"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
06/27/2018 at 14:03 • Filed to: None
2
29|
"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
06/27/2018 at 14:03 • Filed to: None | 2
| 29 |
Sad Miata update
My build has stalled, I’ve been seriously considering new cars/bikes and putting the Miata on the back burner until enthusiasm/money/garage stars align.
The break-in fucked things up. It’s so much more than just the money lost.
Seats, harnesses and rails were stolen. Among many other things.
Seats were red bride Vios III knockoffs. They were perfect for my needs. Looked good, nice and tight, safe, and not super hot like black leather. I replaced them with navy blue S2k buckets.... Which didn’t work at all . Sold the buckets, bought a REAL Bride vios III at 3x the price of a knockoff and... The fabric was lower quality. The seat sits higher. The back is a sparkly glitter like finish as apposed to the flat black of the knockoffs. Which is definitely a con for me. A nd lastly, for reasons I can’t determine, the real bride squeeks like crazy. It’s like the bolts are looses, but... They’re not. So I can buy another real bride to match perfectly at a rediculous price and deal with the shortcomings, I can sell the bride and my black seat and roll the dice with two more knockoffs, or I can sell everything and start over again looking for new seats.
I’m honestly leaning towards selling everything and trying to get two red knockoffs like I had before, and eventually getting custom upholstery for a higher quality fabric. But that’s expensive, time-consuming, and means I have to deal with knockoff dealers who are not the greatest in terms of communication and customer service.
Then there are harnesses. I had Schroth 4 point ASM FE’s, which are basically the only 4 points I would ever use. Street legal, accepted by all major racing bodies, and incredibly easy to get in/out of, and adjust. Comfy as well. Can take sub straps to be converted to 6 point at any time. But... They’re discontinued. I haven’t been able to find any left in stock. There’s a “new model” but it’s significantly pricier at $500 a piece... For 4 point harnesses. That’s insane. And no one I’ve contacted can tell me the difference between these “updated” harnesses and the old ones. I’d hate to pay that money only to get harnesses that are worse for my unique in-car setup. But I also hate the idea of a massive price bump for what is the exact same harness .
They stole the rails too. I replaced those with the same, but I’ve realized I need to just mount straight to the floor, and cut out the f loorp an to get more space. Beat the transmission tunnel to get the seats centered... Just get a better fitment overall.
That’s just the seating. There are other areas that the bastards stole from that need to be addressed still , and tons of other projects that have been put on hold while I try to replace everything. The Miata is in rough shape, with practically every major system needing SOMETHING, and I’ve lost the enthusiasm to keep pouring money and time into it. W hich makes me very sad. It’s still a blast on forest service roads, but I really don’t want to just watch it get progressively more and more trashed... I drove it hard, but I never thought of it as a beater. This is supposed to be the do anything car, from track days, to offroading, to carshows, to camping, to serving as the testbed for all sorts of fun parts and project ideas.
Speaking of which, I have tons of parts for projects still, and I can’t seem to make myself start any of them. My offroad/rally light project hasn’t gone past brainstorming, despite having all the equipment I need. I’ve got a full cooling kit—CSE triple pass r adiator, a trick S PAL duel fan setup, coolant reroute kit, hardlines to replace hoses, aluminum overflow tank, hood extractors... And those have all been sitting for months on end in a box tucked away out of sight.
I’ve been looking at Volvos lately. Hanging out on Swedespeed, getting a feel for the community. Maybe a new platform—and a backup car—would help get my head in the right place. Maybe I need to bite the bullet and go full crazy with a turbo or engine swap. Or maybe just getting my old setup back is the only way I’ll be able to get past all this shit.
First day of Miata ownership for your time, swapping in an Amazon special radiator in the parking lot, using wrenches for the first time if you can believe it
And at its best, two weeks before the break in. Stereo had just been installed, and was by far my favorite project to-date. Finished all on my own, with lots of help from you guys. Washed, claybarred and polished, vaccumed and detailed inside. Compliments everywhere I went. The cooling work was about to be started, and then I would have moved on to forced induction after years of prep. I miss that wheel quite a bit, too.
TL:Dr - fuck thieves. Thought I was over it, I’m not at all
Chariotoflove
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 14:11 |
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I missed the post where you were robbed. That’s the worst. I’m so sorry. Of course you won’t get over it easily. This kind of thing really rocks a person.
S ending internet bro hugs.
Noah - Now with more boost.
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 14:15 |
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Reaching this point with a project fucking blows. I’m sorry things have been so rough lately. At a certain point its not just about a car project anymore, its a matter of preserving your mental health. You have to ask yourself: is it worth it to keep going? Will the future enjoyment outweigh the current stress/frustration?
fintail
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 14:22 |
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When did this happen? I know property crime is a real issue in this area, even in the usually peaceful eastside.
You want some kind of superduper S60 or wagon, right? Go for it, no time like the present. I’d worry about future thefts if you just replace the stolen parts.
CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 14:23 |
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TL:Dr - fuck thieves. Thought I was over it, I’m not at all
It sucks to be victimized. My wife works in a victim service unit and it is always hard.
It’s never about the money or value of goods stolen. I had my shop vac stolen 2 years ago (cut the cable and lock on it) and I still haven’t removed the key from my keychain. My dad bought me that the day I moved into my new house to help me clean my cars.
