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Miata Talk 12/17/08 Last Updated: 02/06/2009 |
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Today it begins (again). A journey; one that I have made before. I make this journey with an old friend. We met first in the spring of 1996 and we became FAST friends. I could not wait to go places with my new friend and share adventures of exploration and the open road. Our bodies soon became harmoniously intertwined and our movements, fluid and choreographed with the precision of a well rehearsed orchestra. She was easy to handle, easy to get along with and wanted to go everywhere I did. Yes, she is my Miata. This journey starts out a little different. In 1996 I purchased her when I worked for a Mazda dealer. She had only a few miles and looked very nice; a 95’ Merlot. I was so excited. Even though I had owned convertibles before this was the nicest one that I had ever had by far. The car drove great, hugging every turn, giving great feedback and always responsive to whatever I ask of her. My excitement for the car and love of driving set me off on a quest. Soon I began to learn of the community surrounding these little cars; an active, enthusiastic, friendly Miata community. Just a couple of months after I purchased the car I made a trip to “The Gap” (AKA, The Dragon, Deals Gap) and this is where I met Joe. Talk about friends, I never knew at the time how good of a friend this fast talking New York Cuban would actually become to me. I met Joe as he was trying to sell me gauge faces from a folding table in the lodge at deals gap. I purchased the gauges; it was my first “Mod” to the old girl. Joe and I talked for a while and late that night made several wild and daring passes through the gap; it’s a wonder we made it out alive! That chance meeting and that night began an era in my life that would span over many years, many mods and many happy memories. This car was so ripe and ready for personalization it would be ashamed to leave it be. The next thing that I added to the car was brakes. I called my new friend Joe at RSpeed to get some advice. I had plans for attending a track day at road Atlanta in a few days and I needed some good brakes to allow me to scrub off some of the lightening speed that I knew that I would be carrying down the back straight at road ”A”. Joe invited me out to the shop to see the place and to meet Hector, and after a couple of beers, a lot of Miata talk, some philosophy and going back to Joe's house to play Gran Turismo for a while; a decision had been made, it would be Hawk Blues (if my memory serves me correctly). A couple of days later the pads had come in and I went to pick them up. It was the night before Road “A” and I had the new pads just in time. After installing them I went to pick up a friend and we spent the evening making sparks from the brakes while trying to “seat the new pads” before the track event the next day. Any excuse will do right? Road Atlanta was a very exciting, nerve racking, humbling and eye opening experience to say the least. What I learned was that I had a great car, decent driving ability and that if you are going to sport something with 140 hp at Road “A” it might be better if it had only two wheels. Getting down the back straight in the Miata was an experience that I can imagine to be similar to crossing the Atlantic in a Cessna; you’re flyin, but you ain’t getting anywhere fast. I believe it was just after the Road “A” experience that I developed the more, more, more mentality. I needed More Horsepower, More Brakes and More Handling, and I needed it now! Well what is a guy to do about such unsatisfied desires? I did the only reasonable thing that I could do; I went back to RSpeed. The first thing we did was a nice cat back exhaust but wanting to never be embarrassed again, by a Gremlin (which I am certain was a 6cyl sled), on the back straight at Road Atlanta, I soon opted for the Supercharger as my next Mod. Hector is a Miata God! The SC install went flawlessly and I was enjoying my new found horse power, taunting Mustangs, Camaros and every tuner Civic that I could entice to accept my challenge. I remember a trip that I made with a friend right after the supercharger. Needing a road trip to test it out we decided to make a quick trip to Florida, a four and half hour drive from Atlanta down through the back roads of Alabama, to Destin. And yes I did say four and a half hours, that is my story and I’m sticking to it. Non-the-less, the trip was going GREAT! Top down and beautiful weather, we were enjoying the long straight passes at top speed, between small towns in Alabama. These roads are all but deserted and consist of long straight stretches of flat road, long sweeping turns, gentle rolling hills and some slightly tighter turns. All just enough to add to the enjoyment factor of this trip. It was on one of these gentle sweeping turns that ended on a small rise into a slightly tightening turn that I got the scare of my life. Trying to carry as much as possible in to the finish of this turn I pressed the car in to the right hand turn and crested the slight hill when to my shock, there in the middle of the road was the biggest, long horn bull that I have ever seen in my life. Still light from the cresting right hand turn I had to make a decision quick. Folks, let me just tell you, this bull was looking right in to our eyes and he wasn’t moving. My life flashed before my eyes! Now in full anti-lock and rapidly approaching the still not moving bull real panic set in. These roads are narrow and the drainage ditches on either side of the road deep; I am really hoping for a stop. Finally we stopped, we were 3 feet from the head of this bull who is still looking at us. We are close enough now that I realize the horn span on this creature is considerably wider than the car. After we both took a deep breath and removed the seat cushions from our a**, we slowly drove around the bull to the left and continued our trip. Over the next couple of years I continued to add to the car, Header, Racing stripes, Painted console, Chrome vent rings, shift surround, shift knob, roll bar, sway bars, springs, short shifter, etc. etc. etc. I had so many great times and so many great memories with her. It was unthinkable that I would abandon her one day. But it happened, another car caught my eye. Bigger, badder, faster, flashier, and I might add much more expensive to play with. I dropped my Miata like a bad habit and settled down with my new German friend. Over the years I have stayed in constant contact with Joe, Hector and the gang but one day I got a call from Joe, it was different than the usual call. Joe was excited, he had news for me; my car was back, it was dead and it was available. RSpeed had continued to service my baby for the new owner and one day when she finally gave up (I prefer to think that she grieved herself to death over our breakup), Joe called to tell me that she was available. My new German friend had long ago proven to be too high maintenance for me and my lack of having a fun car to drive had left me with a void and sadness. I longed for the old days. What choice did I have? She is a mere shell of what she used to be but TODAY, we began a new journey; a journey of restoration and revival, a renewal of a friendship with an old friend. Today my baby went to the body shop for the first step in its restoration. Today it begins its new life and I begin mine. RSpeed has been more to me over the years than I could even begin to describe and with their help my 95’ Merlot will return to its previous glory. I encourage you to stay tuned as we update you on the progress and we will use what we learn on this journey to help you keep your old friend around forever. May your life be 75 degrees and sunny, your roads twisty and your old friend a Miata. -RSpeed Tags:
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