Hangover level -

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
05/12/2018 at 22:11 • Filed to: Miatafications

Sippin Gatorade from a straw while laying down in the tub, hot water raining down, Alina Barez streaming from the Bluetooth speaker. Lights off, pitch black. Dying. In other news, I did a thing! Check out my latest Miatafication.

So after a long night of drinking and a loooooong morning of holding a hoody wrapped over my face while curled up on the floor trying to block out the vile sunshine, I’ve learned a few things.

1) Schilling Chaider (Chai tea cider, I believe) is fantastic. Twas a pint to remember.

2) Schilling cold brew coffee cider was envisioned by the gods themself. Imagine mixing the finest hot spiced cider with a fresh, infinitely bold and flavorful roast coffee bean. Heaven. On. Earth.

3) at NO POINT should you ever ask a bartender to make something “super super sweet”. What the hell where you thinking AestheticsInMotion..?

4) lastly, Chick-fil-A only serving breakfast until 10:30 should be a federal crime. The level of desire I had for chicken biscuits is terribly difficult to get across via this emotionless medium, so let me just say.... Never in my life have I so craved such a simple dish.

Total tally came up to two glasses of merlot, a cider sample plate, a pint of cider, the aforementioned super sweet drink that had two 6 second pours (of what, I have no idea. Possibly pure sugar), and.... Uh. Nothing. That’s it. I’m a lightweight, despite my decidedly not light weight.

I did eventually manage to get up and be a somewhat functioning human the next day. It just took me until 2pm. What did I do..?

Installed a thing.

A new shifter!

Step 1) remove old shifter

Compare and contrast. The new hotness is 2" longer, black powder coated and with the fulcrum point changed, is a true short shift.

Turkey baster was all I could think of to remove the nasty old oil! It worked!

Tell me this wasn’t genius? Why risk scratching the turret, resulting is disaster when you can just use a magnet

Step 2) install new shifter

Delrin bushing

And of course we needed new fluid in the shifter turret! I should have done the transmission as well but... Another day.

I added a second top boot to give it a slightly more finished look. This is temporary, I’ve got a good vision for how the shifter surround will look...

Step 3) pictures and test her out!

I’ll be painting the nut and unused threads black so they dissappear

This is an incredible kit. Every single piece you need is supplied, either OEM Mazda parts (which are not cheap) or custom parts made by the designer of the shift kit. It’s pricey, but I’m not trying to put junk in my car regardless of how much I could “save”.

Oh and did I mention it brings the already universally applauded NA 5 spd into an entire new dimension of shifting? This thing rocks. There is ZERO play. No wiggle room. The shifts are incredibly short, so much so that when testing it sans knob I though I installed something wrong because the shifter barely moved at all! Those short shifts mixed with the added two inches of shaft length ends up with a very similar throw length to stock, just zero slop. This is what I imagine a gated shifter must feel like...

As for the knobs... They are beautiful and I couldn’t be happier with the way they turned out. I love getting something custom like this from a one-man business. The round knob feels incredible in hand and will be my daily. The purple is OEM miata shaped with slightly less rounded edges. Both knobs are fairly light, probably about 70% and 80% of the weight of the OEM knob, respectively. I’ll eventually try an anvil knob (1 pound) and if I like the heavy weight, I’ll get my guy to make me a new knob with some lead shot hidden in it or something....

Speaking of which, here’s some of his work. He’s a great guy and if you want something made I highly recommend getting in touch. Eventually I’d love a matching ebrake handle.

(note: these all have multiple images to scroll through)

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Okay, I’m going to change the oil, wash the car, then head home and order a pizza. Not bad for a hangover day

DISCUSSION (16)

Urambo Tauro > AestheticsInMotion
05/12/2018 at 22:27

Looking good!

What’s that white disc under the lower shift boot? is that fiberglass?

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion
05/12/2018 at 22:29

Nice knobs.

It’s cool that you went with a long stick. Everyone seems to go with a shorter stick and a super heavy knob in every car. I don’t get it. I get reducing throw (would like that in mine), but I don’t get moving it further away from the wheel and making the throw shorter by just shortening the stick...

