Up for the way to work and down for the way home. Put it back up once we pulled into the garage because it had rained in the afternoon and the top was still quite wet. At least the rain was thoughtful enough to stop long enough for us to take a little roundabout way home before starting up again.
Started down, went up, went down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 354
No ticking this AM, but I still need to change the oil this weekend. Warmed up to the upper 50s for after work, so the top went down, well at least I thought it was a nice day. After the workout at the gym I made my trip home and for the second time in 2 weeks what should pull up behind me at the first red light, but a new dark gray BMW Z4. This time his top was up. The next three miles went exactly as before, we made our right at the yield sign onto US1 and blasted up to speed, mine 55 and his 65 so that he passed me once again. I just watched him go by, I tried a wave the first time it happened and was ignored, so this time I look at the car and not him. The car actually looks good with the top up too. Now I catch him at our left turn and end up following him up the hill for a mile or so until he turns left and I continue on straight. When I first saw the magazine picture I was horrified, that was one butt ugly car. My feelings were reinforced by quite a few of the car magazine writers as well. But now that I have seen one in person, I almost like it. And if my salary were to jump by 75% next review period I might look at buying one (of course that depends on whether it comes in a nice looking blue.)
Started down, went up, went back down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 354
It’s Sunday what did you expect. I went outside early to get the 2 morning newspapers and in the beautiful 60 something degree weather went for a couple miles on rollerblades. Sitting on the stairs in the garage removing my wheeled shoes I couldn’t help but notice that the car was pretty dusty. So I took the California Duster to the dash and then the outside of the car too. Less dusty and it will have to do until a couple more weeks. No drive today, so the Miata will “reward” me with some lifter tapping tomorrow when I start it up for the ride to work. It is time to change the oil and I’ll try and remember to get a filter when I’m over at Rader using the postage meter to mail the Master’s Miata Club’s newsletter on Friday. Which reminds me, I better get busy writing that sucker.
Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 352
Put the Short Shifter Kit in today and it went surprisingly well. The upper boot was not torn so that was a relief, but I’m still running on the old turret oil….maybe at the Club’s Tech Day in February. Lowered the height by about a 1/2″ looks good and if it affected shifting effort I don’t notice and for that matter the shifter throw doesn’t seem any shorter either. Worth the $120? Not really.
While I was in the mood I decided to fix the flashing 3rd tail light. It is a wire that keeps breaking right at the trunk hinge joint. I added a 4 inch piece of wire to the repair which I hope will alleviate the bending at one spot that has doomed this connection from the get go. I also took this opportunity to move the relay back to the end of the trunk next to the light itself. I added the flasher unit when the wire first broke, instead of splicing it back together I just stuck the flasher in between the break. This in retrospect was a bad move, because that made the flasher hang right near a short tunnel to the interior and consequently the click-clicking could be heard when the brake was being applied. Now it is silent once again in the cockpit at stoplights.
Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 352
Went to Sam Goody this evening to return the M*A*S*H mistake. Since I have no receipt, I have to accept a gift card. Whilst the manager is helping others (he has to OK the form) I wander the store looking for stuff I might want. I find nothing, for three reasons; a) I’m particular (some might say peculiar) in my tastes, 2) I live in a small town so we have what amounts to a 3/4 scale store and III) it is 2 days after Christmas so everything is pretty well picked over (the shelves were full of empty patches like a cat with the mange.) Good news is that the gift card is good at SunCoast movie stores too, of which they have one in the Augusta Mall, so it seems like my Saturday has developed a plan. Almost as an afterthought the manager tells me that I can use the gift card online….wait a minute, I don’t have to drive to Augusta at all, I can shop for movies in my underwear! I burned up all but $2.04 of the card’s value by buying M*A*S*H and Ronin just a few minutes ago. 🙂
Started up, went down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 352
Picked up the Short Shifter kit today. Opened the box, looked at the parts and then closed the box back up. I may wait a while to put it in, as I think I need to change the upper shift boot again. When I replaced the original in September I didn’t push the boot far enough down the shifter shaft leaving it already stretched, with not enough left for the shifting movement, so I think it is torn. Plus, because I didn’t do it back then, I still need to change the turret oil.
Started down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 351
One plan worked, the Miata hasn’t moved.
The other plan partially worked, as I only got one DVD for Christmas, Pulp Fiction. Donna also bought me another from the list, but accidentally purchased “M*A*S*H TV 1st Season” instead of M*A*S*H the movie. She couldn’t get 12 Angry Men so I got a card in my stocking telling me to order it off the net. Also on the list, but not purchased was The Exorcist, she didn’t want to get that for me because it was too scary (for her.) After watching Pulp Fiction just long enough to see the close-up of Uma Thurmond’s face after she accidentally snorts heroin thinking it was coke, she said she wished she had gotten the Exorcist instead….
Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 350