It IS time young ones

[Rabbit on Roids]

you did make sure that the lights even function?

[8v-of-fury]

I haven't gotten in to it at all, for the lack of amount i used them.. but now my only working one is gone! so i kinda need it to work. I will go out right now, and see whats up.

[rabbitman]

probably their touring line, as I assume they would offer the best ride quality.

Anyone ever use the Koni Reds I posted up there?

Someday I'm gonna do that intake mod...........I like the headlight idea.

I've never used anything but stock and napa struts so this is just what I've heard is that bilstein tourings ride more like stock, the heavy duties ride a little stiffer and the sports are better if you use lowering springs.

[8v-of-fury]

Hello good people of the forums.

Ok so I didn't cement the one connection near the intake box so that I could take the whole conglomerate off easily and pain free.. however there is a tight tolerance between the pipe and the t-belt (yeah yeah covers going back on soon) so that one will fix up easy.. however the pipe and throttle arm have a slight interference. I think by putting the cover back on it should lift it up that needed like 1/8" so i guess we'll wait and see. It only rubs because i didnt cement that joint and its a little free to move around.. havent had time to diagnose the Headlights either.. check that out thursday evening i s'pose. 

[burn_your_money]

Put a wood screw through it like the factory did for the mk2.

[8v-of-fury]

Put a wood screw through it like the factory did for the mk2.

Genius! Thank-you! even the stock mk1 had this... why didn't I think of it.

[8v-of-fury]

The intake is working very well, and the ABS remains fairly cool even after a long hard run.. not only that but its rated to about 800F so i think it will hold up Also thank-you Tyler for the screws idea, fixed it right up and all is well It has most certainly given a noticeable high RPM boost, highway in and around the 30-3600 range in fifth at around 135 km/h it pulls i swear better then my Gasser. I am hoping the exhaust will, along with the Gov Mod, liven up this cumbersome beast even more

However, while awaiting my tax return I still work away at what I want to get done on this car. I'm gonna spew off a small revised list of what i need to get/do.. thoughts please

Body:

• Front windshield replaced
• Rust dealt with, properly (whats a good way to make sure it does not return?)
• My front valence lip (it has possibly rusted away completely and it has been crapped patched with a sheet of metal)
• PAINT! I saw this rabbit build on the Vortex and I have seen a few cars with this color, I think it will look spectacular on this beast.
  
• Floor rust will need minor tending too, a fairly significant hole in the drivers rear pan, but nothing a weekend can't fix.
• Fix one of the vent windows, one is the adhesive style, the other the bolt through.. adhesive one broke. I was thinking a good glob of contact cement. Any Ideas?
• I wish to paint the very widely used checker design on my roof (just because its overplayed doesn't mean it doesn't look awesome!) Figuring on just doing the color the paint is, and then white checkers.. Mind you this is gonna be before actual paint.. when its still in rat stage.
• STRAIGHT FRONT BUMPER!! Both of the mk1's I have owned have had the drivers side of the front bumper turned up, pisses me off! lol whats best to do? try and find OEM? get euro bumpers? Never find any in the junkyard round here or close.
• Trailer Hitch!! I'm figuring a good class 1 hitch off the bumper will suffice for anything I wish to tow. As the bumper can already handle the 450lbs of my brother and I bouncing on it, i figure a 75lb tongue weighted trailer will be just fine
• Most certainly love the look of vintage beer tap as a shifter, but I will settle for my golf ball for now lol
• Need one of these for sure!
  

Interior:

• Take carpet/seats out and fix floor rust, lay down some sound deadening material of sorts
• Paint the rest of the lower faded to ish dash pieces and re-install
• Make new door cards to possibly delete the big armrest, that never gets used as an arm rest, and replace with the "OH **** " handles featured in the rear of the car lol
• Get mother to fashion and assist on the install of a Tartan headliner, and door Cards . In this sort of color/design;
  
• Gauges, in the spot where the central A/c vents used to be. EGT, Oil pressure, Water temp.

