Betsy, an ND Miata.

Not entirely on topic but I see your fat man in a tiny car and raise you a fatter man in a tinier car https://youtu.be/jiKr9Lsovr8

In reply to ojannen :

Nice.

I'm looking at things I need for the car.  Its hard to find a shop online that provides an exploded view.  Maybe I've been looking at too many enthusiast sites.  This place seems to have it, but I need to dig more to find out if the prices are good.  Surprised that eBay doesn't seem to have these, too new of a vehicle?  Weird problem to have.
I also need to look into a hitch so I can bring a bicycle to the Challenge.

The image above doesn't include the proper USB hub, part# TK78-66-9U0E

But also, holy crap, I have to remove a quarter of the interior in order to install AndroidAuto/Apple Carplay capability.

Notes for myself:

Service Manual link (which will probably disappear one day when I really want it.)

Aforementioned headlight adjustment

I turneded a wrench on the new car for the first time.  Its a little adjustment, but desperately needed.

Needs some fine tuning, but by gods its much better than it was.

In reply to Mr_Asa :

I did that same install when I had my 2018 Fiat Spider. Pretty involved but very well worth it.

I'm excited to hear that exhaust in person.

maschinenbau said:

In reply to Mr_Asa :

I did that same install when I had my 2018 Fiat Spider. Pretty involved but very well worth it.

I'm excited to hear that exhaust in person.

Yeah, I figure I'll order the parts soon and do the install when I'm off for the holidays. 

I'm excited to let someone drive it so I can hear it outside the car.  It gives such a nice little brlbrbrbrl when you let off the throttle with it in gear.  Not a lot, but enough to know that it would be real nice with a different tune.

Need to do some basic maintenance before the Challenge. Oil change and such.

So, in the other ND thread we were talking wheels.

I'm trying to figure what I want design-wise and color-wise.  

I kind of like the OEM BBS wheels, but I'm tired of black wheels.  I'm also thinking that I might need to tie the roof color in with the wheels or brake calipers?

Your input?  

I'd like to see this with silver BBS wheels. (Random pic from online)

Others that stood out to me for one reason or another. Not sure that 5-spokes say what they should, though. 

OEM BSS are some of the best wheels imho. I'd stick the with them personally, but of the ones you posted I think the M52's are the best option! Slick ride, the red top is really cool.

Man. That's a great car, y'know?

Except... Its just... there's something that isn't right

Something

Isn't right

The tip of that stupid thing is taller than the soft top.  WTF.  Who designed that?  Why did they design it like that? Just... what??

So let's do something about it.  First, let's see what we have

Need to clean the edges, whoever cut it ground the edges way too much

Now that we've got that

And now the mosquitoes are being big ole bastards, and I'm too much of a Bob Costas to stand there and get bit, so I'm gonna go inside for now and wrap it up tomorrow.

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Bob Costas

Ok, let's finish this.  Well.  Mostly finish it.

So, wrap up the square-to-circle operation

Does this look right?  Its starting to.

Lets make it a bit better.

Yup, that works decently.  Need to get it past that lip, though

Now I'll just take it to work, get one of the guys to tig it down and then I'll smooth the top, some light sanding to get everything smooth and I'll paint it nice and matte.

Got the tires rotated and balanced this weekend.  Car feels exceptionally darty now.  I think I remember reading that the tires being over-inflated can cause this?  Other things to look at?

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Colder tires if performance.  My tires get squirrelly under 50 degrees.

In reply to Stampie :

Hankook Ventus somethings, and it was barely into the 60s today.  Much colder in Gainesville at the Challenge and didn't have these characteristics

What the berk.

Did something happen to the mirror too? Did something hit the car?

Nm on the mirror, it was a trick of the light

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Did something happen to the mirror too? Did something hit the car?

Nah, nothing hit the car.  I saw when I picked it up that one of the clips was loose on this piece and it was in the back of my head to replace (its like $25 or so) but I figured I'd do it within the next year sometime.  Then when I rolled up the window when I got to work the whole thing popped off.

The glued on bit is mildly concerning.  I haven't seen any other hackery on the car, and as I mentioned the stupid piece is $25 or so.  Why wouldn't whoever did this just replace it instead of using (what looks like) ABS plastic melted in acetone?

Looking at posts above, I realized I need to show the final touch of the antenna mod.

What I did on my Thanksgiving Vacation, Mr. Asa, age 39

For my thanksgiving vacation I drove to Tallahassee!! To do that I got off work and drove for an hour to reach home, then I grabbed my stuff and drove another 4 hours to my sister's!
The drive was fun!

I hung out with my family! We fried a bunch of stuff!

The next day Dad called me to ask if I wanted to see the shop that has been doing work to his VW Van.
Boy, did I ever!

Went back to Dad's and found mushrooms! The internet told me that I could eat them, but I didn't feel like I could trust the internet!

After Dad's I went to hang out with my wife at her friend's place.  It was ok, but they only talked about girl stuff.  Eww.  After that I left their house and went down a fun road!  A car got in front of me about halfway down, and I was sad because even though I was doing the speed limit after I got behind them then I had to go even slower. :-(

Then I went walking around my brother in law's neighbor's place and saw all the fun stuff he had!  He had many VWs and many Deuce and a Halfs!

My dog met a kitty! It was cute to watch!

And that was my thanksgiving vacation!

Mr_Asa said:

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Did something happen to the mirror too? Did something hit the car?

Nah, nothing hit the car.  I saw when I picked it up that one of the clips was loose on this piece and it was in the back of my head to replace (its like $25 or so) but I figured I'd do it within the next year sometime.  Then when I rolled up the window when I got to work the whole thing popped off.

The glued on bit is mildly concerning.  I haven't seen any other hackery on the car, and as I mentioned the stupid piece is $25 or so.  Why wouldn't whoever did this just replace it instead of using (what looks like) ABS plastic melted in acetone?

Looking at posts above, I realized I need to show the final touch of the antenna mod.

I replaced this stupid piece.  Its nice not having the metal cutting into my arm when I rest my arm on the door.

And, as promised, the final pics of the antenna mod above.
I think I'm gonna eventually pull the antenna base off, stow it in the trunk behind the carpet, and then use photogrammetry or some other and make an actual plug.

I know this guy.  He's good peeps.  Also glad I didn't venture around the neighbor's yard.

In reply to Stampie :

You probably got an eyeful when you drove past, though.

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Enough to know better than to enter.

Mr_Asa said:

So, I'm trying to think of what I want to do with the wheels (still)
A quick chop, but anyone have any thoughts on this?