tb built this Miata from a collection of parts. If you've met tb you you understand why we chose this name. Plus the whole pile of parts thing.
I'm picking it up tomorrow so it's tradition to start the build thread beforehand.
Here a link to the ad and a picture stolen from the ad.
Wow I was tired last night and I'm tired again tonight.
The trip began yesterday. I left Jacksonville a little after 7am heading to the Raleigh, NC area to pick up a Nash Metropolitan for 914Driver. It kicked my shiny for several hours but was worth it just to meet spkorb in person.
Unfortunately the way we had to load put to much weight on my tongue. Not as bad as to little but it made my steering real light over 60mph.
I got into an Airbnb just south of Richmond, VA around 9 last night and left about 6:30 this morning to go see tb and 914Driver in Philly. Slow trip at 60mph but I got there and then we went to work on transferring the Nash to 914Driver's trailer. Several hours later that was done. I think every time I see a Nash I'm just going to say I hate that berkeleyer. Well for the next week or so at least.
Miata's turn. tb and I removed two bolts holding the nose on and he drive it up on the trailer. Maybe the Nash could learn a thing or two from the Miata.
I took the required picture of a project car on a trailer in a gas station and started to head south.
Right as I was pulling into the highway a dude next to me got my attention and said my front passenger trailer wheel was wobbling. That can't be good and I could see it from the driver's seat. I pull off and after jacking it up sure enough it had play in it. This trip I brought my impact so vroom vroom and wheel was off. Hub had no play in it. It was probably loose lug nuts but my brand new spare was 8 feet away and only needed two lug nuts to take it off. Within 10 minutes of pulling off I was back on the highway.
Thanks random Philly dude.
Other than traffic everywhere north of Richmond it was an uneventful trip back to the Airbnb.
What is your day job? Why didn't stop in and say hey to Pat G while you were in the 'area' (1Kradius)? 
In reply to Stampie :
Does this make Miata #3 for you?
In reply to 759NRNG :
I'm just a small cog on a big gear working for the man. If I had known I would have put them to work. I actually planned out extra time to visit with people but the Nash took it all and more.
In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
I'm going to call it three and say that Lil Stampie's doesn't count.
Stampie said:In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
I'm going to call it three and say that Lil Stampie's doesn't count.
You don't have to rationalize it, we're all friends here.
What are you buying next?
It was good to see you guys yesterday and hang out for a bit. Sadly, I couldn't provide much help with that stubborn Nash beyond handing out cold drinks and encouragement. At least the busy body neighbors on my block got free entertainment for an afternoon...
The best part is that both cars found good homes and will live on to enjoy the road once again.
I felt a little hollow last night for minute; first time in years without a crapcan that I can wrench on whenever I feel the need. Fortunately, both of my remaing daily drivers have good aftermarket support!
In reply to tb :
Someone had to be ready to dial 911 incase the two of us had a heart attack. I'm not hating the Nash as much today but it's still a sore wound.
Just got home. Lil Stampie and I went over it. He started calling dibs on parts like the wheels. There's also extra parts that tb included that Lil Stampie wanted anyway. One of my thoughts was death kart it. Lil Stampie says that it's too nice to death kart it. I would take that as a compliment tb. Again thanks for letting us get the car and looking forward to seeing you in October.
Edit- almost forgot. Usually when I'm towing a car it'll get some looks from other cars. Today the Miata got a few but in south GA I past a guy in his 20's driving a squarebody S-10. Looked to be SBC swaped (no hood) and exhaust dump out the drivers front fender. After he was about 50 yards behind me he did a double take and stomped on the gas to catch back up. He looked over the Miata and then pulled up as we gave each other thumbs ups.
That Nash put up the kind of fight that made me admit that I am a bit too physically broken for some of the things I used to do...
Glad you made it home intact and that Lil Stampie approves of the purchase. There are several potential directions you could go with the build and none of them are wrong; It's yours now, so have fun with it!
And the thumbs up stuff in the highway is always cool. Since I started driving the z (especially in center city Philly) I even get people taking pics a lot. Totally not used to it yet but it is cool to get some love.
That miata is nice!!!
And im not sure how a nash had too much tounge weight. Aren't those only like 1500 lbs?
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
I had to load the Nash first then load an engine/transmission and axle afterwards. I put those at the front of the trailer because that was the best place to secure them. Honestly I think just then that far forward made it too tongue heavy.
Fair enough!
I honestly couldn't see it, then started thinking that maybe due to the super short wheelbase it concentrated the weight further forward.
Forgot about the extra drivetrain!
Didn't know what build these will get used on but figured I'd throw it in the most recent.
I noticed these sitting outside a customer's apartment this morning. He said he's been too lazy to take them to the complex dumpster. I told him he could leave them there and I'd pick them up this evening. Free metal.
In reply to Stampie :
There's so much free metal around, it really kinda surprises me sometimes.
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah most of it I tell my scapper neighbor about it but sometimes you get some good stuff. There's three pieces of round tube in there plus the 2x2 is pretty lightweight.
Disclaimer, do not consider anything we find or fix as a refection on tb. He fully disclosed that it wasn't a finished car and that he had taken some shortcuts. Besides it's a $500 turbo nitrous Miata. What where you expecting?
Today we finally got around to unloading it. Lil Stampie and his friends were helping me. I told Lil Stampie that if it started he could just back it off. It started right up and I went to the back to make sure it was lined up with the ramps. Then one of Lil Stampie's friends said hey it's leaking. I said that's fine we're just getting it off the trailer. Then he said no it's leaking a lot. I went up to see gas pouring onto the firewall. Shut it down. Turns out to be loose fittings at the nitrous connection.
We decided to just push it off the trailer at that point.
Went to put a cover back over the exhaust and it moved. In a direction it shouldn't have. Yep the JB Weld warranty had run out. No big deal as I was going to redo that anyway.
That was our adventure with Lil Bastard today.
We picked up a free hardtop for Lil Bastard today. It'll get made into a bikini top.
Link to the ad.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/parts-sale/free-miata-hardtop/195290/page1/
Floating Doc and I spent the day together. One of the things that happened was he traded me these wheels for the tires that came on Lil Bastard. I wonder how some A7s would look on them.
Sold the 16 inch wheels for $200.
In reply to Stampie :
That's funny! I decided the tires that were on those wheels are too small for the civic, was going to see who had a set of 16 inch miata wheels.
Oh well, snooze you lose...
If I had known that there was a Nash Metropolitan for sale here in Raleigh earlier in the year I would have been all over that like a fat kid on a cupcake.
In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :
Well I would have made you a better deal.
Stampie said:In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :
Well I would have made you a better deal.
That's ok, I didn't know that I wanted them. Could have saved you the trouble of unmounting the tires.
So Stampie has offered up Lil Bastard as the Parking Lot Build for 2023. Nocones and I kind of spear heading these shenanagins and I have the car registered. We plan to fix the things that need real fixing, Fuel leak and manifold issues, do a full nut and bolt, maybe install some suspension that Nocones has if we have time. Should be fun!
Progress on the car will be posted here (probably) and organization will be at this thread: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/2000-challenge/2023-parking-lot-build-lets-do-one/248043/page1/
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