So I got this car for free after a friend of mine wrecked it last summer.

I've been fixing stuff on it here and there, trying to make it road-worthy again and eventually take it to a track somewhere and drive it fast.

Various threads from numerous Google searches keep delivering me to this forum (especially the 'DIY aero' thread), so here I am.

 

Well, the belly pan looks like it's in good shape, so there's that.

 

Sorry to hear about your friend. My condolences to his family

 

You can start building the diffuser right away

 

Welcome to the site. I'm interested to see how this thing progresses.

 

So here's how it landed in my driveway after a long tow truck ride on 8/5/14. It blew a huge cloud of smoke in every direction when I started it up (probably from sitting upside down for hours and dumping oil all over itself).



The passenger side control arm was bent into a roller coaster rail from the crash, so $100 bucks later, the wheel was pointed in the right direction. 10/19/14



Bashed out the windshield, pulled the pillars up with another car, and cut out the middle of the windshield frame, since it got pretty mangled while I was bending stuff. 10/24/14

Then I stripped away some interior plastic for the drill and fill.



Boom, windshield. I used the junky acrylic plexiglass, which cracked every time I stared too hard or used harsh language.

Threw in some 'install anywhere' mirrors from Napa, and the center one is affixed right onto the plexiglass.

That green stuff you see all over? Yeah, that's mold. Since it sat outside all winter with just a tarp over it. 1/28/15



Of course, I had to test the LSD. It worked great



So on 5/25/15, my daily driver broke down, leaving me with the Miata project as my only means of transportation. So I cleaned the engine as much as possible, ran some seafoam through it, bought a fire extinguisher, and gambled that if I ran it long enough, the smoking would stop from the oil just burning off. Fortunately, it worked, and hydrolock didn't happen.

Going 25mph or faster caused the plexiglass cave in, so I used some pirate ship rigging....I mean, "light string" to keep the thing stable.

The suspension and drivetrain seemed intact, and I even took it on the freeway for a short while.



Replaced the acrylic with Lexan polycarbonate and stabilized it with a plank of wood for the time being. 6/2/15



Other side.

 

Haha!! This is going to be good.

Here's some inspiration for you: https://www.miataturbo.net/build-thr...-thread-75474/

 

Yeah, I was checking that one out last night! I haven't had time to read the 200 pages yet, but the pictures from right when he got it back looked pretty familiar!

 

This is sooooo not what i was expecting. This is way more awesome.

 

Wow.... I don't think you need to worry about that being stolen anytime soon. Could probably leave keys and money inside with no problems. Im digging the plywood windshield.

 

LOL yeah that's for sure. I usually don't even cover it up - most of the time I just put up the soft top (what's left of it) and call it a day.

People yell and stare like no other driving this around. I've also never had a small convertible before (no privacy!), so I always think it's hilarious when people just lean out their windows and start talking to me at stoplights!

Definitely the most attention-getting car I've ever driven, which is pretty crazy since my daily driver is this:

 

You should just forget the windshield and get some goggles.

 

This is really awesome, and I can't wait to see the rest of its journey to road-worthiness and track time.

 

Windshield inspiration:

 

Read this build thread and learn from the best:

https://www.miataturbo.net/build-thr...nothing-75005/

Edit: I think you are in the same area too... seems like portland/NW has a lot of fast miatas

 

oh my word so this is actually real

 

hey. guy... I like your style

 

In all seriousness, is your friend still alive?

 

Haha this is awesome. I'm also from the portland area, there are some quick cars around here. (And some slow ones too )

 

He got out without a scratch, actually.



See that tiny little ditch? His head and shoulders landed perfectly in there.

I saw the whole thing (got it on camera, too) - I was driving behind him when it happened, and I had to hold up the soft top while he crawled out from that little gap.

Scary stuff.