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Whew! It's been a hectic couple of weeks here in the gilded halls of IL, and posting the acceleration testing results of Project Miata's Kraftwerks-supercharged ways has been lurking conspicuously on my to-do list.
Okay, excuses are over. Across the jump is what you came here to see.
Just parked the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour this morning and hey look, all white cars. Actually, if we were to corral all our white long-termers together we'd also have to include the Cruze and Outlander Sport. Oh, and if you want to count it in, the totaled '94 Miata.
Oddly enough, silver (the world's most popular car color according to Dupont) is only on 5 of our long-term cars. I wondered why we have so many white cars and figured it was because maybe they photographed better but when I asked our photographer, Kurt Niebuhr, about that he just replied: "Ha! No, we don't have any say in the colors of the car we are given, or buy for LT cars. We don't even have a say in the color of the short term cars we test. I noticed the line-up of long term white-ness down in the garage, too!"
So there goes that theory. Personally I used to think White was reserved for rental cars but I really like it on our VW GTI and Mazda 2.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor
In 1994, Mazda introduced that nadir of Miata-ness, the special edition M-Edition, which persisted like a lingering sore through the '97 model year at which point Mazda mercifully euthanised the concept.
Essentially loaded Miatas with different paint, trim and hideous chrome wheels, the M-Edition was that shameless money-grab by automakers -- the badge and sticker job. M-Editions were the poodle chariots of Miatas. The wine-and-cheese version. They were given names like Fifi by the kind of people that name their cars.
They're also a goldmine for hardcore Miata enthusiasts.
Say what?
If you're befuddled, good. And I swear I'll tie this in to Project Miata, but you'll have to hit the jump first.
Check out the 2011 Mazda 2 at the LA auto show last year looking so smart with those black wheels. Black wheels also showed up on the Mazda 2 Evil Track at SEMA this week; the same 949Racing 6UL wheels that are on our 1994 Project Miata (which is still alive by the way, more later). If only they were available as an option. I mean, even Scion has black alloy wheels ($2K) available for its xD. Besides chainsaws, what options would you like to have seen on the Mazda 2?
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor
That is all.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
This won't be nearly as cool as one of Dan's Suspension Walkarounds, but what the heck. I had both of Project Miata's thermostats (the old and the new one) in hand during my cooling system festival and saw some notable differences.
Maybe you'll learn something from this. Perhaps not. In any case, here goes.
Recall a while back Project Miata's cooling fan was operating erratically. It's now fixed (I'm pretty sure).
The short explanation: replacing the coolant thermosensor at the back of the head did the trick, as expected.
For those curious / bored readers, the resolution entailed some other cooling system shenanigans as well. Okay, the whole process sort of turned into a goat rodeo. Click on to read the long and twisted saga.
One quart every 1000 miles. That's the rate of Project Miata's oil consumption.
Judging by the extra glossy block, accessories, splashpan, subframe and steering rack, some of it leaks out the cam seals. The rest is being burned off in the catalytic converter.
This engine is not long for this world.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor @ a lot of miles.
It's a half-day for us today before the holiday. So, let's try something different. Instead of the caption contest, we offer this photo.
Make up a story about this picture in 50 words or less. Be creative. Tell me a story.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
OK, another shot of our 1994 Mazda Miata in the garage with another car. But I couldn't pass this up. That 1957 Thunderbird belongs to editor Mark Takahashi. And with it parked in front of our Miata, I imagine it's mocking the Miata's bolted-down hard top.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor
OK, I don't doubt that you all already know what a hard top looks like but check it out in our 1994 Mazda Miata. The visibility out the back is now teh awesome. No more tiny, swaying window to look out of but this huge expanse of glass and, look, there's even a shelf back there for my purse.
Here's a view of the rear via the rearview mirror.
Of course this inspires confidence when getting around slower cars.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 179,523
Are sunny days sweeping the clouds away? Even if they are, I couldn't really enjoy them now that our 1994 Mazda Miata has a bolted-down hard top. Pout. Project Miata editor Jason Kavanagh definitely has a different idea of what makes a fun drive. He of the Angeles-Crest-blasting, canyon-carving, Lemons-racing variety while I like leisurely drives around town on my Vespa...OK, I lie, I like taking corners fast, too (though not on my Vespa).
But I do have to say, now that I don't have to worry about the soft top flying off of our crapwagon, I can kind of see JayKav's point. Sure, the enclosed quarters of our Miata feel especially claustrophobic on a beautiful day, but this car is now so focused I can almost forgive him for taking away its top-down spontaneity.
