The accidental Panda....

[lokirx706]

Well I havent posted in awhile because Ive been busy with other project cars. But the Panda has made me pretty proud. If you have read this thread from the beginning then you would know I traded to get this car. What you might not know is that I traded a car worth $700 to get the Panda. And I had to wait over two weeks for the previous owner to find the title for it. So the Panda almost didnt even happen. Earlier this year a good friend talked me into a crazy idea.

"Lets go to Miatas at MRLS!"

He formerly lived in the state of California, and his first track day was at Laguna Seca a few years ago in a borrowed Miata. Its what got him into the Miata lifestyle. He also talked me into my first track day at Mid-Ohio. And I had a good time, so without much thought other than TRACK DAY, BRO! I signed up.

This led to me completely forgetting about MRLS throughout the year, to occasionally becoming slightly panicked at the thought of driving what was essentially a $700 car from Ohio to California. The trip almost didnt happen, due to worrying, and financial disaster. At the last minute I was ready to pull the plug and sell my spot. Thats when my girlfriend stepped in. She wanted to roadtrip across the country, she wanted to see California. And she loved the idea of taking the Miata, I just had to let her drive the parade laps at Laguna Seca... Fine by me!

I had already been prepping the car, fixing minor oil leaks, new tires (205/50-15 DZ102s) new wheels, tie rods, Hawk brakes. So we were good to go. Six other cars would join us, with a total of ten people. Five cars would leave from Columbus and I being the lone car from Dayton would join somewhere along the way. We ended up forming a caravan less than a mile from the Ohio border, I had gotten a lead, and pulled over just before I left Ohio. Not many pictures were taken as it was early in the trip, but we made short work of Indiana and didnt stop until a rest stop in Illinois just before entering Missouri.



The restrooms will never be the same there again...

We stopped in St. Louis and tried to visit the arch, but there were at least fifty different sports games occurring simultaneously, or at least it seemed that way. One of our caravan members was also experiencing a loud alternator belt squeal that he decided to investigate later.

Our destination for the evening was Springfield, MO and we awoke to lots of not so great news...



One it was pouring rain, and my passenger window was down.... But that wasnt the worst of it, Dan would be unable to complete the roadtrip. His water pump housing had split, his alternator tensioner bracket was completely separated from the engine. His car is the one with the huge wing and the polished hood. It was a big let down for everyone, we all wanted to make it together.

For some reason very few pics were taken on the way out, but I assure you, this was not the case on the return journey.

We spent the morning driving through Missouri and made our first pit stop in Oklahoma.



We also stopped at Lucilles Service Station along Route 66 in Oklahoma... It was a really cool out of business vintage fuel station. The exterior is kept nice, but the inside looks like it hasnt been touched in decades. Pretty cool photo-op.



Somewhere near the Oklahoma/Texas border we stopped, and helped the gentleman in the black pickup truck do something... Cant remember what, but he was really grateful!



Then we made our second really cool stop. Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, TX







Joe Podelco captured this picture of us leaving Amarillo





We then drove through the night before bedding down in Santa Rosa, NM