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Thread: Midori

  1. #1
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
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    Midori

    I guess I should make a build thread. I don't know if this will be a particularly exciting or interesting story, but here goes.

    This is my first car, Midori.

    First, I didn't want to give my car a name. It seemed sappy. Other people kept bringing it up, though, so it lingered in my mind. When I didn't make a name on my own, my friends started to create ones for me. 'Misty', 'Mary', 'Margaret' came up; one buddy of mine decided to give my car a stripper name, 'Cinna-buns' (He still calls it that).

    I started to think of names myself. One that kept coming back to me was 'Midori'. That's a pretty name. In Japanese (studying it in university), it means 'green' (Kind of ironic; my car is blue and people always call it green in person. I don't like when they call it green!). So, I thought about the name, and then kind of forgot. The name wasn't so important to me back then. Lately, though, I've caught myself calling her 'Midori' more often. Although, it still feels weird to say 'her'.


    The second picture I took of Midori, sitting in the car lot in Houston's summer-like autumn

    Okay. That was kind of in medias res, so here's the start.

    I didn't want a driving license. I was in high school, the campus was about a mile and a half away, and I was riding my dad's bicycle. It worked. It was fun biking in the morning to classes. Just listening to music and riding to school. The only downside was that it would occasionally rain and I'd be shivering in class. That, and that one morning I ran into a trashcan and fell over because I was only half-awake. That sucked too.

    Still, it was simple and enjoyable. Despite my protests, my parents signed me up for driver's ed. It wasn't long or difficult, but it was tedious. Eventually, though, I got my license to drive. For the following year, I mostly used it doing errands or picking up take-out for my parents. Now it's so clear.

    Soon, I got an itch for a car of my own. I don't remember what sparked it. I'd always loved cars; when I was a kid, my dad would take me with him whenever he went shopping and he would let me pick out a few Hot Wheels. I grew up playing racing games on the Gamecube (old Need for Speeds, R:Racing Evolution) and, later, Xbox 360 (my N64 was void of racing :/). I started renting Initial D VHS tapes at the local Hollywood Video in elementary or middle school. I just really liked cars.



    So, the search started. I'd emailed people, gotten pictures, compared, and searched and searched. I wasn't set on having one specific model. I just knew that I wanted rear wheel drive and relatively light weight. I was mainly searching for FD RX7s, Miatas, MR2s (I'm the only one of my friends that likes the way the 3rd gen looks), 240SXs, and S2000s.

    It wasn't so obvious back then, but most of those are very expensive (especially for a first car). A 240SX would have been pretty cheap, I suppose, but I'm glad I didn't get one; I like them, but they aren't for me. The S2000 was a long shot. I wasn't fawning over them, but I knew they were fast, FR, and light, so they were in the list. Keep in mind that I had never driven any of these, or any sports car for that matter. The MR2s were always in poor shape unless they were 3rd gens, in which case they were expensive. The FD was the target, though. I still think that's one of the prettiest cars ever made (among some other 1960's cars). My uncle had a silver twin-turbo when I was a kid and I still remember sitting in it, holding the shift knob as it idled. The amber glow of the gauges.

    The problem with that plan was that the FD has reliably maintained a high resale value. That's good for FD owners, but bad for those wanting to purchase. Not only that, but they were (and still kind of are) rare around San Antonio. Plus, I now realize, that is a very high performance machine for a first car. Still, not discouraged, I looked elsewhere.

    Elsewhere = Japan (yeah, very... hopeful).

    Now I had started browsing import websites, where FD RX7s were 6k dollars, with high hopes. I found a silver FD that was missing a radio for some reason! I emailed the guy using a very rudimentary knowledge of Japanese and a translator, confirming that it ran.


    Still have the pictures of it.

    Shipping costs turned out to be relatively cheap. However, I soon found out about DOT safety standards and 'conforming'. I learned about the Skyline and Motorex and why I'd basically never get an FD imported. Mazda US wouldn't give me 'substantially similar' affirmation to give to the NHTSA and I didn't know the next step, so that kind of died.



