[GreaseMonkey2000]

Appreciate it Dedin!



07-04-15: My wife and i made our way up to Rockwall, Tx for a photoshoot courtesy of Todd aka MC70. First we swapped keys and took each others roadsters for a spin, it was fun to watch Todd push Warbird thru the corners. I also enjoyed driving Chaste, Todd's miata, which is meant to be more of a 'grand touring' car but i liked the little extra power and sound thanks to the Racing Beat non resonated midpipe, Racing Beat Powerpulse muffler, TDR 'cold' air intake and 14* timing advance.

Todd then let me try out a hardtop which i didn't get much time with it but i could tell the difference for sure in the short distance i drove with it on. Couple pics with his hardtop on Warbird:




Then we gave Warbird a good, much needed, wash before going and grabbing some lunch and scoping out possible locations for the photoshoot. Todd then let me 'take a load off' on his couch and Todd 'sneaked off' and went to work with a orbital buffer and McGuire's show glaze. Next thing I know Todd says he was ready to go take some pics of Warbird and wouldn't you know Warbird was looking better than ever because i had only hand polished it. Here are pics from said photoshoot:


This is one of, if not the, favorite pic taken!

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

07-04-15:cont'd

 

[revlimiter]

WOW. Fantastic photos!!!

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

07-04-15:cont'd

 

[99blkx]

You really enjoy venting things, lol...

Car is looking great. I'm still not 110% sold on the lights. Perhaps I'm a purist schmuck or I just drive a red car where some shiny red tails really look at home. I've also looked at these pics about 400 times now because I have the same offset wheels and the same tires inbound... yum!

 

[etikoner]

Wow, I didn't imagine your car being this cool.
Loving the tail lights on there. Also seconding Revs comments, pictures are sweet!

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

WOW. Fantastic photos!!!

Appreciate it Adam! Thanks to Todd aka MC70! :icon_cheers:

You really enjoy venting things, lol...

Car is looking great. I'm still not 110% sold on the lights. Perhaps I'm a purist schmuck or I just drive a red car where some shiny red tails really look at home. I've also looked at these pics about 400 times now because I have the same offset wheels and the same tires inbound... yum!

Thanks James! The lights are bold but it is my understanding, don't qoute me, that the panel will have the option of being bought w/o lights for those that wish to source their own.

Wow, I didn't imagine your car being this cool.
Loving the tail lights on there. Also seconding Revs comments, pictures are sweet!

Thanks Erick! Great pics makes a huge difference, obviously!


I really appreciate all the feedback and support! :icon_cheers:

 

[atxsbigwalt]

nice, good to see you finally got the rear end you wanted.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

Thanks atxsbigwalt! :icon_cheers: I have been wanting this since it's conception and it's great when things work out like we envision them, that certainly hasn't always been the case but that's life! Wish i had decent enough camera to deliver even half the quality Todd did but....good cameras aren't cheap! It is on 'the list'.

 

[HarryB]

That's so freakin' sexy!

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

Appreciate it HarryB! :icon_cheers:

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

07-17-15:Here are a few videos to see the led taillights, from the Carbon Miata taillight panel, in action:

 

[paulgt2164]

Everything about this is awesome. Easily one of the top builds on this site.

 

[wesajokin]

I cried a little when i reached the end i want moar of this miata love the build man its insanely unique and cool for sure.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

Everything about this is awesome. Easily one of the top builds on this site.

How does one even respond to such a compliment? :dunno: Thank you very much for the kind words, Paul!! :icon_cheers:

Now that i have the Carbon Miata taillight panel, im content with the aesthetics and am very happy with my suspension, although i still have to get a roll bar and door bars, but as i said before the power is just barely enough to keep me from wanting to sell it. :suicide:

I'm confident however that installing the ms3 basic, Tomei cams, Racing Beat dual outlet muffler and once i get a Racing Beat resonated midpipe and a aftermarket header installed that the 140+whp, that i hope to get close to, will keep me satisfied until i figure out induction path which I'm still leaning towards a humble m45 setup. Although irtbs is still on my mind....

