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Thread: The Long Road Back

  1. #1
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    The Long Road Back

    Most of you might remember my 2002 Laser Blue, aka The Tick:

    pic by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr

    Sadly, this is his current state:

    20170818_204519 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr

    Sadly, I was in an accident (my fault) at Miatas at the Gap this year. Understeered out of a hairpin right into the tail of another Miata coming around the corner in the opposite direction:

    The Tick and I were in an accident at Deals Gap on August 5, 2017 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr

    You can see where my tire tracks were heading...the other car was spun around and I basically went through him. Thankfully, neither I nor the other driver were injured, but both of our cars were totaled. We've both decided to buy back and rebuild. You can follow the other car starting here.

    This is The Tick's long road back.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  3. #2
    4,000 rpm - entering the fun zone Roadster7's Avatar
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  5. #3
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    20170818_204543 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    (That headlight came apart in pieces...total goner. Oddly, all three bulbs survived intact.)


    Looks as if the bushing deformed, but I think the subframe is actually fine. Have to take off the A-arm (or at least the alignment bolts) to know for sure.

    20170818_204629 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20170818_205107 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20170818_205122 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    Surprisingly little if any damage to the bumper core support:


    20170818_205246 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20170818_205154 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20170818_205138 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr

    Got the bumper and the good headlight off:


    20170831_233001 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    Here's what the good corner looks like:


    20170831_232539 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20170831_232550 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20170831_233016 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    Compare to the damaged corner:


    20170831_233029 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20170831_232838 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    This seems to be the extent of the damage.


    While the nose of the apron panel should be able to be straightened, I'm not sure about getting the bottom end of that headlight mount straightened back out (and it'd have to be to get the little retainer rod on the back of the headlight to sit correctly in its receptacle).


    Next thing to come off: the driver's side fender and the bumper cap.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  7. #4
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power Rogue's Avatar
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    Glad your fixing the Tick, it really doesn't look that bad.
    Straight frame rails are a great sign.
    1992 BnT, 93LE #737, 94M, 95M, 96M, 97PEP, and a few 90s

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  9. #5
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rogue View Post
    Glad your fixing the Tick, it really doesn't look that bad.
    Straight frame rails are a great sign.
    Yeah...it's not immediately obvious from the crash photo, but due to the angle I hit the other car at, I basically went right through him, doing much more damage to his car than mine in the process because we basically met wheel to wheel.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  11. #6
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Damage on the Tick looks really minor to me; could be fixed in a heartbeat. Amazed how easy insurance companies declare old cars a total loss.

  12. #7
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Already bought some parts to fix it!

    First new part





    Specs:


    550/375 pound springs (Summit Racing front, Eibach rear)
    MasdaSpeed Miata Bilstein dampers (under 25k miles)
    All star coilover sleeves and perches
    Fat Cat bump stops cut to 34 mm
    Good-Win Racing extended travel rear top hats
    ~ 1000 miles on the whole set up

    Getting the whole thing for $600 shipped



    And now...The BIG HAUL...

    What's this? A Mazda hauling Mazda parts?


    20170819_222614 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    So what's all in there?


    1.) A Sunlight Silver bumper with two perfect condition foglights and an MSM lip spoiler:


    20170819_222658 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    2.) Fender with liners:


    20170819_223022 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    It has some surface rust, but the body shop should be able to deal with it:


    20170819_223031 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    3.) Driver's headlight:


    20170819_223216 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    4.) Driver's Upper and Lower A-Arm with Wheel/Brake parts attached:


    20170819_223409 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    5.) A straight Subframe (don't think I'll need it, but I'd rather have it than not):


    20170819_223558 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    6.) Spontaneous purchase, but mine are trashed and these were sitting right in front of me...


    20170819_223926 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    7.) Power Steering Rack:


    20170819_224115 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    I got this all for the princely sum of $655. Both the headlight ($100) and the door cards ($30 apiece) were on-the-spot purchases.


    I'm pretty pleased with myself!
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  14. #8
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here!
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    Can't believe that's all it took to total it.
    Just another cracka azz cracka with an Old Beat up '97

  15. #9
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stealth97 View Post
    Can't believe that's all it took to total it.
    Yeah...it's a 15 year old car. *shrug*

    I think I can straighten out the apron panel, but I'm iffy about the headlight mount. If I'm lucky, the subframe is actually OK.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

  16. #10
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    I didn't know till now the accident involved another vehicle, much less a miata. Glad he seems pretty chill about it (at least in the thread on mt.net). Look forward to Tick being back on the road and better than ever!
    '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
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  18. #11
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greasemonkey2000 View Post
    I didn't know till now the accident involved another vehicle, much less a miata. Glad he seems pretty chill about it (at least in the thread on mt.net).
    I'm sorry if it seems like I was hiding that. To be honest, I'm horribly embarrassed by the whole thing. Not joking at all when I said that I had trouble eating for a few days. I feel doubly bad about it because the guy who was driving the other car (and doing what he was supposed to be, mind you, when I hit him) wasn't even the car's owner. Thankfully, both of them seem to not be holding a grudge (which is nice because he got literally twice as much money from my insurance as I did...). I would STILL be losing sleep over it otherwise.

    I don't know if he'll be better than ever, but my main goal is that the car will be at least straight and presentable. Excited to try out the suspension.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  20. #12
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    Oh I didn't mean to imply anything like that Brian. I would feel the same way as you. I really do hope Tick comes out better than ever!
    '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
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    Bryan (09-07-2017)

  22. #13
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    No worries.

    Real talk, though: one of the WORST things about the accident was that, because US129 is so remote, we had to wait almost an hour for the wreckers to show up. The whole time we had to watch traffic moving past us at parade lap speed. Considering how many people at MATG know who I am (even if they don't know me personally), I seriously wanted to go dig a hole and crawl into it!
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

  23. #14
    Mod Squad
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    I can't imagine how that felt

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  25. #15
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    Wished you lived closer, could bust that out in a weekend or two.

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