    Now, elsewhere = different cars. I was a little discouraged by then; I had been doing a ton of research and hit a dead end. The domestic search had been fruitless for over a year. For a while, I was looking on Yahoo! Autos at drab FF sedans in poor condition. My parents weren't sold on importing or buying local, expensive Japanese sports cars, but they didn't warm up to those bland cars either (of which, I am now thankful).

    Miatas climbed their way to the top of my list. They were nice looking, rear wheel drive, very lightweight, and reliable. I still had never driven or even ridden in any of these cars. There were a few I was looking at. My favorite color is blue, though, so that's what I was leaning towards. I had my eye on two in Houston: One was cheaper and had some bumper damage and the other came with terrible wheels, but no body damage (well, it sort of did, but that's for later).

    I showed the latter to my parents, expecting them to wave it off. Instead, they organized a trip to Houston a week or two later. I was surprised, but I still just expected this to be a test drive, similar to an NB we looked at previously.



    In late October 2009, We drove the 300 miles or so to Houston, where we pulled up to a small car dealership called Roadster Auto. The entire place was just a parking lot for the inventory. There was no lobby, it was just a small office and a garage on a slab of concrete surrounded by a barred fence. It was kind of cool, though. The men who ran the shop were super nice. Soon, a small blue car drove up through the gate and turned around. It had a hard top and through it you could see a roll bar. It was very pretty. I was beside myself with excitement. Although I appreciate performance and engineering, sometimes I feel like I just like certain cars because of the aesthetics. Or, maybe that's what separates a good car from a great car. It's defining.

    I didn't know how to drive manual, so my dad got in the driver seat, and I got in the passenger seat. This was my first time sitting in a Miata. Although my dad drove the NB, I never got to drive or ride in it; Carmax required that one of their reps sit in the car while it was on the test drive, so I couldn't go along.

    Damn, it felt low. We pulled out of the lot. It felt like my dad was driving like a madman, but the speedometer only read 30mph. Damn, it felt fast! Any speed felt fast! And it was manual! And blue! It was rear wheel drive too! I can't explain how amazing this felt, in the passenger seat. Just remembering this is exciting! I couldn't have ever imagined a car feeling this sporty and raw. My dad, while a good driver, isn't the smoothest when it comes to manual transmissions, which I think contributed to the sensation.

    I was sinking fast. Very excited. I just sat in the back of my parents' car, watching Midori rest there in the lot, while my dad talked to the salesman in the office. Still, I wasn't going to take it home that day. That wasn't how it worked. You went one day for a test drive and came back if you decided to. That's how it happened with the NB, the only car buying experience I'd ever had, except we didn't buy it. Well, that's how I thought it worked. Nope. By some crazy alignment of the stars, I suddenly had a car when my dad came back outside. Even in memory, it feels surreal.



    We drove it home to San Antonio. Nearly half way back, though, my dad decided that I should drive. Not nervous. Okay, a little nervous. I really liked this car, and I didn't want to destroy it. I'd never driven manual and I thought the clutch worked through witchcraft, or something. I really wasn't sure what anything did. Still, I managed to get it home. I don't remember how many times I stalled. Probably a bunch.

    Now I had a car, but didn't drive it for a while. I wasn't insured on it yet and, although I'd driven it, I wasn't ready to drive it up and down hills to school and close to other cars.

    Eventually, the time finally came when I got to stall my way to school for the first time.

    I went out driving whenever the chance arose (nearly every day). I didn't go anywhere; I just drove around. I washed it by hand every single weekend, even through December, when the temperature dropped into the 40's. I started practicing heel-toe for fun. It was fun!


    December.