I cried a little when i reached the end i want moar of this miata love the build man its insanely unique and cool for sure.

Thanks wesajokin! I very much appreciate the compliment and am glad you enjoyed the build thus far! :icon_cheers:

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

07-20-15: Mileage: 105,420- I had bought some used front hubs from Tom at The Parts Group since i had concluded that my front passenger side one was failing and making noise when make sharp left hand turns. Against Tom's sound advice of just putting the low mileage(52k miles) hubs on, i decided to repack them like i had previously but this time 'armed' with more knowledge thanks to this how to on repacking a front wheel hub: http://www.miataturbo.net/suspension-brakes-drivetrain-49/how-repack-front-hub-75372/

Here is one disassembled:



Here is the same one cleaned and ready for Lucas Red and Tacky high temp grease:



Here it is repacked with grease and the races about to be reinstalled:



Here is one with the ARP extended wheel studs, installed:



Here is the original(?) front wheel hub that i had previously repacked with what appears to be some abnormal wear(?) on the inner race(one inner most to the car):



Unfortunately the noise persisted even after this 'repair'.....so was it for naught or is the noise coming from something else?? I am not sure at this point honestly.

I also had purchased some 5 led amber and red 194 bulbs for the front and rear sidemarker lights that i installed and are much brighter than the incandescent bulbs they replaced, sorry no pics. I also bought some led bulbs for the license plate lights but they would not work and Superbrightleds.com says i need a resistor to get them to work.....

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

07-24-15: I also purchased some red led 3mm bulbs(NE03 bulb) from superbrightleds.com to replace the bulb in the S2000 push button start, thanks to pacman 99 for this tid bit of information!


Superbrightleds.com NE03 3mm red led vs oem S2000 push button start bulb:



Before w/ oem bulb:



After w/ superbrightleds.com NE03 3mm red led:



Definitely brighter but in the pics doesn't look as red but definitely more of a red color with the led bulb. Also the head of the led bulb is larger and can be difficult to get into the hole. I decided i would take the S2000 push button apart to make it easier. Well i end up breaking a little plastic part when reassembling making the button inoperative.....yay so don't do that. Guess i will be buying another S2000 push button start.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

07-27-15: When i did the front hubs i noticed that the tie rod ends were rubbing against the Singular Motorsports 2.5" brake ducts and was now thinking that MAYBE the noise was coming from the tie rod pushing against the brake duct which i thought was possibly touching the back of the brake rotor. I had contacted ThePass aka Ryan about the issue and he said that the brake duct is made to clear the tie rod and brake rotor with mm's of clearance and if contact was happening the duct must have been bent. Well good call sir!

You can see that there is a bend that the brake duct is made to have but then another that i must have done...for what reason i cannot recall...silly me.


Where it wore thru:



So i went ahead and just cut off those corners(had a pic but accidentally deleted) since they were damaged anyways and was HOPING this would cure the noise when cornering but alas it did not. What are the chances that i messed up repacking two sets of hubs? Apparently a rather high probability.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

07-30-15: Received a barely used(approx. 2k miles) Flyin Miata 10.3lb flywheel from Pat aka patsmx5, so thanks again!



This will compliment my used(approx. 2k-3k miles) Spec Stage III 6 puck clutch rated for 320ft/lbs torque that i picked up from Tom at The Parts Group almost two years ago.





Still need to get a catalytic converter, header(probably Raceland for hotside supercharger compatibility), Racing Beat resonated midpipe(let me know if you have one you want to get rid of) and various applicable seals. Then i can install the Spec Stage III clutch, Flyin Miata 10.3 lb flywheel, header, Mazda comp motor mounts, cat, RB midpipe and Racing Beat dual outlet muffler.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

08-20-15:Picked up a used (approx. 7 mikes) Raceland header from Top_Gear, thanks Zachary! I will clean up, spray it with high temp paint, wrap it with DEI header wrap and top it off with a Track Dog Racing header blanket.




Now just to get a new catalytic converter and Racing Beat resonated mid pipe so I can put a bunch of parts on!