Ksharp's NC

[Regie]

It's strange that you have to loosen the screw to remove the bulb, i'd have thought that bulb clip was just sprung in place like earlier models.

yeah you dont have to loosen the screw. the wire holder pivots on the screw

[ksharp]

That is an excellent job with the front bumper.
Katzkins leather seats get a good rap in the US. Leather is softer and easy to fit (you are a classic DIY man). $600 a pair in the States?

that sounds good, I'll take a look but will probably stick with the black. Complete dye will cost you ~$150 and from the reviews that I've read, generally they're long lasting and of good quality

It's strange that you have to loosen the screw to remove the bulb, i'd have thought that bulb clip was just sprung in place like earlier models.

yeah you dont have to loosen the screw. the wire holder pivots on the screw

aw ok even easier!

[Mr Morlock]

maybe read the owners manual. You do not need to remove or loosen the screw. The spring / wire form merely needs to be unclipped- they have been using this system for about 30 years. It was standard practise for lamp manufacturers and car co's to design a lighting system which allowed ready ability to change a bulb and in some countries it was even legislated as such. If a bulb fails and you are on the side of the road you would not think removing the bumper is required.

One of the old members of the forum- a leather man - always said that Mr Sheen worked just as well as anything else.

[ksharp]

945.

That is the number of days since my last post but I’m happy to say that the progress on the little fella has been better

Approaching three years of ownership, the little guy has consistently delivered the best smiles per gallon and has been my nurofen for when the times get tough.



The fact that it’s been more than 2.5 years since the last blog actually affords me some perspective, beginning with some reflection on the mods:

Looks

The little guy has undergone a handful of aesthetic touches since Sept 2012.

What’s Hot:

The CarbonMiata rear spoiler was my latest purchase and is the current running favourite. It’s been wrapped in 3M carbon vinyl and they compliment the NC2 tail lights bought from Reggie quite well. The design of the NC2 lights have really grown on me over time but I am not sold on the Jetstream NC2 covers. Time will tell.



What’s Not:

A cheap eBay front lip bought aeons ago lived but for one day, before it met its maker (aka my driveway). Wiper blades bought from eBay also do not do its job property. Guess the lesson here is to not cheap out on parts.

What’s Good:

The OEM front spoiler was a bargain bought from Yahoo Japan, courtesy of Trevor (cwto24) for the Facebook link.
The Voodoo gear knobs I love to this day.
The IL Motorsport eyelid gives off a lazy feel which I love and the stubby antenna is the way to go!
The IL Motorsport centre console with the cupholder removal was probably the best bang-for-buck mod and getting an upgraded HU was long overdue.



What’s Missing:

Glad to say that overall it has been a hassle-free ownership. The Enkei valve caps were stolen recently, they will be missed.

What’s Missed:

Oddly enough, what I miss the most is the IL Motorsport billet grille I bought off of Neil back in 2012 which gave the car a real Aston-esque front styling. It also happened to be the first ever mod done on the car. I may bring it back one day if I miss it enough but it would go against the weight saving philosophy, hmm.

What’s Next:

Aftermarket front bumper? 16” wheels? Whatever Reggie decides to sell? Who knows?

Feels

The little guy has also got some performance upgrades.



What’s Hot

Ohlin DFV vs. Yellowspeed Dynamic Pro: It’s been 6 months since I installed the Ohlin coilovers and in my opinion it’s an expensive but worthwhile mod. I feel that they still ride slightly harsher than stock suspension but were a major step up in comfort compared to the Yellowspeed I ran prior. At the moment, on the road, my sweet spot is ~14 clicks both front and rear, slightly more than the recommended 12 clicks from install. The car’s capability far exceeds mine on the track at the moment so perhaps I’ll cover off the performance aspect of it in the future with more some seat time. Also ride height wise, I was not able to go as low as I wanted in the rear with the Yellowspeeds, something to consider when buying.



Enkei RFP1s: Two words, love them. Whenever I catch people checking out the little guy, it’s usually the rims that they ask about. Going from the replica Advan wheels to the wider RFPs, there is a noticeable difference in driving feel. The car feels a lot more grounded but now agile due to its lightweight (no more sluggishness thank goodness). They offer a lot more grip compared to stock rims although I do miss how easy it was to get the tail out with the stockies and worn tires. The specs are 17x8F/9R +45, SBC on the driver side and painted bronze (Fiat 750 marrone vulcanico) on the passenger side. If you don’t have any power upgrades and want maximum fun, I would lean towards the 8” all round. 9” are more for if you’re into the flat face look and if the car has more power, in my opinion.



RoadstersportQ muffler: Awesome upgrade that didn’t break the bank, I just love the sound of this thing with the tops down, especially the little pop on gear shifts.



AEM Mazdaspeed CAI: Again, the sound. When the throttle gets above ~[4,000]rpm, it sounds like Darth Vader taking a deep breathe, love it. Gotta be real careful driving through puddles though.



What’s Not:

A second hand replica Bride seat I bought in Brisbane on impulse recently. You don’t realise how poor the quality is until you see and touch it. Never cheap out on safety, don’t do it.
I also bought a set of replica Advan TCIII rims back in 2012 which made the car feel sluggish (probably coz they were heavy), they were not missed. Oh, and the neochrome lug nuts which went with knock-off rims.

What’s Next:

Exedy heavy duty clutch and lightweight flywheel are yet to be installed, but probably overdue given the car is ticking towards 180,000km.
Got some Hawk HP Plus brake pads as well to go in when the stock pads wear out.
I also bought the CG Lock but couldn’t get it to attach properly prior to my first track day, will investigate.
Otherwise, probably invest in a bucket seat. The location of the cupholder on the NC1 door panel is NOT ideal and NOT friendly on the thigh, it was duly noted during the final sessions at the track.



That’s a wrap for now, looking ahead, the plan is probably more bum-in-seat time at the tracks and less money on mods

Til next time,
Kev

[*DAN*]

So you're the one who brought regie's tail lights! Was about to send a PM only to read a post saying they were sold!

That said, good job with the car! Looks tops

[Regie]

haha Looking good Kev

So what do you want me to sell next then

[ksharp]

Don't want you to sell me anything!

[Gmi]

You drove well at the South circuit buddy

[ManiacLachy]

Very nice car, and a good write up We don't see enough modded NCs around here.

[ksharp]

So you're the one who brought regie's tail lights! Was about to send a PM only to read a post saying they were sold!

That said, good job with the car! Looks tops

Thanks mate, those lights were up there for a while! I took the bait after the pay cheque came in, damn Reggie

Very nice car, and a good write up We don't see enough modded NCs around here.

Thank you, agreed, need more modded NC's!

[ksharp]

Soon as I saw the first Audi drove pass, I could not get that Nardo Grey colour out of my head. So instead of losing sleep, I grabbed a mate and braved a closed door respray.

Introducing the first nardo grey MX5 in Aus, far as I know.











More here for those interested: https://www.instagram.com/nardomiata/

What's most important, after 4.5 year ownership, still loving the car, still loving the roads, get out and drive!

Peace
Kev

[bruce]

Yeah, I've seen that Audi colour and I like it a lot too.

[smy0003]

Oh I thought that those Audis were wrapped. Didn't realise it was a factory colour. Looks great either way, quite a menacing colour on the smiley face NC.

Sent from my LG-H815

[Daffy]

Im sold- that colour looks great!