'Noir' comes into the light. Slowly...

[NCGreasemonkey]

Aaaaggghhhh! Not moments after this shot I hit the headlight retract button and headed inside. Came back out for a smoke and the driver's side is still up. Run in grab keys and lift lower again. Nada on the driver's. I knew things were going too smoothly. Have to dig into this tomorrow when the sun is up.

[Greasemonkey2000]

I have been eyeing the Jass stealth led tsi's for some time, nice! I thought they are in Estonia?

I think the lights can get stuck from time to time...try cycling them a few times.

[— Agent☣Orange —]

How the heck do we have two different GreaseMonkeys??

[Demon I Am]

How the heck do we have two different GreaseMonkeys??

Monkey sex?

[— Hammerhead —]

Monkey sex?

Ewww....

[JamieH]

Monkey sex?

Ewww....

[—Martin—]

Ha!

[NCGreasemonkey]

Love it JamieH! GM2K Is in water works and twists them for fun. I twist them daily and brought this name over from NASIOC. It was available.

[NCGreasemonkey]

OK. So when I last updated the TSIs were in and the headlights had problems...

As soon as that problem arose I text Miguel and asked if he would separate the flippies since he didn't have a buyer for the chassis yet. He said he would and he gave me a good price.

Had a fun (albeit long to turn around in one day) run to ATL. area last weekend. Got to shake hands with Chase and Miguel. Both seem like good guys in the short time I had to pester them. And ate some good food at a place called Donnie's Home Cookin'. Hit it up if you live near Monky. (Hey AO a third Monkey!)

Monsoon season has decided to set in here in NC since the trip. Despite that I have been productive.

Received the Marrad seat Tuesday, IIRC, and it got test fit that evening between showers of rain. Next day was a removal of said seat to mount seat belt buckle and do some shifting around.



I am going to pull the seat again and try to remember to take shots of the buckle bracket mount and give measurements so those that buy one will have an easier time.

Today was a slow day at work. Had one pending clutch job that the customer just didn't have the money to do right now. Return crippled truck to customer and I work Saturday so I take my 1/2 day.

Noir runs me to lunch. Then back in my bay. Coil-over test set part 2.

Now my first #'s were 24 1/4" frt. and 23 1/2" rr. Every new spring settles. Even Swifts! Today's ride height # on entry are 24" frt. and 23 1/4" rr. Even settling at all four corners and both ends. Premo springs!!!

Decision time. This test I'm going to raise the rear to almost the front. Leave the compression and dampening the same. After shake down run before alignment rack measure was 24" frt. and 23 7/8" rr..

Run her on the machine and set the #s. Rear= Cam. -1.3 Toe .13 Deg. per side. Front still at Cam. -.3 Caster maxed at 5 deg. and Toe at .13 Deg. per side.





And if you noticed in the pics. her eyes are closed. Got home and proceeded to pull the left motor from the acquired flippies and installed it on Noir. The entire left flippie assembly is going on her to get her tweaked one straight. But I'll have to paint it black first as Miguel's was white.

Sub-note. Cured four more rattles today. The 70D mounts finally shook my Miata badge off (literally). And while in the bay at work, and on a lift, I dug under the dash and found the flasher and two relay bundle mounting nut was loose. Not now!

Sub-sub-note. Also removed about a pound of extra wiring that was for some card style theft system that someone long ago broke the key off in. If it is not functional I am not hauling it around. Bye-bye!

Sub x3-note. I posed the question about what these two switches might be.



I have to dig further. But today reveled that they are wired into the IAT sensor in the MAF. And there is a resistor inline with them.


Black wd of tape is resistor.

Need to pull out my Genisis and get the Mazda connector to see what this reading is to the ECM. Flip them and CEL comes on instantly. Any of the old-schooled know this trick?

And finally... Parts not for Noir!



I'm beat. G'night.

[Greasemonkey2000]

Congratulations on the new parts! Glad to see the M2 bumper and GV hood went to a good home, can't wait to see them painted and installed! I think you are going to like the Marrad seat, i know i do.

