!!! MX-5 Miata Of the Month !!!
February 2007Kai Thoma
Congratulations to Kai Thoma on the selection of his Miata as the MCP's Miata of the Month for February |
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February 2007Kai Thoma
Congratulations to Kai Thoma on the selection of his Miata as the MCP's Miata of the Month for February |
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When I was in my teens, I always dreamed to have a convertible sports car and a vintage car...my favorite then was either a MGB or Triumph Spitfire and for the vintage car I wanted an early 50s Mercedes 170.
However, as a student those dreams remained pipedreams, because I simply couldnft afford either of them. So instead I drove a DKW Junior for 2 years and a Fiat 850 Sport, followed by a Glas 1700GT and then came my first marriage and a Citroen GX, which was a good choice then. My pipedreams were forgotten and a normal life was led, without enough money for anything fancy except traveling. I was really bit by the travel bug since my late teens and went, wherever my wallet would allow me to go. To keep traveling cheap, a backpack with tent and sleeping bag was our preferred way of visiting all those countries, many of them by riding on our thumbs. When I reached the age of thirty I had visited 43 different countries in five continents. Later I got divorced and another year later I met my wife to be for the second time around. We went together for two years, then we decided to get married. She was a Filipina and a lot of different stuff was involved for me... .but anyway this is not what itfs all about. We moved to the Philippines in 1987 ? Ifm in my twentieth year of living in this beautiful country ? and started to build a life here. Somewhere in June 2005 I saw a Mazda Miata in a hotel garage in Davao City and the dream came back with a vengeance. I was bitten this a time by the gMiata Bugh and it did not let go. So I visited a few second hand dealers there, but most of them never heard of the car except one. That guy wrote down my number and I was just back for two days in General Santos, when he called and said someone would sell a second hand Miata, which is in quite good condition. I went back to Davao, met the guy, drove the car and was hooked. In spite of the obvious deficiencies I brought the car to the Ford dealer for a check up, and afterwards we negotiated and I bought it. It was an illegal import from Japan converted to left hand drive, however Ford told me it was done well, so it didnft really matter to me. Anyway the guys aunt worked in the LTO, and when I purchased the car it was legal already. So I came to the Miata like the virgin to the child, totally unexpected.... My family knew zilch, but when I came home with the car, it was love on first sight for everybody. For the next hour I was busy test driving the car with everyone, felt again like 18 and was happyc..really happy...... The happiness wouldnft last too long since the front suspension was shot and parts were unavailable. I didnft know about the Miata club then and talked to one of my customers in Europe, if he could help me out. I faxed him the list and the next day he faxed me a quotation from a Mazda dealer in his neighborhood. Good god I thought, that isnft a Rolls Royce is it? I had no choice, paid, the parts came and we replaced everything, which needed replacement. Afterwards handling was improved drastically and I enjoyed the car really. But as I said before the bug had bitten me and I started to research the internet. I found Moss Motors, Flyinf Miata and the MCP. Now I could get really started. I wrote an email to the club and two weeks later Keith replied and he gave me two numbers. I ended up with Allan and started buying. I installed a Flyinf Miata turbo kit F1 with the F2 intercooler and a racing clutch, stainless turbo exhaust and and and............. I spent a fortune for it and when everything was installed ? those guys here in my shop never installed a turbo before and pestered Allan with their calls ? I was so proud. But the black color alone didnft seem right so I made my own design, stole a bit here and a bit there and was looking for someone who could do the paintjob. By the way the word gRoadsterh at the rear of the car wasnft stolen as well as the orange-red color between the black and the yellow. A few things are still lacking like the LSD, I bought one, but Moss sent me the wrong one, Allan found the matching shafts so in a few weeks that will be also installed. Also the interior needs minor pepping up but the big spending is over... Never mind if the sun is shining or the tricycles are blowing their exhaust over me, when I drive it, I drive it top down except when I get caught by rain and I feel great... By the way I have a vintage car too..... Kai Thoma |
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