[revlimiter]

So, I went from this 97:

to this 95:

when Sharka was destroyed on the freeway last November (2008). Probably everyone's heard my sad tale, but I thought I'd start out this rebuild thread with that info. I recently got the 97 completely stripped and out of my garage, so I can now focus all of my efforts on building the 95 up to what I had before and beyond. I post pix on my flickr site and long monologues in my blog, but I thought I'd start a thread here too. I've really appreciated everyone's support here after I lost Sharka and though the buying and parts-gathering process of the 95 build.

So here goes.

 

[motorvated]

Awesome man! i'll be following

 

[revlimiter]

Re: Sharka rebuild

I'm a few months behind at posting this thread, but I've really not done a whole lot to the 95 in this time. Most of it has been stripping the 97 down to the shell. I've got a few things to put in this post though.

If anyone really wants all the details of my 95 purchase in Ohio and my roadtrip back to NM, I think this blog link will work. It was a fun trip, but I'm not sure what part of my brain said "YEAH! Chicago in the winter! It'll be great!" At least I made it back in one piece.

First thing I did was swap out the awful stock sealed beam lights for my Moss lowpros. They weren't destroyed in my wreck. One housing was ever so slightly bent. I was able to bend it back into shape just with my hands. I lost one headlight lid, but my new car has 2 perfectly good ones, so I'm good there.

I had the HDHCDD in my 97. I think I put it in 2 months after buying the car. I never planned on wanting a hardtop or a glass rear window. I think 1 year later, I regretted that, lol. The Beatrush side latches take care of the hardtop, but I thought I'd always be stuck with a plastic back window.

Here's a new HDHCDDM2 bar ready to go in. Hard Dog gave me a hell of a deal on it after I posted my wreck story and basically thanked them for saving my life. I sold my original bar since it wasn't deformed at all, making the rollbar upgrade free to me. I've just gotta put it in.


One thing I spent some time on was the interior. I got most of the parts transferred into the new Sharka. I just need to do the S2000 start button and it'll be done. And some seats. And the rollbar. And probably other crap.

The one part I had to replace was the stereo head unit. The old one shot out of the DIN slot when I got hit and shattered on the shift knob. This new one is ok... it's not as user-friendly as my last JVC.

And that's about it! I'm planning to install my rollbar and frame rails this weekend. I'll update when I'm done.

 

[Vegard]

Will be following your thread!

It alreadly looks great. Also, great photos make it much more enjoyable!

Crazy Mary, is such a great song!

 

[the blue potato]

Re: Sharka rebuild

Less talk - more pics!

 

[NA3Turbo]

I'm really diggin that interior shot. Not a big fan of the chrome bits, but that looks clean and classy. Great job.

 

[KilletaH]

The last pic of the gauges and hu is clean! I can't wait to see more.

 

[revlimiter]

Re: Sharka rebuild

I put in my frame rails, rollbar, and exhaust this weekend. It was a good 2 days of car work. Good times.

FM has you take the fuel and brake lines away from the protection of the body and dangle them from a hole at the bottom of the frame rail (note the arrow). You angle it up and away from the ground, but the lowest line is actually even with the rail. One scrape and that line could be destroyed. I wasn't a fan of this, so I drilled an extra hole, shoved a bolt through it, and secured the lines back to the body where they belong.

The rear bolt holes come pretty darn close to the ECU.

How about that high-tech carpet-holding device? And 8 spiffy holes in the virgin body of my 95. :mrgreen:

The 95's carpet is AMAZING. I couldn't get a good shot of it with the hardtop on. Since I had the seats out, I took the opportunity.

HDHCDDM2 installed! And padded.

 

[revlimiter]

Re: Sharka rebuild

About 21 days ago, I put my TEIN HA shocks in a box and gave them to UPS in the hopes that they'd somehow get them to CA for a rebuild. I've never really been able to find a detailed documentation of the TEIN rebuild process, so I did one on my blog. Click on the links below to get to the 3 blog posts if you really want. It's pretty much the same stuff as I'm typing here.

Part 1:

I got the first email from TEIN 6 days after I dropped the shocks in the mail. This indicated the general health of the shocks and gave an estimate of what they thought they'd need to do to rebuild them. They show 2 bent shock shafts and some internal parts needed beyond the standard rebuild cost. I also sent them 2 bump stops (bump rubber in teinspeak) after finding them pretty much destroyed inside the boot.
So, $530-570 for the rebuild. I've always liked my HAs, so I didn't really want to spend new-suspension money. This came in right around what I'd hoped.

