Oof. I feel like I haven't had a life in months. I started a new job yesterday, though, and, while I plan on doing an excellent job, I hope to spend less time on it than at my old place of employment. ;) New boss knows I plan on disappearing at the end of September for the $2012 Challenge. YAY!
On that note - the $500 '91 Miata is gutted and the engine sold for $350. The $700 '90 RX-7 is almost completely stripped and already sold $200 worth of parts off of it - so down to $650 starting budget. :D The lovely rotary engine is hanging out in front of the Miata, waiting for its new home. I should probably paint the Miata first. Peeling silver is soooo passé.
I'm thinking of mixing up the white and blue Rustoleums and see if I can come up with a sufficient pale blue to make me happy (I'd love powder blue, but can't really achieve that with the metallic Rustoleums).
Anyone in the California Bay area up for some car painting? :D
-Carlota
Congrats on the new job. Get some pic's of that new project up!
Current state:
I have a couple dozen pics from the last year I need to pull off the iPhone. They'll go into my Flickr feed when I do. :D
I've gotten the most work done when friends come in from out of town, which isn't often enough. Before I even paint the Miata, actually, I need to finish stripping what little is left in RX-7, borrow a friend's plasma cutter to cut up the body for the metal salvager - more for the budget! Plus, that frees up a garage slot and I can move GTX #2 back inside.
RX-7 parts for sale will be uploaded to http://www.flickr.com/photos/dollraves/sets/72157627023188972/
cwh
SuperDork
3/6/12 9:45 p.m.
Forget the challenge stuff, we're just happy to see you back!!
I like where this is going, but how are you gonna get this by the Cali smog nazis? Doesn't the "new" engine have to be as clean or cleaner than the original? I thought rotories had a bad rep out there for this.
Gearheadotaku wrote:
I like where this is going, but how are you gonna get this by the Cali smog nazis? Doesn't the "new" engine have to be as clean or cleaner than the original? I thought rotories had a bad rep out there for this.
Car doesn't have to be registered in CA. :D But, according to the DMV person I spoke with when I put the RX-7 in my name, since the cars are the same make and close in model year ('90 vs '91), I can title it as a Miata but smog it as an RX-7...in theory. I have to have it inspected by CARB (California Air Resources Board, IIRC) after the swap. If I can't get it registered, then I'll get a temp permit to drive it until I straighten things out...and probably register it in Alabama, where my parents live, on my way to Florida.
We'll see. The monster miata craze started here, after all, so it should be doable.
Here's the blurb on the CARB page:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/amquery.php
If you do a search for Engine Modification/Engine Change on that page, it looks like you get a list of other engine mods/swaps that have been approved. http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/aftermktdevice.php - looks like a mix of manufacturer kits and one-offs.