Suspension etc:

• Polyurethane Bushing Kit
• Struts/Shocks and mounts all around, I need an idea of what kinda strut/shocks I should go with people! lol KYB Gas-a-just?
• New control arms
• New tie-rods and ball joints
• Bearings up front and in the rear
• Front brakes, discs and pads. Rear brakes just drums if the shoes are still o.k from last time.
• New tires on freshly color matched rims of choice. What are some good looking easy to get rims? (NOT stretched or low pro's, just normal good tires)

Engine:

• I have a 1.6 N/A MF engine sitting in my garage that has lowerish miles on it, and I plan to get an AAZ head and a turbo on it
• Port the helllll out of the head and gasket match them
• Run some reasonable sized turbo, and find then fab in an inter-cooler
• Rebuild the current FN trans that the car has, or swap my .71 5th over to my 4K trans for a way more fun ride
• Giles Pump!!
• GOV MOD and Exhaust are in the planning stage.
• Find an old polished chrome tractor trailer stack to stick out the back
• I also wish to do a little German colors under the hood, on the timing belt cover and the valve cover, eh? eh!?
  

So yeah in list form it seems I have quite a bit to do before I am fully satisfied.. but in reality its only a small chunk of good hard work and when hours go down at work in September, massive work will commence from the money I have been stashing for just this! Muhahahaha!

How do you guys feel about my plans? I know I am going with the "crowd" so to speak on the tartan interior, and checkered roof.. but at least I'm not slamming it, throwing in a VR, rusting the hood, and taking pictures of how my cellphone or a die just barely fits under my oil pan..

FEEDBACK PLEASE

[8v-of-fury]

This is the fabric I have picked up for the headliner, and possibly the door cards, if it isn't too much..

It was a eagle eye find at the fabric store too, hidden in behind a bunch of old old old stock with just a corner visible.. and it will match the paint i want to do PERFECTLY lol Do you not think so as well?

Also do you feel 155/80R13 are too small? Maybe 165/80R13? How abouts 185/80R13? i kinda like the "I have a real tire on my car" look I feel 185/80R13 will fill the wheel well nicely.

[theman53]

LIES!!!
I have been looking for those PJ's for a long time...when did you come down here LOL jk
I think it would look fine. On the tires I think to keep a stock speedo in range you can't do those tires.
This is the tire size site and fwiw I have had the best ride on 175/75 on the 13s. You can play on this site to see what it would be to keep your speedo somewhat accurate. I think ROR said after 205's he had rubbing issues, but I could be wrong on that size. I bet 195 or under and you wouldn't have an issue.
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc

[Rabbit on Roids]

205s rub like a MOFO! 195s rub pretty good, but not as good as 205s. there isnt enough fender there. with a 205 it is almost hitting the spring plate/strut tower, and it still sticks clear out of the fender.

run a 195/60/r14 on there, it will handle like its on rails.
VWs like 60 series tires. anything with a bigger sidewall bigger and they start feeling sloshy around corners..

[8v-of-fury]

Back to suspension boys, what should I do? I dont really have the funds to be dropping like mad money on suspension alone.. Stock springs are shot, so I will need Struts/Shocks and Springs for all four corners. Gf's mk2 handles quite nicely on KYB Gas-a-just. These are like an upgrade yes? where the Gr-2 would be more like a stock strut?

[Smokey Eddy]

you can get coil overs for about $100 on craigs or ebay

[rabbitman]

Gf's mk2 handles quite nicely on KYB Gas-a-just. These are like an upgrade yes? where the Gr-2 would be more like a stock strut?

From what I've heard that's correct.

If it were me I'd do just about anything to stay away from a stock suspension.

[Rabbit on Roids]

i have gas-a-just shocks on my 92 jetta. and some sort of BLUE no name lowering springs. it handles like NO OTHER.. the shocks are firmer than stock. kinda bouncy how it was set up tho..

i wouldnt mind having another set of gas-a-justs..

[8v-of-fury]

it appears gas-a-justs are impossible to find up here for the front of an Mk1.. So i will be getting;

-Monroe Sensa-tracs
-Febi/Bilstein mounts
-Upper & Lower front strut brace
-Front sway bar**
-Rear strut brace

**= possibility