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ultimateforce posted:To a life-long Floridian, that scale is a 10 out of 10 on the Ulimateforce rust scale. That's a Sockington Scale. You're only a measurement for TIG-quality and DMD/Trailmix-consummation. Oh, forgot the Lime-green-scale, the Horrible-teeth-scale and the Bad-decisions-that'll-probably-kill-you-scale. You've got your own scales. Stay away from the Sockington Scale. That car is only about 2.7 on the Open Socking Scale (OSS) ranging from -10 for a totally new car and ending at infinite Sockington Points(R) for what he usually wrench.
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Dec 8, 2012 16:42
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Sir Cornelius posted:You're only a measurement for TIG-quality and DMD/Trailmix-consummation.
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Dec 8, 2012 17:34
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InitialDave posted:Note to self: Don't share UF's trailmix unless it's a sealed pack. ..you don't like nuts?
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Dec 8, 2012 17:39
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iv46vi posted:It's just surface rust, probably from sitting in the barn for a while. Would also explain the smell in the interior whenever you put the roof up. That "ain't no new car and may be an antique" smell that mostly went away after some scrubbing and washing of the soft top. Dude, you paid 250 dollars for a 2500 dollar suspension system. Don't buy coffee for a week or something. 50 dollars is like nothing.
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Dec 9, 2012 21:41
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Small details give character. Only one key came with a car. Good thing I quickly found out where the second key went or what's left of it in the armrest lock:  Car came with two radios, neither worked. Disassemble dash to take a look. The original mazda one is disconnected, original harness missing in action. It's been hacked off for this wonder of audio install:   Good news was the blown fuse inside this holder, replaced it to get sound:  In cabin fuse panel has something that doesn't look quite right:   I don't know where the wires connect from there, one day I'll pull them out and see what goes. Driver's seat is leather, so bolster is obviously gone:  Not a problem, inherited some quality ikea lambskin, +2 style points:  Passenger seat is slashed, the solution is obvious:   Notice the stylish mats and original cupholder generously recycled from a junkyard 91 for free. Other PO's improvements include this battery "for more CCAs":  The only thing left over from the original mounting hardware is the breather tube. The positive wire was too large for the terminal and could loose connection when the battery shifted inside the trunk. I discovered that on the first trip home from buying the car when large amount of surging like when you're trying to learn to drive manual would lead to a dead car in the middle of the road. I'm pretty good at smooth starts after that. The car also has a power antenna. I can hear the antenna motor power up and down when I turn the radio on. I thought the plastic gear was broken until closer look at the mast:  Yeap, it's a piece of metal rod:  And it's secured too:  The engine looks pretty good for a 20 year old $500 car:  Naturally, the radiator should be black and not brown, but the insides were clean:  The little thermo switch in the top rad housing was toast and made the fan run continuously with the key in ignition. Replaced that and now have a proper temperature dependant auxiliary fan. I took the front of the engine apart one day to check the timing belt. It looked pretty fresh and the rest of the belts are new, so chances are the work was done not too long ago. I have a spare belt and water pump with all the fixings sitting at home for when I'm ready to tackle that job. Broke the PS tensioner bolt which was seized inside the metal bit. Torch and wise grips plus a new bolt:  The alternator was replaced by PO without a tensioner, need to find one somewhere:   The AC was recharged with something or other, it doesn't work anyways:  The AC fuse was blown and new one blows instantly even without key in the car. Probably a short somewhere, but I don't know enough to figure this one out. One of my own big personal gently caress ups was trying to tighten down the valve cover bolts with a Harbor Freight torque wrench. I thought it was just a hell of a kick when it reached the torque setting, but no, it was snapping bolts in half all along. I got to bolt #5 before figuring that out. The original bolts have a little shoulder portion on the bottom, the nuts under this temporary bolts are there to compensate for that:   I'm proud to have the original unbroken dipstick handle, those are pretty rare. The dipstick is one of the most difficult to read things ever, but at least it indicates that there is oil in the system. Oil pressure on the dash helps with that although I have no idea what the proper operating pressure range is supposed to be. I also suspect that the scraping exhaust problem is compounded by the PO's love for clamps as replacement hangers:  The original hangers are rusted off naturally.
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Dec 14, 2012 20:38
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iv46vi posted:Other PO's improvements include this battery "for more CCAs": Obviously it doesn't fit.....but that's actually an expensive battery with a long warranty on it. Most joe garage fuckers don't buy the Professional series ones and they aren't usually sold at lovely chain stores, so that probably came from a service station (in something else, obviously). Or NAPA.
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Dec 14, 2012 21:05
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850 CCA battery in a Miata? 
