I spent some time today getting the Miata up on stands and started removing the wheels and just to see how the brakes were. I just wanted to get them positioned to get new rotors, new calipers, and pads. Oh, also the flex hose changed from the cheap high pressure rubber flex hose to a mesh metal hose. Nice race look and lasts longer and more resistant to any impacts of debris if there should be any.

I start searching around for a V8 engine on this day and I come across AMP Performance in Phoenix, AZ and spoke to one of the folks there with the name of Tom and apparently he is part of the family who owns this shop. This shop is mainly a Mustang specialized shop.

Its good to know that there’s a shop here that specializes in Mustang parts. That will definitely come in handy when the time comes.

I just got the car parked in the garage… where its going to be for most of its conversion process…

Today, I responded to an ad on Craigslist for a 1993 Mazda Miata that was reported to have mechanical problems but still runs. The price was set at $2450 and I ended up paying only $2300.

My wife goes ahead and gives me the “go”. We both go over the same day to visit the seller to look at the car. I liked what I saw. The car was in relatively good condition for its age, minus the mechanical problems. I didn’t care about the mechanical problems because I figured, the engine’s coming out anyway, so who cares?

The transaction is complete. I get in the car and drive off. It wasn’t until the first turn that I really realized what the seller meant by mechanical problems. The steering was stiff. Of course, a rack and pinion steering (no power) but the tires were low with air and that made it pretty difficult to steer at low speeds.

The engine had problems staying at idle, but nothing that can’t be fixed. As I started driving this thing, the brakes squeak… time brake work… I’m going to change the braking system to higher performance brakes – new calipers, new pads, and new rotors with holes in them.

I stopped at an nearby AM/PM convenience store and filled up the tires to 32PSI. The tires had between 15 and 20PSI. No wonder steering was tough. I noticed the tires were old too. Well, I wasn’t going to keep those ghetto tires and rims.

I figured I would get on the freeway… and I did. Got on, then got off the next exit. The car scared me. It had a side to side sharp wobble, not the infamous 65MPH shimmy. I’ve had a 1994 miata M-Edition before and I know what the shimmy feels like.

I finally got home safely, 50 minutes later after driving 30 miles at 45 MPH…