    I did have an interest in racing, but that's not exactly the reason I started autocross. For Christmas, my parents promised to buy me a set of wheels I'd been looking at: Mazda Motorsports' 5Zigen FN01R-C for Spec Miata. They were inexpensive, lightweight (compared to these 20lbs per-corner anchors), and I thought they looked good. The thing was that they only sold them to registered racers. So, I decided to start autocross. In the Spring of 2010, I started with the Spokes Austin club. I was slow. I made the numbers wrong and they looked cut up. Mostly because they were cut up.


    Aww, man


    April 18th

    I saved up and bought my first modification: E-code Bosch reflectors and halogen bulbs! Not spectacular, but I was very, very happy. It instantly made my week when the package arrived.



    I also replaced my radiator after someone at autocross pointed out that it was brown. It was such an even brown that I thought that it was the proper color.
    This was also the time I started buying some tools. I got a jack and some jack stands from Harbor Freight.



    Midori was and still is my daily driver, though, not just a fun car. Even though it has to deal with pedestrian situations and common dangers daily, I wanted to keep my car nice.


    The parking lot at my high school; perilous


    Small cars rule.

    Also, random, but more usefulness on rainy days:

    Miata, clothesline.

    Racing continued throughout the year. I never got the wheels; instead, I found a type-1 Torsen for a low price on Craigslist, which was much better. That sort of became my gift. The differential sat around in the garage for a while.

    I made some car friends at school

    The white Lexus was owned by my good friend Andrew.



    Now, some actual 'building'. The Torsen swap. I had never done anything like this previously. The only work prior was the radiator replacement and that was really simple compared to this. The first wall was the exhaust. The O2 sensor was, relative to my strength with the tools I had, welded on. Removing the O2 sensor took a couple days and a lot of WD40. I put a cheater bar on my breaker bar and braced myself against something solid and pulled until it popped. The differential was kind of tricky to balance and it was difficult to remove the half shafts from the differential and place them back in. Otherwise, it went pretty smoothly. Much obliged, internet.


    My friend George helping me out.



    Time went by and I just kept racing and daily driving. The next major purchase was a set of half-worn Dunlop Star Specs, wheels, and a set of used KYB AGXs from a friend I met at autocross. I was originally interested in only the shocks, but he convinced me on the tires. He essentially gave me the wheels because he didn't want to separate them. He sold me everything at a very low price. He also let me borrow his spring compressor, which I still need to return. It's been about a year and a half now.
    If you're reading this, sorry; I swear I'll return it next time I see you.

    Ironically, I still have the shocks in my closet. I haven't installed them yet. The tires have gotten good use, though.



    High school ended for me in 2011. I spent the Summer working and racing. With the stock diameter wheels, I could finally compete in E stock instead of STS or CSP.
    I enrolled in the University of Texas San Antonio. My major is technically Pre-Engineering, but that's likely to change.


    Old habits

    To be honest, at this point, my car wasn't so close to me. I rarely washed it, there weren't plans, and it wasn't very exciting most of the time. I never thought of selling it (and probably never will), but it just wasn't as significant as it once was. My commute to college was much further than it was in high school and it was much, much more frustrating. At first, I tried to drive my car carefully and slow so as to keep it safe from damage, but people were tailgating me/cutting me off constantly. The driving I was doing was less fun and university was becoming important. Psychological associations, etc, I was looking forward less and less to driving.

    Aside from racing, nothing really happened in the rest of 2011.



    2012, though, was eventful. I really started buying parts in 2012. I was entering my second year of autocross and I was in a class I could sort of compete in. In university, I was becoming more accustomed to how things worked. I was retaking a couple classes already, but, you know: learn through experience. I was also continuing my favorite subjects: Japanese (foreign languages) and psychology. Things were going well.