AestheticsInMotion > Urambo Tauro
05/12/2018 at 22:30

Thank you!

And possibly... The bottom side is reflective, it’s for heat management.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > AestheticsInMotion
05/12/2018 at 22:31

Is that the Miata roadster shifter kit? I have one and its amazing. I went with the normal length one so that I could have even shorter shifting. Man did it improve my 6 speed. The 6sp is universally panned as being kind of garbage and now it’s awesome.

It felt great during my first track day today. Shifts between 2-3-4 were all excellent and precise way up in the rev range. Felt even better to get point by passes from way faster cars.

AestheticsInMotion > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
05/12/2018 at 22:36

I agree. The normal option is actually 4" longer than stock, with a slight bend to get the shifter even closer to the wheel. Straight and 2" longer than stock was a (no cost) custom option.

Kinja'd!!!

Originally I was going to go with stock length... But I’m very glad I didn’t. Between that and the moved fulcrum the throws would have been too short in my opinion, with more force required to shift than I want.

AestheticsInMotion > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/12/2018 at 22:37

Oh man. I’m convinced that we’re building the same car sometimes

It’s amazing isn’t it? Now I really want to try different configurations, like a long bent one

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > AestheticsInMotion
05/12/2018 at 22:46

It was stupid expensive. But the more I use it, the more it becomes worth it. It’s weird though on specifically the 2001 with a 6sp makes a crazy noise from the shifter above 6k. It’s perfectly normal according to the guy, makes it sound nuts when really on it though. Kind of fun, makes it a real race car lol.

Bride seat was amazing on track too. Makes every moment of “ow my back, why do I have this damn seat” also 100% worth it. I was so happy to put the padding back in for the ride home though. The seating height difference is unreal but painful.

gettingoldercarguy > AestheticsInMotion
05/12/2018 at 23:07

That’s beautiful man. In the spirit of Chihuly too! Think they’d do anything for a Scooby?

AestheticsInMotion > gettingoldercarguy
05/13/2018 at 00:47

I love it. It’s hard to photograph though! For the knobs, yes. Absolutely anything, just give the guy the thread pattern and talk over the design. If you meant the shift kit, probably not

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

DipodomysDeserti > gettingoldercarguy
05/13/2018 at 00:57

Chihuly?

Kinja'd!!!

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > AestheticsInMotion
05/13/2018 at 01:59

“Shifter feels kind of gritty. Only started after replacing the shift knob with an aftermarket knob.”

gettingoldercarguy > DipodomysDeserti
05/13/2018 at 03:46

Kinja'd!!!

gettingoldercarguy > AestheticsInMotion
05/13/2018 at 03:47

Already inquired and ready to commission. Thanks for the insight! My wife approves too!

AestheticsInMotion > gettingoldercarguy
05/13/2018 at 13:24

Awesome! I’m really curious to see what you’re picturing

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > AestheticsInMotion
05/13/2018 at 19:35

First off cold brew coffee cider is one of my favorite cider varietals, second only to this vanilla habanero by urban orchard. It varies batch to batch but when it’s spicy it’s unbeatable. Schilling... is that the same people who do beer? I remember them having a pumpkin ale that was straight pumpkin pie.

Also those knobs turned out beautifully. I especially like the fiery world looking ball. Very unique. Ford motorcraft. Nice. I use that as well. So expensive, but like you said, why put junk in your car?

You’ll have to give updates on how that shifter is to live with. Seems dope. And I think I see what your envisioning with the shifter. I do like that look and the functionality of the longer length. I keep thinking of deleting the center consol, but I’d have to get a shortie kit or something. Plus I try to keep a “possibly oem to someone who doesn’t know” look... which I consider throwing out the window for more unique, but for now I’m sticking to it lol.

Meant to reply this yesterday but got pulled away from my phone...

DipodomysDeserti > gettingoldercarguy
05/13/2018 at 20:36

My wife’s an art teacher and we had a Chihuly exhibit at our botanical garden for a while. I used to annoy the shit out of her with my Cholula/Chihuly jokes.