My new 91 Miata "Grand Sport" build...

I went by Texas Motor Speedway today and watch some SCCA autocross action. I got a chance to meet a few local miata guys and even got a ride along with POS while I was there. Good times. Meanwhile, my car was making friends out in the parking lot!

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_0553.jpg


After cruising around with the top down, I decided that I need a radio installed in the car. So I used a canopy to hide from the sun and stick in a little Alpine CD w/ iPod controls.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_0560.jpg

I went by my buddy's Sign shop in Haslet called Graph-Tech and he added some fender hash marks for me to add to the Grand Sport look! He is going to make me some cool new graphics for the car soon enough.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_0561.jpg

We've painted a bunch of miata's but this one has to be the cleanest/coolest one so far! Okay Greg, you really need those wheels painted asap.

The wheels should be painted tomorrow when we paint a big black Silverado. hehe

Today I bought a new coolant fan switch and I have a happily working cooling fan now. Yeah! lol

Greg

there are at least two white 92s that need new paint

can we work something out over the off season? Nov thru Feb

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Originally Posted by nealb

Greg

there are at least two white 92s that need new paint

can we work something out over the off season? Nov thru Feb

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Yeah, no problem. You see what I do to white Miatas... they come out looking blue and white! lol

I got more missing pieces and my license plates to my car today special delivery from Bob Palmer from Meadow Lake Enterprises. Its almost complete! Check him out at www.funcarsforsale.com I actually got my car when I told Mr Palmer I was looking for an inexpensive builder that needed paint and bodywork but was a mechanically sound car. Thats EXACTLY what I got! AWESOME!


Today my wheels went missing and it turned into a "flyin miata" hehe

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_0570.jpg

When I tracked down my wheels I saw something different about them. Thats more of the Grand Sport look.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_0573.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_0578.jpg

I think its a passable mini-me of the GS.

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/image...t/012109_1.jpg

:clap: There's the applause emoticon! Much approved... :)

WOW!!!

Wow. Absolutely fantastic progress. I don't think I've ever seen a car transform so fast into something so beautiful.

Looks good! Can't wait to see it with some cone marks :D

Good to meet you Sunday.

Looks awesome! :clap:
Very unique.
It's just begging for an LS3 ;)

Figured Id test to see how sticky the tires were. hehe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTIgcybtknE

I took some pictures with a customer's 96 Grand Sport and my Jimmy. hehe

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_712.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_718.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_680.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_684.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_710.jpg

Nice!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nealb

Greg

there are at least two white 92s that need new paint

can we work something out over the off season? Nov thru Feb

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Yes, we do. Now if I can just find the pic of an original tripoint miata to get the blue & white paint scheme right....

You need the Chevrons on the Jimmy and the Miata needs more lower and fat 15" tires and wheels. Otherwise I like it!

Well, the Miata was running just fine and suddenly the starter went out. POW. I got a new starter added today and an oil change done. When the mechanic started to undo the oil drain plug, it fell out after one turn! It was stripped and butchered, looks like someone tried to use RTV silicone to hold it on. NICE. SO I had to fix that as well with a new oversize plug for now.

The mechanic was also nice enough to point out the left rear shock has leaked a bunch of fluid out and needs replacing. Is that an issue for the tech inspection to go autocross ??

Here is my drain plug
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_764.jpg

OK, I'll bite. Your work is very nice. I'd like to get a set of wheels painted. Can you help me out? PM sent.

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Originally Posted by GregW

The mechanic was also nice enough to point out the left rear shock has leaked a bunch of fluid out and needs replacing. Is that an issue for the tech inspection to go autocross ??

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That alone shouldn't fail an AX tech inspection.

Really? A shock that leaked wont pass tech? I dont mean its dripping, just has signs of fluid around it.

So I decided to fix my roof finally. I removed my soft top and brought it to a local upholstery shop who sewed the seams up and hopefully will make it last a bit longer for me without having to replace it yet.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1797.jpg

I have since gotten it mostly back on with some new Mazda Heaven supplied tension cables.

:rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sammm

That alone shouldn't fail an AX tech inspection.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by GregW

Really? A shock that leaked wont pass tech? I dont mean its dripping, just has signs of fluid around it.

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So last weekend I tried my 1st autocross with Equipe Rapide at Pennington Field in Bedford. It was an eye opening experience. I am NOT as good a driver as I thought I was and my car is in more need of help than I thought it was. lol I didnt get any DNFs and I didnt hit any cones!
Here are my times from the day. 1st run 54.036, 2nd run 51.054, 3rd run 52.059, 4th run 50.940. PAX runs 50.103 and 48.835.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_101_2559.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...Iphone-041.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture-818.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture-819.jpg

It was a blast! I cant wait till the next one!

As much fun as it is to drive over rail road tracks with blown out shocks, I decided its a bad idea for an autocross. I called up Bob Palmer at MeadowLake Enterprises and had some nice take off Bilsteins ready to get installed!

We installed the rears and it made a noticeable change in the cars rear suspension.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1866.jpg

My stock steering wheel is past worn out. The outside plastic and foam has separated from the inside metal and its not very precise at all. It actually is horrible to drive. I realized that I have a nice Grant Club Sport steering wheel that is brand new and never used sitting in my garage. I decided that I need it in my Miata more than my Jimmy will need it since the Jimmy doesn't even run right now. lol

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1842.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1873.jpg

I had to buy a new installation kit for the car. Since no one wants the liability of removing an airbag, I had to modify the kit to work with the car.
I couldnt install the mounting plate since the clock spring wires were in the way. That needed some notching.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1874.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1875.jpg

Then the cover gets mounted.
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1878.jpg

The new wheel is sweet and is much better than the 20 year old stock wheel.

The car needs graphics to really look the part of a race car. So I called up my buddy Terry at Graph-tech Auto Graphics and we got to work.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1879.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1880.jpg


We got some of them installed on the car!

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1881.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_1882.jpg

Lookin good! Now it just needs more lower and a nice set of 15x8 rims with suitably meaty boots... ;)

Any good pics of the new steering wheel?

I havent posted any updates recently because I havent been working on the car. Just working on improving my driving skills while autocrossing. I have done two Equipe Rapide events and two SCCA events in the last month and had a blast EVERY time! Im about the slowest car out there, but one of the best looking cars too! heh heh

A family photo taken a couple weeks ago.
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...104104-102.jpg

Pennington Field
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_101_2872.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_101_2865.jpg


Texas Motor Speedway roadcourse with SCCA
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_069.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_087.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_035.jpg

My church had a little car show during a mens conference. Had to represent with the Miata.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture_2720.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture_2710.jpg

A sneak peek at the new look for the car. heh heh

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_021.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture_022.jpg

After running the 5 year old, dry-rotted Nankang tires that came on the car when I bought it... I decided it was time for some real tires. I bought some Falken Azenis 615K tires. The are labeled as "Street Legal Motorsports and DOT Approved Track Competition Tire."
WOW!!! What a difference! It drives like a whole new car! I love these tires! Lesson to be learned. Don't be cheap when it comes to your tires! lol

Great Looking car!

Falkens are a gret improvement, just don't ever get a taste of Hoosiers. You'll never be the same again.

Keep up the great work.

Eric

The hardtop is underway...

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o.../jsw_photo.jpg

Slowing chugging along on the new hard top.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_2309.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_2314.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_2315.jpg

Great Build. Looks like a lot of fun

Loving your work. Are you going to replace the window?

Wow, coming along so fast! Impressive.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magma

Great Build. Looks like a lot of fun

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Yeah I like my little toy!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by black roadster

Loving your work. Are you going to replace the window?

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The glass man should be here tomorrow to replace the rear glass.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CHeavin_2006

Wow, coming along so fast! Impressive.

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Never moving along fast enough though. lol

We have basecoat
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_2322.jpg

And clearcoat...
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_2324.jpg

And a whole car
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_2326.jpg

Tomorrow I get my new rear glass installed
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...w_img_2336.jpg

looks awesome!