    At this point, my Mi-chan's mileage was approaching 90,000. Although it had ran fine and was perfectly reliable, I had no previous service records. The thing that came to mind was timing belt and water pump. It was the most expensive order I'd ever placed at the time. I bought a lot through MMD, but it was still upwards of $500.
    I got a box from Mazda Motorsports Development, a box from Rosenthal, and a box from 949 Racing toward the end of January.
    -Gates Racing Blue timing belt
    -OEM water pump
    -front seal
    -cam seals
    -CAS seal
    -assortment of gaskets (water pump, valve cover, etc)
    -heater hoses
    -tensioner and idler pulleys
    -both accessory belts
    -probably more I'm forgetting
    And, because I hadn't bought anything for my car just for its own sake in a while, a set of MMD/AWR tow hooks. They weren't expensive and they were solid.

    I installed the tow hooks right away, the day before an autocross!


    It looked good!

    I was loving the tow hooks. Haha, the set was only $40 and they weren't going to be used, but they got me excited about my car again. However, that only lasted a couple weeks.



    A couple weeks later:

    Well, that was a nice 2 weeks :/

    It wasn't particularly serious damage, the tow hooks bending. Still...
    The clutch master cylinder failed while my car was parked at the university, which is about a 30 minute drive away from my house. Actually, funny, I got a ride to my car from a guy driving a pickup truck. Parking at the university is terrible, so it's common for people to offer rides to others to ensure parking spots for themselves.

    I pointed in the direction I was parked, and, when we got to the general area, he asked me which car was mine. I didn't think he would know what a Miata was (you'd be surprised how many people don't know the make or model). I guess that had something to do with him driving a pickup. Unintentional prejudice... : P

    I told him that it was the small blue car.
    'That Miata?', he asked, which surprised me.
    He explained that he had a Miata that he was rebuilding at the time. I usually don't do this, but I gave him my phone number and told him I'd help him out if he needed a hand. I'm usually less outgoing and I really didn't/don't have that much mechanical experience, so I can't really explain...

    'That's cool, though,' I thought, as I walked to my car, 'he's an enthusiast.'

    He sat in his truck behind me, watching and waiting to park. Clutch pedal in, I turned the key and the car jumped off! It was parallel parking, so I'm glad I turned the wheel in time. I blew through a stop sign out of confusion, then turned on my hazards and shut off the engine. I never did get a call from him...



    My friend from high school, Barrett, who also attends UTSA, helped me out. First, he gave me some gas. Then, he drove me home to pick up some tools. I bought an overpriced slave cylinder from the local Mazda dealership. Barrett and I replaced the slave cylinder and bled the system in a parking lot near the university. It wasn't successful, though. The clutch still wouldn't disengage.

    It was now evening, and my dad drove to the campus to tow my car and I home. That was probably the scariest experience of my driving life. I never want to do that again. The tow car, a Suburban, weighed much more than my small Miata and it was obvious. The jolting from slack in the tow line caused what felt like a string of wrecks anytime there was a change in speed or direction. My brakes were cooked before we got halfway home (I'd never felt overheated brakes before). I was really frightened. I didn't want my car to be damaged. I didn't want the frame to tweak or the hook to snap off. Worse, it was night and I couldn't see anything.

    We made it home, though, the tow hook being the only casualty. That was well beyond what it was designed for, and it bent well around the bumper without touching it. So, good job, tow hook.



    Okay, that was more in-depth than I thought it would be...

    tl;dr? Understandable.

    -didn't want license, got license
    -Cars from Japanland are difficult to get stateside
    -Parents are lovingly gracious, got Miata
    -Started autocross
    -Swapped in Torsen
    -More maintenance

    I didn't really have goals for the car (even now, they're murky at best). I just knew that I never wanted to sell it and that I wanted to treat this car well; I wanted this car to be better off because I owned it, not coincidentally fine despite my ownership.

    Though lacking solid goals, I do have some inspiration. The main one is M2's 1028 Roadster. I have a couple folders on my computer called 'Inspiration', or alike, and there are disproportionate numbers of 1028 photos in each. I love that model; I never thought the interior of any car to be special until I saw a photo of the 1028's Recaros, simple dash, and carpet console.

