My SM Build Log

I have already started to gather parts and take the car apart to start putting her back together but I figured I would start a log of my build as I go.

I bought the car for $500 with no cyl head, no driver's fender, no head lights, no radiator, and a bent hood that came off another car the guy had laying around. The interoir was pretty ragged out but who cars about that. I needed to gather up the missing body parts. The rear body panel was busted up but what Miata doesnt need a new one? But over all, its was pretty clean and straight.

The guy I bought it from bought it for $1000 to take body parts off of to fix his own Miata. The car was only missing the head and related items including the full exhaust. Someone had some mods done to it, and stripped it down when something went wrong with the head and they descided to not put it back together. So, this other guy buys it and removes the body parts and radiator mentioned above to fix his car. He then lists it on craigslist where I buy it $500.

So far, I have all the body parts needed except the hood, and the rear panel. I have bought a complete engine that needs rebuild, and I have picked up things like a gasket kit, water pump, timing belt kit, tow hooks, nice racing steering wheel with quick release hub, a car cover, a clutch disk, the must have crank pully tool, and a handfull of other things. I also drove down to Houston to pick up a cage that had been removed from a wrecked SM car for only $250.

As you can tell in the picks I have began to tear it down to nothing soI can weld in the cage, make any other chassis and body changes that are needed, and then paint everything inside and out. I will then begint o put her back together. I will keep you all posted as I progress.

If anybody has any pointers as I go along this long path please feel free to speak up. I welcome it with open arms. I want to make sure i am doing everything by the book of course and have the Class Specifications printed out and refer to it any time I question what I am doing or buying.

Enjoy,

Justin's Spec Miata Photo Album

YOU SUCK on that cage. ;)

I paid through the nose to get a custom one welded in. Cost me 2x what the car cost.

If you want to trade work back & forth, I'll help you with your car. I need to paint the interior/cage and get the holes in the rear deck cut for the cage then seal all the little holes in that deck.

After that it's off to get the exhaust installed. The car will be drivable at that point but I still need the suspension kit.

RJ

Quote:

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Originally Posted by channelmaniac

YOU SUCK on that cage. ;)

I paid through the nose to get a custom one welded in. Cost me 2x what the car cost.

If you want to trade work back & forth, I'll help you with your car. I need to paint the interior/cage and get the holes in the rear deck cut for the cage then seal all the little holes in that deck.

After that it's off to get the exhaust installed. The car will be drivable at that point but I still need the suspension kit.

RJ

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Yeah, I had been searching craigslist, even in other cities, for Miata stuff and came across the cage. I called and closed the deal asap. They only thing it is missing is the rear bars which were cut off because the donor car had been rear ended and they could not get to the bottom of the down bars so they cut them off at the top. I figured I was going to spend $1000 on a kit and have to put it together myself or pay someone $2k+ to build one for me.

I plan on doing almost all the work myself, the welding, painting, engine build... butI could use an extra hand sometimes and some one who knows the ins and outs of SM cars will always be helpfull to make sure I am not leaving something off the car that tech will jump my ass about not having.

You, and anyone else really, are always more than welcome out at the shop. Time goes by better with buddies around.

I plan on having a big BBQ with all the car guys invited out sometime soon. It still too hot to do anything like that now though.

I'm curious as to how you will get that cage in the car without cutting it in half??????

I havent tried fitting it yet but it came out of the other car as it is.I figured that if I hold my mouth right it will fit.

Worse case, I will have to be smart about how I cut it and seperate it and weld it back together.

Did it have a windshield header, or was the rear clip removed? Those are the only two ways I can see it would fit.

check out the pics...

Justin's Spec Miata Photo Album

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MadMerv

Did it have a windshield header, or was the rear clip removed? Those are the only two ways I can see it would fit.

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I meant: Those are the only two ways I can see it could come out of the donor.

I am not sure. The car was gone already. I am sure I will be cutting the cage and rewelding it in order to get it in. I may loose 1/2-1" of length but it shouldnt be a problem. I will make it worka nd of course be with-in spec so it will pass inspection. Getting the cage in is the least of my worries.