Miatatude

I’ll Rip Your Face Off

To change out the headlight, the correct way to get the bad one out is to start by removing the front bumper! I looked, and there were a couple videos showing how easy it is to remove the bumper. Had to watch both, because the first one I watched missed things that needed to be removed to make it happen. And if I had watched the second video first, I still would have had to watch the other one because it too missed fasteners that needed removing.

I removed both the good and bad headlights because I’m going to use a CERAKOTE® Ceramic Headlight Restoration Kit on both so that they match. Then again, if the eBay one matches up real well with the good ten thousand mile one, I’ll just return the Kit.

I Was Bored Today

I’ve been running the NB’s 16″ wheels on the ND for about 6 months and because I had nothing better to do today I put the ND’s 17″ wheels on the NB, just to see. And if you like that type of look, it is not that bad. The downside is that this combination will really mess the with feel and handling of the car. Those OEM 17″ wheels and tires weigh in at 38.4lbs each. This is nearly 10lbs of extra unspring weight per corner compared to the 15″ FM Kogekis and Yokohama ADVAN Flevas at 28.4lbs that I put right back on the NB. Oh the humanity.

I Get Black Cars Now

All Lit Up

 
Historically I have disliked cars in black. I’ll admit that the color does look good on some vehicles, but on a Miata it kind of diminished its already small size and you lost a lot of the curves that made the car beautiful. I won the auction for Bucky because the year and its low miles not its color. I originally thought I might wrap it a bright color too, but living with the car I’ve come to appreciate it in black. And the truth of it is, a lot of my resistance to a black car was probably based on photographs of cars, so in real life I didn’t pay attention them. Turns out the car isn’t diminished and those curves still come to life.

Now, keeping one clean is a whole ‘nother ball of wax.

Interstates Suck Part Two

Interstates Suck Bumper Sticker

Yesterday’s post I lamented the situation of having to drive on the Interstate around here and said I should go ahead and buy an apt bumper sticker that I created on CafePress. It wasn’t until today that I remembered that I already had one in a drawer…

Bucky’s Big Day Out

I’m finally going to get him registered and get the title in my name versus the Bring-A-Trailer seller. Hard to believe, but I won the auction for the car nearly 7 months ago. I’ve even decided to try and get a personalized plate. You get six letters, so I’ve asked for BUC KEY or BUC KIE with the state’s base license plate that features a tree in the center. Odds are probably kind of slim though; the mascot of Oregon State University is a beaver…the only saving grace is the mascot’s name is Bennie.

After the DMV I’m dropping him off at my friend’s at PDX Wraps to have some side stripes put on like I mocked up back in July. Here is the proof they sent me today. We’ll see when I get there. When I mocked up my stripe on it sat a little higher; theirs shows it lower, and I’m wondering how well the thinness of the stripe at the back end of the door will hold up.

Side Stripe Design Proof

I’m also going to get them to put a 4″ or so dark black tint along the top of the windshield. Even though I spent money on the old-school folding visors from the first-gen cars, I might be able to eliminate them altogether with that tint.

And there is one last modification (or so I’m telling myself) to be done: a set of custom gauges from Revlimiter. We are ironing out all the details as we speak; it is based on a combination of his Spyder faces and something I’ve had sitting in my Miata folder for a couple decades.

Custom Gauges Go Here


 

I Return To The Scene Of The Goose

Now, just where did I park my airplane?

So, I drove back to McMinnville today, this time I ponied up a Andrew Jackson and went inside. Wow, this place is amazing if you are anyway interested in aviation. I mean, the Spruce Goose may bring them in, but there are a ton of interesting things to see and do besides that one oversized aircraft. There are two buildings jammed with airplanes, rockets and memorabilia. There are planes from the early 1900’s up to the Vietnam era stuff in the one with the Goose in it and the second is all space race stuff and modern warplanes. In total I spent almost 2-1/2 hours there and I can see a return visit in a few months.

The only thing I had a complaint about is that somehow the Spruce Goose seemed diminished by the shear amount of small (and they all weren’t all that small) aircraft crowded around it. I understand that they probably couldn’t build a third giant building just for the Goose alone and they have an awesome collection and want to display as much as possible, but, I don’t know, maybe it is just me.

I took a couple dozen pictures and here are a sample:

Mojo

Way back in the early 90’s Donna and I added mountain biking to our cycling CV and we both bought a Bridgestone MB-4. As you can tell if you’ve hung around here long enough, you know I like the modify things I own to express my me-ness. The first things I did to the bike is I threw a bright pink seat and matching handlebar tape on it. I also glued a little blue and pink gecko to my top tube in what was referred to as a Mojo in the mountain biking community.

A decade or so later I added a Mojo to Miata #3, that we named The Emperor because compared to the high mileage Miata #2 we traded in on it, this car was Regal. It was the LS or top of the Miata lineup and came with leather seats and a cloth top. The maroon-ish color with tan interior added to its high class feel as well. I bought a little Hasbro Emperor Palpatine figure and double stick taped it to the car’s dash.

Fast forward 2-1/2 decades later and now I own Miata #6 that has earned the nickname Bucky for two reasons which you can read about it here. The other day in Klamath Falls I wanted to wash the road gunk off Miata #5, so I went over to the local Dollar Tree looking for some small towels to use at the hand car wash. I found a couple of “Microfiber” ones for a dollar (and a quarter) each. Whenever I’m in one of these stores I always check out the miniature action figures to see if they have anything cool.

Surprisingly, they still had a bunch of The Incredible figures on the hooks because I bought a set of all 5 characters way back 5 years ago when we lived in K-Falls. I found a DC Comics figure of Black Adam that I opted to buy for Bucky’s Mojo. When I got back home, I shrunk down the logo for that gas station place and glued it to Black Adam’s chest. Tomorrow I’ll stick Buc-ee Man on the dash.