Jefé's Rides

[wap]

Not since dropped a drill press from the ceiling onto his crangshaft.

[stripethree]

Edits made. Updates coming. Everything in the fleet except the CB300 needs attention.

[dubshow]

Edits made. Updates coming. Everything in the fleet except the CB300 needs attention.

[wap]

Also, in4storytime.

We need some deets, man!

[stripethree]

Let's start with an update on the R32.

Nothing is keeping the car from being driven, but there are some things in the "that could get worse quickly" category. The upper radiator hose is leaking, and if I replace that, I might as well replace the auxiliary radiator that has been attached to the car with zip ties for 6+ years because the plastic mounts broke. There's an oil leak that isn't severe but it is enough to notice. I haven't driven the car enough this year to say it is losing X quarts over Y miles. I am pretty sure it is the PCv.

In February, the car was on the Quickjack (oh, yeah, I got one of those and it is the ) for around a month as I worked through a lot of things it needed. At that time it got a new set of BC Racing coil-overs. These have to go. If I had not waited so long to install them, I might have taken them off immediately and tried to return them. They are the worst suspension I have had on the R32, and this is 5-6 setups outside OEM now if I recall correctly. I was looking for something that could stay close to stock ride height and survive rallyx. These things are terrible on the street. I tried them with camber plates, without camber plates (stock strut mount set up), using parts from other coilovers to get more ride height in the rear... and I am ready to throw them away. They were not a discernable improvement over the worn-out 7-year old KW ClubSports that came off the car. I am looking at going to HPA's SHS setup since I have had a good experience with KW shocks and it can get back to stock ride height.

I've also been fighting water issues this year. I think the water coming in the hatch may have been solved by deleting the rear wiper and replacing it with a plug. I was hearing a clunking that sounded like suspension, but it turned out that the rear wiper assembly mount had broken and was bouncing around. There was evidence of leaking and it wasn't washer fluid since the car doesn't have a washer reservoir (another leak that has eluded me) and hasn't for a year or so. I have not had any water in the hatch since it was plugged. The car also gets water in the rear passenger footwells if it is parked on unlevel ground, with the front of the car slightly higher. I haven't been able to figure out where the water is getting in, and have looked at all the typical Mk4 issues around it. I have removed significant amounts of the interior three times this calendar year to dry it out.

I put 2000 miles on this car this year and did one Track Night in America.

[stripethree]

Let's talk about this 1990 Miata. Here is what it looked like as purchased in December of 2018:



Minus the tacked on LED running lights (which you cannot see or may have already been ripped off in the photo) and the top, it was completed stock. 150k miles. The paint is not all original but looks pretty good and there are no signs of major accidents. The car has spent its entire life in Texas, registered either in Austin or in Katy, the latter of which is where I ventured to get it. A friend of mine knew of it as it was for sale by one of his friend's uncles. My friend didn't want it as he wanted to put more money into his AE86, so I asked for pictures and the price. I drove out to Katy to see it, drove it around for 20 mins. For $2k asking price; sold. The aftermarket top is in decent shape and the owner had the original frame which was included in the sale. I picked it up the next weekend.

I knew that I would put more than the cost of the car into it, and that was fine.

Here's the stuff that was needed and is now done:
- Shifter Rebuild
- Brake rotors, pads, and fluid
- Koni Yellows with new upper shock mounts
- New rear sway bar bushings and end link bushings
- New fuel filter and fuel pump (owner knew these needed to be replaced and had the parts!)
- Air conditioning overhaul (this one hurt the wallet but it's Texas...)

Here is the "nice to have" stuff it also got:
- FM front sway bar and new end links
- 15"x7.5" bronze Rota Slipstreams wrapped in RE-71Rs
- Hood lift, air horns
- Taillight seals, clear bumper markers on all corners because they were all working but rotting
- Hidden hitch from Hard Dog
- Black hardtop

Next up is getting the rollbar installed and replacing the motor mounts. The Miata has a small power steering rack leak and a small oil leak I haven't found the source of yet. I would like to get the timing belt done but I am unsure if I want to take that on myself. This car is so much fun to drive but I've put even fewer miles on it this year than the R because my commute is short and is usually done via motorcycle or carpool in my partner's 3. I would like to get it on track in 2020.

[stripethree]

Last but not least, the rest of the fleet.

If you are here for the story of the SS50, you'll have to wait. The project has been a roller coaster, and I'd rather tell it all after it is running and I ride it home. Sorry, not sorry.

The CB300F is great. No other mod plans for it, just keep riding it.

The 3 got new shocks, 2 of 3 motor mounts, and a handful of other odds and ends in the last 6 months or so. It needs that third motor mount replaced and needs a fuel pump soon, which requires dropping the tank. A far cry from the 20 min job it was on the Miata. It's 50/50 this car makes it through 2020 in our hands as there has been open talk of buying a sporty car to replace it. Only catch it, it cannot be a since it is the lady's daily driver. She knows how to drive standard but I can't blame her for not wanting to given Austin's traffic.

[4zilch]

Solid updates

[stripethree]

This is what a Mazda 3 transmission mount is supposed to look like.


This is what I pulled off the car tonight. There's, ah, some rubber missing and the rest is very smooshed. I'm not surprised. When I replaced the other two recently the upper engine mount was completely trashed. The car has 94k miles on it and I'm guessing when the engine was replaced at 76k miles they did not replace the mounts.


Airbox, battery, and battery box all had to come out but it was a straightforward job that can be done with the car on the ground.