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Dec 14, 2012 23:31
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stevobob posted:850 CCA battery in a Miata? I stuck a 9v in a stomper once using twist ties. I can't imagine it being all that different. [E: Evidently sarcasm was missed. Yes, it actually worked and didn't burn up. Yes, I know amps vs voltage. Thanks for the messages.] Viggen fucked around with this message at 00:00 on Dec 16, 2012 |
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Dec 14, 2012 23:39
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stevobob posted:850 CCA battery in a Miata? Stop thinking of it as a "starter" and think of it as "impulse drive."
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Dec 15, 2012 03:08
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iv46vi posted:Small details give character.
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Dec 15, 2012 18:49
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einTier posted:Actually, the problem is more likely that the torque setting is usually given in inch-pounds, not foot-pounds. You should be torquing to 43-78 inch pounds or 3.5-6.5 foot pounds. I suspect your HF torque wrench can't even measure that small. The 1/4" drive HF wrench is measured in in-lb. The 3/8" and 1/2" are in ft-lb. I have one of each 
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Dec 15, 2012 19:04
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Still driving. Scored some Michelin winter tires on steelies. New, never used, bought for someone's miata and just sat in storage for a few years. Total cost $50. Still scrapping the speed bumps. Called Bilstein, was told to just get a hook spanner from a tool store and use that. Will do during spring tire changeover. Spring is coming.
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Mar 7, 2013 19:35
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Swapped the lovely old CD player to good old oem tape deck. Had to find a matching harness in the junk yard since PO cut the old one off. The one I got doesn't have a power antenna pin, I'll have to figure out how to add one and then replace the metal rod of the antenna with a collapsable mast. Also replaced the shifter boot with a homemade arts and crafts version made of vinyl, key ring and hot glue. Total cost, $2 for half a yard of vinyl.  Finally took the remains of a key from the console hand rest lock, yay.
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Mar 31, 2013 19:25
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After driving it for 9 month, I've got a better idea of what kind of Miata to look for: - pop-up lights - black cloth interior - non black paint - minimum power options - later model for added power, stiffness, security options Worst time to buy a convertible is spring so lets do that. Introducing Canadian only Miata Speedster edition: 1997 model unique Green Mica paint only, like BRG with gold flake cloth interior only wooden gear shift and handbrake handles manual windows, mirrors, no cruise, no ac power steering Torsen differential rear spoiler 15" Enkei rims from 96 M edition leftovers There were about 160 of these cars sold in 97.    The bad includes 125k miles, rusty rockers, worn drivers seat. Also came with a color matched hardtop that PO managed to lose on the road so it's cracked scratched and missing one of the franken bolt brackets. A part of the problem was missing side latch brackets, found them in the jack well in the trunk uninstalled. The top from the black car is better in that it also has headliner and defrost, so I'll respray it to match the car. The green top will be sold with the black car. Interesting aftermarket bits on this car discovered do far include Borla muffler, some sort of aftermarket whale teeth grill, and alpine security system. For now the plan is to swap shocks between black and green, sell the black, fix the rockers on the green, get it inspected then registered and transfer the plates over. After catch up on maintenance including timing belt. But for now look at that paint 
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Apr 23, 2013 03:53
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Weird. It's like a bastardized version of the 97 M Edition we got in the states. http://www.miata.net/faq/mfield.html (at the bottom)
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Apr 23, 2013 04:34
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We prefer to think of it as no silly frills, back to the important basics of roadster package thank you very much. Supposedly Speedster also has the sport suspension so it's kind of a mix between R and M editions. I don't know how to spot the sport changes to confirm it.
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Apr 23, 2013 12:17
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Bilstein compatible C spanner. $25.
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Apr 23, 2013 12:46
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iv46vi posted:After driving it for 9 month, I've got a better idea of what kind of Miata to look for: Wow, is that bass boat paint?
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Apr 23, 2013 15:33
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Devyl posted:Bilstein compatible C spanner. $25. Thank you for the link. I do have a spanner now, actually two since the first one went out of commission when the coil over adjusters refused to budge and the replacement spanner is in the mail. Is bass boat good or ironically good? I can't tell sarcasm on the internets anymore.
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Apr 23, 2013 17:47
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Believe it or not that's actually the factory paint. I was surprised when I went to the US and found BRG Miatas that didn't look like a stripper exploded inside a Jugo Juice.
Seat Safety Switch fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 23, 2013 18:07
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iv46vi posted:Is bass boat good or ironically good? It absolutely is.
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Apr 23, 2013 21:36
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EVERYWHERE 
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BRG was available in Canada from 94 to 97 and was the most popular colour for that period. The green mica is limited to 97 M edition and this one. We didn't get R or M editions in Canada. You could get all the options but it wouldn't have any special designation. Majority of Miatas sold in Canada are 1.6 in red. A lot more cars come with hardtops. The speedster is the only special edition NA Miata available for sale in Canada. Mine doesn't even have the super awesome stickers on fender and trunk lip: 
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Apr 23, 2013 21:46
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iv46vi posted:Supposedly Speedster also has the sport suspension so it's kind of a mix between R and M editions. I don't know how to spot the sport changes to confirm it. I'm inclined to believe that this is incorrect. Same suspension as all the other non-R NA Miatas. Ask me how I know.  
