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> Rise of the Phoenix, '96 Firebird Formula 6-speed
post Apr 27, 2016 - 10:37 PM
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Box



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Ehh let's see, so this all started on March 5th when after already searching Craigslist once and tired of it searching in vain I was oddly compelled to search again for whatever reason and that's when I saw a listing published within the last hour for a black 1996 Firebird. Opened it and it turned out to not only be the V8 with a 6-speed but also a hardtop, needless to say I messaged immediately. It wasn't but a few hours later I was already scheduled to see the car the following morning. Waking up too damn early after a sleepless night and 90 miles later I was there in front of it, I think I did a good job of withholding my giddiness since at no point did I squee like a schoolgirl or at least that I can recall anyway. To make a long story short went for a 15 minute or so test drive around the city and after doing a walk around back at their house I had to have it. Two owner car with 118K miles that was well maintained and treated, and exactly how I would've ordered one myself. I can't put into words how nice it is to have one that's a hardtop with the 6-speed, so much better than the run of the mill autotragic with T-tops. So a couple of pictures right after getting it home:


For a while really didn't have much of anything to do with it right off the bat as nothing needed messed with, which is a nice change as the only other car that's been like that was the Celica that my uncle had owned. The Miata wasn't terrible by any means, but it still needed cleaned out some and etcetera. After awhile I started to think about things I needed and wanted to do with it, first thing I really did was wash it the next weekend as it had gotten dusty from being in the garage:

Did some small stuff like a new a PCV valve and wiper blades, but my first real project was getting a stereo install kit and putting in the single DIN Sony I had as it's a notable improvement over stock:


I still need to replace the speakers and they're on my to do soon list. Next came a new shift knob, the stock one was meh and I like billiard style shift knobs so when shopping on eBay and Amazon for one I came across a Pokeball knob for only $5 more than a solid coloured one so I had to:

It ended up being hollowed from where they drilled it out for the thread insert so I ended up filling it with some lead and epoxy to bring it up to 155 grams which feels pretty nice to use. The highest priority on my list was getting newer tires as what was one there despite still having 4-5/32" left and having been stored in a garage were still 10 years old and all-seasons. First gear was useless with anything more than half throttle and three quarters in second from a roll it would kick out, needless to say it was time for a change. After shopping various tires and rims I finally came to the decision there really wasn't much out there in 17" 5x4.75" rims unless you wanted a 5-spoke. Aftermarket BMW rims are popular but I wasn't keen on the idea of the .65mm difference and doing nothing about it, I had found a couple of rims I liked but nothing I just absolutely loved. Came across a set of C4 Corvette 17x9.5" sawblades on eBay with a set of 275/40-17 BF Goodrich Sport COMP-2 tires with 8/32" left and got them for $450 shipped all the way from Michigan, being the tires alone are $150 something shipped each off Discount Tire I think I did fairly well. The rims need some refurbishing but look ok for the time being, I plan to polish the lip back out and do the centers in either anthracite or black. Old 16x8 next to the "new" 17x9.5:

Of course what should've been a matter of minutes changing the wheels turned into hours grinding on the rear hubs since for whatever reason from '93-96 F-bodies have a larger rear hub at 70.75mm versus 70.5mm in the front and GM didn't bother making them equal until 1997. Finally got it to where things fit properly:


Sooooo much better than the old set is an understatement, it's like a whole other car almost. Better grip, handling, feel, ride, and stability. Now it just hunkers down and goes straight when you get on it, no more sliding out nonsense. At the same time I also put on a cold air intake since the factory intake on LT1 cars is just abysmal unless you have the WS6 Ram Air set up, which that alone netted 20 hp at the flywheel based on published specs from GM. The general consensus is the LS1 lid or LT1 WS6 is best, but both need the ram air hood and the LS1 lid requires cutting into the core support so just no. Cold air intake is almost as good and no changing out the hood or cutting into the car needed, so I can live with that. Went with an eBay intake since really piping is piping and now that I know it fits well I'll get an AEM filter to put onto it for some $22 shipped off Amazon, so a little over $70 all together versus $240 for a K&N or $280 for a SLP then another $80 for the TrickFlow elbow since both the K&N and SLP only go to the MAF. I think I can live with what little power differences there might be given the money saved, the throttle is more responsive and the small hesitation getting onto it while already going down the road is gone. Exhaust tone is deeper too which is kind of odd, anyhow a picture of the finished product:

As far as what's up next I'm looking into doing brakes, no noises and the pedal feel is good as is the car's stopping ability but I'm all about preemptive maintenance and making cars safer. I could go crazy with C6 Z06 or second gen CTS-V brakes but I think going with '98-02 F-body brakes will be sufficient for the time being, direct fit and fairly easy to find and everyone claims they're a huge improvement so I guess I'll start keeping an eye out for the spindles and calipers. I also want to do the suspension at some point, but slowly but surely. Anyhow I guess that's about it for now.

