Project 10AE Miata

[fiveoh2go]

Picture no work

It does for me

[JPolen01]

Picture no work

It does for me

Now it works for me :dunno:

[SlimKlim]

Picture no work

It does for me

Now it works for me :dunno:

[Jake]

Lookin' good with that center console. Except now (from the photo anyway) your radio surround is a lighter shade of black than the console

[Goodspeed]

Lookin' good with that center console. Except now (from the photo anyway) your radio surround is a lighter shade of black than the console

The pic brings it out, but its definitely not as noticeable in person. I think whoever owned the car this console came from kept their arm on it at all times b/c there were some bad wear spots, definitely had to bring it back with the paint. It came out so well, if I get bored I might have to do the rest of the interior :lol:

[Jake]

Ah yep, my console has an elbow mark from where my right arm sits. Right next to the window switches. I kinda like the patina, since I've had the car for ~4 years and it's not nearly as clean/pristine as yours, it's ok by me.

Props for doing it right though.

[Evan]

while you are working on the interior, make sure to replace the airbag switch with the JDM storage pocket. perfect cellphone holder

[Goodspeed]

Looks like my last post in here was wiped out during the forumpocalypse, so I'll give a quick refresher before the latest:

I did a very wet weekend at VIR last March




and a hyperdrive on Jefferson @ Hyperfest




as well as a few ax's








I also installed a new system to replace the generally-decrepit stock Bose equipment - JVC KDX40 h/u, Scosche amp adapter to the factory Bose amp, and Clearwater door speakers/tweeters, as well as a Shark II antenna to replace the dopey stock mast.





I also did a neat little mod that I read about on a small forum (MX5Atlanta, small but very active community), which is to replace the "eyeball" vents in the dash with modified vents from a 3rd-gen Eclipse. A little hacksawing here and there and they pop right in, and actually flow air where you want it. Also installed was a JDM console pocket that Evan referenced, seen in the pic. Gives some much-needed extra storage.

Before:



After:



And finally, I had a FM Stg. 1 clutch and 10lb flywheel installed, 10 miles before 100k on the ODO (a little birthday gift I guess). I had no idea when it had last been changed (post-op evidence showed it was due for a replacement) and this is the first step for possible future boosted funsies.





Which basically brings us up to today. I'm back in school now so I likely won't have any super awesome updates for a while, but I'll try to at least do an ax or two this season and generally putter around in it when the weather is nice. I've just started to dig it out of a 5-month hibernation so I'm doing some fluid changes and other little projects.

Speaking of...Fuuuuuuuu



This is (whats left of) the battery-tie-down bolt in the trunk. Its yet another common broken-bolt problem on the Miata, and this happened when I was pulling the battery for storage...a little resistance and *plink*. Can anyone help me get this sucker out of there? I've been hitting it with some Kroil in preparation but I don't have any of those broken-bolt remover tools, and (I know, man card revoking territory) I don't have my own drill ATM. If you're in the NOVA area and wouldn't mind lending a hand, I'd be forever indebted. :thumbup:

[Kaan]

Do I need to mail you tools?

[Jake]

Come to our place this weekend, or after karting or something. We might have something to help you out.

[FlaakCM]

Come to our place this weekend, or after karting or something. We might have something to help you out.

If that's the case, maybe ill bring over the Subaru and we can do an maintenance day

[Jake]

Come to our place this weekend, or after karting or something. We might have something to help you out.

If that's the case, maybe ill bring over the Subaru and we can do an maintenance day

I mean, I don't have any plans on Sunday. It's St. Patrick's Day though, so somebody should bring some green beer over. :thumbup:

[FlaakCM]

Im good with that. do you guys have the more random tools for installing springs and struts?

[JPolen01]

Im good with that. do you guys have the more random tools for installing springs and struts?

Someone around here has a spring compressor but if not you can rent one at autozone.

[SlimKlim]

We don't have a spring compressor I dont think, but like John said, you can rent 'em from autozone. We have pretty much every other tool you might need though.

[Jake]

We don't have a spring compressor I dont think, but like John said, you can rent 'em from autozone. We have pretty much every other tool you might need though.

Yeah, you will need to get your own spring compressor. AutoZone is right down Route 29 and has them for rent. I'll make sure to have my impact charged (makes blasting that top nut off of the shock really quick) and we'll clear the battleships out of the garage that morning.

[FlaakCM]

Sweet. I actually think i have a autozone spring compressor in my garage somewhere. I'll try to find it tonight.

[Goodspeed]

Do I need to mail you tools?

lol, shameful I know. I have managed to acquire some interesting (to me, at least) tools over the past couple of years, but somehow I left out the drill. I just used my dad's but I'm not sure where it is ATM.

Come to our place this weekend, or after karting or something. We might have something to help you out.

Thanks for the offer, doubtful I'll have the car back together by this weekend but I'm in no rush (just want it back on the road by the car show, really), either way I'll contact you. It may be raining this weekend FYI if you guys are planning on wrenching :?

[Jake]

doubtful I'll have the car back together by this weekend but I'm in no rush (just want it back on the road by the car show, really), either way I'll contact you. It may be raining this weekend FYI if you guys are planning on wrenching :?

No worries. We do have a corded and cordless drill if you need to borrow one.

And yes, it may rain, but if it's raining inside our garage then I think we'd have bigger problems We've moved to a townhouse, no more apartment wrenching.

[Goodspeed]

ITS ALIIIIVEEEEE



I drove it around a bit on the stock wheels, but with the temps properly spring-like I mounted the 6ULs back on. That seems to be my sign of spring, like baseball opening-day - when these emerge from the basement and find their way back on the car.

Keen readers will remember my desire to rid the car of amber-lense disease (I don't know why, I just kind of hate them, on every car) that I partially undertook by replacing the stock '99 "fried egg" taillights with updated '01+ units, as seen above.

Well, I finally ticked off the second half of that project, and the part that I had really been wanting to do for ages. The lights at the front of the car were always a bit too wine & cheese looking for my taste (plus, AMBER), so I broke down and got to work. I took apart the headlight housings, removed the chrome partition and hit them with Duplicolor Metalcast gunmetal gray. The turn signals within the housings consisted of a clear bulb surrounded by this massive amber cup, so I ditched those and simply replaced the bulbs with amber equivalents.

Once I got them back in the car, I realized the amber turn lenses also had to go, so I got some smoked ones off of eBay. I then hit the lenses with a Mother's Powerball kit.

Before:



After:





A little less



and a little more



I'm pleased. Come say hi at the show!