Project Track Rat: 1990 Miata

[SlimKlim]

Well I'd always thought I'd drive the M3 through school, then delegate it to track usage and buy a better DD. Two problems with that plan, post college money doesn't grow on trees, and I really, really, really love my car. They always say if you can't crash it don't track it.

So I decide to start saving up for an NA otter because I like RWD, I like cheap things, and Jake has one, so its like living with a wiki that I don't have to read. I set aside $500 at the beginning of the month thinking If I do that 5 more times I'll have good miata money.

Well sumbitch if one of Jake's miata friends doesn't contact him asking if he knows of anyone that wants a project car, because he knows of an excellent candidate that he wants the hardtop off of, but doesn't really want to bother with the rest of the car.

So we struck a deal, it was a customer of this little shop, who this guy is friends with the son of the owner. The pressure plate collapsed on the clutch and the owner decided not to fix it, and wanted to get rid of it. So it trickles down to me and I agree to buy it and give the hardtop to the guy who hooked me up with it as a finder's fee. As opposed to him taking the first dibs on it, buying it for the top then parting/flipping or scrapping it.

Here are the good deets. Original owners, the last time it was titled was in '94 when I'm assuming they paid the car off. It has 54k miles, everything is original aside from the awful chrome wheels that are on the thing. Total price $500 dolla.

I picked up the title tonight, going back tomorrow to tow it home, probably gonna order a clutch from mazdaspeed this week.

[Goodspeed]

:thumbup:

Awesome! That is still a crazy steal - A $500 minor-project Miata is pretty much the best purchase you can make in a lifetime. Welcome to the stupid-grin-while-driving clan, post up if you two do a wrench day on it. How is the soft top?

I know its early, but any preliminary plans on track/ax mods? Besides roll bar of course (JAKE...)

[SlimKlim]

Thats my goal. Retro race car.

[V1GiLaNtE]

:thumbup:

[ScottyB]

deal of the century. nice!

[Jake]

Besides roll bar of course (JAKE...)

Working on it!!

And the soft top is good. It's original but in nice shape. The plastic window could use a good coat of PlastiX but it's fine otherwise.

The worry was if the top would keep most of the rain out, which it definitely will.


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[andrew_j]

That takes the cake. What a ridiculous deal. Very happy for you Joey, if you ever need or want a hand give me a call. I look forward to running with you on the track someday!

[D_Eclipse9916]

Awesome, waiting for pics of roll bar and car on track

[Scott]

Thats my goal. Retro race car.

For some reason your goal looks very familiar.......

[Goodspeed]

I was gonna say - Scott's is an example of a NA done right. So pretty....

[Ken]

Why own one MM cliche' car when you can own both?

lol i kid, it looks good and is definitely a steal. looking forward to this thread.

[SlimKlim]

Yeah I'm like MMs poster child. Stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason!

Hey Scott, what wheels are you running?

I've been looking at the panasports, chaparrals, konig rewinds and rota RBs.

I think I'm going to go for the rewinds. They're $94 each and are lighter than the chaps and RBs. The panas are just way to expensive. I'm thinking about going for the +20 offset. It looks like it'd sit wider without being a pain in the ass to fit. Any advice in that regard?

[CaptainHenreh]

I think I'm going to go for the rewinds. They're $94 each and are lighter than the chaps and RBs.

Your NASA membership (you ARE a NASA member, aren't you?) will net you a discount on the Konigs.

[Scott]

Hey Scott, what wheels are you running?

I've been looking at the panasports, chaparrals, konig rewinds and rota RBs.

I think I'm going to go for the rewinds. They're $94 each and are lighter than the chaps and RBs. The panas are just way to expensive. I'm thinking about going for the +20 offset. It looks like it'd sit wider without being a pain in the ass to fit. Any advice in that regard?

I've got Chaparral's (several sets actually) on the red car and I have RB's on the Spec Miata . +20 is too much offset IMO. I would stick with a +30. Anything more will rub, esp when you lower the car and put on real tires.

For what it's worth I never liked the Rewinds on a Miata. It looks like they tried to copy the Minilite/Panasports and couldn't really pull it all the way off, but to each his own.......

[SlimKlim]

I'll just go with the +40s then, I haven't seen any +30s. I've heard a lot of people comparing the Rotas and Chaparrals and Konigs but its really hard to see the difference when you haven't really looked for it in person. Know anyone with a set in that style that wants to sell em?

[Scott]

I'll just go with the +40s then, I haven't seen any +30s. I've heard a lot of people comparing the Rotas and Chaparrals and Konigs but its really hard to see the difference when you haven't really looked for it in person. Know anyone with a set in that style that wants to sell em?

Chaps are +38 and you can get the RB's in +35, +30 (and several others).

Midway down this page they show them all:
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?p=4878969

[SlimKlim]

Sweet, Maybe I'll go with the RBs in a +30.

[Scott]

Sweet, Maybe I'll go with the RBs in a +30.

Cheapest I have found is on Ebay. Let me know if you find any other deals...

[Jeff]

Wow. That was a steal of a deal.

[SlimKlim]

Yesterday I ordered a complete clutch kit (Clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, pilot bearing and alignment tool), a rear main seal, tranny cover gasket, front tranny oil seal, rear tranny oil seal, and two exhaust gaskets for $146 with shipping.

I also ordered an impact wrench, swivel adapters, 1/2" extentions, and a seal puller. Time to tear this little thing apart.