Willem Spencer

Hi, I just recently joined in January when I was looking to buy a Bilstein coilover setup a guy had for sale. I didn't end up buying the coilovers, and so I became inactive for a while save for the odd search in the "Miata parts for sale/trade" section. I'm hoping to become more active in the future beyond just looking for stuff to buy.

Anyway, I own a 1990 Miata that my dad and I bought about a year and a half back. I live in Tacoma, WA, so the weather is rainy, cold, and generally crappy for about half of the year; not the best for a small rear-wheel-drive roadster. It's great fun in the summer though and sometimes even more fun to play around with in the rain (my first winter with the car saw the rear tires gone in about 5 months).

My first major mod was a set of Rota MSR wheels wrapped in pretty much brand new Toyo Proxes tires I bought for $100. I ended up destroying two of the tires and damaging two of the wheels within a month of owning them when I slammed into a curb taking a corner a little too fast in the middle of the night. I was lucky I didn't snap a control arm or something. I have since learned my lesson and I don't push the car so hard on the streets. I now have a set of Dunlop Direzza ZII's mounted on the same wheels, which I've kept functional for nearly a year at this point. Other mods include a Yonaka catback exhaust, an ebay header, and a set of Meisterr Zeta CRD coilovers. I'm hoping to find some lighter wheels for my next major mod.

I also just recently got into autocross last year and I think it's great fun, plus it gives me an outlet for my stupid driving. I've only been to three events so far and I'm anxiously waiting for stuff to stop getting canceled so I can race some more.

I'm looking forward to learning more about Miatas and how to make them go fast

Silverstone

Beautiful car. I like the rim combination.
How do you like the Dunlaps vs the R888s?
Be safe out there.. maybe keep the top up for a few more months.
I hope everyone is safe.
My college roommate is in Seattle and said things have went into full lock down.
How is the scenery there? We flew into Seattle during our honeymoon and it was beautiful.

Willem Spencer

Thank you!
I've never tried R888's, but they're supposed to grip better than my Dunlops and they don't last as long. From what I've heard, the R888's are track tires geared for some street use, and my Dunlops are street tires intended for some track use. Most people opt for the Dunlop Direzza ZII's for the combination of decent grip and longevity they offer compared to some other tires.
Everything is pretty much locked down here; we're not supposed to leave our houses except for essential needs, although I see a lot of people going on walks when it's sunny. The roads are pretty quiet too.
It's been rainy lately, but every once and a while the sun comes out. I live in the Puget Sound area and the scenery is very nice.

Silverstone

My mistake, i assumed that was the proxies you were referring too. Untill now, I didnt know they may other Proxes.
We are currently under a shelter in place order by the governor but here i am at work. Im deemed essential. It can be frustrating but I could also be unemployed.

How do you like the Zeta coilovers?
Mine came with raceland coilovers and its very rough.

Willem Spencer

Yep they were some pretty old but barely used Proxes all season tires; I can't remember the exact name.
That's good you haven't lost your job, quite a lot of people have.

I'm really enjoying the Zeta coilovers. They're controlled on track and actually pretty smooth on the street since they have adjustable dampening. Ride quality is probably pretty close to stock if not better if I have them at a soft setting.