Tech day. For me!

Okay, here's the deal. I just received a pile of stuff for my car, and I don't have the tools or know-how (yet) to do all of this stuff myself. So I'm gonna need a bit of help.

I'd like to plan a day when we can get all of this done at once. Here's a list of what I'll have to be done:

1. AGX shocks with FCM bumpstops and Ebay coilover springs.

2. Style bar

3. Gauge faces and gauge overlay

4. New carpet and seats (stock NA seats, don't have to be done the same day since they bolt right in)

I believe the dash will have to be pulled to put in new carpet, correct? In that case I'll strip and refinish the dash at the same time. New door panels are going in also.

I'll also need to hook up my headrest speakers if there's a electronically minded guy in the bunch.

What I would need is a place to do the work. I have a crappy driveway and no garage, so I doubt that here would be a great idea.

Obviously I need somebody who can help install all this stuff.

Any ideas? I need to get the ball rolling so I can get all of this done. I appreciate any help you guys can give me. And for those of you who don't like my loud exhaust, I'll have a new one pretty soon also :D

Thanks everybody, help me out here!

FYI... I have a stock 1.6 catback in the garage that you can have for cheap.

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Originally Posted by MadMonkey

I'd like to plan a day when we can get all of this done at once.

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Wow!!

But he's got high hopes... he's got high hopes
He's got high apple pie in the sky hopes

No way your going to get all that done in a day, and get quality results.

I may be game for the suspension part.

::Whisp:: I told him not to mention that "Style Bar"....::Chair::

To properly install the carpet it requires removing the dash and heater box. It isn't too terrible of a job but it is definitely a full day affair. If you want to refinish the dash as well, it may be a two day affair.

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Originally Posted by MadMonkey

2. Style bar

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The style bar will take all of 3 minutes to velcro into the car... erh, I mean, install.

i might be able to help with a few things, my roommate is a mechanic for subaru and has a crapload of tools... i'll have to see if its ok to pull in your car into his work...

i see an alignment in your future... i'll also look into that...

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Originally Posted by Titus

FYI... I have a stock 1.6 catback in the garage that you can have for cheap.

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I do too :D Mine is already converted to duals though. I may install it.

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Originally Posted by riverracer

::Whisp:: I told him not to mention that "Style Bar"....::Chair::

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Oops. I did ;)

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Originally Posted by black roadster

To properly install the carpet it requires removing the dash and heater box. It isn't too terrible of a job but it is definitely a full day affair. If you want to refinish the dash as well, it may be a two day affair.

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I was going to blast it with flat vinyl paint. Is there a better way?

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Originally Posted by Treibenschnell

The style bar will take all of 3 minutes to velcro into the car... erh, I mean, install.

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F you Treibenschnell :cat:

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Originally Posted by Mouglie

i might be able to help with a few things, my roommate is a mechanic for subaru and has a crapload of tools... i'll have to see if its ok to pull in your car into his work...

i see an alignment in your future... i'll also look into that...

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Any way you can help is good with me. I DEFINITELY will need an alignment, I forgot to get one after I put on my new wheels. Maybe BAM can help out with that part? :drive:

Thanks guys!

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Originally Posted by MadMonkey

F you Treibenschnell :cat:

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No, no, no... it's F you, Titus! F you Titus!! Damn new guys screwing it up!

:D

F you, Treibenschnell!


Hmmm... has a nice ring to it!

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Originally Posted by MadMonkey

I was going to blast it with flat vinyl paint. Is there a better way?

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That should work as long as it's prepped well.

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Originally Posted by Titus

F you, Treibenschnell!


Hmmm... has a nice ring to it!

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Too many freakin' syllables. "F you, Titus!" just rolls off the tongue easier...

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Originally Posted by altiain

Too many freakin' syllables. "F you, Titus!" just rolls off the tongue easier...

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Well, when our cars are in pieces we could always say they are FUBeaned instead of FUBARed.

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Originally Posted by channelmaniac

Well, when our cars are in pieces we could always say they are FUBeaned instead of FUBARed.

