they don't rust unless you leave them in bad conditions or you scrape the shit out of it. Stainless steel can rust too if you contaminate it.

Not hating on your work for sure though. That panel is kick ass. The screws just don't belong. :)

I'll take some pics of my rusted steering wheel bolts. That is garage stored.

And then some pics of my impact sockets that aren't used as much.

And then, and then.

I have a shit ton of black oxide stuff that is rusty.

that's fine. depends on the quality of the product. I have 20 year old impact sockets that are perfect.They have followed me from detroit, to florida, to arizona. It's just a coating. It is dependent on how well the coating is done, how much it has been scratched, and what it is coating.

Also it was just a suggestion. Spray paint the current ones, whatever, you may have your thread back sir.

First things first. I am the one who wears socks with sandals. Not Ian. He would not commit such a dishonorable fashion faux pas. I, on the other hand, think they're comfy and don't care about the haters. :)

Next on the agenda: Here, at long last, is the source for the dashboard.

https://github.com/keepiru/dash-kitten

It took a bit longer than expected, but we've now tested it enough that I'm confident that we can post it without it turning into one of those useless code dumps which has no chance of ever compiling. I threw together some docs... it could use more (like schematics and such), but hopefully there's enough for people to get started.

The first commit is what's currently running in the car. Ian has some good ideas on how to improve the design before we start loading it up with MOAR FEATURES, but the basic functionality works and seems to be stable.

Absolutely awesome panel. Looks top notch.

Wow, it's been 6 weeks since I posted here. Lots of non-car stuff going on, old house is sold, unpacking in new house is continuing, got the garage plumbed for air, a shelf up for the speakers that go out there, and started organizing things. No photos of that though.

(Also wow, the non-source view in the editor is really really annoying)

Some new parts from TSE -- should be the end of my valve float at 6800 RPM:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1462940906
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1462940906

Need to figure out the right tool for compressing the valves while the head is on the car. Any recommendation?

Also something else happening in the car realm -- won't be here for 3-4 weeks though...

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1462940906

--Ian

FD?!?!?

:party:

Ohhhhh man! If you stuck to your guns then I know exactly what this is. So the real question is, how much did you compromise? ;)

As to the valve thing, I have the magic tool and Gesso was going to make me a sleeve for it on his magic spinny cutting machine. I'll pester him about it today, because I'm a slacker and still need to do my seals :facepalm:

dat FD doe :drool:

Oh man, this thread makes me wish I had ABS sensors for t/c and stuff. Can you explain more about this boost selection doodad?

No. He needs to tell us about the FD. Much more important.

this

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS

:likecat:

I compromised a bit. My original goal was a CYM (competition yellow mica) R1, but after spending six months looking I saw a total of 3 CYM cars. One had 120K miles and was beat to crap, another was heavily crashed, and the third was promising but ultimately had too many mods and was thus too expensive. I settled on a 1-owner, 55K mile, 100% stock, unmodified red Touring model in North Carolina. The rotary specialist at the local Mazda dealer did a PPI and compression is good so hopefully the motor has a bunch of life left in it -- if not, then I guess I'll get to rebuild another motor. :) It's still in NC right now, waiting for Intercity to pick it up and ship it to California.

My experience with the Locost showed me that I don't have time in my life for two project cars, and since I'm not selling the Miata my goal is to keep the FD mostly stock and use it as a street car. It'll get "reliability mods", some wheels, perhaps suspension, but no bridge ports, 20Bs, large single turbo conversions, or LS3s need apply at this time. I do think it needs a set of 17x9 6ULs though.

BTW, man are there a lot of shitty FDs out there. In six months of searching every car I could find for sale in the US I saw only three other cars I was actually interested in buying. One got sold to a cousin just as I started negotiating on it, a second I got as far as ordering a PPI but when the guy got in the car to drive it to the shop he changed his mind about selling it, and the third was a low-mile silver R1 that was pristine but I got there an hour too late. That guy didn't realize what he had, sold it for $18K, it showed up on ebay a month later with a BIN price of $35K (realistically it's probably a $25K car).

I'm not in a super rush to do the springs -- hoping to get to it sometime in June. Which tool is it that you have?

--Ian

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1462986750

--Ian

The knob on the panel? It's pretty simple, really, has three positions:

- low ('fast'): This cuts power to the boost solenoid, so it's only generating mechanical boost
- medium ('MOAR'): Enables power to the solenoid, but the tableswitch input to the MS3 is unchanged so it targets the normal boost level.
- high ('ALLOFIT'): Leaves power enabled to the solenoid and also flips tableswitch, telling the MS3 to go to the alternate boost tables.

The switch itself is a 3-position rotary switch with two sets of contacts in each position.

--Ian

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

MYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

:likecat::likecat::likecat::likecat:
:likecat::likecat::likecat:
:likecat::likecat::likecat::likecat:

:likecat: That's nice...

LS3 is a reliability mod...pretty much the best one.

Andrew has expressed that opinion, and while I can't refute the logic of it, IMHO it's not the point. An FD with an LS3 is just a C5 that weighs a bit less and costs a ton more to build.

Rotaries are cool. They're not practical, no, but since this is my, uh... fifth car, I'm not too concerned about being unable to get to work when it won't start. :)

--Ian