This post has been edited by Box: Apr 28, 2016 - 2:54 PM


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed
post Apr 27, 2016 - 10:59 PM
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Bitter

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Raybestos EHT or Stoptech Street/Sport pads are great choices. The EHT is more daily driver friendly, the Stoptech need to get hot to work their absolute best but are far from unsafe when cold, but you do need to beat them up a little on a regular basis to keep the pad film transfer layer present.


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post Apr 28, 2016 - 12:36 AM
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I was thinking about the Centric high carbon alloy rotors, but hadn't really decided on which pads to get. I'll look into the ones you mentioned, best stopping ability that's street friendly is what I'm looking for I guess.


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed
post Apr 28, 2016 - 7:35 AM
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Those are good ones. I got the Cryo treated ones but it looks like they may have discontinued them, they were the same high carbon premium rotors but then cryo treated for extra temper or something. So far they've been unwarpable and take abuse very well.

The stoptech pads are wonderful, the car stops super fast. BUT you have to keep the pads bedded. You must. If you do not they become very abrasive (they're already fairly abrasive) and don't stop well at all on the first stop. They're rated for 1200F max working temp and I believe it. 10 60-0 stops back to back (a couple were closer to 80-0 to be fair) and I could smell hot brakes and the paint coating burning off the rotors but there was no brake fade. When I got back after about 3 miles of cool down driving (I should have doubled that distance in hindsight) the rotors were still 400-450F and I could see heat marks on the faces where the vanes were. The brakes will take more heat and abuse than I'm willing to throw at them, I wanted to see if I could push their limit but their limit pushed me! I'd feel OK about taking them out on a track.


The EHT pads are GG friction rated, they stop well cold and hot, but have a lower fade temp and are much much much more daily driver friendly. They're tolerant of being ran cold without becoming abrasive of feeling ****ty. I like them on my daily driver very much, I would not run the stoptech pads on that sedan, the EHT pads stand up to being driven gently, the stoptech do not.

This post has been edited by Bitter: Apr 28, 2016 - 7:37 AM


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post Apr 28, 2016 - 8:58 AM
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cheela



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nice! you made a thread thing.

lets keep the mods/fixes going.

and yeah black cars require a full detail. wash, wax, clay bar, the whole shebang. and tire shine will be mandatory from now on. hahaah.


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*1997 Celica ST - 3SGE Greytop BEAMS
*1977 Celica RA29 - Classic Cruiser
*2005 Matrix AWD - dedded but still hanging around like a ghost
2019 Rav4 XLE Premium - Sports mode is fun.
post Apr 28, 2016 - 10:40 AM
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YAY!!!! He was serious!!! Baby steps biggrin.gif keep up the good work
post Apr 28, 2016 - 3:27 PM
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Thanks, I'll run the EHT pads with the Centric high carbon rotors then as the only time I'll really stop aggressively on the street is in emergency situations. That and I imagine the EHT pads would work better for autocross as well. Now just to find some '98-02 spindles and calipers and I'll have myself another weekend project.

Yup the next time I have a cool and shady weekend I need to clay bar it, polish it, and then wax it. Thinking should get the Meguiar's for black paint to use on it. The paint is ok for twenty years old, scratches and nicks here and there but overall presents well enough. Maybe sometime down the road I'll get it resprayed or even do a colour change, I've always wanted bright purple metallic...

Also thanks, and yep was serious. biggrin.gif It's comfortable, quick(can't really call a low-mid 5's to 60 fast anymore), and actually handles well for what it is even stock. That and I've wanted one for ages now, so it's a fulfillment of a childhood dream in some regards. I can wrap cheap interior plastic and maybe someone is working on a bolt-in IRS setup, then it'd be perfect. tongue.gif


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed
post Apr 28, 2016 - 7:13 PM
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The Stoptech would be MUCH better for autocross. The EHT I do not think are as fade resistant, the stoptech have a 1200F max temp rating and I've been unable to fade them. The EHT I have not tried to fade but they don't strike me as a good racing pad.


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post Apr 28, 2016 - 8:00 PM
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I guess worst case scenario I can change front pads for autocross or track days.


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post Apr 28, 2016 - 8:23 PM
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I'd grab the Stoptech pads for the front, EHT for the rear, and see how you like the Stoptech as daily street pads. They might be OK for you, but I tend to abuse the Celica brakes a little just cause I can. I know it'll stop from 40, 50, 60, etc in a certain distance reliably and so I reliably do that. Kind of really freaks people out a 4 way stop on country roads. They don't know if I'm going to stop so they start creeping forward and staring at me. Then I do stop and have a chuckle to myself.


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post Apr 28, 2016 - 10:02 PM
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I drive like an old man and try to catch the lights and if cars are in front of me at a stop sign I'll creep up to it. Why yes, yes I do drive my muscle car like an economy car. laugh.gif What's sad is I get out of it about what I did with the Miata, but using 93 instead of 87. That's ok I went back to RockAuto to check some things and they're out of the Centric high carbon for the front, which I was going to check Amazon and eBay as well for the best prices on everything like I usually do.


