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Thread: The EUNOS MANTICORE SPECIAL EDITION build

  1. #1
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    The EUNOS MANTICORE SPECIAL EDITION build

    MIATAQUEST – The journey to enhance the roadster experience.

    Purists look away… rated PG13…Purists gagging at least 13 times.
    This build thread will not include any discussion of 14” Daisy wheels.


    THE ROADSTER:
    1992 Miata LS with hardtop.
    This was a one owner car that I purchased sight unseen out of Austin, Texas in May 2015


    117,667 miles.
    Very nice rust free body and chassis.
    It does have slightly faded crystal white paint, paint chips, and some hail dents in the hood.
    However it should clean up real nice to be the perfect 10 footer.
    That will encourage me to make it a driver’s machine versus a show piece.
    Future stone chips will add to its character!
    Hopefully the car will not develop the infamous crystal white paint curse.


    The interior is very nice!
    I like a black interior with a white car.
    The wood grain trim added by the previous owner isn’t that bad.
    I may just keep the wood grain trim and wipe any retro thinking out of my brain for a while.
    I have no idea if the soft top is any good or not.
    I will find out later after I get the Moss hardtop hoist.


    The 1.6 engine has an older, low psi BEGI turbo system using the stock ECU.
    Hey, check out that cold air intake location…
    That probably sums up the performance and state of tune.


    So the MiataQuest begins…

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  3. #2
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    The EUNOS MANTICORE SPECIAL EDITION BUILD

    STYLE BAR

    So you caught that.
    Yeah, yeah, yeah, I will need to change that!

  4. #3
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    DESIGN AND PLANNING


    DESIGN GOAL: Develop a concept that could be passed off as a factory special edition car.
    This while plagiarizing all the best ideas from other forum members!

    THEME: Attempt to change the Miata name and branding to confuse the hell out of the uninitiated auto enthusiast crowd. (Well at least in the Detroit area where everything has a small block Chevy)

    It should be interesting to hear…
    “I never seen one of them-there cars before, who makes it?”
    “Is that a grey market import?”
    Yada, yada, yada.

    Although at a Miata meet or on this forum it might be more like… “Really… get a life!”

    NO GIRLY CAR


    My name is Rene. That was a tough name to grow up with in a Midwestern city in the United States.
    If you are old enough to remember this Johnny Cash song you might have a better understanding of the challenges put before you.


    Today I am proud of my name and its French heritage.
    So even though I am confident of my manhood I still want the car to have the look of a proper sports car and the performance to back up those looks.

    RESTOMOD MORE THAN RETROMOD

    I want to take the car from this…


    To this…

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  6. #4
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    The EUNOS MANTICORE SPECIAL EDITION build

    THE ROADSTER FORMALLY KNOWN AS MIATA

    Next I walked the proposed vehicle design across from the left side of my brain over to the marketing department on the right side of my brain. That was one long walk down an empty corridor!
    There were lots of little voices in my head. I thought to myself, darn I have a big marketing department.

    My marketing team was given the assignment to create a theme based around the proposed Miata build.
    So we tossed around ideas while proclaiming clichés like: “Out of the box thinking”, “Paradigm shifts”, “Change agents”, “Pushing the envelope”, and “Moving the needle”.
    Being automotive related the only thing we could agree on was shifting and moving the needle!

    For our first pass we proposed to merge Hello Kitty together with Woody Woodpecker sporting a cigar.
    It was noted that all manly cars have the Woody Woodpecker logo sporting a cigar!
    Imagine Hello Kitty sporting a cigar!



    Kewl! But could you float that as a credible special edition car?
    Ok, we scrapped that idea. (But you can take it!)

    We were then viewing Chad’s “W” Warbird build theme that used an upside down Mazda “M”.
    Well darn we can just plagiarize Chad, but not upside down.
    Wow use the factory “M edition” logo if only we can figure out a manly name that starts with an “M


    Since the ELP Tarkus album is an inspiration to the build, why not grab the “Manticore” record label!
    ================
    Manticore definition:
    noun: manticore; plural noun: manticores
    1. a mythical beast typically depicted as having the body of a lion, the face of a man, and the sting of a scorpion.
    ================
    So the marketing department said they had a candidate with market recognition that would be the perfect for the part.


    I had to promptly reject the Lion as he was called the ‘Cowardly Lion’ and wore a pink bow.
    So I fired back as any Greek mythical god would and said in an announcer’s voice: “Behold Manticore!”


    Oooh, Aaah, all of marketing team agreed that Manticore was indeed manly enough.
    Now all we need to do is create a logo that can be subtle enough to compliment a factory special edition car.
    More plagiarizing, I mean more brainstorming might be required.


