The accidental Panda....

[WASABI]

It was nice re-reading your build thread. I'm glad you saved the 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

[lokirx706]

The next morning we played with Joes coolant mixture in a bid to help keep his car a little cooler before we drove closer and closer to the desert.



And we also found Tow Mater, admittedly the Panda dominated this photo lol





Our next destination was Winslow, AZ!



Standin' on a corner in Winslow Arizona with.... The stig??



After this we headed to Flagstaff to get to the Grand Canyon... This was where the Panda had its first issue. Its spark plug wires were older than father time, and began shorting out on the valve cover. Thankfully O'Reillys in Flagstaff had some crappy off brand wires in stock, and I was ready to head to the Grand Canyon!

[lokirx706]

We drove on to Kingman, AZ where we would spend the night before waking to head into Oatman, AZ along old route 66. Along the way we would stop at Cool Springs, and enjoy the scenic road into Oatman... At speed of course...





The morning prior, Amanda (My co-pilot) found that Oatman had a website. On that website it mentioned the Oatman gunfighters. They would perform faux tour bus robberies. I called and asked if they would be willing to stop a caravan of Ohio Miata Owners. They replied,

“Sure! We'll stop your wagon train!”

We decided not to tell any of the other folks in our caravan. As we entered Oatman a man would step in front of the lead car and fire a shotgun. We had a father and son in our caravan, they happened to be the folks that operate Midwest Miata Parts. The gunfighters would ask for “The Fimple Gang” as if there were a ransom out for them, that the gunfighters wanted to collect.







After our run in with the gunfighters, we drove into downtown Oatman.



We stayed in Oatman for a few hours, and would cross into California shortly after, driving to L.A. for the evening.



We would visit Project-G, thanks to those guys for being AWESOME hosts! And the next day we would split up, some of us visiting 949 racing, others doing the tourist thing.



(Above photo, taken by Joe Podelco)



I participated in the latter, Id never been to the west coast before. (Sorry 949 )

[lokirx706]

The next morning part of our group would join the KINOD caravan out of L.A. Some of us would stay in Morrow Bay, joining up at Morrow Rock with the KINOD crew. Afterwards we headed up Highway 1 to Monterey.
















We drove to the Monterey Home Depot to wait for our call to participate in the world record attempt. Thanks to KINOD for being great hosts! While there a good friend delivered my hood decal, that matched my door numbers! When our call came, we headed out to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. My first time stepping on the hallowed grounds of the track.

[lokirx706]

Then like everyone else we were herded into a dusty field. We participated in the world record (And none of the Ohio folks left early!!!) And I walked to the track to see it in person the day before our hot lap sessions.

The Panda is circled in Yellow in this pic, sorry to anyone who I covered with yellow in the pic! Lol



I did record the ND reveal, but seeing as its posted -everywhere- and you have all seen it, Ill leave it out for now.

The following day we would arrive ready to lap Laguna Seca. We arrived early to get into the paddock!







I didnt do great my first few sessions, being nervous, plus not wanting to be hard on the car led to many mistakes. Sorry to anyone I may have frustrated in C group. Later in the day I worked the kinks out and stopped thinking about the possibility of breaking the car and drove it like you are supposed too on track.



At the end of the day we all had a blast, there were no mechanical failures. Some of us got to try out a new spoiler, the rides in A and B group were great, and the event as a whole was really epic! On the way out, I had to take every opportunity I could to get pics.







The group split up, and myself and my co-pilot made our own way home. The great thing about this trip, was the drive there, Miatas at MRLS, and the drive home were all equally entertaining. Maybe because I have never seen this part of the country, but it was worth it.

So then we headed home, aiming the Panda towards Vegas.

[lokirx706]

As we headed north on I-15 towards Vegas... We saw something a little odd...





A very severe thunderstorm in the desert. We would get stuck in traffic south of Vegas, but it would clear and we spent the night walking the strip, people watching... The next morning.... We stopped at some famous places, including the Vegas sign!



After Vegas I would try to drive north on I-15 to get to I-70. This would be thwarted as a massive storm washed out the north and south bound lanes of I-15. The interstate was gone. So being incredibly bored in traffic for hours on end, I got out and did what any bored car enthusiast would do, cleaned my wheels!



The Panda would become world famous (J/K lol) by crashing a news report!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-UMdnL_xTs

And after being forced to turn around on a dirt road I would drive angrily sideways the entire length of the road blasting my car with grime, after this it was the dirtiest it has ever been. Also my mother was convinced we were getting married on this trip, so we posted a photo with no description of the Panda at a drive through wedding chapel in Vegas...




We had to spend the night again in Vegas and head south towards I-40 in the morning. The decision had been made to stop at the Hoover dam on the way.

[lokirx706]

Then we hopped on I-40 to Flagstaff and headed north on 89, taking back roads all the way up to I-70.

Sunset crater volcano park in Arizona.





Then driving through the Navajo Nation, and the painted desert.









Then onto Monument Valley in Utah.

[lokirx706]

We would drive on to Moab, I-70, and Colorado in the dark. We would stop outside Grand Junction, CO and spend the night in the Miata. Terrible, terrible idea... We awoke to the Rocky Mountains.













After which we would pass through Kansas and the Great Plains.



After this we headed into Missouri, stopping for the evening and continued on home. The trip was amazing, beyond what I had even hoped for. I got to see the country, top down from Ohio to California. Yes, even in the desert! The Miata ran like a top other than some minor issues with the exhaust getting loose, which was remedied in California. I cruised Hollywood Boulevard, the Sunset strip, and Beverly Hills. Getting stuck at lights beside Ferraris and Bentleys while passersby snapped photos of the 'racecar' in downtown L.A. Then being part of the launch of the new Miata, a Miata world record, and lapping a track I had raced a thousand miles on virtually. My Miata drove in the heat of the desert, climbed mountains, raced with many other fellow roadsters, and kept chugging along. Seeing the country in such a simple fun little car with no roof, was the best decision I could have made. Driving there in a pack of Miatas felt like a rag-tag Top Gear beater car challenge, it was a blast. Id love to do it again someday!

[—tsingson—]

That flyby on camera was hilarious.

[lokirx706]

I forgot to narrate that moment,

Me- "Look! A news report, Im gonna haul ass past them!"

Amanda - "They'll just edit it out!"

Me "Not if its live!!!" *Drops into second gear*

[—tsingson—]

It sure was live.

[—atank—]

What a great East to West then back again adventure, I know you had a blast!!!!!!

[—Martin—]

Looks and sounds like you had an awesome trip - congrats!

[reiernumans]

That trip sounds amazing!