Box

#31

Well I do plan on doing the suspension and brakes as well in the future, but as far as the drivetrain goes intake, exhaust, and cam should be plenty enough. These days it probably makes more sense to go to something like the LS3 versus building either the LT1 or LS1 since it makes 426 hp out of the box, and then all the mods you can add from there.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#32

There can be too much power.

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#33

>

QUOTE (Bitter @ Jun 2, 2016 - 6:48 PM)

>There can be too much power.

But yeah the 300 some odd crank horsepower is enough for me at this point, and to be honest I've yet to use all that's there and that's with a few interstate pulls and passing idiots on the highway. Having passing power is the best thing ever by the way, that and never having to turn off the A/C.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Box

#34

Not really a huge update by any means, but changed the differential oil, transmission fluid, and the engine oil and filter. The transmission fluid was fairly spent as was the differential oil, engine oil had been due for a few hundred miles but really didn't want to do it in the yard if possible as it still looked fine. Everything was fairly uneventful really, gave the underside of the car a once over since it was up on the lift and it all looks good. I don't think I'll have the room to do what I was wanting with the exhaust though so it's back to the drawing board on that. The spark plugs look to have been replaced somewhat recently(ACDelco plugs, meh) but it looks like the original wires, so wires and plugs are up soon. Put in new fluids, oils, filter, etc... and dropped it back down. The transmission feels notably better, not that it was really bad before but now everything is really nice and smooth. Still needs a short throw to be honest, but that's further down on the priority list.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#35

When the detailing bug bites you again, check out Carpro Essence. It's a filler/glaze kind of product that sets up to make a really hard layer bonded to the paint that fills in halograms and light scratches to make the car super glossy without taking down lots of paint thickness. I'm trying it out this weekend/week on my Celica as I give it the yearly detail. I don't think I'm going as hog wild as I did last year but you know...I always say that.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/produc...g-ocdetail.html

This post has been edited by Bitter: Jun 26, 2016 - 10:13 AM

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#36

Looks really nifty, the results on the black cars are pretty impressive. I still need to do a proper strip down and wax job, though it's just been too damn hot but at least the spray wax I did has been holding up well. Which for twenty year old paint it still looks fairly good, but there are a few trouble spots here and there but waxing blends them back in only to show up again over time. So this stuff sounds perfect for what I'm needing.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#37

Yep, I'm hoping it's some magic elixir for me as well, I'm in the process of claying all the horizontal surfaces on the Celica today and then I'm going to buff the whole thing down with that stuff and let it haze up and set for a day or two in the garage then do my usual M21 with 3M carnuba teflon topper. No M7 rub down this year, it's still got a nice deep black to the paint so I don't feel the need for that. Even my boss, who is usually pretty sparing when it comes to complimenting cars said he could see the depth in the black on it. I love that M7 glaze! It really is some of the best stuff around for single stage paints, and on Toyota red the results are mind bendingly amazing, it makes it look like luscious lipstick red lips you just wanna kiss.

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#38

I'm a fan of Meguiar's products as well, really the best off the shelf brand in my opinion. If Carpro Essence works really well it'd save a lot of time and physical stress since could use it after clay barring then go straight to sealant and wax.

I was so exhausted last night since I also helped my brother change out the open differential in his Genesis Coupe to a track model LSD, not fun by the way in case you're wondering, I forgot to mention it was also the first time driving at night since getting the car and I couldn't see for ****. We always take his car since it has HID lighting and he doesn't have night blindness, thankfully was following him but I could maybe see 25 feet in front of me if that. So I've been looking into that again today and found AUTOPAL Euro H4 housings with bulbs for $15 each plus $9 shipping. If I had money to blow I'd look into making some kind of bi-xenon projector setup, but I don't so the Euro H4 should be a notable improvement for not much more that what it'd cost to get new sealed beams.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#39

If those are the housings I'm thinking of then they're too shallow for 'plug n play' threaded shaft projectors and you've got space constraints bad cause of the pop ups. If they're the metal and glass H4 housings then just run some higher wattage H4 bulbs on a wiring harness, it's going to be a massive improvement. Maybe the Osram Rally bulbs?

