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MrJoshua
MrJoshua UltimaDork
7/31/08 11:38 p.m.

Edit-After the photobucket mess you now need to add an extension to chrome to see this threads pictures. This works as of 8/17/17

Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce to you a 2 month build thread documenting the construction of a Bright Yellow 1991 Miata for the $08 GRM challenge by a husband and wife team. Im sure we arent the first Husband/Wife team, but its first one for me. The idea started after a co worker of my wifes decided he wanted to upgrade to a newer Miata and needed to get rid of his. I was asked if I was interested. Most of you who know me or know of me know I had 9 cars on my property with at least 6 of them being some kind of project. I didnt need the car. I knew the car was in need of a fair amount of work and we have a decent daily miata already. I checked out the car, did the math on what parts it would take to get the car to nice daily status, subtracted that from the about $1500 I could get a decent miata for, subtracted another $100 because I just didnt need another car. Well he thought of it for a few days, decided he didnt really want it to go to someone who didnt know the cars, and took my offer.

So here it is-The $400 yellow beater miata

As it sat it needed a driveshaft, top, AC, seats, both window regulators, several interior pieces, plug wires (hopefully), find and fix coolant leak, and whatever I havent discovered.

After much discussion with my wife on how its getting that time of year for her to become a challenge widow again, the crazy idea dawns on me that she might actually like to help. Heck, ive been rambling about all my crazy challenge ideas for years and shes been patient enough to listen, maybe she would be nuts enough to actually want to help build one? The cool thing is she said yes! A little bit of info on her. Shes incredibly smart, beautiful, and amazingly tolerant of my car collections and obsessions. Shes road tripped with me to pick up projects from locations ranging from Miami to Connecticut. She enjoys neat cars and even let me talk her into an 03 WRX as a daily. Trick is, shes never turned a wrench. She doesnt know what most tools are called, much less what they do. But shes smart, and willing, and its sure beats working alone.

So here we go:

Build day 1: Tuesday July 29, 7-10pm Step one-Add lightness! Out comes the interior!

Did I mention it needs seats?

Nice to have a little Helper for that pesky steering column bracket!

Good stopping point for night 1.

Hmmm, I guess the purchase price is $396.15 now

At the conclusion of day 1 here are my thoughts:
With much of my time spent teaching, we are really getting maybe 1.5 times the work done instead of double. Its well worth it because its %50 more than I can do alone and shes a good student. Besides that I dont feel guilty about spending all of my time working on cars, and im more likely to work on them with her company.
In some ways the car is really rough. I would hate to try to turn it into a nice daily, but its going to be great for a racecar. Overall im really excited! This should be a fun build!

geomiata
geomiata Reader
7/31/08 11:45 p.m.

your one lucky berkeley.

Apexcarver
Apexcarver SuperDork
7/31/08 11:45 p.m.

$400 miata?

I HATE YOU!!!!

(thats just my jealousy speaking, nice to see someone getting the missus involved)

MrJoshua
MrJoshua Dork
7/31/08 11:50 p.m.

Day 2: July 31st, 6-10pm

Time to remove the rest of that pesky climate control system. Its a racecar for cryin out loud!

Did I mention it needed a top.......................for about 3 years now!

More lightness!

Bulk of the time was spent under here. Pesky restrictive stock exhaust, broken AC stuff, puny stock intake tubing, useless brackets and pulleys, etc... (oh yeah, I found the coolant leak-not a headgasket, Wohoo!)

Anyone need random miata parts?

Her first injury (sorry for the bad pic, she was falling asleep and not really wanting to pose)

Second successful day!

Osterkraut
Osterkraut Reader
7/31/08 11:55 p.m.

What's that giant stain on the driveway from?

MrJoshua
MrJoshua Dork
7/31/08 11:57 p.m.

I killed an old german there

CarKid1989
CarKid1989 New Reader
8/1/08 12:03 a.m.

random miata parts? yes please what have you got? Thanks

MrJoshua
MrJoshua Dork
8/1/08 12:21 a.m.

Random Stuff

Honestly-all the interior, some parts in better shape then others. AC parts-not working when pulled, Idler pulley from non power steering cars, AC/Heat Blower assembly, air bag and all of the sensors, etc...

Will probably have the stock daisys, stock shocks/springs, maybe stock computer, maybe stock diff (depending on what I find under there), headlight motors, maybe headlight buckets, maybe mirrors. Alot of that depends on the progress of the build and what parts I can find.

carguy123
carguy123 HalfDork
8/1/08 12:49 a.m.

So what engine are you putting in it?

When will you post the gratuitous bikini shots? :)

I'm jealous. I've gotten my wife involved a couple of times, but she always chickens out after a night or two. But she has learned enough that her head isn't cluttered with too much car stuff and she can diagnose just about any problem much faster than I can.

MitchellC
MitchellC Reader
8/1/08 12:57 a.m.

Josh, how did I not see this car last time I was over? Your yard hides the cars well.

