Charles from Utah
 

Hello! I’m Charles and currently live in Layton, Utah. I just moved here about a year ago from Okinawa, Japan. I work as a Jet Engine Mechanic in the Air Force. 26 years old; for my daily driver I ride around in a silver 2013 Mazdaspeed 3. I’m fairly active on a couple other forums for my speed but was looking for another community to open my eyes to the turbo Miata world. I plan to buy a Miata for my next project so I figure this would be a good place to learn how to build it right the first time.



A little more about me:

I’m in love with turbo cars and have owned a few. I drove my friends non-turbo Miata and fell in love with the handling of the vehicle and decided that it would be my next project. I want to make it my weekend warrior to take out to the track and through the mountains and valley. I don’t want a huge turbo, just something small the spools quick as I’m not too concerned about making massive power. I plan to put most of my money towards suspension upgrades and whatever preventative measures I may need to take to ensure it runs solid.

I’m pretty knowledgeable when it comes to mechanical work and have an A&P license. I can fiberglass, port/polish, weld, and do other spiffy things. Outside of my mechanical and military background I go to school full time as an art student. My living room is an art studio with an airbrush setup and all sorts of other crap for painting, sculpting, and drawing. I am hopefully moving into a house soon and plan to setup my own home shop for painting, upholstery, porting/polishing, and whatever maintenance work I may need to do. Yep, that’s about all I got for now 

Welcome aboard. I was stationed in Sasebo for 10 years, went to Okinawa all the time to pick up the 31st MEU at White Beach. I'm guessing you were at Kadena?

I like your intro, Charles. Welcome! Do you have any pictures of you cars?

I used to go fishing a lot up at White Beach. But yeah, I was at Kadena. I miss it, especially the ocean and cheap cars! I went sightseeing up at Nagasaki and enjoyed the area. I would move back to Japan in a heartbeat if I could.


Thanks! I have a few that I will post once I get home from work. I need to resize the images and can’t do it on my phone.

I also enjoyed fishing there. Never caught anything worthwhile, but it sure was pretty.

Enough so that I married a piece of Japan and brought her back with me. :giggle:

Did you do the typical America-in-Japan thing and buy a Silvia or Skyline?

I fell for that trap and had 3 of them.

Yeah, I bought a skyline and owned it for 2 months before I sold it, haha. While I was there I went from Skyline -> Mitsubishi FTO -> Turbo Galant -> Silvia S13. I kept searching for an AE86 but could never find one for the price I was looking.

I never bought an FTO but I always wanted one. I did have an Autozam AZ-1 for a while. Technically it was my brother in law's, but after he bought a motorcycle he never drove it and I just kinda took over it.

That was my favorite car.

I bought the FTO because I was a previous DSM owner and wanted to get another Mitsubishi. I had the idea that I was going to twin turbo it but quickly found out that I didn't like the car so I traded it for a turbo gallant.

Here are some pictures of the speed as promised :)

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1380779538


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1380779538


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1380779538


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1380779538

(GPS, Cobb Accessport, Oil pressure & Boost gauges)
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1380779538

Welcome, Format!