So I waited.

Part 2:

7 days later, I got the "We're done!" email from them. I had 3 options for payment and a slightly lower charge than they'd originally quoted. Not bad. Would have been $500 even if it wasn't for the new bumpstops. I payed with paypal and crossed my fingers. It's not that I don't trust UPS, it's just that.... I don't.


Part 3:

I came home to a nice big TEIN box tonight! I grabbed my camera so that I could share the extremely exciting unboxing.

The rears had protective bubble wrap around the threads and the shafts looked shinier than the fronts. I'm guessing that those were the bent shock shafts. Aside from a little scuffed paint from 60,000 miles of use, the shocks are now in new condition. I can hardly wait to put them in this weekend. I'm looking forward to getting rid of the squishy stock 95 suspension.

 

[revlimiter]

Re: Sharka rebuild - updated 3/24

I've got a couple things to update this thread with. I got my TEINs installed. The weather only forced me to wait a week. Stupid weather. Also, while doing the rear suspension, I managed to punch myself in the face with a crowbar. I barely missed my eye, but it was enough to make me not want to take photos and just get the job done. I really REALLY want a set of those dp6061 tophats, so I'll be taking the suspension all apart again soon anyway.

Long bolt method FTW!

and the celebratory road-test photo.

The car is sitting at 12" ride height all around, but that seems pretty high to me. I've been looking at that damn moderately slammed thread too much. I totally don't belong in there yet, but after the tophats, I should be able to get down that low.

Something else also came in the mail....

Probax!

Yes, my living room IS right hand drive! :lol:

 

[raen419]

Oh wow...those look familiar. hahaha
Nice pics Adam. Your camera makes them look a lot better than those crappy pics I posted on Lotustalk a while back.

Now....get them mounted! I demand it!

 

[slutz4]

cant go wrong with those seats and coilovers

 

[XCLR8TN]

Where'd ya get the Probax's? Lookin good!

 

[the blue potato]

Re: Sharka rebuild - updated 4/8

NIce!!! I am also looking to but a set of HA or Flex' soon for the tater. What top hats are you using again? Assuming you are not using the OEM top hats, etc.

 

[FooSchnickens]

Re: Sharka rebuild - updated 3/24

Long bolt method FTL!

Fix'd

Also, you suck alan for not even thinking of me when you sold your seats :lol:

 

[revlimiter]

Re: Sharka rebuild - updated 4/8

Oh wow...those look familiar. hahaha
Nice pics Adam. Your camera makes them look a lot better than those crappy pics I posted on Lotustalk a while back.

Now....get them mounted! I demand it!

I've got the metal to make some mounts, this thick aluminum plate I used to make a supercharger pulley bracket. I just need to buy a new jigsaw since my old and busted one is old and busted. They will be mounted, and soon!

Where'd ya get the Probax's? Lookin good!

I'll give you a hint, he's quoted right above you. I just lurked on Lotuschat until a good set came up. I was blown away to find out it was another CR member! I didn't realize Alan had the same username there as he did here when I sent the PM.

NIce!!! I am also looking to but a set of HA or Flex' soon for the tater. What top hats are you using again? Assuming you are not using the OEM top hats, etc.

I've got stock NB mounts in the front (ubercheap from Mazdacomp) and the TEIN pillowballs in the rear. Once I get the DP6061 tophats, I'll rotate my gold pillowballs to the front. That's the plan anyway.

 

[raen419]

Yeah, I had those seats for several months, and planned to put them in the Miata, but between school, work, and cleaning up and selling my other car (and the Miata, eventually) I just didn't have time for fab mounts for the Probax. So, to Lotustalk they went....and stayed on CR...lol.

Taylor, you should have lurked on Lotustalk more. hahahaha

 

[vvind]

are the probax comfy?
i hear they arent? im 6feet 180lb
and im deciding weather i should find myself a set of these probax.. they look prety good and i would sit alot lower and get much more room

or my other choice would be the sparco roadster also good for my size

 

[FooSchnickens]

Taylor, you should have lurked on Lotustalk more. hahahaha

The hell would I be doing on lotustalk.... Other than looking for seats. You know I live here, jerk. :lol:

 

[Phatmiata]

This is a great thread!!! Great work Adam!! Im glad you are getting this back in a flash!! Very inspiring!! =D>





Randy