Heldenzeit's Garage (Endless Maintenance)

[Heldenzeit]

This thread originally started as a build thread for my 97 Miata, but has morphed into my personal car history.

Current cars:
2002 Mercedes CL600 (Quartz Blue 347U)
2006 Mercedes S65 AMG (Schwartz 040)
2002 Maserati Coupé CC (Verde Goodwood 290.314)
2014 Fiat 500 Pop (Verde Oliva)



Previous cars:
1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS (Polo Green Metallic)
1993 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe (Polo Green Metallic II)
1997 Mazda Miata (Montego Blue)
1994 Mazda Miata (Laguna Blue)
1990 Lexus LS400 (Burgundy Pearl)
2003 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 (Midnight Blue)
1994 Mazda Miata M-Edition (Montego Blue)
2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS sedan (Sonic Silver)
2002 Mazda Miata SE (Blazing Yellow)
1986 Mercedes 190D 2.5 (Smoke Silver)
1994 Mercedes SL500 (Schwartz 040)
1997 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport (Brisbane Blue Pearl Metallic / Slate Grey)

 

[CodeRedR51]

Looks good but, paint the top!

 

[TouringBubble]

I love the fast back hard top! I've never seen one of those on a Miata. Reminds me of the Spoon S2K top.

 

[Tornado]

I miss that Corvette. Awesome job on the roof, though.

 

[Cano]

AHAAHA love your license plate. Rest of the car rocks too. Engine plans?

 

[Clark]

I think that it just works with the wheel arches (fenders) and roof in painted, the colours just go well with the dark blue of the car.

And those wheels :drool :

Probably my favourite mx5 ever!

Would you be comfortable with telling is how many hours and how many $ the modification has needed?

 

[Punknoodle]

This car looks awesome!

 

[Katiegan]

That looks sweet! What are the plans for the engine?

 

[Heldenzeit]

Thank you everyone for the positive feedback. The top and flares will be repainted the OE Montego blue to match the rest of the car. The roof alone retails for $2200, and I got the wheels for less than 2k before tires. I am planning to switch to a 99 Miata cylinder head and buying a friends centrifugal supercharger. The car has so much grip right now and no power haha.

 

[LeadFootLiam]

That is awesome. Very well done, I would buy a Miata as a first car but I does not have the practicality I need lol.

Get the roof painted and you will have one awesome track car.

 

[Slash]

Nice! Just paint the roof!

 

[Thatman]

Paint the entire car...

 

[Heldenzeit]

Paint the entire car...

That's the idea. It needs a whole repaint and that's what I'll do.

 

[Heldenzeit]

As my 97 Miata is getting a little too radical for daily use, and my desire to make it even more radical, I purchased a daily driver.

Another Miata! This one is a 94 base model. A/C, P/S, manual windows and mirrors, auto trans (it was cheap). Like $1000 cheap. 156k miles, but it needs a head gasket and other engine work. Body is mostly straight except for the passenger side fender.

Color is Laguna Blue

Cams look ok, no sludge in here.

Oil in the spark plug tube, yay!

Hmm, something is missing.

Hammered the fender out a little, need to remove it.

Cyl head is out!

Uh oh..

Cyl head is cracked in two places and cannot be reused.

I think it needs a front main lol.

The power steering pump is stripped too, so I'll be taking the one out of my other car and switching to a manual rack and pinion.

I have all the maintenance parts to put it back together, just need to find a good cylinder head. Good times!

 

[CodeRedR51]

That engine is trashed for 150k miles. Really wish people would take more care of their cars, basic maintenance would have prevented all of that. Jealous that you are finding these cars so cheap, anything under $2k here is a junk pile.

 

[Heldenzeit]

That engine is trashed for 150k miles. Really wish people would take more care of their cars, basic maintenance would have prevented all of that. Jealous that you are finding these cars so cheap, anything under $2k here is a junk pile.

Seriously right? I bought the car here in California, but the previous owner brought the car from Georgia. I think I can reuse the lower end and just slap a new head and gasket on. I drove the car with that motor and plugs 70 miles from San Diego to my place and it ran great. The compression seems to be good, the pistons just look kinda crappy haha.

 

[Slash]

I'd really clean the hell out of everything though...that motor is scary looking. How much is a new head going to run you? I'd get something a bit more performance oriented

And holy burned valves!

 

[Heldenzeit]

I'd really clean the hell out of everything though...that motor is scary looking. How much is a new head going to run you? I'd get something a bit more performance oriented

And holy burned valves!

Yeah it will be cleaned very well before I reassemble. This new car will just be my daily, so no need to upgrade the head. One of the local guys is upgrading to a 99 head and will give me his old one if I help with the swap. A used, low mile head is around $200-250.

 

[Slash]

That's pretty cheap for a head. Good luck with it.

 

[Crash]

2 Miatas and you rebuilt/rebuilding and engine? You and @casey_2005 should be friends.

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Nice Miatas. I really like them, loads of fun in the summer with the top down. 👍

 

[Heldenzeit]

2 Miatas and you rebuilt/rebuilding and engine? You and @casey_2005 should be friends.

--

Nice Miatas. I really like them, loads of fun in the summer with the top down. 👍

Yeah! These things are like a disease. So easy and cheap to work on. The new one I'm going to keep a 'vert, I kinda miss it.

 

[Heldenzeit]

Found the crack in the head. It's on the left exhaust port. Yummy!

I should do an exintake mod when I put it back together...hmm.

 

[Heldenzeit]

I think this needs to be my livery for the next track day.

 

[Thatman]

^minus the wing.

 

[Cano]

I think this needs to be my livery for the next track day.

@Sephy @DK

 

[Sephy]

Would most certainly drive that.

 

[Heldenzeit]

Got a really gaudy handmade steering wheel button for Christmas. It was made by Club NA in Japan and I love it haha. Just need to find a steering wheel now.

Need to install this too. It's a Wilwood brake bias adjustment valve.

 

[Heldenzeit]

Would most certainly drive that.

Just realized how much I love your avatar haha.

 

[Hayden]

Every time I come into this thread I remember how much I love that roof ! It's such a shame I can't get something similar for my 300zx

Wicked car you have mate and that livery looks great! Keep it up 👍

 

[Heldenzeit]

Every time I come into this thread I remember how much I love that roof ! It's such a shame I can't get something similar for my 300zx

Wicked car you have mate and that livery looks great! Keep it up 👍

Thanks! Its coming along. I can't wait to get this other car running. Soon!