+1 for Mazda, restoring a 91 626

Updates:

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/10/washington-redskins-alfred-morris-mazda-video/#continued

Apparently it's Mazda's idea, the DC area Mazda dealers are doing the work, and it's unveiled on 11/15.

I remember back when Mike Bordick played for the Orioles, he lived a few doors down from a friend of mine. Bordick had been in the league about 10 years by that point as a MLB starter, and had made about $25 million in salary (and more in endorsements, etc I'm sure)

Bordick apparently lived in a "very normal" townhouse that didn't even have a garage and drove an early-90s Honda Accord, and his wife had a slightly newer Accord. Some athletes are smart with their money, some aren't.

Javelin wrote: Updates: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/10/washington-redskins-alfred-morris-mazda-video/#continued Apparently it's Mazda's idea, the DC area Mazda dealers are doing the work, and it's unveiled on 11/15.

Gotta say, the "before" pics shows the car looking pretty minty already. Looks like he takes care of it well.

I think it actually said October 15th in the article. So just a few more days. Looking forward to the photos.

All the love these cars get on here has me looking for them occasionally on craigslist.

Vigo wrote:

Also, saying "Mazda has my car" when the meaning is "The Mazda dealership has my car" would not be irregular, within a certain dialect, which this football dude may be accustomed to speaking in.

Why dont we make some more sexual orientation jokes while we're at it. Or stop hiding behind insinuations and just say 'black people cant talk right'. Unless, that is, you dont want people hearing you say such things, in which case you might not want people hearing you MEAN such things, either.

You read into that a pejorative sense that wasn't even there.

And it's done!

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/15/alfred-morris-redskins-receives-restored-1991-mazda-626/

The quilted leather Bentley interior is pimp. (Calling Swank, you must copy!)

There's a lot of odd choices going on with this car. And it's an N/A car but they added 626 Turbo wheels? I would have left the seat fabric alone if it meant they'd get rid of the mouse-powered seatbelts.

The car looks excellent, and I'll admit to being jealous. But yeah, weird choices. Why didn't they upgrade the car to at least have LX door panels with power windows? And an LX center console would have been nice. Why doesn't it have rear mud gaurds?

The wheel choice is just right and I like the seats too, even though they will wear out faster than a NOS sest of LX/GT seats would have.

I assume Mazda couldn't fix the seat belts because the car was never sold in the US with normal belts, and they have to stay DOT approved.

pres589 wrote: There's a lot of odd choices going on with this car. And it's an N/A car but they added 626 Turbo wheels? I would have left the seat fabric alone if it meant they'd get rid of the mouse-powered seatbelts.

That was the first thing I noticed, I had to find pics of the engine bay immediately.

mndsm wrote:

pres589 wrote: There's a lot of odd choices going on with this car. And it's an N/A car but they added 626 Turbo wheels? I would have left the seat fabric alone if it meant they'd get rid of the mouse-powered seatbelts.

That was the first thing I noticed, I had to find pics of the engine bay immediately.

Yeah I was disappointed by the lack of F2T as well.

The car was F2 and not F2T powered originally, I'm actually really okay with that. Probably won't break that stupid transmission that way, not that I'm still bitter or anything... but those dumb seatbelts are annoying, and I bet the factory upholstery was still in pretty good shape.

I still think it was a cool little project / publicity stunt, and I think it shows how well made these cars were. Really the only thing that kills them is lack of attention & maintenance, etc.

Reminds me of the site director of the place I used to work at. He was getting about $275k a year from what I understand. Was probably worth a few mill in total. He drove a 93 Saturn SL2 that he bought new after his senior year when he went away to college. Bought it with money he had saved up since he was a freshman in HS. Paid cash. Was still driving it daily in 2006. 300k+ and still chugging along.

He was very proud of having come from a blue collar family, and now being "very comfortable" through hard work and a lot of effort. Very humble guy. Was really a cool guy to work for...I suspect Morris shares a lot of those same qualities. Wish more Supah Stunna celebs were the same...