    If you can split the distinction between 'Cafe', 'Clubman', and 'Race prepared', then Midori is aiming for 'Clubman'. Lightly tuned IRTBs, lighter weight than stock, fully streetable, and able to participate in racing or skilled driving events. That's the rough idea I have right now.

  2. #2
    4,000 rpm - entering the fun zone etikoner's Avatar
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    Midori

    Cool story! Glad you're enjoying your car even with all the ups and downs!

  3. #3
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
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    Spring Break came along, and it seemed like a good time to replace the timing belt and water pump. The clutch system was working fine, George was back in town from Pittsburgh, and I was off of work.

    Most of my projects (maintenance, or otherwise) usually take longer than expected. The project agenda goes something like:
    -Look up project on internet
    -Start
    -Realize that I'm missing a lot of things
    -Buy said things
    -Continue
    -Refer to internet
    -Continue
    -Buy more things I'm missing
    etc...

    This was no different. I went to the Mazda dealership several times over a week, or so. Still, it was easier than I was expecting.

    George really liked helping. In fact, he kind of did the first half of the job nearly by himself. I was just standing around, handing him tools. I think I took off the valve cover, at least...


    George working


    Long nights


    George let me hold the Flyin' Miata cam tool while he broke the bolt loose lol

    With delays from missing parts and similar, we got literally halfway through the project during the break. George had to fly back to Pittsburgh for college, so I had to reassemble the assembly alone.




    The new timing belt, water pump, and pulleys

    Besides a mishap where I tightened down the valve cover with no valve cover gasket, everything came together nicely! The timing was pretty far off, though because I forgot to mark the CAS before we removed it. That was fixed easily enough! There was another problem, too: I tightened the timing belt too tight and it was whining.

    So, I took the valve cover off, loosed the belt, put the cover back on and started it. SLAP, SLAP, SLAP!
    Nooooooo! I loosened it too much! I was afraid that it had jumped teeth and I'd have to take everything apart again...

    Luckily, when I retightened it, everything turned out to be fine. Now it's only a tiny bit too tight.

    I got back out to the new season of autocross, to defend my honor as one of two E stock competitors!
    Last edited by ueru; 01-07-2013 at 12:50 PM.

  4. #4
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
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    Thanks, etikoner! It's a lot of fun so far!

  5. #5
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
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    Racing continued and the semester came to an end.



    Soon, however...


    ouch

    My dad tried to move my car further up into the driveway. He isn't very used to driving manual, though, and he was in a lazy position (right foot on the clutch, left foot out of the door). He popped the clutch without thinking, and the car lunged forward into the rear bumper of a Silverado. Driver side indicator popped. Bumper slightly cut. Paint rippled, chipped.
    I made it worse a couple months later when I took it through an automated car wash for the first time.

    Oh well. Things happen. The front bumper has never been perfect, so no big deal. A repaint is likely in the future...

    I pulled out my dad's 35mm Nikon at some point and loaded up some film.

    It had been a while since I used the camera. The Kodak 800ISO came out underexposed and grainy.


    To cheer myself up about the turn signal/bumper, I decided to get something for Midori. Soon, a box arrived...


    Eunos Roadster yellow fog lights purchased through Tetsuya Garage! Thanks Rod!


    The housings were in poor condition, though...


    Masking them off...


    The label said 'satin'...


    Fitted!

    The kit came with no wiring harness (not that it would help much on an OBD2 car), so I had to source some wire and a relay. I left the lamps installed in the mouth for a few weeks while I researched how to do wire the fog lights and bought the materials.

    I started by installing the switch. From the factory, the 1996 Miata has a sub-harness under the dashboard for a dual fog/defroster switch. My switch was an early, fog-light-only switch, though. I had to tap the wires from the harness and crimp connectors onto the wires to wire the switch in. In the picture, you can see I also tapped into the cruise control sub-harness for power. That way, the fog lights can be turned on anytime, as long as the key is in 'Ignition'. I don't ever plan on retro-fitting cruise control, so it should work fine.