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Apr 24, 2013 04:03
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Ziploc posted:I'm inclined to believe that this is incorrect. Same suspension as all the other non-R NA Miatas. Probably, any actual info on the Speedster is pretty sparse. Also 
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Apr 24, 2013 04:50
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https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=4tdk7kmot8thvipioaon4cr4l4%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Toronto I expect to see you at some of these. 
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Apr 24, 2013 12:35
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That driving clinic this weekend sounds interesting. Any personal experience with one of those? Too bad the green one won't get safety until next week and the black one's clutch is starting to slip.
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Apr 24, 2013 15:34
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A bit more expensive than a normal slalom event. But you get more seat time and instruction from what I've heard. They are all different. I haven't been to that one yet. How local to them are you?
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Apr 24, 2013 16:40
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Or come race Picton/Ottawa with me, if that's any closer.
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Apr 24, 2013 17:36
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I'm pretty much in the dead centre of GTA at the intersection of 401 and Allen road in Toronto. But I do love a good excuse for a drive. Got a quote to fix the rockers 200 and to respray the black top to green mica, another 200.
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Apr 24, 2013 18:28
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I won't be at the CASC school. I'll be at some of the CASC regionals and pretty much every PITL event. (You should come to a PITL event. At least specatate one)
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Apr 24, 2013 22:04
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Throwing another vote out there for the PITL events. Huge miata turnout, and its a great group to run with. Ill be at the May 11th event!
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Apr 24, 2013 22:18
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Found a bunch of more appropriate looking spacers for the valve cover bolts on 92: Junk yards in the area don't seem to stock much of early nineties anymore, really wish I could find matching silver bolts.
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Apr 25, 2013 19:59
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Black 92 with green hardtop sold in 3 days. Overall it was not as nerve wracking as I feared. Got 2500 for it. Original purchase price is 1500 plus about 400 in maintenance. Keeping the car cover and better hard top from it. Also swapped in the original shocks and springs to keep the PSS9 as an option for the 97. The lesson here is to buy Miatas in the fall and sell them in the spring. Now I can transfer insurance and plates over to the 97 just in time for good weather. There was a couple of striker plates in the jack compartment of the 97. One right side and one left top. Top one will not work on the side unfortunately. Need to find defroster dash switch, left side striker and drivers seat bottom cover. Probably should take apart PSS9 and clean them properly to finally free the adjustable collar nuts.
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Apr 30, 2013 03:38
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Great part of gently used car ownership is improving POs additions. Occasionally the alarm system would act up. Out it goes. Well, hello there quality installation job:  Main module was held to the steering shaft by two zip ties:  Pulling on the wire bundle pretty much auto disconnects tape splices, more wire bundles start falling down:  Thank god all the splices are wrap and tape:  Radar module hides under central console, with "to the front" arrow obviously pointing to the back and the "has to be less than 6 inches " ground wire going all the way back to the drivers dash:  At least the relay wired in as a starter interlock is connected with butt splices:  Suspicious amount of tape on the ignition harness connector has a simple explanation, the female side is destroyed:  Leaving the relay attached for now, it's NC, and should not interfere with ignition when depowered:  For puzzle lovers we have 3 wires going through the firewall to the engine bay:  Blue is alarm:  Red brings 12V source to the cabin:   Green sneaks under the drivers headlight and out of sight, gonna trace it later. On the dash side it was connected to a homemade switch. Mystery.
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May 8, 2013 20:47
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I look forward to the inevitable Miata thread bathroom scale shot where you try to figure out how much weight that alarm system just saved.
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May 8, 2013 20:57
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Do I spy speaker wire in the first few shots? Always a staple of the PO hackjob.
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May 8, 2013 21:44
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Yes, there's speaker wire going from alarm lock controls into the doors. Need to pop the door panels and see what is going on there.
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May 8, 2013 22:59
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iv46vi posted:Yes, there's speaker wire going from alarm lock controls into the doors. Need to pop the door panels and see what is going on there. Get ready for  when you do
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May 8, 2013 23:07
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There is also speaker wire under the sills and behind the back carpet. One of these weekends I will take the carpeting out and trace/rip most of that.
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May 8, 2013 23:19
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Just read this thread; cool projects. I can't believe that you got that suspension so inexpensively. One of my little brothers is a total Miata homer and when I showed him your post he freaked. He said that they were worth what your first car cost you which was pretty funny.
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May 8, 2013 23:36
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