My DD MX-5 Miata Build

[iamdallas]

This will be slowly updated but I wanted to show everyone my new little project. My goal is to just clean it up and make it presentable.

Here she is - my 4th white car in a row.



Came with a rattle canned hardtop and the door speakers don't work. Seems pretty mechanically sound.

PLANS


Paint the rattled OEM roof painted either satin or gloss black. This will keep me in my budget unless someone can match the color for cheap. Reply or PM if you know a guy who knows a guy.

OKAY, I plan on trying the Raceland coilovers. I've researched extensively and found some good review and some not so good ones. My thinking is that I don't plan on tracking or anything so I want a good drop. If they suck, I'm only out $350. (+ whatever else might break when the epic fail happens )

15x8 0 offset 513s. I may be even considering 16's now. I've seen a couple I love

Racing beat header and some classy exhaust. Haven't figured it out yet.

For the FAR FAR future, I plan on buying another 1.8 to tear down and build to replace. But this will do for now.

.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..........................

Installed audio.
Did a tune-up and brakes... some other miscellaneous things.

OOOKAY.

I ordered a Borla Exhaust and the Raceland's. I went with the XXR 513's but I went with 7 wides and a +15 offset. They should be on their way soon but it might be a minute before I get tires on them.
Exhaust gets here Monday and the Coils on Tues.

and... I'm out of money for a while. lol.

PICS SOON

Got the Borla exhaust and it looks really well made. I have a stud stuck in the Cat so it isn't on yet. I've been driving to work very obnoxiously

Got the Racelands on and they ride pretty well for how low I have them set right now. I will be going about 1 to 3/2 inches higher when I get the wheels ( ON TUESDAY!!! ). I didn't have the time I thought I would so I didn't get to take the time to adjust them like I want them.
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Got the wheels and tires on. Scrub pretty badly. I need to find the time to get it rolled by a pro.







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Today I did some small things. I painted the rusty windshield wipers and replaced the door trim. Spent most of my time trying to roll ze fenders more.

Old Trim




On!!!


This is what the wipers did look like



And now...



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3/18/11



Most recent pic.

The only updates i have to offer are...

Sidebolts installed for the hardtop.
Fenders are rolled with my rented Eastwood roller.
Got a great alignment
DDM Works Intake
Sourced A Header... will go on when... MAH NEW MOTOR GOES IN!!!! >more info down
Cat-bye

And this is the engine I sourced.




This is the description given to me by the seller:

"viton valve seals, it has a some porting, the bowls have been deshrouded and slightly polished. Also there is zero casting flaws in this head which is somewhat rare to find.

the block has been slightly decked and shaved (same thing they do with spec miata motors) upgraded piston rings (they are a lil less snug than OEM to cut down on friction without compromising compresion) The rotating assembly has been fully balanced and has new bearings and new gaskets everywhere! the water pump and timing belt has 1k on it (i picked it up from metalman) and the oil pump gears have been checked and clearanced."

I'm going to pick up as soon as it's ready for me.

HOPEFULLLY it will be in by the next varsity meet so I can show off my weak shit. lolol


---------------------------------------------

Guy is back from Cali, So I hope to get that motor soon. If not, I have sourced a 00' motor with 88k for a bit less. It's more work but a better motor.

So, I got a tan soft top, frame, rain rail, rear window storage protector, and all install hardware for $40.

Installed the header, deleted the Cat. Lowered her a lil more.

Tons of other minor things that I can't remember. Here are a couple cell pics.








^^prepping the hardtop for a little spray. I wanna get the whole thing painted at once. But, I'd rather get the motor in first. We'll see what my budget allows.

Sorry for the terrible quality.

___________________________________

Well, the guy decided to keep his BP... no worries. BP-4W swap already in the works.

I don't have huge plans for it when I get it. :/ Building motors costs BIG dinero. Imma throw on some adj fidanza cam gears and do the timing belt/water pump. Other than that, a nice clutch and a light flywheel are my only realistic desires. Probably no flywheel though.