    THE EUNOS MANTICORE SPECIAL EDITION is now born.

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  8. #5
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    WHITE AND BLACK, BLACK AND WHITE – How does it look?

    Smoked rear tail lights and smoked rear marker lights.


    Smoked front marker lights, black light buckets, and black air vents.


    I don’t know… I don’t think the look works.
    It looks too much like this guy.


    Changes coming...

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  10. #6
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift NCGreasemonkey's Avatar
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    Way to come in @ 7200 RPM with a build thread! Have me

    And you have a bonus dib on the tail if I go balls-out with a ginormous wing style!
    Last edited by NCGreasemonkey; 05-02-2016 at 08:38 PM. Reason: turned my mono ball into a set with an s.
    ... Rick

    Quote Originally Posted by Hammerhead View Post
    ...and don't be like an NCGreasemonkey.
    For the thread on Noir click below
    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....e-light-Slowly

  11. #7
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! WASABI's Avatar
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    Nice story so far, I'm looking forward to both your progress, and your great story telling.

  12. #8
    Admin / Pit Boss / Miataholic Phatmiata's Avatar
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    This is gonna a great build / story thread!! Hooked already!!

  13. #9
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    TSI’s – Is that a disease? Maybe…

    The design team informed Señor Manticore that he must shave off his mustache or be relegated to become a low rider.
    Señor Manticore thought… Cinco De Mayo, margaritas, stance, and small chrome rims sounded pretty good.
    The design team then reminded Señor Manticore that the theme would change to “Low and Slow”. SLOWWWW! No way!


    “Turn Signal Intakes” were purchased and shipped from Japan.
    Below is my son holding the TSI’s in place to see what they will look like.
    The design team agrees that pulling this part from the supplier Rev9 Autosport parts bin will work.
    Hopefully we can incorporate some functionality down the road at the same time.
    The design team will now update the drawing & BOM.


    It was not that the black TSI’s needed to be white (the other TSI’s could have been painted) but rather because the lights will have some design cues that will carry over to the fender mounted custom Winkers.

    WINKERS, what are winkers?? Is that a disease? Maybe...


    More on the custom winkers later…
    Last edited by MiataQuest; 05-08-2016 at 11:33 AM.

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  15. #10
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    Really glad you made a build thread Rene!

    It is crazy you picked this miata up because I was watching it, as it was for sale for a while probably because of the asking price, and contemplating getting it for my wife. Hopefully you got a good deal on it because it looked well maintained.

    Nice choice on the Jetstream TSI's, one of my favorites!

    Given your "rich automotive history" and that you're clearly a character, I'm confident this is going to be a fantastic build thread! Can't wait to see more and remember Adam aka Revlimiter is the go to guy for all those custom touches, which I have no doubt you will address along the way.
    '01 NB2 aka MisF1re: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....218#post207218
    '97 M aka Warbird, gone but not forgotten: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....B&goto=newpost
    Instagram: @greasemonkey2000

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  17. #11
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greasemonkey2000 View Post

    It is crazy you picked this miata up because I was watching it, as it was for sale for a while probably because of the asking price, and contemplating getting it for my wife. Hopefully you got a good deal on it because it looked well maintained.

    I think I got a good deal for the very reason that it was on the market for a long time, at a high price, and not selling.
    NA Miata's seem to have appreciated this year so I feel even better about the price I negotiated.

    I have learned to buy a nice car right out of the gate even if you plan to modify it.
    Nothing worse than a rusty car and lots of work just to get the car to a starting point.

    So I will probably reduce the value of the car by modifying it.
    But I do not care as I plan to keep this car and make myself happy.

    I almost bought a V8 Miata but I decided I needed to experience the I-4 Miata handling first.
    So I sold this car to buy a Miata. Miata driving experience versus Volvo classic looks.
    Last edited by MiataQuest; 05-08-2016 at 01:21 PM.

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  19. #12
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift NCGreasemonkey's Avatar
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    A Volvo that is not boxy but fun!
    ... Rick

    Quote Originally Posted by Hammerhead View Post
    ...and don't be like an NCGreasemonkey.
    For the thread on Noir click below
    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....e-light-Slowly

  20. #13
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    The EUNOS MANTICORE SPECIAL EDITION build

    BECAUSE RACECAR
    Did you know that “racecar” spelled backwards is still “racecar”!
    So we need to make sure any modifications that we implement will be an improvement and not a step backwards.