    Right side is the fog light/defroster, left is the cruise control


    Switch installed

    Now, there was the actual wiring. The main issue I ran into was where to draw power from for the lights. Some people ran through the blue connector used for diagnostics and timing lights. It was convenient, but I tend to over-build. So, I bought some red and black 12 gauge wire, a Bosch relay, some connectors, and got to work.

    I decided to draw power through the fuse box. I had an empty slot that had one connector with power, but no connector on the other end. Serendipity! I ran the fog light wire through the empty side. It didn't exactly fit, though, so I made the hole a little bigger with a Dremel.


    Dremelled fuse location

    And I ran the wire down through the box, then over the engine to the relay. The relay is mounted on a bolt that holds an accessory fuse box cover attached on the driver's fender. It's almost completely hidden.


    Relay over yonder...


    Mmm, inconspicuous...

    With the dedicated fog light fuse installed, it was finished! The fuse box closes and looks completely stock, the circuit is protected by the main fuse and the dedicated fuse, the black wire is almost invisible running over the engine, and it works! I was genuinely proud; I'd never done any wiring before. This car is teaching me so much.


  6. #6
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
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    After the fog lights, I bought some turn signals from cww180 in Japan. Thanks again!
    I also got some Yokohama S-Drives fitted to a set of stock wheels I had. I could finally take off those heavy wheels!

    Summer was coming to an end by now. More racing. I took some more 35mm photos on a drive with my friend, Andrew. He's now driving a Honda Civic instead of his GS300.




















    Oil change

    I was given a 1.4 50mm Nikkor with which I haven't used to take pictures of my car yet. I will soon, though. It's a very nice lens with very pretty bokeh.


    Multi-coated goodness
    Last edited by ueru; 01-07-2013 at 01:31 PM.

  7. #7
    Admin / Pit Boss / Miataholic Phatmiata's Avatar
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    good stuff !!! I love the parking lot where you parked all the way up to the curb to avoid door dings, I do that will all of my cars, hahahha

  8. #8
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
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    Thanks Phat! haha, yeah, the end spots are the best.

  9. #9
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here!
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    Great build thread man! If you're still missing that turn signal, I just took mine off ( replaced them with tsis) and will gladly sell you my stock one for $20 if you're interested. Lmk!



    ps. I thought you were in sts now haha!

  10. #10
    Super Moderator tsingson's Avatar
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    Great story so far man! Can't wait to keep reading.

  11. #11
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
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    Thanks tsingson! It's fun writing it, too. I still have to catch up to the present, so more in the works!

    Thanks Ryan! Nah, I'm in E stock; John in the white Miata just wanted more competition (read: victims) that event, so he 'convinced' me to run STS...

    He's been trying to get me in STS for a long time lol. I appreciate the offer (that's a badass price, too), but I already have some fresh turn signals that have been sitting in my room for about 5 months I'll install them someday...

  12. #12
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here!
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    lol i know I was just messing you man!

    That's cool, get on it!

  13. #13
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power Blueiii's Avatar
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    I read 95% of everything here... good story!

    Check out the new RTR class that is indexed off the stock classes. I'll be racing in the class again next season. I like it a LOT more than ES, since I'm indexed up against other stock cars that are limited on their choice of tires (basically just now slicks.) Its a fun class, and I highly recommend it! (Especially since I would prefer a 95 with a torsen in that class. Sadly, I have the STS car, not the RTR car...)
    2012: Purchased Miata, Laid off 3 days later. 4th place overall (default!), NWOR SCCA (RTR)
    2013: Budget RTR build, massive increase in participation, 3rd place overall, NWOR SCCA (RTR)
    2014: Suspension and more active competition in STS. 3rd place overall, NWOR SCCA
    2015: Time for some "form" and vintage styling (while still racing NWOR, of course).


