D&D
09-11-2013, 04:10 PM
This car started out as my wife's, but since she now walks to work and I commute across town, I took it over. We just payed it off recently (woohoo!) and so I of course started putting that money to good use on stuff I don't need. lol
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0272%20%28Large%29.jpg
Springs:
I got my M2 springs off of eBay. They lowered it a good amount in the rear, but the front barely came down 1/2" even after a couple weeks of settling. So I cut 1/4 of a coil off of the top and bottom of the coil, and got it down to where I like it.
BTW, cutting springs gets a bad wrap IMO. I would never heat springs up to change their shape, but I don't see anything wrong with cutting a little here and there. I've done it on the last couple of lowering springs sets I've had, with no ill effects. I don't see a need for coilovers on the street, unless you're raising and lowering the height all the time. I like to get the height set and then leave it alone.
When I first lowered it:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0270%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0273%20%28Large%29.jpg
After cutting the front springs:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0460%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0471%20%28Large%29.jpg
Fogs:
The fogs are from, you guessed it, eBay! The fitment of the bezels is crappy, but you can't tell unless you get down low and look closely at them. Also, the switch it came with is junk and didn't fit into the center console holes, so I bought a small lighted circular switch that I'll be installing soon near the dimmer switch. I installed this kit using the OEM method, with an OEM relay.
Wheels:
I've had the 16" Miata wheels on it for a while now, and just picked up the Rotas on craigslist last week. I'm not sure how much I like them yet, I think I might like 16's better for these cars. But I like them much better than the curb-rashed Miata wheels for now. :thumbsup:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0549%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0563%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0566%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0564%20%28Large%29.jpg
Floor LEDs:
One of my favorite (and easiest) mods so far, I installed these floor LEDs by tapping the dome light power wires near the fuse box. The fade on and off with the dome light when I turn the car off or open/ close the doors. I got them off of eBay for about $10. I'd bought the same ones for my last car (NA Miata) to create custom dome lights in the visor mounting holes. (There is no actual overhead dome light in a NA Miata.)
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0475%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0476%20%28Large%29.jpg
Hood seal:
This weather strip is actually for a Corvette (got it cheap on eBay), so it doesn't fill out the whole gap. But it's OK for now and you can't really tell when the hoods closed..
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0479%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0472%20%28Large%29.jpg
Tach:
This little tach was off of eBay too. It says Defi (which a friend of mine told me is an expensive brand), but seeing how it came from China and was $25, I told him I doubt it's real. My main concern was getting one that was thin enough to mount on the steering column, and there are very few out there that fit this size requirement. The next cheapest one I found anywhere that would've fit was this Speedhut one (http://www.speedhut.com/gauge/GR258-TACH-02/1/Tachometer-Gauge-8K-RPM-mini-Shift-light). I really like how clean it looks and the fact that it can be had with an 8,000 RPM dial range (instead of 10k like mine goes to), but for a quarter of the price this one is just fine for me. :wink:
The only downsides I've found with my eBay special is that it's not very visible in the day, and is not dimmable as far as I can tell (I have it hooked up to the dimmer wire that feeds the speedo).
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0474%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0473%20%28Large%29.jpg
Intake:
Starting with your basic eBay cold air intake, I added a 45* 2.25"-3" coupler and some 3" piping and filter to make this custom intake setup. Think of it as a poor-man's whale penis intake for a car that it isn't made for anyways. :tongue: The filter was sitting on the splash shield, so it got the coolest air possible without sticking the damn thing out the hood. lol The sound was glorious, and was a lot louder and had a deeper gurgle at WOT than the little baby 2.25" intake produced. :burnrubber: Reminded me of the noise my friend's 2.2L VTEC '95 Accord used to make back in the day. But I ended up putting it back to the "normal" 2.25" CAI setup a few weeks later, since my wife drives the car occasionally and I hydrolocked a Probe GT I had about 10 years ago and don't ever want to deal with that again..
BTW, I realize all intakes are silly and don't do anything, but I just really like the sound they make. :iono:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0477%20%28Large%29.jpg
I'm getting it clay barred and waxed this Friday (haven't waxed it in almost 3 years:cry:), and I've got a TRD rear sway bar on it's way to me too. Can't wait to get it on!