After the swap is done. Imma paint the car.

What I really want to do is take my time, prep the body, and do the jambs myself. Then take it somewhere (probably sprayglo or kizkustoms ) and have them do a base - clear. The plan is WHITE with absolutely no tints in it at ALL. I want people to look at it on a sunny day and be blinded. lolol

I've been considering the RB bumper. It's different. I like it sometimes, and others I don't.






It looks super sexy with the splitter.



I will not be getting side skirts though. I don't like em'.

From there on, I really want a MS and to attempt to piece together some boost pieces. Either Turbo or SC'd. (that's farfetched for a college kid whose parents have no jobs).

and smaller tires...

We'll see.


EDIT: Oh yeah... my lolol shift knob.




From this point onward the updates will be posted below. I cannot post any more pics in a single post.

[Bacon]

lol

Not bad. You trade the Prelude?

[iamdallas]

lol

Not bad. You trade the Prelude?

Sold it. It was a sad sad day. But this is much more fun.

[Bacon]

As long as you like it. Fun little cars from what I have heard.

[claybird]

Track it Dood

[badassf4i]

I have racelands on my miata and there just fine.

[quickdodge®]

15x8 0 offset xxr 522s or 513s

Sounds cool, but 15's? Ewww. Lolol. Later, QD.

[iamdallas]

Sounds cool, but 15's? Ewww. Lolol. Later, QD.

I would love to get some 14" 4x100 panasports but I don't where to get them. Plus $$$$$.

I think the 513s will make me happy though.

When is your car going to paint? I'm excited to see. :-)



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[quickdodge®]

I would love to get some 14" 4x100 panasports but I don't where to get them. Plus $$$$$.

I think the 513s will make me happy though.

When is your car going to paint? I'm excited to see. :-)

Being this is a Miata, I would think you'd find PS wheels for not so much. But if you like it......................you know the routine, lolol.

Car goes in (allegedly) in approximately 2 weeks. Later, QD.

[iamdallas]

no more lude?

No. I wanted another bb2 but Georgia was all out of nice ones.

why did u let it go

Because it was an automatic. It sucked to see it drive away though. I loved that car. It was much nicer than the Mazder but not as much fun. I got a little sideways today in town by accident. I can't wait to get the x8's and get it a bit more planted.



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[iamdallas]

bump.

pics added and stuff ^^^^^^^^^^^^!

[j0nbunklah0m]

i got some 14" bbs rz if you're interested. Keep up the progress

[iamdallas]

i got some 14" bbs rz if you're interested. Keep up the progress

I would but I already ordered some wheels. :/

[Genji-Sama]

I would but I already ordered some wheels. :/

UN-ORDER the wheels bbs FTMFW

[Drummerboy]

I want a miata, but I wont give up my prelude for it. I'd have to have both. For everyday driving, Boosted Prelude>Miata.

[iamdallas]

I want a miata, but I wont give up my prelude for it. I'd have to have both. For everyday driving, Boosted Prelude>Miata.

Don't get me wrong. I loved my Prelude more than I can explain.

But, I can't afford insurance and maintenance on 2 cars while I go to college. I wanted another 4th gen Lude and I searched for weeks. I looked at some but they were all in terrible shape and priced wayyyyy too high. I WILL have another Prelude. I love them. A lot.

[jmotley]

slam that shit!

[iamdallas]

slam that shit!

it's pretty slammed. haha

[Squirrley]

it's pretty slammed. haha

thats not slammed....
its just lowered..

[jmotley]

it's pretty slammed. haha

good stuff dood!

[civic gsr]

are you getting some sort of front lip on this car ??? cause i seen some with a lip and look 20x better

[iamdallas]

are you getting some sort of front lip on this car ???

yeah. definitely. I've been looking 'round and checking out some. I found a few that I really like.

cause i seen some with a lip and look 20x better

agreeeeed

[DA9_Vito]

post a video of what it sounds like without exhaust lol. then with the borla on it.

