Thought we would post an update on our progress. My son has been working hard and has bought all his parts with his own money. The Miata is literally hands down the best juvenile parenting decision I have ever made. It's worked out so well I can take zero credit for it and can only say that for me I attribute it to a higher power. It really is keeping us communicating, and most importantly for me bonding.

He is learning about FB marketplace and junkyards. He got a super pro complete urethane kit from a miata aficionado in a Albertsons parking lot for $120. A nrg 3.0 quick release complete setup for $140. Went to the junkyard and got seats from a 2001 NB for $85. He had a sparco before and he likes the regular seats better. He just ordered the complete front end rebuild kit from Treasure Coast Miata with all the seals OEM and all the extra stuff the installation tools. if anyone can think of anything else we should do why we are in there let me know. He also got a new yonaka radiator. He decided on a Momo California steering wheel because he likes the wood look. That's coming soon and I will update with pictures as well.

Since he is still a kid I am helping him with the labor but instead of just having a shop do it I hooked up with one of my mechanic buddies who's going to let him use a garage and going to teach a shop class in effect for him. I'm paying him a little bit more to be a teacher but I don't mind at all and my boy will get the knowledge.

He's getting a bunch of Miata parts for Christmas he doesn't know about yet and I will update that stuff after Christmas.

After the new year he will be getting his official driver's license and we will be working on suspension Wheels and rear end. I want to do nice hubs around the whole thing and a brake kit as well like the 949 one.

In the early spring I'm hoping that we can start doing some time attack autocross stuff.

I forgot this till the end but I got a job at Mazda actually so now we get all the OEM parts at cost plus 10! Going to use that when we do the front end rebuild so we can get all new hoses and stuff like that for the radiator so they're all new. I'm not sure if the radiator neck or the thermostat housing thing on the front of the motor might be leaking from somewhere we got a rip it down first but it definitely loses fluid that's why we're doing the whole front and rebuild and it leaks oil a little bit I think from a cam seal. We're also doing it cuz we got it out $500 out of a yard and not sure the last time timing belt and water pump were done in the kid has already figured out how to make the thing sing so I don't want it to blow up.

I hope the whole forum is having a good December and from our family to yours Happy Holidays and a prosperous new year.