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#40

Here they are: http://www.ebay.com/itm/361426900811?_trks...K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I was just going to use them as is with some Philips X-treme Vision bulbs, I thought about the Osram Rallye bulbs but all the ones I've found are overseas(I know that's their actual market, but still) and take forever to arrive and would have to redo the wiring like you mentioned.

This post has been edited by Box: Jun 27, 2016 - 2:22 AM

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#41

The XV's are great if you like replacing bulbs every 3 months.

http://store.candlepower.com/
http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html

They say it'll play with stock wiring, but due to voltage drops you won't get the absolute most lumens with stock wiring, even with stock bulbs. It's worth it to run the harness it really is.

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#42

Ye the other option being the Osram Night Breaker as far as not changing anything on the car, but I figured the Philips XV would be better since they only have the blue tint crap as a ring around the top of the bulb. Bulb life isn't that big of a deal since I try to limit my night time driving as much as possible, but when it starts getting dark at like 5:00 during the winter I don't have much choice.

I guess I could make a new harness, but I'll want to go all out and use like 10 AWG so if I ever feel like being a bastard I can use 130/100W bulbs. This is where having an ostentatious LS1 Firebird would come in handy as I could keep my low beams fairly civilized but go all out on the high beams, oh well the price of looking and sounding better has bit me in the ass already.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#43

the 100W bulbs aren't going to last very long either, they burn so hot that the filament gets very fragile. Make a harness even if you're using stock wattage stuff, it makes a big big difference. Big difference.

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#44

I guess I'll spend some time on Amazon and eBay finding some H4 plugs, relays, inline fuses, and some wiring. I need to go out and look at the car to see what's there and if there might be any constraints on wire AWG due to clearances with the popup assembly. Depending on differences in wire pricing will somewhat dictate what I use since I really wouldn't use 130/100W bulbs since I don't want to be a jerk. Yay more stuff to do.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#45

You don't need thick ass cable, even just bumping up to double the thickness of OEM makes a massive difference and is overkill. I think mine was using 12ga wire maybe 14ga, vs the stock 16 or 18ga stuff.

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#46

I was thinking 12-14 AWG after looking at thickness for given amperage and wire length charts.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Box

#47

Just ordered the E-code lamps and some heavy duty H4 connectors, so that'll be a fun project once all that arrives. I need to look through my stash of wiring tonight to see what all I have before ordering wiring that I may already have. After doing some research over on LS1Tech the E-code conversion is the next best thing to a bi-xenon conversion, but is marginally easier and cheaper. So that's hope inspiring, it'll be nice to be able to drive at night and see. The Celica spoiled me with its headlight optics.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#48

More than marginally easier. WAY easier. Like nearly plug n play, if you can bake a cookie from a tub you can do the swap.

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#49

Someone had been making a "plug and play" bi-xenon kit, but it was $700 and I'm not sure if they're even making them anymore. I guess compared to putting one together it'll be considerably easier. Also I found something I want but will probably never be able to find:


I'd hate to know how rare, Euro taillights. The other day after a really bad thunderstorm I noticed some moisture in the driver side taillight. I thought about finding some '93-97 base model taillights and then covering them in vinyl tint so then it'd just be solid black. Other option is baking mine open, or however you go about separating them, and try to save them. Then could do the vinyl tint leaving the reflector exposed. Really that'll be my only option probably for them to look ok since the black grid section looks wonky after moisture got in...

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#50

If the 98-02 tails didn't have the stupid honey comb on them they'd be nice. Can you remove that?

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#51

I'm glad I'm not the only one that hates honeycombs, over on LS1Tech they're God's gift to automotive lighting... Apparently the '93-97 Formula/Trans Am lights are notorious for delaminating, so even if I found a nice set it'd just be a matter of time unless I could somehow reseal them and never let it become an issue. There's no way to remove the grid or honeycomb on the lights, but the '93-97 base lights would be sort of similar to having honeycombs removed and look like so:

Then they can be modified to look like such:

Even more reminiscent to the late second gen than the grid lights are.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

Bitter

#52

Not too bad, throw in some really bright LED plug n play bulbs and you're good to go I think.