[goIftdibrad]

This is what a Mazda 3 transmission mount is supposed to look like.


This is what I pulled off the car tonight. There's, ah, some rubber missing and the rest is very smooshed. I'm not surprised. When I replaced the other two recently the upper engine mount was completely trashed. The car has 94k miles on it and I'm guessing when the engine was replaced at 76k miles they did not replace the mounts.


Airbox, battery, and battery box all had to come out but it was a straightforward job that can be done with the car on the ground.

the focus had a similar design. I hate it...there is not a fail safe and the thing just hangs from it

[D Griff]

Let's talk about this 1990 Miata. Here is what it looked like as purchased in December of 2018:



Minus the tacked on LED running lights (which you cannot see or may have already been ripped off in the photo) and the top, it was completed stock. 150k miles. The paint is not all original but looks pretty good and there are no signs of major accidents. The car has spent its entire life in Texas, registered either in Austin or in Katy, the latter of which is where I ventured to get it. A friend of mine knew of it as it was for sale by one of his friend's uncles. My friend didn't want it as he wanted to put more money into his AE86, so I asked for pictures and the price. I drove out to Katy to see it, drove it around for 20 mins. For $2k asking price; sold. The aftermarket top is in decent shape and the owner had the original frame which was included in the sale. I picked it up the next weekend.

I knew that I would put more than the cost of the car into it, and that was fine.

Here's the stuff that was needed and is now done:
- Shifter Rebuild
- Brake rotors, pads, and fluid
- Koni Yellows with new upper shock mounts
- New rear sway bar bushings and end link bushings
- New fuel filter and fuel pump (owner knew these needed to be replaced and had the parts!)
- Air conditioning overhaul (this one hurt the wallet but it's Texas...)

Here is the "nice to have" stuff it also got:
- FM front sway bar and new end links
- 15"x7.5" bronze Rota Slipstreams wrapped in RE-71Rs
- Hood lift, air horns
- Taillight seals, clear bumper markers on all corners because they were all working but rotting
- Hidden hitch from Hard Dog
- Black hardtop

Next up is getting the rollbar installed and replacing the motor mounts. The Miata has a small power steering rack leak and a small oil leak I haven't found the source of yet. I would like to get the timing belt done but I am unsure if I want to take that on myself. This car is so much fun to drive but I've put even fewer miles on it this year than the R because my commute is short and is usually done via motorcycle or carpool in my partner's 3. I would like to get it on track in 2020.

[stripethree]

The SS50 Is ALIVE.

Shop just called me and they are buttoning things up early next week. It sounds like this thing was way more of a Frankenstein than I thought and the shop went through and fixed up a lot of things. I'm excited.

Motor that is now in it is a 140cc Piranha semi-auto with electric start.

If you or anyone you know wants a basically new 125cc Lifan, hit me up. It was bolted to this bike but never wired up. Electric start was a must have for me so we went with the Piranha.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stripethree]

This update makes more sense here rather than in the house thread. Got some garage cleaning and organizing done. Amazed that we've been in this house six months and I've made a mess of things.

Having these off the floor is great. Weight load is still on the ground, hooks keep them on the wall. Used super official QJ hooks.


Hung up similar to the Miata hardtop (this was done a while ago)


Juicy part. Little Honda pic. Maybe hard to tell next to the CB300F, which is not a big bike, but it's Grom size.


Motor shot:


Piranha 140cc with a 4 up semi-auto and electric start. The bike probably weighs in the 170 lb range and dynos of this motor seem to show around 12.5 hp to the rear wheel. Since I got it back, I've managed to shatter the rear taillight when I accidentally put the thing vertical from a stop. Helllllllo torque. No other damage than a scrape on the rear fender and my ego. A replacement tail light cover is on the way and with a new bulb the light still works. I also grabbed a rear rack off fleabay.

The thing needs brakes. The drums can suffice but likely need new shoes. That's my current research, seeing what fits. It shares a lot of parts with the Z50 and CT70/90 so there's stuff available. It also needs the shocks redone, but I could also get brand new ones for pretty cheap. I also want to run a rear brake cable from the left-hand lever. I should have had the shop that did the motor work do that in the overhaul. I can always take it to them again.

[goIftdibrad]

This update makes more sense here rather than in the house thread. Got some garage cleaning and organizing done. Amazed that we've been in this house six months and I've made a mess of things.

Having these off the floor is great. Weight load is still on the ground, hooks keep them on the wall. Used super official QJ hooks.


Hung up similar to the Miata hardtop (this was done a while ago)


Juicy part. Little Honda pic. Maybe hard to tell next to the CB300F, which is not a big bike, but it's Grom size.


Motor shot:


Piranha 140cc with a 4 up semi-auto and electric start. The bike probably weighs in the 170 lb range and dynos of this motor seem to show around 12.5 hp to the rear wheel. Since I got it back, I've managed to shatter the rear taillight when I accidentally put the thing vertical from a stop. Helllllllo torque. No other damage than a scrape on the rear fender and my ego. A replacement tail light cover is on the way and with a new bulb the light still works. I also grabbed a rear rack off fleabay.

The thing needs brakes. The drums can suffice but likely need new shoes. That's my current research, seeing what fits. It shares a lot of parts with the Z50 and CT70/90 so there's stuff available. It also needs the shocks redone, but I could also get brand new ones for pretty cheap. I also want to run a rear brake cable from the left-hand lever. I should have had the shop that did the motor work do that in the overhaul. I can always take it to them again.

these updates.

I like your qj solution. if the south la contingent qj is going to remain at my house I'll have to do the same.