MrJoshua
MrJoshua Dork
8/1/08 8:53 a.m.

Carguy-sticking with miata 1.6, and while she looks good in a bikini, I think I will keep the pics for myself!

Mitchell-It was acquired after your last visit, I think youve seen everything I have, although sometime I almost lose track.

mistanfo
mistanfo Dork
8/1/08 11:44 a.m.

MrJoshua- if you don't want to pull the diff apart for educational purposes, call MNA with the VIN. They'll be able to tell you what it came with originally. Oh, and if you need a driveshaft, get me the measurements (length). I have a Miata driveshaft sitting around, though I'm unsure if it's a 1.6 or a 1.8 (I believe there is a a difference).

CarKid1989
CarKid1989 New Reader
8/1/08 4:15 p.m.

Where do you live? ill take it all:)

jrw1621
jrw1621 Reader
8/1/08 4:51 p.m.

His profile says that he lives in Gainsville, FL

To get to the profile, just click in the avatar (or where an avatar would be for others)

Salanis
Salanis Dork
8/1/08 5:03 p.m.
MrJoshua wrote:

Entry for the "Women of GRM" calendar?

Caption could be something like: "Watch her strip (that interior)!"

Volksroddin
Volksroddin Reader
8/1/08 5:28 p.m.

she /they sound like a keeper

Salanis
Salanis Dork
8/1/08 5:38 p.m.
Volksroddin wrote: she /they sound like a keeper

Well, he already married her, so let's hope so.

MrJoshua
MrJoshua Dork
8/1/08 8:44 p.m.
CarKid1989 wrote: Where do you live? ill take it all:)

Im pretty sure shipping would kill the deal for us. I do need to recover some of my $400 price to complete the desired build as well. I can sell stuff for very cheap, and I can facilitate shipping/transport whenever possible if anyone is still interested in stuff.

SVreX
SVreX SuperDork
8/1/08 8:54 p.m.

Wasn't it about 2 months before the 2006 Challenge that you started the blitz build thread on the final moments of the Ro-spit build??

Give my best to Mrs. Joshua! Glad to hear she's increasing her repertoire of ways to put up with (cough, cough) err, appreciate you! Maybe now I can talk Mrs. SVreX into joining me in G'ville this year!

I was planning a trip to catch up with you in the next couple of weeks, but it sounds like FastAsleep may be making it for me.

Is this the car we discussed with special fuel needs, or is that another?

SVreX
SVreX SuperDork
8/1/08 8:55 p.m.
MrJoshua wrote:
CarKid1989 wrote: Where do you live? ill take it all:)
Im pretty sure shipping would kill the deal for us. I do need to recover some of my $400 price to complete the desired build as well. I can sell stuff for very cheap, and I can facilitate shipping/transport whenever possible if anyone is still interested in stuff.

No shipping if one of us can talk The Kid into coming to the Challenge in Oct!

MrJoshua
MrJoshua Dork
8/1/08 8:57 p.m.

Ha! Hadnt occurred to me I married a stripper. dollar dollar bill yall!

ignorant
ignorant SuperDork
8/1/08 10:23 p.m.

ha.. awesome.. only if I could get my wife to help me like that.

CarKid1989
CarKid1989 New Reader
8/1/08 11:33 p.m.
SVreX wrote:
MrJoshua wrote:
CarKid1989 wrote: Where do you live? ill take it all:)
Im pretty sure shipping would kill the deal for us. I do need to recover some of my $400 price to complete the desired build as well. I can sell stuff for very cheap, and I can facilitate shipping/transport whenever possible if anyone is still interested in stuff.
No shipping if one of us can talk The Kid into coming to the Challenge in Oct!

Im looking for a car to take down. thinking a P71 or something. If not to race at least to watch:) But talk me into it anyway

MrJoshua
MrJoshua Dork
8/2/08 12:48 a.m.
SVreX wrote: Wasn't it about 2 months before the 2006 Challenge that you started the blitz build thread on the final moments of the Ro-spit build?? Give my best to Mrs. Joshua! Glad to hear she's increasing her repertoire of ways to put up with (cough, cough) err, appreciate you! Maybe now I can talk Mrs. SVreX into joining me in G'ville this year! I was planning a trip to catch up with you in the next couple of weeks, but it sounds like FastAsleep may be making it for me. Is this the car we discussed with special fuel needs, or is that another?

Ro-Spit? Now thats a mythical creature rarely seen that occasionally appears in the dreams of a certain sleepy challenger. Funny, I think I have a parts shelf that vaguely resembles that project. Blitz build? Nah, this ones down right leisurely compared to what needed to be done in that bout of insanity. No special fuels needed for the car, might need a few special fuels for the builders though.
Keep me up to date on whos going where to get what. Got to keep the challenge circle alive!

MrJoshua
MrJoshua Dork
8/2/08 12:50 a.m.

Carkid-bring something! The event is a riot! Make sure to take part in the pre and post party-thats where many of the stories are written.

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