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed
post May 2, 2016 - 6:26 PM
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Box



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Decal arrived and put it on before the clouds opened up, of course it took some time since I'm super OCD and had to get it perfectly centered. tongue.gif


For some reason it's really hard to capture the colour, but I went out into the rain just for you guys. tongue.gif


This post has been edited by Box: May 2, 2016 - 7:09 PM


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed
post May 2, 2016 - 9:16 PM
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Screamin chicken, looks good!


Order your brakes already. laugh.gif


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post May 2, 2016 - 10:02 PM
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Box



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Thanks, I like that someone actually offered it in purple so it's a nice semi-custom touch.

I still need to find '98-02 front spindles and calipers being parted out or from junkyard, that or might be better off finding spindles wherever then buying rebuilt calipers.


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed
post May 3, 2016 - 11:22 AM
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njccmd2002



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When will it be for sale?


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Learned a lot in 10 years... I hardly log in anymore, last login Today Sept 6 2019, and I was forced just to clarify a post. LOL

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post May 3, 2016 - 12:47 PM
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Box



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If you want it so badly go find your own. tongue.gif Good luck finding one with the hardtop and 6-speed though, it took me forever.


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed
post May 3, 2016 - 4:05 PM
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ClevelandGaint



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QUOTE (Box @ May 3, 2016 - 12:47 PM) *
If you want it so badly go find your own. tongue.gif Good luck finding one with the hardtop and 6-speed though, it took me forever.



Family discount!! Tree fiddy!
post May 3, 2016 - 4:34 PM
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njccmd2002



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Mmh. With a trailer and a comealong any car can dissapear. Let me see if pictures are geotagged


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Learned a lot in 10 years... I hardly log in anymore, last login Today Sept 6 2019, and I was forced just to clarify a post. LOL

If you PM me and I dont respond, dont fret or cry. Im alive, better post your questions in the thread below, maybe I log back in

2grfe Swapped... Why I chose the 2GR, before you ask read here...

A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.


@llamaraxing in Instagram is the best way to find me. I hardly log here anymore.
post May 3, 2016 - 6:24 PM
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Box



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Nooooo, why you want to make me sad? I thought you hated American cars anyway? redface.gif I can't blame you though short of the Firebird, the Corvette, the Ford GT, and the Viper there really aren't any other American cars made in the last 35 or so years I'd want either.

Today I conditioned my dash again as it looked dry on the passenger side for some reason. I need to get around to looking up how to remove it in one piece so I can fiberglass the backside for reinforcement and then cover it in either marine vinyl, alcantara, or carbon fiber. Only thing with marine vinyl or especially carbon fiber is it'd be shiny, then again alcantara would be harder to clean. That or just leave it be and kill myself being a contortionist constantly conditioning it.


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed
post May 4, 2016 - 3:30 PM
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Stopped and parked at a Wal-Mart to check my phone and make a call and right before I was ready to leave saw a black fourth gen leaving, couldn't tell if it was LS1 or LT1 year range as I just caught sight of the back of it as it made the turn to the stop sign. I halfway attempted to catch them but I wasn't about to speed through a parking lot, run a stop sign, and then speed through the shopping center's road to do it. I was hoping they'd have stopped somewhere before I made my turn back onto the highway but I guess they went the other way, oh well.

Now to more thread relevant occurings, I measured the dash cap and it alone is shy of 57" long and 19" wide so might as well say 58"x20" to play it safe and leave enough to wrap around the edges. After searching alcantara and real carbon fiber would just be too expensive given how large of an uncut piece I would need, and something like marine vinyl would be so hard to match to the face of the dash as it's soft vinyl on the Firebirds unlike the Camaros that were all plastic. I found some microsuede material with 1/8" foam backing meant for headliners but I'd imagine it'd be hard to make it look nice around the defrost vent, that and it'd be too poofy looking. Aside from being unable to vacuum the edge of dash cap I noticed even the automotive grade UV treated microsuedes were only rated for 300 hours of sun exposure. So I guess that leaves doing a vinyl wrap, which I guess is fine since it'd be the cheapest and easiest option. I tried looking for some grey/charcoal carbon fiber wraps but none really looked convincing enough, I could do plain black carbon fiber but at that point I feel I'd need to do more pieces to tie it all in. I was just wanting to avoid the whole fake carbon fiber thing, but it beats leaving the dash exposed to turn into Humpty Dumpty since it's not garaged.

Scratch that, amazing what a single letter can change what's shown on eBay's search engine... http://www.ebay.com/itm/XPO-Gunmetal-Dark-...Few&vxp=mtr

This post has been edited by Box: May 4, 2016 - 4:03 PM


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2001 Miata LS 5-speed

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