Jeff's 2003 Shinsen Build Thread

[CTt3P5]

Thought I'd start my own little build thread to keep track of my progress. With two kids (one of which is going to college next year) it will be slow and painful (for me) at times but hey, I got it and that's the first step!

She's a 2003 Shinsen (production #762) and my wife has named her Lexi Grey. I picked her up Friday morning with 79673 miles on the odometer. She's had one previous owner and lived her entire life in sunny Boca Raton FL. I flew from Newark NJ to Melbourne FL Friday morning where the owner of the small dealership from whom I purchased her from picked me up. Once we got all the paperwork squared away, he attached the temp. plate and I was on my way home. Stopped in Savannah, GA and met up with Reitrof and his wife, thanks again for dinner Bruce and Mary! After a refreshing stop with some good company, I was back on the road and stopped for the night at a Super8 in Manning SC. Pulled into the driveway Sat. night around 7:30pm with 80765 miles on the odometer (about half of those with the top down).

As of now, she is completely stock but I have a few mods planned for her.

Snow tires/wheels as she'll be my year round dd
Hardtop
Headunit with Bluetooth and iPod compatibility
Suspension
Exhaust
Horn
Rollbar

I'm sure I'll do some other things here and there (getting the MossMiata catalog will ensure that). haha

Onto some pics.....

Ready to get on 95 and start the trek home

Hey, I recognize that PRHT

Leaving the Super8

A stop at South of the Border to pose with Pedro

 

[chiefmg]

Congratulations! Glad to see you finally joined the crowd.

 

[princess peach]

Looks very clean, welcome to the dark side!

 

[CTt3P5]

Thanks guys and happy to be here.

Left work early today to get her registered. $510.30 (includes 6% state sales tax) later I walked out with my new plate and reg. in hand. From AAA I stopped at the dealer and picked up four new lugs (ditching the locks as I can't stand the damn things). Got home and put the new plate on and changed the fog light fuse as it was blown. Now the PS fog works but not the DS...time to get a bulb.

 

[CTt3P5]

Installed a JVC single din hu yesterday over my lunch break. Now it's back to what route to go for wheels/tires.

 

[Speed3.5]

Looks great jeff, make sure you do like an over all maintance just to be safe ..

 

[CTt3P5]

Thanks Tony. Actually, a lot of that was done ~1000 miles before it was traded in. Plugs, oil, coolant and trans fluids were all changed out. I'll be doing an oil change soon though given the amount of miles I drove it home.

Ordered a proclipusa phone holder and mount today. Now I'll have both of my cupholders. lol

Doing some research, I'm leaning towards keeping my stock wheels for winter and have found that a 185/55/16 will fit. Have called a couple of local places to check stock but looks like I'll have to wait until the Fall to order them.

 

[CTt3P5]

Ugh....found a nice set of 15x8s I can use for summer or for a little more I can snag an NB hardtop with defroster and headliner. Decisions, decisions....

 

[princess peach]

don't need a harptop till next winter, enjoy the top down and nice tires while you can

 

[CTt3P5]

That's what my compulsive side says but the logical side of me says I should jump on the hardtop as I haven't had any luck finding an NB specific top so close. They have all been NA tops, a good 3hr+ drive one way and I'd need to drop another $300 or so for compatible hardware.

 

[princess peach]

good point, I passed on Will's hardtop cuz it would have cost me like $400 for the extra hardware

 

[Reitrof]

Subbing.

 

[thejeans]

Late to the party but CONGRATS!!!

 

[CTt3P5]

Thanks Levi! And if you didn't see my post way back in the OH thread, CONGRATS to you!!! I hear you have a redhead at the house!

Missed the boat on both the ht and wheels so back to trying to decide which wheel I want. 99.9% sure I'm getting the DirezzaDZ102 tires.

Removed the sunvisors the other day and today my blanking plates from Moss showed up. Of course I left the screws at home in the garage, so I'll have to get them in tonight after dinner.

 

[thejeans]

Thanks Levi! And if you didn't see my post way back in the OH thread, CONGRATS to you!!! I hear you have a redhead at the house!
.

Well she's a red headed lawn ornament for the foreseeable future. Pretty sure it spun a bearing over the weekend :,(

 

[CTt3P5]

Well she's a red headed lawn ornament for the foreseeable future. Pretty sure it spun a bearing over the weekend :,(

What the puck? Damn...that sux man. If I was closer I'd be up for helping out...well being the guy to hand you the tools while I learned. GL getting her sorted out.

 

[thejeans]

Yeah, s*** luck I guess...if I'm honest im pretty discouraged right now but eventually she'll be back and stronger than before...

 

[CTt3P5]

^^^Guess so....so how are you making out?

Nothing major going on here (still trying to select a summer wheel/tire combo). Still teetering between the Advanti Storm S1s or the Konig Dial Ins but over on m.net a tirerack official is supposed to have some news soon on a new TR Motorsports wheel coming out later this season. In the meantime I've done a few small things, Moss Miata shorty antenna (removed it after a week...not quite sure that I liked it...may get re-installed) and ProjectG smoked bumper markers in front and rear.

 

[Reitrof]

Looking good Jeff.

 

[CTt3P5]

Thanks Bruce.

New radiator in the shed. It will be going in this week as I should be picking up an OEM t-stat and rad cap at the dealer tomorrow. Would have done it over the weekend if they were in stock.