Chris GTO TT Posted October 21, 2018 Author Share Posted October 21, 2018 Time for another Miata 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Time for another Miata Fortunately, I have a spare NB sitting in the back yard... Got some pics this morning from a Miata Club guy who was out at the track yesterday. He got a couple good ones of the NA on track. Photog even caught my one spin of the day! Last turn coming to start/finish, got in a little hot and lost the rear. Went around 90*. Fortunately, that was about the extent of it. Front wheels never left the pavement... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted October 22, 2018 Author Share Posted October 22, 2018 NB's are better anyway Great pics! 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted October 31, 2018 Author Share Posted October 31, 2018 Still daily driving it, put gas in it got 28mpg 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Pretty good. My NB gets crappy mileage... ~20mpg. One of these days I'll get the time to look into that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted October 31, 2018 Author Share Posted October 31, 2018 Pretty good. My NB gets crappy mileage... ~20mpg. One of these days I'll get the time to look into that... I'm typically around 24-25mpg, but this tank I had about 70% highway 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Might have to start a new thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derp Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Oh my. I could suck start a snow blower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted November 2, 2018 Author Share Posted November 2, 2018 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/bought-camaro-276359.html?p=5845297#post5845297 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted November 9, 2018 Author Share Posted November 9, 2018 Temps dropped down into the 30s last night might be time to throw the stock wheels back on. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 25* here overnight... about a month late for our first freeze, and colder than usual... went straight from high 30s/low 40s to 25*. Brrrr... I put the 'winter' tires back on the NB a couple weeks ago. Today I need to winterize the camper... I'd been putting it off, but now it's time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted November 9, 2018 Author Share Posted November 9, 2018 Yeah I keep the stock wheels with some all season tires for the winter. They are far more predictable in the cold and wet (assuming it ever rains again it'd be nice to get that Camp Fire out near us) 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 I have some cheapo all-seasons on the Konig Rewinds I got on the parts car, and that's what I use for winter on the NB. Got some parts coming for the NA... could be a game changer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 And I thought the Mustang tires were big... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted November 13, 2018 Author Share Posted November 13, 2018 I have some cheapo all-seasons on the Konig Rewinds I got on the parts car, and that's what I use for winter on the NB. Got some parts coming for the NA... could be a game changer... Turbo parts? 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted November 13, 2018 Author Share Posted November 13, 2018 Put the stock wheels with the all season tires on today. Lows have been in the 30s the last few days. 20181112_095029 by christobal65, on Flickr 20181112_101119 by christobal65, on Flickr 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 (edited) So, the parts I was teasing about showed up... I always try to keep an eye open for deals on 'used' stuff, even if I don't plan on using it for a while. Fortunately, I also keep a stash of "mad money" for such opportunities, as they always seem to come at a bad time. Which this did, since we had just bought the Camaro. Anyway, it's a Kraken manifold, elbow and downpipe I scored off one of the Miata forums. Brand new, never installed. Kraken is a relatively new outfit out of England, and they are the only ones besides Trackspeed Engineering to bring a cast turbo manifold to market that isn't a "log" style. Cast manifolds have proven far more durable on track, and the TSE setup is making incredible power with the EFR turbos. Kraken is starting to get a good reputation for track reliability. The Kraken manifold has a T25/28 flange, making it appropriate for a wide variety of turbos. Unfortunately, the elbow/downpipe, which are flanged for a V-band, are only 2.5". That may or may not be a problem. I'm now in a quandary... If I decide to put this on the track car, all I need is a set of injectors, a Chinacharger GT2860 clone, an intercooler core and some tubing... ~$1k. Should be good for 200-220whp (holding it back to be reliable on the stock shortblock), which would be a lot of fun. It will even bolt right up to the exhaust that's already on the car. On the other hand, it's perfect for cheap fun with a Chinacharger on the street NB. For the NB, I would also have to buy another Megasquirt, and fab up an exhaust, so it would be a bit more $$. I'm leaning towards turboing the NB, and use it as a learning project to get it right on the track car with tier one parts. And it would give me time to put together a shortblock that can take more power. I've also been looking at running a regional time trial series with the NA in 2019, and a turbo will bump me up a couple of classes. Looking at my current lap times, I would be competitive where the car would class as it sits. Not sure if that would be the case with more power. Edited November 15, 2018 by rodan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 Ha called it! I would turbo the track car. You already have the brakes and suspension to support doubling the HP. I also know you put the FM Happy Meal on it so you have a clutch to deal with the increased torque. I can't remember what clutch is in the NB. Most of all if you turbo the NB as a test bed I suspect you'll be really disappointed with the NA when you go do a track day in it. Next thing you know you'll be swapping all the track parts to the NB 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 All good points. The NA definitely has all the supporting stuff. Which is why I'm conflicted. It's all a while off anyway... I'll have time to run a couple of the TT events and see how that goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted November 23, 2018 Share Posted November 23, 2018 Got rear ended today... On our way to T-Giving dinner with family, minding our own business, waiting at a red light and BAM! Fortunately, we were driving the truck, not the Camaro or NB. Also fortunately, when I was thinking about taking the hitch out of the receiver this morning I decided to be lazy and leave it in. The hitch took the brunt of the impact. The truck that hit us: She still made contact with our bumper and bent it. I'm hoping that's the extent of the damage. Both my wife and I have a little soreness. I'm more worried about her, having had two fusion surgeries on her neck. Other driver got a ticket, and has insurance. Calling our insurance agent tomorrow.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted November 23, 2018 Author Share Posted November 23, 2018 Ouch! Glad you are mostly okay and he had insurance! 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 The other party's insurance has acknowledged 100% responsibility, so that's something. Trying to get things arranged to get the truck into the shop I've chosen, who's about two weeks out from being able to do the work. The insurance agent has been pretty slow about getting back to me, which is irritating. Turns out the factory hitch is bent. I won't know about the frame until they can get it in the shop and on the rack. Trying to come up with reasonable numbers to ask for diminished value and "pain and suffering". Not trying to get rich, but I do think some compensation beyond the cost of repairs for our trouble and time is appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 So I finally did something with the Miata today... I drug out my spare set of control arms and knocked out the old bushings. My "Bauer" 1/2" cordless impact and "Maddox" ball joint service kit from Harbor Freight made things quick and easy. Front upper arm: After knocking out the bushings, I went ahead and removed the ball joints. Yuk. On the rear inners, the ball joint press worked perfectly, but for the outers, I ended up using a 3 jaw puller, since there isn't room for the ball joint press between the bushings. Now that all the control arms are bare, I can see about getting them media blasted to prep for painting. Two thumbs up for the Bauer 1/2" impact. I bought this thing last summer, took it to FM Summer Camp, a couple other trackdays, changed several sets of wheels at home, and the initial battery charge finally gave it up today on the very last bushing! https://www.harborfreight.com/20v-hypermax-lithium-12-in-impact-wrench-tool-only-63629.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Got the control arms cleaned up. I'm debating whether to just paint them, or have them blasted first. Also thinking about upgrading the front uppers to NB arms, which have more underside bracing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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