Miatatude

Wishing Wheels III

Rspeed has produced some new “vintage” wheels called Chaparral 15s that looked like a winner, until they weighed them, 15.5 pounds. Hard to want to add 2 more pounds of unsprung weight back onto each corner. To top it off they also don’t directly clear the larger brakes on the 2001+ Miatas. It can be done, but you have to add a 3 mm spacer behind the wheels. Too bad as they would look killer on the car. For comparison, first the OEM wheels:

OEM 15

Now the Chaparrals in black with a polished lip:

Onyx Chaparral 15s

We made it to work this morning with the top down, but put it up because there was an 80% chance of rain. They were 100% right, it started around 10 and rained most of the day. At 4 o’clock when we left it had stopped. We got in the car and dropped the top for the drive home. Halfway out of the parking lot the rained started back up, so as we crept towards the exit I put it back up. It was a nice try…

Started down, went up, back down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 76

Bradford Pear Trees

Well, I’ve gone and done it again. Last year after taking this photo I told myself I would get a nicer picture this year. Trouble is that after the blooms disappear I can’t tell a Bradford pear tree from any other tree, so figuring out a photo spot way in advance can’t be done. This year when the trees started blooming I kept my eye out as I drove for a row of them with a nice enough background. Never saw one I really liked, so I never did take a new picture. The Bradfords are all starting to go green now and wouldn’t you know it, I think I stumbled on a place that fits the bill. Note to self: for blooming Bradford pear trees picture, try entrance road to Aiken Regional Medical Center.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 68

The Paint Is In The Mail

Messing with the look and feel of this blog isn’t the only thing I can’t leave alone. The Emperor gets it’s fair share of tweaking as well, as evidenced by the 38 changes I’ve made since I took ownership in November ’03. Numbers 39 & 40 are on their way in the form of a spray can full of Garnet Red Mica paint. That can will be used to paint the currently black interior rear view mirror the exterior car color, ala the new Mazdaspeeds. The other mod I have planned to come from that spray can is body colored brake calipers. I did this mod on the old Laguna Blue Miata, but those calipers I painted extrovert yellow, to go with the shiny aftermarket wheels on the bright blue car. This car is a little more subdued, so it will get a more appropriate quieter color on it’s toenails.

I bought the paint from a place called PaintScratch.com (thanks Rick) and it is coming via UPS truck all the way from California. They are charging me $5 for shipping and with the current cost of gas I think I’m getting a bargain.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 67

Almost

Almost ready to move to the new site design, just a few back end things to take care of, Comment Preview Page, some of my Info Pop-Ups, etc. have to be finished. Maybe tomorrow night.

Tomorrow during the day is the Master’s Miata Club Tech Day and my project/mod for the day is to make the rear side markers working lights. And I’m feeling ambitious I might go ahead and turn them and the fronts into turn signal repeaters.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 53

Youze Ain’t Looking Hard Enough

There was 31 pounds of air in the right rear tire this morning, down a pound. After work I dropped Donna at home and headed over to the tire store. They took the car in back and I waited, marveling at the 20″ & 22″ DUBS they had in the showroom (I wondered how much one weighed, but didn’t try and lift one for fear of herniating myself.) After 20 minutes the fellow came from back and said, “Which tire?” I confirmed that I told him right and he said that they had the tire submerged and they couldn’t find any leak. I told him that I thought that I found something and had marked the tire. We walked out into the shop and they pulled the tire again and I found my mark and showed them what I saw. They pried around in the hole while drizzling it with soapy water, but couldn’t make a bubble. I went back inside and waited. Twenty minutes later he came back out and said they couldn’t find any leaks. The tech had removed the tire from the wheel and felt all around on the inside and could still find nothing. They sent me on my way, no charge, saying if it keeps leaking, bring it back.

I’ll put 30psi in tonight and keep checking it…

Started up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 44

Here We Go Again

It was just a month ago that I had to have a hole patched in one the tires on the car. Last night on the way out I noticed that the right rear tire looked pretty low. Sure enough it held only 21 pounds of air compared to 29 for the other three. On the way to the dinner I stopped at the corner station and put 29psi in it. This morning it was down to 28. Just walked by it and it might be my imagination, but it looks lower than that now.

I just took the tire off and at first look I didn’t see anything. A second closer look I found a small slit that when pried slightly apart revealed something shiny. None of the local tire places are open on Sundays, so I put 31psi in the tire and I’ll check it again in the morning. I’ll probably just drive it to work and get it fixed after work.

Started up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 44

Ammended Total Dinner

I had to amend the top transition total from yesterday’s post. After we got back from the store and the photo shoot I put the top back up as it was still a little damp. It stayed up all day today because we didn’t even go out in the Miata until nearly dark.

We went out because it was the Master’s Miata Club’s Twelfth Anniversary Dinner. Every year we get together and go to a local restaurant and eat. What’s different than the usual monthly gathering at a local restaurant and eating you ask. Well, we don’t discuss Club business in a formal matter and where we are is usually a notch up on the restaurant pecking order, i.e. the food is better and we usually dress a little nicer.

From our original newsletter:

On January 30, 1993, at 3:00 in the afternoon, a small group of people met at the Gibbs Memorial Library in Evans, Georgia. There were twelve people present, all from different walks of life: different ages, different lifestyles and different tastes. The one thing they had in common was a love for their Miata.

So, we do the anniversary dinner towards the end of January or February, because that is the time of year the Club was formed and it is usually cold enough around here that doing a top down driving event would be iffy.

Started up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 44