    We decided to ring up our retired Global Product Development manager “Maximum Bob” and tell him all about the Manticore Special Edition project. We did admit to him that at this time the Manticore was only a poser. So far we only added a bunch of bolt on crap. Marketing added “Isn’t that what a special edition is all about?”
    Maximum Bob said that any credible special edition had better be able to stand its ground at a track day event. Maximum Bob stated; “Damn it, you named it Manticore, not Kaitlyn!”
    OK, OK, so we must add a roll-bar and a tow-hook into the special edition package even if it drives up costs. Bob said; “If Rene will be test driving you will need a roll-bar and tow-hooks for sure. Ask me how I know!”


    TOW HOOKS

    The design team sure liked the look of the Ryoku Rob type 2 for the rear tow ring! However the engineering team all frowned and nixed the selection. They calculated that one sideways pull from a track run-off would break it. The engineering team then suggested the Garage Star GS-THrear-V2 tow ring. They said the Garage Star tow ring was much heavier than the Ryoku tow ring. However, if we pulled the two factory tow rings and only installed one Garage Star tow ring it would be a net weight reduction. So a total win-win. BECAUSE RACECAR!


    The manufacturing team approved the selection of the Garage Star tow ring. They used some technical term to describe the installation, “Easy Peasy”.


    For the front tow hook the engineering team decided that the aluminum, lightweight tow-ring (model 3.0 by Garage Star) would be perfect and would reject the heavier metal version. So pulling two heavy metal Miata baby-teeth tow rings and installing a single lightweight aluminum tow hook on the passenger side was another win-win. BECAUSE RACECAR!


    The craftsmen sanded the bare aluminum, cleaned, primed, painted, and clear coated. We used VHT engine enamel and chose Ford Red SP152 to match the rear tow-ring.


    That pin-stripping sure looks bad, more on that later…



    ===================
    Internet bonus points if you know who that gentleman is with a cigar and one foot on an over-turned Opel. He is one of my heroes.
    Last edited by MiataQuest; 05-14-2016 at 12:02 PM.

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  22. #14
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MiataQuest's Avatar
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    The EUNOS MANTICORE SPECIAL EDITION build

    TO BLING OR NOT TO BLING? That is the question.

    The design team will shave the black mustache off the Manticore by using the white TSI’s.
    Now the dark smoked side markers and black tail lights do not look right.
    Even the black mud flaps are now in question.
    What to do?

    Sourcing scoured through our parts bin and tapped our suppliers to find some clear side markers.
    Of course we promised the supplier that we will buy hundreds of thousands if approved.
    We got a good price, placed a purchase order, and they are delivered to our dock in no time.

    The craftsmen installed the clear side markers for the designers to evaluate.
    The craftsmen must have been working with the manufacturing team last week as they were starting to use that same technical term “Easy Peasy” during the install.

    Imagine the clear side markers with the white TSI’s on the front. The design team was all nodding.



    Our automotive spies have been stealing photographs of a competitor’s car for quite a while and turned them over to the design team. They liked what they have been seeing.
    Imagine a white Carbonmiata quad tail light panel with the white back-up lights and then having matching white side markers.
    The design team was still nodding.



    We have a marketing consultant on retainer to get ideas from outside our narrow realm in the Motor City. At least that is what our management has embraced.
    Ha, I would guess the reason they embraced that thinking is because our competitor across town just transferred their core Cadillac team to NYC.. Yeah, NYC where no one drives cars and the costs are higher. Go figure!
    Since the marketing consultant is already wasting our money, we might as well get his input.
    So we shipped him a Manticore prototype to drive and review. We assembled the prototype car with a CarbonMiata light panel camouflaged in green for him to drive around for a few days.

    So we ring him up a week later… “What do you think about Manticore having clear side markers? “
    He said “I pity the fool that hired the platform team, Clearsies ain’t got no Bling !!” Then he immediately hangs up!


    With that marketing wisdom in hand we will see what Bling side marker options are out there.
    The sourcing & purchasing team was put to work.
    They found some Bling side marker candidates although a bit pricey since they were imported.
    They are now on our dock.

    MAZDAROADSTER.NET CAR CLINIC
    So the Manticore platform team decided that we should have a car clinic and you are invited.
    We need your help to decide:
    ** Clear side markers or Bling side markers. (Special Edition visual enhancement)
    ** Mud flaps or no mud flaps. (Special Edition aero improvements and visual enhancement) Do mud flaps increase or decrease drag? Do mud flaps increase or decrease turbulence? Weight gain or loss seems to be a moot point.

    Picture with Bling and with mud flaps


    Picture with Bling but without mud flaps
    Last edited by MiataQuest; 05-22-2016 at 01:49 PM.

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  24. #15
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift NCGreasemonkey's Avatar
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    Damn Chad! That haircut looks good on you!!!
    ... Rick

    Quote Originally Posted by Hammerhead View Post
    ...and don't be like an NCGreasemonkey.
    For the thread on Noir click below
    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....e-light-Slowly

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