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lmao! :clap:

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Originally Posted by icepenguin66

lmao! :clap:

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Quiet you! ::Horse::



Hey, by the way, click me!

Well in this case it looks like I'll go for the suspension first, then set up another day to do the interior stuff.

So Mouglie, when you find out let me know, then we can start working on a date, then finding out who can come.

Thanks guys! I guess I'll wait on the interior until I get a few more things. I'm planning something like this:

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread...alist+roadster

Should be nice in black :D

I can host a tech day sometime from the 23rd through the 31st. I will be replacing my own shocks, so we can always experiment on your car first. ;)

Dangle, since this is primarily for you, is there a day that best suites you? How about 8 AM on the 25th? Just kidding. Let me know what works for you and I will let you know if it works for me.

BTW, I'm in NE Fort Worth, near Northeast Mall.

Don't forget spring compressors if you're swapping shocks.

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Originally Posted by jrj512

I can host a tech day sometime from the 23rd through the 31st. I will be replacing my own shocks, so we can always experiment on your car first. ;)

Dangle, since this is primarily for you, is there a day that best suites you? How about 8 AM on the 25th? Just kidding. Let me know what works for you and I will let you know if it works for me.

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I'm off Sundays and Mondays, so actually, Christmas morning would be the perfect day. But I'm not going to do that ;)

My sisters birthday is on the 24th (Sunday), so that is out too :(

I guess the 31st would be best overall, but I wouldn't want to take away from anybodies New Years celebration. I guess I'm screwed all around :(

I don't know, after I find out about my sisters birthday celebration I'll let you know.

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by sammm

Don't forget spring compressors if you're swapping shocks.

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Anybody got some?


And I want to make sure that I have everything I need:

1. Shocks

2. Springs

3. Bumpstops

Anything I'm missing? Something I'm forgetting?

We can always do it a later weekend, like one of the first weekends of the new year. I will have the experience of installing my shocks by then.

You can get a spring compressor from Autozone's loaner tool program. That's where I will get mine.

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Originally Posted by sammm

Don't forget spring compressors if you're swapping shocks.

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How about a heavy moving blanket?? ;)



For the rest of you, it's an inside joke...:D

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Originally Posted by Treibenschnell

How about a heavy moving blanket?? ;)



For the rest of you, it's an inside joke...:D

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and it's all fun and games until the blanket rips and someone loses a spleen. ;)

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Originally Posted by onething

and it's all fun and games until the blanket rips and someone loses a spleen. ;)

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I've seen it happen, I was at the '69 Nationals....

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Originally Posted by sammm

I've seen it happen, I was at the '69 Nationals....

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Yup... that was the year of onething's 84th birthday! ::OldMan::

Can we tentatively plan for the 24th? I can tell my sis I have plans already :D

But seriously, I want to get this stuff done, and jrj512, we could both do it at the same time then, right?

Like I said, I'll shoot for suspension (and spark plugs) that day, then worry about the rest another day. I have more stuff to get anyway.

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Originally Posted by MadMonkey

Can we tentatively plan for the 24th?

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24th of December? :confused: Interest likely to be low. Think about it.

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Originally Posted by MadMonkey

Can we tentatively plan for the 24th?

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Originally Posted by sammm

24th of December? :confused: Interest likely to be low. Think about it.

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No kidding... :rolleyes:

Alrighty then, plan for early January. Or I could just go to Midas. I'm not sure I trust you guys with my car ;)

ill lend a helping wrench if you need. ive replaced the carpet in mine, took about half a day, its a real pain. everything else is very easy though. im off saturday sunday and monday.

Okay then, change of plans. Looks like my new days off are Tuesdays and Wednesdays though that isn't set in stone.

I'd like to plan for an ASAP (sometime early January?) day to get my shocks, springs, and bumpstops in (and change my spark plugs, and if I have time get the roll bar in).

