Newbie here in Bristol TN [Archive] (2024)

Godzirra

18th January 2013, 00:21

I just got my first miata Yesterday. A 95 M with 158k miles for 1800$... Seats and steering wheel kinda worn. Rear bumper needs repaint and has slight crack, shift boot has a tear, factory power antenna replaced with some fixed long antenna. Has slight belt squeak at 2900rpms. Everything else is mint. Even came with FULL jackson racing exhaust from header to muffler and tokico illumina's and some kind of spring. Not sure what kind. BBS's are in mint condition with all centercaps.

Just so happens today we also get a surprise 7 inch snow storm and I have to leave her in a parking lot tonight. hahaha. Glad to be here though and learn about the cars.

Plan is to restore her best I can and make sure all maintenance is up to date. Put some ground control springs and sleeves on it, refresh bushings or put new control arms in, add a hardtop, harddog hardcore roll bar, find a way to put a shorty antenna on, put in some race seats and harnesses, and a steering wheel. Then hit up some tracks and still have a DD. Eventually I'd like to LSx swap her as V8 Roadsters shop is about 10 miles down the road from me ;) but that'll be when I buy another DD lol.

I'm a drag racer by nature but i'm trying to get into some autox and track days. I bought this primarily as a dd as my other car is a 2012 mustang 5.0 with around 600whp and 650wtq and it was killing me on gas mileage and I was hating putting miles on her. Previous car was a BMW z4m coupe and I had planned on tracking that but at the time I didn't have available funds for trackdays and the maintenance was extreme so I just couldn't afford it at the time. Plus the possibility of wrecking my only car.

Hope to see some of you around one day and learn alot here about these fun little cars.
Also, Anybody have any good tips and settings for defrosting this thing?lol. Seems like I can't keep these windows un fogged up.

vkeith

18th January 2013, 21:49

Welcome to the forum and Miata ownership.

Miatas are kind of bad for fogging, but if you keep the windows clean it will help some. Rain-X on the inside of the windows reduces, but doesn't eliminate, fogging. Keeping the interior dry will cut down on fogging, too. Check your drains to make sure that they are clear. There is an article in the Garage section of the forum that will tell you how and where to clean. If the top drains are clogged, it can let moisture get into the interior of the car and cause severe fogging that is nearly impossible to get rid of.

Dragonfighter

19th January 2013, 13:41

usshelena725

19th January 2013, 13:52

Godzirra

19th January 2013, 16:17

Welcome to the forum and Miata ownership.

Miatas are kind of bad for fogging, but if you keep the windows clean it will help some. Rain-X on the inside of the windows reduces, but doesn't eliminate, fogging. Keeping the interior dry will cut down on fogging, too. Check your drains to make sure that they are clear. There is an article in the Garage section of the forum that will tell you how and where to clean. If the top drains are clogged, it can let moisture get into the interior of the car and cause severe fogging that is nearly impossible to get rid of.

Awesome thanks for the info!
Don't have any leaks yet except for a tiny drip on bottom of pass side door!

Keep your eyes open here in the Southeast forums for information on this year's ZMOET (Zoomin' in the Mountains Of East Tennessee) Make plans to attend. Lots and lots of Miatas, lots and lots of Miata experience. Great rides and (usually) track events, show'n'shines, etc. It's all right there in Bristol.

Sounds like tons of fun. I'm always up on hwy 421(the snake) whether it be by bike or car! I've also been on a few runs to the dragon.

Welcome to the forums! I am in Johnson City just down the road from you.
LOL funny you say that as I have lived in jc for the past 3 months with my girlfriend, I'm just so used to saying I live in bristol haha. Getting ready to move to jonesborough in about a month though.

Dragonfighter

19th January 2013, 17:49

I'm always up on hwy 421(the snake) whether it be by bike or car! I've also been on a few runs to the dragon.

If I lived that close to the Snake, I'd never care if I ever went to TOD. Snake (especially the south side) beats hell out of TOD, IMO.