Let me know if you ever need anything
Mercedes Streeter
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 14:35 |
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Honestly, I had reached this point with my smart car project. I was so mad that I spent $3k on a car that survived a road trip halfway across the country, only for it to die a couple weeks later going to work. Then it was dead in an expensive storage unit without any guarantee that I could ever get it to move again.
I was about ready to sell it for $1k and get another motorcycle and I probably would have done just that had the car not decided to no longer be paralyzed.
I can’t imagine a huge project already coupled to the loss experienced when theft happens. *Hugs*
punkgoose17
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 14:47 |
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That really stinks. Maybe working on a different project you already have the stuff for?
It sometimes works for me. I don’t spend more money and then can think if I want to go back to an old project or move on.
Future next gen S2000 owner
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 14:51 |
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Sell it and buy a motorcycle. Like a Miata except better.
razorbeamteam
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 14:53 |
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Dam dude, that sucks. I know the feeling of having so much into something, but so much more to go. Keep your head up.
KevlarRx7
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 15:03 |
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Ah shit, I didn’t know what you’d been through, I’d be heart broken....
If you was closer I’d definitely give you a hand, my advice is to push through and do the other things that’ll only cost you your time and see how you feel after.
Cars become part of us, let me know if you need any advice on anything and I'll do my best to help from a distance.
Decay buys too many beaters
> Future next gen S2000 owner
06/27/2018 at 15:16 |
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diplodicus
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 15:20 |
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Get an e30. https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/1989-bmw-325i-e30/6610122537.html
https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/d/bmw-e30/6621675672.html
https://abbotsford.craigslist.ca/cto/d/1988-bmw-320i-euro-e30/6626857733.html
Nom De Plume
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 15:22 |
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Sell the worthless seat and strip all the other junk holding you back. The direction you had taken was fun but it seems time to strike off in another with this car.
cmill189 - sans Volvo
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 17:06 |
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You know what you want...
;)
Come to the dark safe side.
shop-teacher
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 19:10 |
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Deep down, do you still love the Miata? I get the impression that you do. If so, I think you should push through the funk, and start installing those parts you already have. I think that may start the rebuilding of that bond. The higher price of replacement harnesses isn't going to change, no matter what vehicle you put them in. Same with getting fussy over this part or that part. It's always something.
MM54
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 19:20 |
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I fully understand the “why don’t I want to work on this?” with a project. I’m there regularly with the Chevelle; it needs so much work but I don’t know that the end will justify the means to me.
Do you have somewhere you can safely store it? Maybe it will do some good to put it away for a while and work on something else; take a few/several
months and get a Volvo or whatever
else you want
. Put the parts in the trunk.
It’s a mental break. After a while you’ll either be yearning to get back to work on the Miata, or ready to let it go.
MeatSaber
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 20:01 |
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Do you want to go down the rabbit hole and commit to your miata for a very very long time, or do you want to experience what else could be?
Perhaps cars aren’t meant to be held onto forever, is your passion of cars greater than the passion for a single car?
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MeatSaber
> Future next gen S2000 owner
06/27/2018 at 20:04 |
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As the owner of a miata and various motorcycles it’s hard not to agree with this, especially if said miata is a daily, where some of it’s less appreciable attributes come into play.
gettingoldercarguy
> AestheticsInMotion
06/27/2018 at 20:13 |
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Pound some codes and watch b is for build. Start with the Evora episode, it's great!
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AestheticsInMotion
> Decay buys too many beaters
06/28/2018 at 00:13 |
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Finally, an "all the stars" image
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AestheticsInMotion
> fintail
06/28/2018 at 00:13 |
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2.5 months ago. I'm 99% sure it was a resident who was evicted a week later. They found chopped up bikes inside
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AestheticsInMotion
> Mercedes Streeter
06/28/2018 at 00:14 |
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*hugs accepted*
Thanks, yeah it's heartbreaking. But I'm sticking with it
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AestheticsInMotion
> MM54
06/28/2018 at 00:15 |
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You know, I did that for a month after the break in. I just wanted to get it back to what it was and drive it hard
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AestheticsInMotion
> Chariotoflove
06/28/2018 at 00:16 |
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These cars have a tendency to become quite important to us, don’t they? Thanks internet bro
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AestheticsInMotion
> CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
06/28/2018 at 00:17 |
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I appreciate it a ton. Yeah, it's hard to really explain the feeling, but it sounds like you get it...
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AestheticsInMotion
> shop-teacher
06/28/2018 at 00:17 |
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Good advice, and I'm going to take it
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AestheticsInMotion
> KevlarRx7
06/28/2018 at 00:18 |
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Walking out to the car in the morning to head to work and seeing it torn apart was legitimately one of the most heartbreaking things I've dealt with. If anyone can understand that, it's the people here.
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KevlarRx7
> AestheticsInMotion
06/28/2018 at 01:32 |
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Just give it some time before you make your decision, after all it's not the cars fault, and you've had some awesome drives in that one (:
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shop-teacher
> AestheticsInMotion
06/28/2018 at 01:49 |
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Cool! Enjoy it!
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fintail
> AestheticsInMotion
06/28/2018 at 09:33 |
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Wow, nightmare. You need to lobby the HOA to have a lower rental cap.
Anyway, I think you should go for the car of your dreams. These are the good old days. You’ll only regret what you never tried.