I joined the "I did it!" club

6

6speed

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'05 MSM #36, '05 WWP RX-8
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1999, Emerald Green, 105,000 miles, original Sport package. Owned by a true driver, goes to Tail of the Dragon several times per year. He took excellent care of it, mechanicals are all smooth and responsive, owner even handed over all maintenance records :)

The paint has some scratches and a rear bumper scrape. A few faint acorn dents in the hood. The interior is a bit worn, 1 wear hole in the driver side bolster, but otherwise in fantastic condition for it's age and mileage. Picked it up for roughly $5,800. With the extras (such as a 2nd set of wheels and winter tires etc...) total was a very fair $6,300.

I will be registering it Monday, and will be able to move it around for better pictures and stuff. Just interested in tucking it against the back of the driveway where it won't be bothered by prying eyes until then.

Registering for this coming weekend's Renegade event to give it a wrangling :)
 
Hehe :)

First "mod" will be license plates Monday.

But since my wife will be the primary driver, things have to stay small unless she decides she hates it (which isn't entirely bad either). No real plans on what to do yet, this pending move to TN is a bigger focus. But putting in an RX-8 autodimming mirror is a quick one (I love my autodimming mirror), and then on to coilovers, catback, intake, and RPF1s are the quick and easy short list. If my wife falls in love with it, then the performance mods will end there, but add in heated seat elements and a modern head unit (if that is possible, haven't even researched it yet). And find another Miata to be the bearer of my plans :)

If my wife disowns it, then I will keep it at those basic mods until I gather up the resources, cash, and finish the plans, and then I will begin the Renesis swap that I dream about.
 
Emerald Mica. I dig. I almost purchased a miata just like that one before I got my 96.
 
Got plates on it about an hour ago. Took it out for a spin immediately. Several actually. :)

God I love how light it is.
 
6speed said:
Got plates on it about an hour ago. Took it out for a spin immediately. Several actually. :)

God I love how light it is.
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Our RX8 is a fantastically well mannered road car and it really sticks like glue in corners. The NB with some FI, a well set up suspension and good sticky rubber is far too fast for public roads.

Keep it stock, your wife will thank you.
 
rednumbersix said:
Our RX8 is a fantastically well mannered road car and it really sticks like glue in corners. The NB with some FI, a well set up suspension and good sticky rubber is far too fast for public roads.

Keep it stock, your wife will thank you.
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Yeah, well, if my wife claims this as her own and limits what she will let me do, then I will just get another one. But I have been building the plans, details, parts lists, fab needs, etc... for a Renesis swap into an NB for about a year now. Once this move to TN happens, I will have the cash flow to start building it. The best of the rotary without the 700+ extra pounds :)
 
rednumbersix said:
Our RX8 is a fantastically well mannered road car and it really sticks like glue in corners. The NB with some FI, a well set up suspension and good sticky rubber is far too fast for public roads.

Keep it stock, your wife will thank you.
Click to expand...

I can back this statement up. The MSM is a HELL of a lot more fun to drive than the MS6... The MS6 feels like a damn boat compared to the Miata.
 
So my wife's first day driving it yesterday, and she has a complaint that I hadn't previously noticed. The "usage" range of the clutch pedal vs the gas pedal are different. If she slides forward far enough to use the clutch fully, her right knee is against the underside of the dash, and she can't use the gas properly. If she slides back just far enough to use the gas pedal correctly, she can only operate the clutch correctly by using her toes.

I've been looking at options, Miata.net threads, etc.. around the issue. Apparently more common than I expected it to be? Since I will be driving it frequently, whatever solution is found has to be one that is either quickly swapped, or works for me as well.

Any of you Miata guys run into this? Seems to be an issue with tall (gas pedal needs to be farther away) or short people (clutch needs to be closer).

Probably can't do anything about it until Sunday, so just fishing for ideas at the moment.
 
Hey that's better than the problem I have in the miata. If I push the seat all the way back I can reach the gas pedal...but unfortunately I'd have to drive with the door open to get my knee around the steering wheel and foot on the clutch. 6'3" FTL
 
Yeah, at 6'1", I am fortunate to not have that issue. I can have the seat 1 or 2 clicks forward from full back. My wife is right up on the steering wheel at 5'4"
 
Took these last night. Took some with the high quality camera too, but didn't bring the memory card in. These were from my phone.

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It "may" need a new master and slave cylinder but the biggest difference (especially if she is used to the rx8 clutch) is that the feel is not there.

I barely tap the clutch on the NB to change gears, it's more like I'm saying "Hi there, mind if I squeeze on past?".

You learn how to drive (stick) all over again when you own that car. Then once you've figured it out you wonder why every other car wasn't designed this way. The Miata is designed to reward sensitivity and finesse. (naughty)

Oh and yeah the pedal is adjustable.
 
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