[iamdallas]

This is the thought process.

"Well, I bent the inner tie rod. I'm gonna have to pay for an alignment after I fix it. Don't wanna ruin the other new set of Star Specs I get. And something was fucked with my alignment last time. They couldn't get it right. Probably the Alignment bolts going.

Might as well get some OEM bolts while I'm under there... might as well get some new OEM R Package Tie Rod Ends too... Might as well do my bushings... might as well paint and restore my Control Arms... Might as well install those I.L. Motormounts I got from RSpeed (aka Heaven)... might as well install that 949 Clutch line I haven't done yet. ...Might as well get a new set of Star Specs since 2 are ruined"

I hurt. Mind you all, I have a dirt and gravel driveway. Those pics from the swap were at a friend's house. I was working at night, in the rain 24/7. It's my only car, lol.

NO PICS AT ALL. But, I got it done with $0 in the Bank and a couple maxed Credit Cards. I was so broke that I had to order the tires in pairs from different accounts... not as a set.

But I know you fellas love pics.







Got a deal on some DDMWorks. Still very dirty.



Then.

I went to Rod Run in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. I got Rearended by a Redneck in a Cummins Diesel.

It's cool, because it paid for half of this.

But first, lets get some reference photos.




You can't see much of the damage caused by the rear-ending in the pic. The trunk was already that color.

Last pic of the car before paint.



Then came the body work. There were lots of little dings to fill. Most of what is here was caused by the accident though. The truck was so jacked up that it was all the way up in my interior. Lucky I had the top off or it would have ruined my hard top. It basically wrapped around the car and made all sorts of damage.







Put it on jack stands for the backs! The guy who did the body work has been doing it for 53 years! He was awesome.

Although, it was strange. The only thing that I haven't done to the car with my own bare hands. I guess some things are better left in the hands of professionals.









Decided to get some East Coast Miata mirrors instead of paying for the Ogre Ears to get re-done. Good choice IMO. If you're tall, they're probably not so useless! haha







I'm gonna tinker with the mirrors and put them on like this.



This is with the pass side on the driver's side. It looks really cool but I'm going to have to do a little modification so that I can actually see out of them. It's no fun without function!

[DA9_Vito]

Nice miata man. btw do not spray roof black. and i say this cause i caught hell when my hood and trunk were black.

[iamdallas]

Nice miata man. btw do not spray roof black. and i say this cause i caught hell when my hood and trunk were black.

A hard top isn't a hood and the roof is now rattlecanned a different color white than the body with tons of runs..

and I don't really care if I catch hell.


I'm also considering painting the windshield frame black to go with the top. Idk yet. Hmmm.... maybe gunmetal to match the wheels.

[Doppelgänger]

One day people will be more creative than Ricelands, Sportmaxx and a lip....one day. If you want to do something for the top that'll actually look good...maybe you should trying getting some vinyl and wrapping it...it least it won't like a brokeass, splotchy spraybomb job. Hell, you could go all out and get the carbon neffy wrap stuff and give it a carbon look. You're already starting off with a better model Miata than 80% of the trend by having a 1.8L car and I see it has power mirrors meaning you probably have a Torsen LSD and you have power windows, extra chassis bracing and the bigger brakes.

[Echonova]

You're already starting off with a better model Miata than 80% of the trend by having a 1.8L car and I see it has power mirrors meaning you probably have a Torsen LSD and you have power windows, extra chassis bracing and the bigger brakes.

How in the hell did you determine power mirrors with mostly blurry pictures taken at night? Those pics are so out of focus I was having a hard time telling what kind of car it was...

Luckily he posted it in the title.

[Doppelgänger]

How in the hell did you determine power mirrors with mostly blurry pictures taken at night? Those pics are so out of focus I was having a hard time telling what kind of car it was...

Luckily he posted it in the title.

I've been around these cars WAY too fucking long....that's how I know.

