts, pretty satisfying.
The glovebox lock was a little trickier than I was expecting, but after studying the mech, it was pretty simple. Of course, I disassembled it too far and spring loaded parts shot across the room, but I found them and reassembled it. :D
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I *thought* at first that I could just swap the black parts on the latch mech, but there is a subtle design change on the glovebox latch at the pivot. I didn’t take pics, but for future reference: if you remove the three screws that secure the latch to the glovebox, it lifts right out.
Look at the back of the mech and you will see a white cap over the end of the lock barrel. Gently pry it off with an electronics flat screwdriver or a pick. DO NOT TURN the barrel with the key or rotate the detent. If you do, the arm that locks the spring loaded latch will release the latch catch and it_will_launch out of there. :)
With that cap removed, looking at the back of the lock barrel, at the top you will see a brass or colored metal ‘tombstone’. Using that same tool you used to release the cap, reach in and depress the tombstone towards the center of the barrel. While depressing that, you can simply push the lock barrel out towards the front. It’s that easy.
The center console lock swap was much easier, just two screw and swap the mech. They are the same from NB1 consoles to NB2 consoles.
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Washed and transferred the shift boot and retainer:
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Assembled the NB2 console:
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That’s is for tonight! Thanks for following! :)
Awesome progress. It is amazing how much used parts can be revived with some love.
Regarding the CAD model, i have this one already, which I assume is the same as yours
https://www.3dcadbrowser.com/th/1/29/29425.jpg
Did you model the HT yourself?
Yeah, I double checked, I pulled the hardtop off an NA model I use. I tweaked it a little to fit.
This is a study rendering for a buddy asking about stripe width and colors (Guards Red and Championship White stripes versus crystal white)
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Better shot of the steering wheel cleaned up:
Attachment 17740
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Test fit/mock-up. Waiting on the core and heater hoses, really. The carpet is about 90% fitted.
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Holy crap! I go to catchup on a thread and feel like I've missed months and months of work. You sir are moving at an exceptional speed. Congrats. Can't wait to keep up with your progress!!
Would be months of work for a mere mortal, not for Steven though! Really man, you are making my to do list even longer..
Thank you, gentlemen! [emoji4] I’m humbled to earn praise from you.
This is just broad strokes that would normally come later, but after many years with the NA, and a couple with my previous NBs, I wanted to take a different approach and knock out one of the biggest changes right away.
The carpet hasn’t been easy, but not really difficult, it’s just a lot of fitting, cutting hole for bolts, screws, stuff you sort of take for granted with an OEM set. I really like where it’s going and the ideas for the pieces to add later are coming easier going this route.
It’s sort of the same approach I use when I design spaces in my home or for clients; you start with the large surfaces first (carpet, paint), layer in furniture (seats, door panels, dash, console), then accentuate with accessories and function (inserts, instrumentation, details).
I’ve done cars the opposite way at times and it’s harder to get it all to work well cohesively that way. [emoji4]
The heater core arrived early!! *SQUEEEEEEEEEE!*
This is going to be a post for documentation.
I ordered a "UAC" branded heater core from partsgeek.com for ~$42. I had read horrible reviews about the Spectra Premium branded units not fitting, and I had tried to replace the one on my NA with their unit for that car and it didn't work either. I took a chance and so far, so good!
The UAC unit looks just like stock, fits like stock and the aluminum tubes fit great.
Attachment 17755
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This replacement doesn't come with the o-rings or replacement v-band clamps, but I was careful removing mine (the clamps and tubes), and they are good to reuse.
I measured the o-rings for the heater core, because I couldn't find any part numbers online. They are 16.5mm ID, .650" I know you can't really go off the old o-ring size because of deformation after being in place for many years and cycles. I looked up the standard o-ring sizes, both SAE and Japanese standard. You are going to have a MUCH easier time finding the SAE, but FYI the closest Japanese size was SS165. I am unsure if that would be thick enough though. The off-the-shelf, standard SAE o-ring size I'm using is #016. That's 5/8" ID (.625"), x 3/4" (.75"), x 1/16" Thick. My measurements with my digital calipers show that ID is a *little* smaller than stock, but it should work. I had the next SAE oring larger and smaller on hand to test, and the 016 is the best fit.
Sometimes, you can go to a NAPA or O'Reilly and ask to see their box of National O-rings. Couldn't find that immediately near me, so I ordered them this morning, and they will be available this afternoon. I literally called, asked for "National part number 016, orings (two)" and the clerk knew what they were.