On another note, I FINALLY got the hang of that 2nd gear. The trick is to place the gearshifter in 2nd, not shove it. This has made my time in the Miata even more fun and stress-free. Oh, and bonus? It's perhaps the only long-term car I can park in my new garage without fear of scraping the sides. I want to drive it again!
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 179,510 miles
We knew the second we put the wheels and tires on our super-long-term Miata that it was the right choice. Even if they made the car ride like a Delorean they were worth it for looks alone.
After putting some additional miles on it over the last week or so I don't think they're problematic at all. Sure, the ride is a bit firm, but that's as much the suspension changes as anything. I don't get the sense that they're too big or too heavy for this car and the grip is just nuts. I'm still looking for a good fast turn that will push them to their limits. I think it might take awhile.
Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line
The seat is tearing apart and the pedal covers are falling off, so why did I enjoy driving the Miata so much last night?
The light traffic on Sunset certainly helped, but it was mostly because I found that this two-seater is shockingly comfortable for my 6'2" frame. I don't even have to put the seat back all the way. The spacious foot box helps too as you're not forced to constantly shift around to keep your feet properly aligned.
Yes, getting in and out is a bit comical, but no more so than our Viper. And that car feels claustrophobic compared to the Miata. Never would have guessed that from the outside.
Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line
As Erin indicated, last week I picked up a Craigslist hardtop for Project Miata and ditched the blown-apart softtop. It's now a step closer to a true coupe, which is a variant of the Miata that Mazda should have made in the first place. I'm no fan of ragtops for reasons I've mentioned previously -- in my opinion, Miatas are good despite their folding roofs, not because of them. But you know what they say about opinions.
Two protruding studs at the rear deck ("Frankenstein bolts," as they're known) align the hardtop's rear seal, while two latches at the windshield header and two more at the base of the b-pillar do the heavy lifiting in securing the hardtop to the car. That is, if your Miata has side striker plates which this one does not. No matter. For additional security I picked up some Spec Miata brackets and bolted that sucker down.
The hardtop was not designed to be chassis-stiffening item but it does provide some additional structure by "closing the box," tying the two discrete ends of the car together. It's a difference you can feel when you drive over bumps. The car drives more "all of a piece" now. There's still a lot more chassis stiffness to be had -- NA Miatas are flex machines -- but the hardtop makes a difference you can notice.
There's noticeably less drag at freeway speeds too, and external noise is quelled better, though the hardtop tends to amplify interior noises. Weight-wise, it's about three pounds heavier than the softtop + now-useless brackets, bolts and claptrap that held the softtop in the car.
I'm digging the hardtop. Looks cooler, too. (Sorry the photos are sort of grainy; was using an unfamiliar camera.)
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
You can't see it well in this photo, but our long-term 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata has a new top. It's black, and yes, it's a hardtop. Jay will tell you the particulars about the acquisition and installation of the hardtop in a subsequent blog entry.
For now, I'll just offer a few impressions from my 50-mile overnight visit with the car. To start, our MX-5 absolutely needed a new top. The soft top had begun to self-destruct, as you know, and it leaked water and sometimes came unlatched on the freeway.
In contrast, the new hardtop fits snugly. Top-up visibility is vastly improved. And we now have an extra storage area where the old soft-top mechanism used to be. On the flip side, that new "open hatch" area creates a booming resonance on the freeway as sound bounces off the sides of the hardtop. Oh well. It's still quieter in here than it was under the old soft top; we'll take some decibel readings for you at a later date.
Last night was my first time behind the wheel of our project Mazda Miata. I owned a white 1992 Miata, but it's been years since I've driven the little convertible. I sold my car in 1997, and can't remember the last time I had the opportunity to drive a more recent version.
Our '94, beat to hell with its ripped top and shredded seats, filled me with immense joy. I was happy to use a real key to lock its fobless doors, to watch its pop-up headlights illuminate the night sky.
I love this car. I can't believe I forgot how much I love this car.
Kelly Toepke, News Editor
You know why I got our Project Miata this weekend? Simple. Nobody else wanted it.
But for a select few, most of the staff doesn't want to spend a weekend driving around in a quivering, mildly busted up project car. Me? Well, I kinda like it. As fun as the finished project will be, it makes it so much more interesting to watch and drive the car as it makes its progression from beater to track star. You get to see how each new part and upgrade affects the performance and the character of the car - assuming you don't drop a suitcase full of money and have it all done at once. Part by part and piece by piece, you see the car change and develop.
I'm getting to know the car pretty well at this stage and I'm sure that will only help me enjoy the car more throughly after it's done - assuming everyone will pass it up and let me drive it again.
Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 179,051 miles
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