JamesMcD wrote: The car looks excellent, and I'll admit to being jealous. But yeah, weird choices. Why didn't they upgrade the car to at least have LX door panels with power windows? And an LX center console would have been nice. Why doesn't it have rear mud gaurds? The wheel choice is just right and I like the seats too, even though they will wear out faster than a NOS sest of LX/GT seats would have. I assume Mazda couldn't fix the seat belts because the car was never sold in the US with normal belts, and they have to stay DOT approved.

Proof that this forum is full of ridiculous nerddom. You guys are fantastic. I'm pretty sure every other forum in the world is saying, "Why'd he restore that old crappy car instead of just buying a new Roller or something?"

Alan Cesar wrote:

JamesMcD wrote: The car looks excellent, and I'll admit to being jealous. But yeah, weird choices. Why didn't they upgrade the car to at least have LX door panels with power windows? And an LX center console would have been nice. Why doesn't it have rear mud gaurds? The wheel choice is just right and I like the seats too, even though they will wear out faster than a NOS sest of LX/GT seats would have. I assume Mazda couldn't fix the seat belts because the car was never sold in the US with normal belts, and they have to stay DOT approved.

Proof that this forum is full of ridiculous nerddom. You guys are fantastic. I'm pretty sure every other forum in the world is saying, "Why'd he restore that old crappy car instead of just buying a new Roller or something?"

Oh, I could go on and on...

I like the fact that he used the base door cars. Electric windows=weight. Though I agree he should have used GT seats... even though I hate them.

Is this his only car? If so, fantastic! If not, I get it- sort of a neat hipsterish thing to have- didn't David Vobora have a Lebaron convertible?

looks good with those alloys rather than the hubcaps.

In reply to mndsm:

... you don't like the seats out of the turbo cars? You... what?

So much, in fact, that he's making me put a set of 00-05 Celica seats in his.

In reply to Swank Force One:

You know what would rule? Me having those seats and having them recovered in tan leather for my stupid Mustang.

Sure. Come and get a set. I have the set that was originally in my 90 just sitting around. Will need some slight work to the driver's left bolster, but if you're just going to re-cover them, won't be bad to repair while you're in there.

I haven't decided which pair i'm going to keep out of the 88s. I think once Tom drops off his other car, i'll actually have one set of each color... Grey, Maroon, and Blue.

I believe i also have a set of tan seats out of a 626 GT Touring. Or maybe i threw those out. I don't know.

Moral of the story is: Come get a set. Please.

In reply to Teh E36 M3:

Only car.

pres589 wrote: In reply to mndsm: ... you don't like the seats out of the turbo cars? You... what?

I LOATHE the factory Recaros.

Teh E36 M3 wrote: Is this his only car? If so, fantastic! If not, I get it- sort of a neat hipsterish thing to have- didn't David Vobora have a Lebaron convertible?

I'm a local/Skins fan and this has been talked about since he came to the team, how he drove to the stadium/workout complex every day in this car and all the other guys gave him a hard time as they showed up in their Rovers, Benzes, etc.

One interesting point that was made in local reporting on this: Apparently before the refurb there was a small dent in the rear fender from some memorable event in the car's past (didn't elaborate), and Morris wanted to tell Mazda to leave the dent there (they asked him if he wanted them to, actually), but then he said he decided that it would be impolite to ask them to leave a dent in a car that so many people had worked hard on to make so perfect otherwise.

Another funny thing: When he got in the car after gettting it back, news cameras everywhere, he tried to start it and it wouldn't start. They put a new clutch in and he wasn't pressing the pedal down enough to trip the lockout switch, since the pedal was much firmer than when he gave it to them (or something like that). That or something to do with the new carpet. It was pretty funny either way.

mndsm wrote:

pres589 wrote: In reply to mndsm: ... you don't like the seats out of the turbo cars? You... what?

I LOATHE the factory Recaros.

Have you tried the GD 626 seats? They may be more your speed.