Hoping to get the heater core all buttoned up tonight, should be able to install the dash tomorrow!
I *understand* why people try to replace the heater core without removing the dash, but this preventative maintenance while it's out is worth the extra expense. It must be a PITA to do this job laying on your back in the footwell.
Anyways...$1.29 for a package of 10 #016 o-rings and I'm making progress!
Attachment 17759
They fit very well and I was still able to get the v-band clamps on and snug the connections:
Attachment 17760
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Have make sure both flanges of the connections are captured by the clamps all the way around. It was easier to get the clamps together by squeezing the tabs together with a pair of needle nose pliers in one hand, then start the screws that hold the clamps. Clock the tabs to their locations and re-insert the assembly into the HVAC box.
Attachment 17762
gently adjust the tube to their locations in the hold-downs, install the hold-downs, tighten the v-band clamps. Finally place the plastic cover over the core, and re-install the two screws that hold it to the HVAC box:
Attachment 17763
This is how it is oriented in the car, if you are sitting in the left seat (behind the dash of course):
Attachment 17764
Attachment 17765
Attachment 17766
The aluminum tubes go up through the grommets in the firewall, that is what the heater hoses to the engine and head connect to. I should reiterate, I NEVER try to save those hoses. To me, they are one-time use. Trying to save them versus potentially destroying/crushing those aluminum (brass in the NAs?) isn't worth the risk. I slice them off length-wise with a razor or knife and peel them off the ends. The hoses were $25 on Amazon for the pair. Those arrived yesterday. :)
After work, I headed out to the garage and knocked this out in about 90 minutes.
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The new radio comes tomorrow, I gotta have Bluetooth and variable color display. Oh, and handsfree calling. Nothing fancy, but I’ll likely prep it for a compact amp install further down the road.
After the radio, it’s all just reinstalling trim and cleanup. I’m pretty stoked how it looks!
These NB dashes are considerably larger and heavier than the one in my NA6. It was a *little* cumbersome solo, but not too bad. It lined up right on the first try. :)
Wow! that's looking really good. I have a white 99 with tan interior and i was ok with it untill i saw yours!
I loathe the tan in the Miatas. It looks alright with a few colors, but on the white and silver cars? No. Ask any Miata breaker how much tan interior stuff they have sitting around and most will roll their eyes, or sigh, or maybe tell you how much of it they discarded. [emoji6]
I finished replacing the heater hoses. Man, I forgot how stubborn they are to remove on an NB. Eh, got it done, but lost some coolant. :|
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Progress is moving forward, so tomorrow will be good!
Is it possible to replace the carpet without taking out the dash?
Yeah, but you will eat a lot more time trying to get it in and trying to get it to lay flat and even. Some people slice the carpet from the shifter to the firewall, then find some way to join it behind the HVAC box (Velcro, zipties, hopes and dreams, etc.). Pulling the dash isn’t for a complete novice, but it isn’t terribly difficult either.
If you have an OEM carpet, you could get away with loosening the HVAC box, remove the 9 fasterners on the dash. One person on each side of the dash gently lifting with one guy feeding the carpet it from the center might work, but for aftermarket carpet, you need to get some pretty accurate cuts from the existing carpet as a template before installing it.
Further thoughts on above:
This is the first time I removed an NB interior, I’ve done it on my NA a few times. I can’t stress enough how much you have to just bag and tag everything. It’s not that time consuming and it saves a ton of hassle. I take a lot of photos with my phone for my own reference, too. The main specialized tools I used were an panel fastener tool
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A cheap adjustable heat gun
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And a utility knife. Other than that, just your average tool set; screw drivers, picks, scissors, metric sockets, and needle nose pliers. I have some heavy duty 3m upholstery aerosol adhesive from other projects. It’s just taking time and double checking so I didn’t cut too much.
The heater core was just common sense. You don’t have to do it, but it makes sense to do so if you do decide to pull the dash. The only other items I had to buy were black fasteners to replace my tan ones (10-15 dollars).
I would estimate I have about 30-40 hours into it, but I do a LOT of extra side work, because “I’m in there, might as well do X,Y, and Z”. That’s just how I think and operate.
A straight interior swap, if say you went from OEM tan to OEM black, would be a weekend job, maybe 10 hours? If you had help, maybe faster.
Thanks for the advice . It might be worth it one day if i need a new heater core . i'm a novice ( miata ) mechanic at best, so i wouldn't be too afraid to take it apart!
Gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet. :)
These cars are easy to work on. Comparing interior work of an NB to my wife’s BMW, it’s a breeze.
Brings back a lot of memories for me. I think I had my interior apart longer than installed.
Oh, for the previous question about pulling out the carpet with the dash in place: there is a plastic snap directly below the heater core that holds the carpet in place. You won’t see it.
Steven says..."If you have an OEM carpet, you could get away with loosening the HVAC box, remove the 9 fasteners on the dash. One person on each side of the dash gently lifting with one guy feeding the carpet it from the center might work, but for aftermarket carpet, you need to get some pretty accurate cuts from the existing carpet as a template before installing it."
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Does this advice also apply to the NA ?
I bought that black OEM carpet from Phat.
I may install that carpeting when I install a roll-bar next summer.
Thanks
What year is your car again? I can’t see it on my phone.
So is my NA. Honestly, I would pull that dash. It took me 90 minutes the first time, 45-50 the second.
Just about done, I have a few more details to wrap up. It’s a start! More silver accents will be added, door panels, etc. Shite light because I finished at sunset. :)
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Interior envy.
Das sex.
Looks better than I ever imagine it would. Silver gauge and vent rings would look awesome! May I also suggest RS gauges?
And everything works? Hats off! :bow:
Looks great!!!
Get the last sets of Garage5 gauge rings from RevLimiter if they haven't sold already?
Ok, long post warning. ;)
I had a no-start issue last night and I knew it was between the ignition switch and the starter. I waited until today to look at it so I could just relax and go have dinner with my wife last night.
I thought it was the clutch interlock safety switch, so I made a bypass. I wanted to do that anyways. No change. Hmmmmm...I peaked around under the dash looking for disconnected plugs I might have forgotten, nothing. I looked at the circuit online, decided to look at the ignition switch. I removed the steering column cover and I saw the issue; I had begun to unplug the ignition switch connection when I was pulling the dash, but realized it was unnecessary and simply forgot to push it back in. Once I secured the connection, the car started fine! Woot! :D
I let the car idle so I could bleed the coolant system and check the new heat core for leaks. Zero issues! Woot-woot!
It’s a gorgeous autumn day here in Atlanta and I went for a little drive.
The extra insulation and vibration control along with the thicker carpet makes this car a joy to drive. My NA is so performance-oriented that sometimes I forget how pleasant a Miata is to drive around on a day like this, sans top. :)
The red_is_GORGEOUS in the sun! The ambient light it creates when the sun reflects off it is really something. The car feels great and looks MF-ing classy. LOVE IT.
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I was also driving around to get my fuel level lower. I could smell a little fuel in the trunk and I suspected the filler hose may be leaking because of corrosion.
My suspicion was confirmed when I removed the tube. I had already ordered a new one and I went about cleaning off the corrosion with some emory cloth:
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A little paint:
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And you can see how the corrosion was lifting the old hose:
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New hose in place, and clamps tightened! :)
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Today was a good day!
(I didn’t have to use my AK.)
Thank you everyone for the love! :) I like everyone’s input and opinions!
I think it’s easier to see now how to find the direction for additional items with this change, it all starts to trickle down into easier decisions and considerations.
reminds me of the S2000 with red carpet! Red inserts in the seats would look great!
When we going to hit some Atlanta trails? I think you would give my Expedition a run for its money.
It would beat your Miata at the track too.
Bet it would too. Would you like your cookie now or later? :blaugh2:
Mod fight! Mod fight!
Thunderdome!
Love this look. Definitely think red inserts in the door cards would be amazing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would like to install the MSM doorcards, or NB2 cards with custom-colored inserts. I studied up on swapping in the cards, I just want to be sure to get the interior door latches and cables versus the NB1 rods. If I change the seats, I may also do something custom, sketch up some ideas and work with a local upholsterer.
It was a blur of a week, working on this in my spare time, but working quickly and efficiently. It's not completed, but the 'heavy lifting' is done for now.
I have Xidas from my NA I will be installing, but I want to be sure the current tire/wheel combo will fit. Because they are 15x8 +25 with 225/50-15 tires, I don't want them to rub. The front fenders were rolled, but the rears were not. A buddy local to me has an Eastwood roller, so I may have to that at the same time.
The red helps me choose the direction easier. I am going to paint the hardtop to match the exterior, but I am considering painting the interior satin red. We will see. I need to get the silver-trimmed eyeball vents from Alex, and a couple of small pieces. I will paint the seatbelt pillars black to hide the white showing through from the back.
