7 replies to this topic

[Mpettograsso]

Hello all,

 

Although I am not new to motorsports, racing or cars, I am new to Spec Miata. I have had a lot of seat time in various cars at various tracks, mostly for training puroposes, or HPDE. For the last 2 years i have been running my 2012 Mazdaspeed 3, and I can tell you its been a blast. that little rocket surprises a lot of people.

 

After looking at some cars that were already built, and having that internal struggle on built vs. buy, I recently purchased a 99 Miata with the sport and Special Edition package with about 75k on the odo, for $800!. My plan is to build a spec car to race with. The car is very clean, and all stock. Its almost to clean to chop up and make a racecar out of, but thats what I want to do. I have a shop, and love being in the garage. Im not sure if im going to run the motor as is, or just suck it up and build it so I have less of a chance of failure long term.

 

suspension, brakes, hubs, and a bunch of other crap has been ordered already. the last thing i am going to do is the interior and cage on some off chance that My senses come around and just want to make it a fun weekend track car.

 

someone please convince me to get out of this circus while I can!!!!.

 

looking forward to meeting some good people and having fun racing.

 

 

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Hello all,

 

.

 

 

someone please convince me to get out of this circus while I can!!!!.

 

looking forward to meeting some good people and having fun racing.

 

You will want to meet David dewherts and Rg Bargi right away they should have no problem convincing you.

 

If they fail welcome to spec miata.  a place you will learn to both love and hate with equal passions, but will have a hard time leaving it alone, i think it is 100X more addicting then Heroin. 

[Brandon]

Hello all,

 

Although I am not new to motorsports, racing or cars, I am new to Spec Miata. I have had a lot of seat time in various cars at various tracks, mostly for training puroposes, or HPDE. For the last 2 years i have been running my 2012 Mazdaspeed 3, and I can tell you its been a blast. that little rocket surprises a lot of people.

 

After looking at some cars that were already built, and having that internal struggle on built vs. buy, I recently purchased a 99 Miata with the sport and Special Edition package with about 75k on the odo, for $800!. My plan is to build a spec car to race with. The car is very clean, and all stock. Its almost to clean to chop up and make a racecar out of, but thats what I want to do. I have a shop, and love being in the garage. Im not sure if im going to run the motor as is, or just suck it up and build it so I have less of a chance of failure long term.

 

suspension, brakes, hubs, and a bunch of other crap has been ordered already. the last thing i am going to do is the interior and cage on some off chance that My senses come around and just want to make it a fun weekend track car.

 

someone please convince me to get out of this circus while I can!!!!.

 

looking forward to meeting some good people and having fun racing.

Where the EFF did you find one for that price?!  I want one too!    

 

Anyway - welcome to the insanity.  You've decided to join the ranks during 'crazy time' (aka off-season) so no one has anything better to do than bitch about parity, 1.6L torque under 5500RPM, or $60k '99 builds.  ;-)

 

I'll only convince you to leave the circus if you agree to sell me your car, untouched, for $1200.  See!  You're making a 50% return on your investment!  

 

First thing's first: buy Dave Wheeler's "SM book".  It will lay out everything you need to know about building a car.  And then you need to sell your donor car & parts to me for $3k and buy a built one.

Okay, okay, okay...seriously now.  Buy Dave's book, put the donor on jack stands, start taking out parts.

If they're really in that good of shape you should have no problem selling them for something on CL - that money should be saved for a coaching budget (notice I didn't say "tire budget").

From there, get it done and attend your first school!

 

Looking forward to seeing another one from the NE on-track.

 

L8R,

Brandon

[Danny Steyn]

Welcome to the nuthouse

 

this is why you are joining us.... there is no class that will ever give you this much fun at a track

 

[Ron Alan]

FYI...you mention special edition in your post. I know in 99 there is an anniversary edition(Blue, 10 AE))and a SE in 2000 and 2001. These are all 6 speed cars with the wrong rear end for SM. As long as your car is 5 speed you're good!

[Johnny D]

Sport package is Torsen and 5 speed, maybe special is the Nardi package. IDK. Wheel, wood grain?

J~

[Mpettograsso]

thx everyone. you guys are awesome already!

I looked at the door jamb sticker, and it says SE / Sport. It does have a Nardi wheel, but not woodgrain. Tan leather interior with Bose stereo.

The lady just wanted to get rid of it, and needed the money. She wanted $1500 for it, ( i thought that was pretty good) but as usual, in my hustling ways, I tore the car apart and offered her much less. She wasnt really having it until I physically pulled the money out of my pocket and showed her that she could have it right then and there.

 

kind of felt bad, but worked out for everyone!

[MPR22]

thx everyone. you guys are awesome already!

I looked at the door jamb sticker, and it says SE / Sport. It does have a Nardi wheel, but not woodgrain. Tan leather interior with Bose stereo.

The lady just wanted to get rid of it, and needed the money. She wanted $1500 for it, ( i thought that was pretty good) but as usual, in my hustling ways, I tore the car apart and offered her much less. She wasnt really having it until I physically pulled the money out of my pocket and showed her that she could have it right then and there.

 

kind of felt bad, but worked out for everyone!

Real best move is to fix car up and sell it for 4k (or more)  then use that money to buy the $1500-$2000 donor.