FINALLY.
Getting off my arse to update my build thread now.
I've been busy with uni, work and volunteering commitments as of late hence my neglecting of the build.
I will keep things short and simple (ha!).
Righteo.
First things first.
The Cat Back.
EASY.
I was expecting the bolts to be a pain in the ass and that i'd have to give up and take it to my mechanic. I was wrong, i jacked the car up, prepped everything and gave the bolts and nuts a shot of wd40 then let it sit for about half an hour.
I came back with just my ratchet and a spanner to start off with and lo and behold, they cracked loose with some persuasion. I didn't even have to whip out my breaker bar.
Silicon spray and a small flathead was by my side in order to slip the cat back off the rubber mounts, its a satisfying feeling when you get them off in one go
I gave the new cat back a quick clean and layed the garage floor down with some towels to stop anything from getting scratched.
Bare in mind i did this all by myself.
I forgot to mention that before i could drop the old cat back, i had to take off the rear lower brace otherwise it wouldnt drop down entirely. Easy enough.
Before i knew it, everything was fitted and i had remembered to use some gasket sealant as well.
It was time for me to test out the sound and i was praying that it wasn't too loud.
The moment of truth.
How excitement.
The engine turned over.
What the ass?!
Sounds exactly like stock!!
I went for a quick drive around the block and realised that wow, it was exactly what i wanted, quiet for normal cruising about but it had a bit of a roar to it when i stepped on the go pedal.
Excellentay.
Some bummers. There is some droning present at 2-3k revs and also travelling at highway/freeway speeds at around 100km/h+ proves to be quite uncomfortable after long distances as the droning does get to you. Dare i install the headers in the future? Perhaps a resonator will also eliminate/minimise my droning issue. We shall see.
Next up.
The NB Glass Top.
As some of you may or may not know, i took a trip to mania recently and picked up a used nb soft top to replace my stanky and faded old na top. It was much needed as visibility was starting to become a major issue coming into the wet season.
I wont go into intricate detail with the na>nb soft top swap (say that 10 times quickly), as you guys can probably figure out what it involves.
Some notes though.
Upon removing the old top and rain rail, i discovered everything was schmick back there, no rust to worry about and nothing ugly hiding about. The rain rail however was cracked in a few places. I was on a budget therefore i had to fix it with some duct tape. Couldn't quite yet afford a new rail.
I riveted the repair rain rail onto the top in a few places to aid with installation. It isn't entirely necessary, but i actually installed the top myself, so every helping bit counted.
I used the antenna to clean out the drain holes before i fitted the new top on. I swear it was designed with that job in mind before the engineers at mazda said "hey bob, this hole reaming device (real mature Dave) would make a great antenna".
After taking great care in lowering the new top onto the car, i bolted everything back up and everything was sweet. The top took a while to stretch and become easier to close but it got there. To date, no leaks (knock on wood)
Some bummer points. The passenger side is fine, but on my side, the part where the top meets the drivers side window actually catches abit. So when the window is completely up and the door is closed, if i try to open the door, it will catch on the lip/edge of the soft top, not by much, but enough to be abit annoying. Ive gotten into the habit of lowering the window slightly before i open the door. Will look into it further eventually.
Moving on now.
Suede Tiller.
I have always wanted a suede steering wheel of some sort, never owned one before, was curious as to what they felt like and i reckon they look awesome. I do however understand they dont last forever.
So alas, my inner rice came out.
No hkb boss kit here for maximum jdm points. I hit up my local super cheap auto and picked up a Calibre boss kit for about $50-$60. It has a multi fit stud patter so both momo and nardi pattern wheels will fit. It also comes with a horn and all the associated wiring, screws and tools. The quality aint too bad either.
Part number/code for those interested.
No nardi suede wheel here either for maximum (non) jdm points. Otomoto was next and i came home with a KKR 350mm suede wheel. Excellent value for money and craps all over those $20 ebay suede wheel. It actually looks half decent for a budget wheel.
Whilst inside i had a perve at all the new Watanabes. The price tags on them make me depressed...
All the used ones? 114.3. The bane of my existence.
So.
I got home and figured the boss kit swap wouldnt take long. Big nut comes off. Old boss comes off. New boss kit goes on. Big nut goes on. Wheel goes on. Win.
Not the case.
I went through HELL trying to remove the oem momo boss. The thing was on there so tight, that i actually had to go to supercheap the next day and get myself a stanley steering wheel puller. The nut came off no problems but the boss itself wouldnt budge at all. Even letting it sit with some wd40 did nothing.
The next day came and i was now equiped with my steering wheel puller kit.
This would surely take the boss kit off now, its what it was designed for......
I felt like driving into a telegraph pole then taking up lawn bowls or knitting as a new hobby, providing i didnt die.
I then used the unbent parts of the boss and some more washers packed behind the high tensile bolts, tightened it up to breaking point, sprayed some wd40, then it sat for a few hours.
Before heading back to the wheel, i grabbed the small steel mallet with me. I closed my eyes, counted to 3 as i tightened the ratchet abit more, then gently tapped the boss kit with the mallet.
POP.
Son.
Of.
A.
It came off cleanly.
That feeling....beyond words....
I took one look at the crappy allen key that came with the boss kit and said, yeah nah. Took out one of my trusty took kits with allen drivers in it and off i went. Also fitting the original horn button as i went as well.
Working at a hobby shop sometimes has its perks
Short and simple.
More updates to come.