Lots to do to get this where I can get it on the track, so that's a lot of the focus.
BTW, silver material I used for NVH and heat insulation is this:
Attachment 17767
Frost King .125" Foam Pipe Insulation
I bought it at my local home improvement store (Lowes). It was $19/roll and I didn't use a full roll for what I did. It's a peel and stick application, very much like Dynamat, but thinner and lighter, a bit less dense. Easy to cut with scissors, but wear gloves because that foil on top can/will slice you fairly easily. It works for my application. I put a few pieces on the doors, under the gauge hood, the rear bulkhead, the floor and the tunnel. It's not my primary heat insulation, but enough to breakup some of the noise, a little bit of the heat.
Yes the same rule applies to the NA Miata, I made a razor cut where that meets so that OEM NA carpet will slide in and out, youll likey have to do the same on your carpet that is inside the car now, unless you feel like taking all the stuff out just to access 1 bolt/screw.
True. The NA6 is a lot easier to remove (comparatively) to an NB. It's in my build thread for the NA. When I did it to that car, it allowed me to do similar things I did in this thread, but more. I know a lot of people are apprehensive to do it, but with your engine swap it would afford you opportunities to do a few things to consider:
change/clean you evaporator/valve to r134a
clean your HVAC tubes out
paint your crashbar
clean up your underdash wiring
change the weatherstrip on the leading edge of the dash that rests on the firewall
add NVH preventatives
fix broken clips, bosses, further eliminating rattles
clean the 25 years of dirt and crud from under the dash
clean out the blower motor
SRS system removal
I documented much of it here:
http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....-History/page4
Other stuff to consider is upgrading your sound system, with or without pulling the dash. have the carpet and seats out really makes it easier to re-do, or lay in, a cleaner installation.
MiataQuest, be VERY careful when removing the NA6 dashes, the clips are pretty brittle and tend to break.
KFC, Keep up the great stuff with your NB Roadster Refresh !! You are working at great speed my friend! :bow:
The key to removing the NA6 dash, or really any Miata dash, is to take your time. When it is unbolted and the harness disconnected, just sit on the trans tunnel and roll it backwards towards you. Once you clear the rear view mirror, you can scoop it up and step out of the car. The crashbar holds it together.
It helps to have the gear stick in fourth gear. Also let the steering column drop on the floor. Wiggle it a bit to loosen it up, and don’t forget to unplug the wiring on the left side (2 plugs iirc) and one on the right. I’ve swapped an Nb2 and an NA6 dash in my old NA8.
KFJ, if I may ask, do you have any squeaking and rattling coming from the dash? Even though I had replaced the foam in the NA6 dash, when I tightened it down, it started to squeak on small bumps. That didn’t happen with the NB2 dash though. I want to remove my dash, clean it, and do a red LE swap in my car (almost have all the parts) but I fear that if I start fiddling with the dash, I may have some noises I didn’t have before.
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No. When I did my NA6 dash, I did a few enhancements to stop the squeaks and rattles. Off the top of my head, I added small squares of sound mat to break up large, flat surfaces under the dash. I used new zipties for the harness, and I used tiny squares of thin felt/velvet on the metal pinch-type fastener (like the ones that hold the gauge hood to the dash). When I was doing that, I would occasionally pick up the dash assembly by the crash bar and shake it vigorously, like it would if I hit a pot hole or bumps. It helped me find what was rattling or squeaking. :) Honestly, a lot of my squeaks went away long before all this when I added the doorbars, too.
The weatherstrip was something I found at Lowes or Home Depot. It was listed for automotive use, and was pretty good, much better than the flimsy foam from the factory.
I also put some small squares of self-adhesive foam near places where parts might rub together, like HVAC tubes and the ends of the crashbar where they are closest to the sides of the dashboard.
***edit*** this is the weatherstrip I used at the front of the dash.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-10-ft-B...rstrip/1038917
I cleaned the old strip off and wiped the surface the new strip went onto with acetone before applying. It stuck really well and didn't move.
this thing is going to be like new (but better) by the time you're done.
Are you snowed in?
Nope! Went out in the wagon. Although I didn’t have any issues, the same can’t be said for others. :)
That fuel thing...I should really did that fuel thing. I used to always thing it was just a "miata smell" XD.
