Hello from Central Ohio

[TomandAlex]

My first car was a 1976 Spider. Basically a rust bucket but I loved that car. About 15 years ago I was getting the itch... started looking for miatas but I knew I wanted a spider. Bought one 14 years ago from SoCal so it wouldn't be rusted out. Not 100% original nor 100% spider. She has some flair on her that is scorpion related. Since day one I have been fixing her. PO had a 2 inch long bolt attaching wiring in the trunk. It made contact with the side of the car and wouldn't start. From there, I had to rebuild the entire cooling system. The PO said it had a rebuilt engine, but I don't see how because that water pump was rusted on and I ended up snapping the bolt trying to take it off. Spent that summer rebuilding the cooling system and cleaning the engine compartment as best I could. Got her running, fought the air bubble issue only to have the car start dieseling and running like garbage... figured a rebuild of the carb was instore but I didn't have the mojo to do that and she sat, and sat, and sat. That was six years ago. Son is now 20 and about a month ago he said it was time. We changed the oil, emptied the fuel, filled with fresh, new battery, and she started on the first try!!! Now every other day she isn't getting fuel for some reason. Pulled the top off the carb and it's clean. Primaries are clean. Fuel filter was changed, gas tank as been inspected (no rust). Anyway I gave the son his first lesson in driving a manual and he didn't do so well. Second lesson was a LOT better. Third was last night and he's starting to get it.

If anyone is from Ohio, would love to meet up sometime. There's the Italian Gathering in Dublin this month