[iamdallas]

One day people will be more creative than Ricelands, Sportmaxx and a lip....one day.

I still think about this. It's hard to set a car apart from the rest, but I'm working on getting it there.

[iamdallas]

One day people will be more creative than Ricelands, Sportmaxx and a lip....one day. If you want to do something for the top that'll actually look good...maybe you should trying getting some vinyl and wrapping it...it least it won't like a brokeass, splotchy spraybomb job. Hell, you could go all out and get the carbon neffy wrap stuff and give it a carbon look. You're already starting off with a better model Miata than 80% of the trend by having a 1.8L car and I see it has power mirrors meaning you probably have a Torsen LSD and you have power windows, extra chassis bracing and the bigger brakes.

I'm with you. But I've only had it a little over a week now. More interesting and creative stuff will come.

And the Racelands ride great so far. :-)

I know they're generic and played out but I like the xxrs and they won't stop the car from getting better.

I appreciate the ideas though, good constructive criticism.


I am going to call miata and give them my vin so they can tell me if I have the torsen or not. It seems like the easiest way to be sure.


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[Doppelgänger]

I'm with you. But I've only had it a little over a week now. More interesting and creative stuff will come.

And the Racelands ride great so far. :-)

I know they're generic and played out but I like the xxrs and they won't stop the car from getting better.

I appreciate the ideas though, good constructive criticism.


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Having the car a week is the perfect excuse not to rush the mods. I'm sure the Ricelands ride "nice", it's because it's about the same as stock but with height adjustability. If you want to go lower, you'll need some NB tophats.....but handling will go to shit with all that rear camber.

[iamdallas]

Having the car a week is the perfect excuse not to rush the mods. I'm sure the Ricelands ride "nice", it's because it's about the same as stock but with height adjustability. If you want to go lower, you'll need some NB tophats.....but handling will go to shit with all that rear camber.

No worries about going lower. I'm going to be pushing it up some. Just haven't had the time the past couple days. I'm already up 6 threads in the front and rear. The front is about where I want it. The back is about an 1/8th of an inch lower. I'll probably pull it up a little more than a half inch. Not enough to look like it has a rake, but I don't want the ass to sag like it does now.

And I will hopefully minimize the camber before I get an alignment.



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[Doppelgänger]

Remember to leave 1/2" of rake between the front and rear if you're measuring height from hub center to fender. It's designed into the car. Having equal ride height will make the car look like its sagging in the rear. as you've found out. IIRC I think I'm 11.25"F and 11.75"R hub to fender.

I'd rock the shit out of these on a NA....

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/pts/2190388257.html

[iamdallas]

Remember to leave 1/2" of rake between the front and rear if you're measuring height from hub center to fender. It's designed into the car. Having equal ride height will make the car look like its sagging in the rear. as you've found out. IIRC I think I'm 11.25"F and 11.75"R hub to fender.

I'd rock the shit out of these on a NA....

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/pts/2190388257.html

Haha. Thanks for that info. I guess I was estimating about right.

Good find on the wheels.



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[iamdallas]

post a video of what it sounds like without exhaust lol. then with the borla on it.

Ahhhh. I got the exhaust on today. But trust me, it was LOUD! Haha.



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[DA9_Vito]

Ahhhh. I got the exhaust on today. But trust me, it was LOUD! Haha.

I had the exhaust off of mine getting fixed and i was riding around loud as hell too lol. so whats it sounding like now.

[iamdallas]

I had the exhaust off of mine getting fixed and i was riding around loud as hell too lol. so whats it sounding like now.

It's super quiet but it sounds absolutely wonderful. It's nice to be on the highway and only hear a quiet little hummm. So far, I am impressed by the Borla.

[Bacon]

Borla makes good exhaust.

[allout13]

very nice!

Nothing wrong with racelands for a budget coilover. even grassrootsmotorsports had nice things to say about them. I would have chosen something other than sportmaxx's though The borbets posted would have been pretty nice.

either way, it looks like you have a nice car to work with