Project #4. "tiny giant" na miata journal

[Earl]

[cheaptalon]

"Power windows, power seats, power mirrors, airbag, cruise control, useless speakers in seatbacks, aint nobody got time for that."

Quote worthy stuff right there!

[1badg35]

Haha

Updates shortly on the progress with pics. Big news the seats arrived in no time. International shipments arriving quicker than stuff from Florida always makes me laugh.

Time for some work on them and they can then go to the retrimmer for some uphstery.



Big question of the day, anyone know anyone in the northeast selling a bolt in roll bar? Like harddog or something quality that can run a pair of harnesses? I would rather not buy new since I'll be stripping it and powdercoating anyway. And unfortunately time is limited so I can't build a cage for it.

[1badg35]

Well, i wasn't going to give things away just yet.. but i might as well throw out some teasers of part of the progress..

parts car allowed for many opportunities as well as doubles of every part which started me on this course. 14 days from start to finish (well nights only), brought a driving car to a pile of parts, and a scrapped body.

during the process


before the body came off the chassis




the start on the white car



teardown



the pile of tan parts that came out of this thing. didnt look like much till it came out.







part 1 of the swap- most of the interior parts going in for a test fit - needing to see what needs to be adjusted or cut









--

and the parts from the UK lotus rep that just arrived!






clearly the seats are getting the full treatment and won't look even remotely close when complete, but this is the start. Out of a lotus exige cup in the UK, into a miata in the US lol





--



and for the guys who said i was nuts to cut up the aftermarket center console.. part 1 of that progress






you'll see why once its reinforced and smoothed why opted to do this.

[Aitch]

You took the tan OUT? Sacrilege.

[1badg35]

When its all done, everyone will understand why

[sterling archer]

When its all done, everyone will understand why

very curious on the outcome!

[FRSBrndn]

very curious on the outcome!

x2!

[TruTaing]

If this build turns out half as good as that 300zx in your sig, this car will still be awesome. Pretty sure this will be epic when all finished up

[TWM Performance]

Love the build progress so far. Amazing quality.

Renato
Team TWM Performance

[Fuzis]

Keep it up Everything looks so promising...

[1badg35]

quick test fit before I mock up the custom seat mounts. shocking how these seats fit me better, are physically taller, and somehow all while giving me almost 5" of extra room...



I want to get the seats physically bolted in and functioning before doing any of the finishing work to the seat backs, and then sending it off for upholstery.

and a temporary pic with the stock cloth seat I'm temporarily using and the new steering wheel inside the new interior. oh and take a gander at the passenger door as it looks a bit different. the car now lacks cruise control, power windows, power mirrors, airbag, and a few other minor things as of sunday night.






really scratching my head on what to do in the wheel dept still... tires are decided though, so one more step in the right direction.

[JacobJudt]

Have you ever though of selling any of the stock tan interior pieces (Mainly the seats)?
I have a tan interior 92 Miata with everything mint but the seats are showing signs of wear.

[1badg35]

Yes it was thought of and funny enough the entire tan interior, black soft top, and a bunch of other parts all sold to a bunch of guys scattered across the east coast. Not much left other than a couple of small parts I will wind up putting up on cl in the near future.

Next project up - seat brackets. As soon as the car is back in a few days, things will get buttoned up for spring. Suspension and wheels soon once it's decided what the wheel decision is.

[SnazzyQ]

Oh my god can you like stop being so cool?