We need:

1. Place first

2. Date

3. People (I'll try to make it ;))

4. Food afterward (optional, but I'll buy the most productive worker dinner at Hooters :D)

I have piles of stuff in my garage waiting to go in... lets get it on!!

The rest can wait for later.

I hate to break the news to you, Sparky, but it is hard enough getting people together for lunch on a weekday, so I would not hold my breath for a tech day.

Also, it looks like you will be buying yourself lunch at Hooters, as the idea is that you do the work and the others tell you how. Besides, that's all the fun -- working on the car yourself.

Expect the shocks/springs to take five or six hours, when you include all of the work stoppages for discussions on matters not pertaining to the fix itself. ;)

I would be beside myself with all of those parts just sitting there. I can help on a weekend, but not during the week.

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Originally Posted by jrj512

I hate to break the news to you, Sparky, but it is hard enough getting people together for lunch on a weekday, so I would not hold my breath for a tech day.

Also, it looks like you will be buying yourself lunch at Hooters, as the idea is that you do the work and the others tell you how. Besides, that's all the fun -- working on the car yourself.

Expect the shocks/springs to take five or six hours, when you include all of the work stoppages for discussions on matters not pertaining to the fix itself. ;)

I would be beside myself with all of those parts just sitting there. I can help on a weekend, but not during the week.

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+1

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Originally Posted by MadMonkey

Alrighty then, plan for early January. Or I could just go to Midas. I'm not sure I trust you guys with my car ;)

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Midas it is :king:

Seriously, do you have any time off coming. Vacation, sick leave, therapy days? I'm thinking a Saturday in the near future is your best bet with this bunch of working stiffs. ;)

I'd like to be there. I need to replace my shocks, springs too I guess. Right now every bump in the road rattles my teeth, and I don't have dental coverage.

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Originally Posted by jrj512

...the idea is that you do the work and the others tell you how. Besides, that's all the fun -- working on the car yourself.

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I was kidding about that ;)

I know I'll end up doing most of it myself. Hmm.. actually, I wonder why I need any of you guys anyway...

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I would be beside myself with all of those parts just sitting there. I can help on a weekend, but not during the week.

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I AM beside myself ::Rant::

I just don't have weekends off, unless my possible promotion doesn't go through, then I'll have Sundays maybe. I dunno.

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Originally Posted by onething

Midas it is :king:

Seriously, do you have any time off coming. Vacation, sick leave, therapy days? I'm thinking a Saturday in the near future is your best bet with this bunch of working stiffs. ;)

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I need therapy, but I can't take off for it :(

And I've only been there for 6 months, so I don't have vacation. Trust me, I'd be taking it if I could.

I dunno. Maybe I really should just take it to a shop and forget about it.


Or sell it.

:cat:

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Originally Posted by MadMonkey

I was kidding about that ;)

I know I'll end up doing most of it myself. Hmm.. actually, I wonder why I need any of you guys anyway...



I AM beside myself ::Rant::

I just don't have weekends off, unless my possible promotion doesn't go through, then I'll have Sundays maybe. I dunno.



I need therapy, but I can't take off for it :(

And I've only been there for 6 months, so I don't have vacation. Trust me, I'd be taking it if I could.

I dunno. Maybe I really should just take it to a shop and forget about it.


Or sell it.

:cat:

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Stevan at www.miatasolutions.com is probably the cheapest. Trackdog racing is probably the fastest.

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Originally Posted by Sharpie

Stevan at www.miatasolutions.com is probably the cheapest. Trackdog racing is probably the fastest.

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And there is always Miata Technologies if you looking to get ::BaHump:: !

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Originally Posted by Titus

And there is always Miata Technologies if you looking to get ::BaHump:: !

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Or some free tools imbedded way inside the car somewhere, hidden, only to be found years later...

I'm usually off during the week and would love to come lend a hand. My garage space is a bit of a drive from your location though.

Depending on the method used to remove the front shocks, you can have them done in around 2 hours. I think I managed to do it in less one time but that was in spastic mode and you don't have to use a spring compressor to install coilovers or the FM springs!