Godzirra

19th January 2013, 19:08

Snowdog1967

23rd January 2013, 11:02

theemike

1st February 2013, 10:25

I am also here in JC and get out and run the hell out of 421 when the weather is nice. She stays in the garage on blocks otherwise.
The is a ton of great Miata roads around here.

Give me a shout sometime

Godzirra

1st February 2013, 10:30

Awesomean I definitely will. I'd like to ride in your car with the rails and the fm coils although I did find a sick deal on tein flexes locally, I just have to find time to swap mine and other guys stuff.

Curious, have you done the timing belt and water pump service yourself? I'm pretty experienced technically but haven't done one before.

theemike

1st February 2013, 11:04

Awesomean I definitely will. I'd like to ride in your car with the rails and the fm coils although I did find a sick deal on tein flexes locally, I just have to find time to swap mine and other guys stuff.

Curious, have you done the timing belt and water pump service yourself? I'm pretty experienced technically but haven't done one before.

Oh yeah, I did that last year. Not too bad if you just pay attention to what you are doing. I have the tools and FM specialty tools if you want to try to knock that out this spring time.

Godzirra

1st February 2013, 23:45

theemike

2nd February 2013, 07:41

Godzirra

2nd February 2013, 19:51

babytaz911

5th February 2013, 02:18

Godzirra

7th February 2013, 22:25

So current plan is to get her track worthy asap. Swap all fluids and do timing belt and waterpump, plugs and wires. Rollbar her, sparco sprint v seats and harnesses, steering wheel, needs pedal covers(all rubber gone, SLICK) and all shifter boots n such. throw some stainless lines on, brembo blanks and track pads. She already has what looks to be a FM stage 2 kit on it. Granted, I think its been on from at least 2001 from what I can find out, still feels stiff. Gonna replace all seals and the side window trims as I have a very slight leak on both sides if I brake really hard.

I put a new pioneer radio and alpine speakers in her today.

usshelena725

8th February 2013, 08:48

Be sure to check out the Miata grave yard in Blountville. I think it is called collectable classics or something. Mike knows the exact name. I wanted new pedal covers too and got a pair of Mazda speed ones there for like twenty bucks.

So current plan is to get her track worthy asap. Swap all fluids and do timing belt and waterpump, plugs and wires. Rollbar her, sparco sprint v seats and harnesses, steering wheel, needs pedal covers(all rubber gone, SLICK) and all shifter boots n such. throw some stainless lines on, brembo blanks and track pads. She already has what looks to be a FM stage 2 kit on it. Granted, I think its been on from at least 2001 from what I can find out, still feels stiff. Gonna replace all seals and the side window trims as I have a very slight leak on both sides if I brake really hard.

I put a new pioneer radio and alpine speakers in her today.

sar10

8th February 2013, 09:24

Classic Investments
529 Pleasant Hill Rd
Blountville, TN 37617
(423) 323-2407

They have supplied me with several items. No affiliation, etc.

theemike

8th February 2013, 10:17

Classic Investments
529 Pleasant Hill Rd
Blountville, TN 37617
(423) 323-2407

They have supplied me with several items. No affiliation, etc.

Believe it or not, I still have not made it out there yet... I am afraid I will spend too much money.

usshelena725

8th February 2013, 11:02

Believe it or not, I still have not made it out there yet... I am afraid I will spend too much money.

You need to go, the literal barn o' Miata parts is amazing.

Godzirra

9th February 2013, 11:24

Dragonfighter

9th February 2013, 16:14

Keep in mind that I am not an expert, just have done it once :-)

Like we say at work:

"See one, do one, teach one".

theemike

9th February 2013, 20:44

Godzirra

15th February 2013, 20:58

usshelena725

15th February 2013, 21:33

Godzirra

16th February 2013, 00:21

Yea it's great to have them around.

FYI that classic investments isn't the junkyard. I called them. The junkyard number is 4236469696