I grew up in the philippines surrounded by relatives who loves cars.. When kids my age play the homeland's staple game (basketball). I'm out with my brother and uncle tinkering w/ cars. i've owned a couple of old school imports from a Toyota starlet w/ a 3TC engine, to a Mtsu Lancer L type on twin mikuni downdraft carbs. They have all been fine machines, but I had always wanted a car that's more on the handling side. I first came across a Mx5 in one of the famous car spots in Manila. I instantly fell in love and promised I would own one. Fast forward 12 years later, migrating here in the U.S. Getting married, divorced, a fight w/ poverty and being almost homeless, sleeping in my POS MR2 on the school parking lot to finish Respiratory Therapy and get a career going. I've finally got my Mx5 and I daily drove it to get to work ( better than waking up 3 hours early to catch the damn bus). But now its a full weekend only/ track car project/ garage queen.
Here are the first few photos I took w/ drag Dr20s on FM springs mated to tokico blues, custom exhaust, and a hood lift kit unfortunately I didnt get to take photos when it still had 17inch enkeis from the previous owners.
Browsing in the internet got me introduced to M.net.. Sadly, even w/ so much technical info in it. The taste in aesthetics not my cup of tea. I came across CR.net and got introduced to Garage Woolery and KINOD.
Here are some photos on my first GW techday: by then I got a Momo monte carlo 320 CF hood goin and a stylebar.. Fresh from m.net catalog. After seeing some KINOD cars in attendance I started writing down some styling notes.
the car came w/ tokico blues on FM springs.. and its such a bouncy set up. So I started looking around for better coilovers. I came across these slightly used practically brand new KW variant 1 coilovers on CL. So in they go and out went the blues.
Now, the style bar.. I bought em w/o researching about real rollbars. So a bit of a call at bethenia garage ended up w/ an Ace single diagonal and harness bar. 13 hours later of cutting and drilling and cursing it's in.
Found me a hard top at a used car lot for 9 bills, pricy but since I still live in an apartment and want a bit better protection from theft that the hardtop provides. Oh and I ended up buying an Apr Gtu wing. Which I eventually donated to Garage Woolery.
After getting the hardtop I knew it still would be easy to nab w just the stock latches. Some online searchong ended up w/ a purxhase from rennenmetal for some hardtop metal brackets and red tow hooks.
At this point Irealized I havent taken cared of maintenance and preformance yet. So, I had the water pump, timing belt, clutch slave, fluids, head cover gasket, rear main seal. And spark plugs.
Then took care of some transmission items.. Exedy stage 1, fidanza aluminum flywheel, goodridge SS clutch lines. Castrol gtlma (but long since flushed out w/ Ate super blue) and synthetic gear oil (now on motul).
I got these seats as per recommendation from one of the KINOD senior members, unfortunately I made the mistake of ordering the vinyl one. which didnt holf up well later on will be replace w/ the cloth versions. oh! I got the broken oil dip stick replaced as well.
I ordered these from corbeau as well. since I cant trust the Oem belts anymore w/ the new seat. later on though imma get rid of these because I wasnt happy w/ the material and I want a DOT approved press button Camlock for street use.
At this point I have moved to a house and the car Is now garaged. my girl and I bought a Daily Driver (which she drives mostly) and I only take the Mx5 to work which is 8 min away. But one day a big accident on the 5 fwy had me driving around to avoid traffic and found this beautiful road that connects my house to work in a much more involved way. So, from then on I always drove this new found road going to and from work and when im testing something newon the car. Driving through the canyon 3 times a week surely decimated my all seasons Falken Ziex 912s. They are good tires for an all seasons but I wanted more grip as I got used to the twist and turns of my new playground.
the grip on these tires are amazing! but I think Bridgestone's measuring tape was a bit off, because the tire is practically a 205/50/15.. so I had a ton of rubbing, so off to roll the fenders then.
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