Right?! I used to think it was just part of the "Miata charm", but I started reading into it, putting two and two together. I ordered it from University VW Mazda in New Mexico, they had the lowest pricing according to Google.
That fuel filler hose is part number NC10-42-231 , it's called a Connector Hose on the invoice. it was $37.19
The upper tank seal is part number BP4W-60-962, called Fuel Pump Assembly Gasket at $10.83
I re-used those clamps in the pics.
Swapped the Xidas from the NA to the NB. I am putting NB Bilstein Sports and Tein S-Tech Springs on the NA to send it down the road to another owner.
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It went really well, except a stripped shock bolt on the right rear LCA on the NA. Had to cut the LCA to get it apart. :\
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I’ll source another locally and swap over the bushings. Not a big deal. At least I got the NB together. :) No more skyjacking. I’ll set the heights tomorrow and get an alignment after Christmas. More pics forthcoming, but this is all for now...
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versus
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This thread really makes me want to get an NB now! Keep it up KFJ! Loving the updates!
Rollbar plans for the NB? I'm thinking a white BBFW GT3 would look ahhhh-ma-zing...
Keep up the good work!
-Matt
KFJ says; "I am putting NB Bilstein Sports and Tein S-Tech Springs on the NA to send it down the road to another owner."
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So you are selling your other Miata?
What is your selection for the suspension bushings on your new NB project? What driving mix do you plan on?
Myself I can't decide on what bushings I should install. I am trying to decide if I go polyurethane (that requires A-arm modifications for maintenance greasing or dis-assembly for greasing) or go with the IL Motorsport harder rubber bushing that should not need any maintenance until worn. I plan on 65% street driving, 25% twisties, and 5% track driving.
Nice progress! Sad to see the NA going away though. To MiataQuest, my intended use is similar, and I plan to go for IL ones, or (if financials allow it) the Maruha mixed set.
Xidas installed, thanks to some help of a couple of friends. Incredibly, no rubbing. I am going to have to up about 1-1.5”. The car is in 225/50-15, about .8” taller tires than stock, so they effectively raise the car ~.4”.
The ride heights: FL 23.125”, RL 24”, FR 23.5”, RR. 24.25”. Subtracting about .25-.4” tells me where it would sit with 205/50 or 225/45 tires. Yeah, in the weeds. ;)
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Might be silly, but I think yellow tint on headlights would look tits! Regarding wheels, will you keep those or move to 6ul?
I would love to sport yellow headlights around here. For some reason, that’s illegal but a redneckmobile with purple HIDs, 5 feet above street level is perfectly acceptable. You know what I mean. Nothing like looking at a retina-searing, 10,000 watts of headlights plus a thousand more watts of LED light bars and fog lights on a well-lit main road to leave you blind and swerving into oncoming traffic.
I have the ride height pretty close to where I need it. I have some minor adjustments to make to get the rake correct.
I was pretty happy my old Beatrush STB fit with my intake. No adjustments needed there. :) I got it from a friend who had it on his pro-drift car and I like how it looks, even if the performance gain is marginal.
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The MAF sensor, intake, and Xida adjustment know fits perfectly.
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Tomorrow, I’ll wrap up the heights and get an alignment this next week.
For those of you scoring at home, six weeks in:
New O2 sensors, new 2.5” midpipe, high flow cat, NB2 OE exhaust manifold, NB2 OE intake with Helmholtz resonator, new custom carpet, floor mats, washed interior tub, HVAC system, added sound insulation, interior swap, new head unit, reconditioned MSM seats, fuel fill hose, tank seal, Xidas, Beatrush STB.
This week, custom alignment, additional interior bits, maybe an additional suspension component. ;)
Many more items to address before the HPDE season kicks off in March.
And here I am, sending e-mails after finding out the wet-vac is broken. Props to you sir, your pace (and attention to detail) are amazing
Wat! You're selling the NA. Will you be keeping the Wat's as secondary wheels or not? Sad to see the Mariner go though. That thing is simply drop-dead gorgeous.
Yes, the NA is going away. I sold the Watanabes in '11 or '12.
Regarding the bushings, I think the IL Motorsports bushings are an attractive option. My SuperPros on the NA are softer than the Energy Suspension bushings, and I didn't experience the squeaking over the past 8 years that some Energy-equipped cars have had. I'm not driving anywhere near 10/10ths at the track or on the street, so I would likely go the IL route. I prefer to buy an addition set of arms and refurbish them to that degree, then swap them out. I will probably do the same for the differential mounts as well.