    Check out my Miata Journal: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....-miata-journal

  14. #14
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
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    The fall semester started. For my car, that meant daily driver duty. It wasn't all work, though.


    Another drive

    And, still, more racing. I was stacking up points in E stock for great justice.

    Sometime during the Fall of 2012, one of the fog light bulbs went out. Not too big a deal; when I bought them, the seller in Japan didn't know if the bulbs included would even light up at all. I guess I was lucky they worked for a while.

    There are several things I've been planning to purchase:

    -New brake rotors and pads

    -New wheel bearings, front and rear.

    -Get an alignment

    -Paint/body work

    -Um, fog light bulbs

    I'd also really like to get some new, performance shocks to replace these decade-old OEM ones and a Racing Beat exhaust.
    I spent a lot of time deciding which exhaust I'd like to buy. Searching far and wide, based on sound, I finally narrowed it down to two:
    Racing Beat and Roadstersport 3.

    This video, though, ultimately convinced me:

    Skip to 2:30 for aural pleasure

    I want to buy an exhaust soon!
    That video also had me searching for ULTRA tachometers for a while lol.



    I also began a little parts-hording in the Autumn. None of these have been installed yet...

    (These are all thanks to JK. He's a genuinely awesome guy! I seriously can't thank you enough! I'll take good care of everything.)


    An M2-type carpet center console


    Matching shifter ring




    M2 / Eunos optional rear 1/4 mud guards/protectors


    M2 1028 door pulls


    Leather insert


    RS Factory Stage front tow hook (it was too big for my makeshift lightbox lol)


    M2 1028 shift knob


    On the way...

    + A Zoom Engineering fuel lid soon!

    Also, not so rare, but still exciting:


    An NA6 dash that I picked 'n pulled one cold, December day. It's only missing the gauge hood. Thanks for the heads-up about the Pick 'n Pull, Ryan!

    And an R-package replica front lip that I have no pictures of.

    It will all be installed soon, hopefully. Likely, though, I'm going to wait until after paint to install anything.

    The dashboard will need to be washed and I may wrap it in something (there's an almost invisible crack on the top shelf). I'm also on the search for some early-gen, loop-type carpet; my carpet doesn't fit well and it's in poor shape. Holes in the foot wells, and all...

    The autocross season came to a close. I think I have my foot in the door for a trophy in E stock; the other two regulars are faster (a Miata on R-compounds and a non-turbo MR2 driven by a national level driver), but they haven't raced enough events to qualify. Yay, default! I'll take what I can get...

    We're now pretty up-to-date. I spent this winter break working a ton. Classes start next week, and, out of ignorance, I sort of missed the registration deadline for a couple classes I need.
    With late registration coming up soon, though, it'll work out...


    Washed last Wednesday for the first time in a long time

    So, for 2013, I'm going to update the maintenance some more, install some parts I have laying around, probably paint and body, more autocross, maybe different kinds of racing too (?), exhaust, brakes, autocross alignment, and I'll start looking at suspension. Oh, and, if I can afford to, I'll pick up some new Z2 Star Specs. My Z1 Star Specs are almost bald and really sketchy in the rain...

  15. #15
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power ueru's Avatar
    Drives
    1996 NA8C, 1998 NB8C
    Location
    Tochigi, Japan
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    568
    Thanks Given
    1,116
    Thanked 534 Times in 126 Posts
    Thanks Blueiii! Haha, that's an accomplishment if you read that much. I think I got a little carried away with the writing.

    I've heard about RTR, but I don't know if the local club has any of the newer classes yet. We do have an active street tire (>140 treadwear) PAX group, though. I might move into Tire E Stock next season, just to have more competition. I've really been thinking about which class I'd like to move into in the future. With the Torsen, I can't run STS. I was thinking either STR or CSP. With the NA6 dash swap coming at some point, though, I guess I'll have to move into CSP eventually...

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