[NCGreasemonkey]

Thanks Chad.

So far love the seat. Might have to drop the front one click when the 'Skunk-werks' parts arrive.

The nose and Deck will not be painted anytime soon. They are not for Noir but for her not-yet-found sibling. Those are for the cruiser. And not the blaster. Midlife crisis and all. Ya know?

[NCGreasemonkey]

Here we go...

Ever had one of those days? You know. You have things to do and priorities. Ever just flipped them off cause you needed to? Welcome to Rick's world today!

I have to start back on Friday. That is when I walked to the Workhorse to get the coffee cup off my roll-cart and got bit by a critter. Looked at it and blew it from my arm. [You don't squash them because that injects what they ate into you] I thought to myself "Here comes the Zika with all the rain we've had". Jokingly!

Saturday morning started off good. Usual customer leaves a truck to be checked out and wants an estimate. Number that he doesn't answer till 10 AM. Voice mail full. As the day goes on I start to feel like I have a cold or flu thing brewing. Look down at my arm and the critter bite is the size of a dime and red. Ahhgg! I don't want to become this.



Finally hear from the quote customer after I have done piddly crap on replacing bulbs and an oil change or twelve. I am not Jiffy Lube!

Come home and there has been just enough time with the cloud breaks and breeze to dry the grass where I can knock back this yard. Front, side and three passes along the back and the bottom falls out.

So nothing done on Noir on a slow Saturday. (Note: leave a number you'll answer when the shop calls) Yard needs to be finished (but I got all the front bits done). Need to wash dishes, clothes, bed linen and arse.

If you didn't see my Random Thoughts post you are about to learn. Phhhhhttttthhhhhhttrtrtrtrrttr!!!!!!

So today I decided that it was time to see where Noir was at since her bench-mark run up the BRP with the top down and stock 14" touring tires.

Damn-it-man! We are cutting and carving the roads. At the speed-limit. Spleen and kidneys are rejoicing. Make the trip up Pilot and have my finger over the lens of my phone snapping the quick pic. Hmmmmh!



Well we head North to Fancy Gap to hit the BRP. Life is good. Pass the Tall Pine Creek section and decide that when I get to the Hwy 12 off to N. Wilksboro I'm doing a turn-around and running back north to have some more fun. 5-7 miles after that thought a road worker stopped me and told me; "A huge tree was across the Parkway and it being Sunday who knows how long before it would be cleared".



Responsibility avoidance mode kicks in and we U and head to back-roads that I used to run on the CBR.

After five+ hours behind the wheel and roads that are not straight here is my review. Atleast I did something productive!!!

The Feals are the best thing I have ever had support any of my vehicles, EVER!!! Yes at 12 / 8 K spring rates you will not be riding around with an open and full cup of coffee in the drink holder. But if you bought Race 441's why do you have an open cup to begin with? Corksicle!

My biggest fear was the Marrad. I watched Chad's feedback and height checks. But buying a seat you haven't plopped your own arse in ( insert hand shaking dice and tossing).

They have felt good around town and back and forth to work the few day since getting the buckle sorted and the rain to slow. But today...

I want three more! One for the passenger seat. One to replace my La-z-boy. And one for the living room when Bruce comes over to watch the race! I'll be in it and he can suck-it. LOL

Cradles my body. Between it and the Feals the ride was so much more enjoyable than last fall. The biggest worry I had was it being a FBG bucket I would have heat issues on my back and rump. 5+ hours of driving today and not a sweat mark! May need to add two more to the order. One for the JD lawnmower and one for a deck chair.

Oh yeah. 2017 Malooza! Here we come!!!

[Oldekamp]

Noir is looking pretty good! Really digging the all-black theme.

I envy you for those coilovers.

[— Phatmiata —]

cant wait to see the parts installed !!!

[MiataQuest]

cant wait to see the parts installed !!!

Yeah, install that Duck Tail trunk lid pronto!

BTW, Do you happen to know someone that might have a MazdaSpeed Spec A version II wing available?