The IL bushings are pretty nice. Perfect solution for a street car in my opinion. Especually if you want new rubber bushings without paying OEM bushing prices. I've heard and read about SM guys wanting high mileage stock bushings because they're stiffer from age/miles, not sure how true any of that is. When I replaced mine at around 180k I didn't notice any severe wear or damage of the stock bushings. And I don't think it has much bearing, but from barehanded feel, the IL's seemed stiffer than than my high mile stockers. Makes sense when taking into account being advertised as 30% stiffer than OEM.
Thinking back on it, I wish I had a durometer to actual measure the difference when I swapped them out.
Alignment complete. The shop I use allows me to sit in the car. 1/2 tank of fuel.
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Picked and installed matching vents to the center stack trim. This pleases me. :)
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Speaking of eyeball vents, I made a quick video removing one from a spare NB dash I have laying around. This is how I just replaced mine. It was just two old plastic wallet cards. One is my expired NASA membership, the other is similar to the thickness of a credit card. Probably a good idea NOT to use a credit card as the embossed numbers may cause damage and this trick may damage the card.
Anyways...
https://youtu.be/HEn4HjB71SA
Yes, Babygurl, YES!!!
Gonna need a top-off, full interior from behind shot... pronto
Also, any possibility of some accentuating gauge faces from Rev?
Maybe in the spring. [emoji4]
I do have plans for gauges. I would like silver rings around them.
Which NB models came with silver gauge rings? I don’t remember.
Well! Wat a problem. I am well behind on your wheel options. Wat a mistake on my behalf. Wat a sad thing. Oh well. An NB can be made sexy as hell anyway with a person whom seems to make any car sexy af. Kung Fu Cars (KFC) ar the best.
I see wat you did there. ;)
Thanks for the replies and following along!
What Tony said. This car looks stunning! EU spec NB2s came with OEM metallic rings around the 2 main gauges. I have seen them in polished and satin finish; my car came with the satin ones. Oh, and I happen to have an AWD panel, a set of KGW rings and a JDM NB RD cluster up for grabs :roll:
Thanks Harry, I'm looking for the satin ones. The AWD cluster you are selling is lovely, but not my style. I am leaning towards the Rev "FC" version, red lighting.
The satin ones look perfect with the OEM satin vent rings and door handles. I removed mine for the sake of a KGW setup (which I plan to change in favour of some AWD rings), but I intend to keep it in case I ever want to return the car in its' original state. I can look out for another set for you though, they can be had really cheap here, although I believe they should be relatively easy to get them in US as well.
Full-retard, ENGAGE.
8 weeks until the start of track season, I have to get busy.
I have some maintenance to do, but I also have to get moving on my track-worthiness.
Ordered a plethora of parts this evening:
Rollbar
SFI padding
Brake pads
Rotors
Brake lines
Brake fluid
Clutch master
Clutch slave
Clutch line
Shifter rebuild kit
Shifter boots
Gear oil - trans
Gear oil - diff
Fuel filter
Radiator
Radiator hoses
I may upgrade some of my driver safety components. I am considering moving to a Simpson Hybrid S to replace my Necksgen Rev2 Lite for head and neck restraints.
My local delivery people are going to hate me. ;)
Added Fab9 COPs to my purchases. I had issues with my 10ae fouling cats and throwing codes from the coilpacks going lame. I see this as preventative maintenance, protection for the new cat I installed last month.
SUPER excited! The anticipation to go through the critical systems on this car for track activities is palpable. I think it should go smoothly. :)
You’ll definitely be happy with the COPs.
I hope so. Monitoring the health of the coils on the 10ae was a PITA, causes a lot of issues with emissions.
Mmm...COPS. I installed a new coil pack from amazon (beck arnley) - kept the original one as a spare. New one lasted 1 month. Thankfully got a refund. Old one is back on, and I picked up a new unused OEM coil pack from a user on cr.net. Now that one is in the trunk.
Have contemplated going Fab9 for a while. I keep on hearing pros/cons on quality/longevity from both parties. Except - fab9 I think is the only one that does plug and play on an OEM ECU (which mine would be).
Heard some of the same about the Fab9 coils. I figured if they weren’t good, there would be an onslaught of panned reviews.
Not familiar with the Fab9 COPS, however I have Toyota/Denso COPS on mine w. stock ECU. The only "mod" needed is making an adapter loom, OEM plug on one end, COPS plugs on the other. I believe there are a lot of write-ups on the topic.