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2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar'1998 Mazda 626 FS-DE/CD4-E

Box

#53

Yep, just have to find a set. My brother knows a guy at LKQ and had sent an email about getting a set, but haven't heard back yet. I do really like how they look on that blue T/A, would be even better on a black car I think.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

cheela

#54

that last pic doesn't look too bad.

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*1997 Celica ST - 3SGE Greytop BEAMS*1977 Celica RA29 - Classic Cruiser*2005 Matrix AWD - dedded but still hanging around like a ghost2019 Rav4 XLE Premium - Sports mode is fun.

Box

#55

It's funny how big a difference some time and paint can make. I pulled the driver side tail light just now and it looks like whatever they used to seal the lense to the housing has dried up. I took some tint I had laying around and it kind of masks they "greying" of the grid where water got to it, so if I could stop these from leaking and holding condensation I'll be ok for the time being. Though I still want the base model lights to do the above mod or just black out, since I'd use vinyl tint I could always pull it off and do the mod once I'm tired of them being blacked out.

Oh and the way the lights are done there's a piece of plastic that covers the entire top of the seal and mating surface, otherwise some silicone would take care of it quickly and easily. Trying to find info now but the general consensus seems to be not to try opening them.

This post has been edited by Box: Jun 29, 2016 - 5:06 PM

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

ClevelandGaint

#56

>

QUOTE (Box @ Jun 28, 2016 - 11:24 PM)

>I'm glad I'm not the only one that hates honeycombs, over on LS1Tech they're God's gift to automotive lighting... Apparently the '93-97 Formula/Trans Am lights are notorious for delaminating, so even if I found a nice set it'd just be a matter of time unless I could somehow reseal them and never let it become an issue. There's no way to remove the grid or honeycomb on the lights, but the '93-97 base lights would be sort of similar to having honeycombs removed and look like so:

Then they can be modified to look like such:

Even more reminiscent to the late second gen than the grid lights are.

The bottom one looks awesome!!!!

cheela

#57

you're gonna need that high rise spoiler.

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*1997 Celica ST - 3SGE Greytop BEAMS*1977 Celica RA29 - Classic Cruiser*2005 Matrix AWD - dedded but still hanging around like a ghost2019 Rav4 XLE Premium - Sports mode is fun.

Box

#58

So after extensive research the solution to my problem was to drill holes in the bottom of each bulb housing, with much chagrin that's what was done. I think for the time being I'll throw some vinyl tint on them to hide the grid delaminating and wait for LKQ to find me a set of base lights to mod.

I hate the high rise spoiler though. You have no idea how happy having the Formula with a hardtop and the low rise spoiler has made me, that and the 6-speed but that's a given. The only thing I like about the Trans Am more is the rear bumper, depending on how hard it is to change them out I might have to look out for a nice black rear bumper to put on.

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

VavAlephVav

#59

>

QUOTE (ClevelandGaint @ Jun 30, 2016 - 9:46 AM)

>>

QUOTE (Box @ Jun 28, 2016 - 11:24 PM)

>I'm glad I'm not the only one that hates honeycombs, over on LS1Tech they're God's gift to automotive lighting... Apparently the '93-97 Formula/Trans Am lights are notorious for delaminating, so even if I found a nice set it'd just be a matter of time unless I could somehow reseal them and never let it become an issue. There's no way to remove the grid or honeycomb on the lights, but the '93-97 base lights would be sort of similar to having honeycombs removed and look like so:

Then they can be modified to look like such:

Even more reminiscent to the late second gen than the grid lights are.

The bottom one looks awesome!!!!

F-yeah,
Schwiiing!

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Bust a Deal; Face the Wheel.

Box

#60

My brother really likes them too. I want a set of lights to mod so bad it's not even funny, LKQ guy needs to hurry it up.

This post has been edited by Box: Jun 30, 2016 - 4:39 PM

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2001 Miata LS 5-speed