As you can tell, I like to do my modding on the cheap. Questions/ comments/ criticism welcome... :headbang:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0272%20%28Large%29.jpg
Springs:
I got my M2 springs off of eBay. They lowered it a good amount in the rear, but the front barely came down 1/2" even after a couple weeks of settling. So I cut 1/4 of a coil off of the top and bottom of the coil, and got it down to where I like it.
BTW, cutting springs gets a bad wrap IMO. I would never heat springs up to change their shape, but I don't see anything wrong with cutting a little here and there. I've done it on the last couple of lowering springs sets I've had, with no ill effects. I don't see a need for coilovers on the street, unless you're raising and lowering the height all the time. I like to get the height set and then leave it alone.
When I first lowered it:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0270%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0273%20%28Large%29.jpg
After cutting the front springs:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0460%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0471%20%28Large%29.jpg
Fogs:
The fogs are from, you guessed it, eBay! The fitment of the bezels is crappy, but you can't tell unless you get down low and look closely at them. Also, the switch it came with is junk and didn't fit into the center console holes, so I bought a small lighted circular switch that I'll be installing soon near the dimmer switch. I installed this kit using the OEM method, with an OEM relay.
Wheels:
I've had the 16" Miata wheels on it for a while now, and just picked up the Rotas on craigslist last week. I'm not sure how much I like them yet, I think I might like 16's better for these cars. But I like them much better than the curb-rashed Miata wheels for now. :thumbsup:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0549%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0563%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0566%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0564%20%28Large%29.jpg
Floor LEDs:
One of my favorite (and easiest) mods so far, I installed these floor LEDs by tapping the dome light power wires near the fuse box. The fade on and off with the dome light when I turn the car off or open/ close the doors. I got them off of eBay for about $10. I'd bought the same ones for my last car (NA Miata) to create custom dome lights in the visor mounting holes. (There is no actual overhead dome light in a NA Miata.)
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0475%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0476%20%28Large%29.jpg
Hood seal:
This weather strip is actually for a Corvette (got it cheap on eBay), so it doesn't fill out the whole gap. But it's OK for now and you can't really tell when the hoods closed..
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0479%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0472%20%28Large%29.jpg
Tach:
This little tach was off of eBay too. It says Defi (which a friend of mine told me is an expensive brand), but seeing how it came from China and was $25, I told him I doubt it's real. My main concern was getting one that was thin enough to mount on the steering column, and there are very few out there that fit this size requirement. The next cheapest one I found anywhere that would've fit was this Speedhut one (http://www.speedhut.com/gauge/GR258-TACH-02/1/Tachometer-Gauge-8K-RPM-mini-Shift-light). I really like how clean it looks and the fact that it can be had with an 8,000 RPM dial range (instead of 10k like mine goes to), but for a quarter of the price this one is just fine for me. :wink:
The only downsides I've found with my eBay special is that it's not very visible in the day, and is not dimmable as far as I can tell (I have it hooked up to the dimmer wire that feeds the speedo).
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0474%20%28Large%29.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0473%20%28Large%29.jpg
Intake:
Starting with your basic eBay cold air intake, I added a 45* 2.25"-3" coupler and some 3" piping and filter to make this custom intake setup. Think of it as a poor-man's whale penis intake for a car that it isn't made for anyways. :tongue: The filter was sitting on the splash shield, so it got the coolest air possible without sticking the damn thing out the hood. lol The sound was glorious, and was a lot louder and had a deeper gurgle at WOT than the little baby 2.25" intake produced. :burnrubber: Reminded me of the noise my friend's 2.2L VTEC '95 Accord used to make back in the day. But I ended up putting it back to the "normal" 2.25" CAI setup a few weeks later, since my wife drives the car occasionally and I hydrolocked a Probe GT I had about 10 years ago and don't ever want to deal with that again..
BTW, I realize all intakes are silly and don't do anything, but I just really like the sound they make. :iono:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/120132708/IMG_0477%20%28Large%29.jpg
I'm getting it clay barred and waxed this Friday (haven't waxed it in almost 3 years:cry:), and I've got a TRD rear sway bar on it's way to me too. Can't wait to get it on!
As you can tell, I like to do my modding on the cheap. Questions/ comments/ criticism welcome... :headbang: