In a message dated 98-04-29 01:53:00 EDT, dans writes:

<< Air Bags are a 'supplemental' restraint system.  they are designed to work
  with seatbelts. >

Absolutely correct.  That's the way they were designed from the beginning.

>  Seatbelts do all the work, air bags get all the credit, we
  all get screwed. >

Incorrect.  The bag is a valuable adjunct to the seat belt, will prevent an
occupant from contacting the steering column or dash in a severe impact, and
has been statistically proven to reduce injuries OVERALL in frontal crashes.
As I've said before, occupants can be thrown into the interior of the car
WHILE WEARING A BELT at impacts as low as 25-30 mph.  The airbag provides the
extra measure of protection in crashes above the deployment level that a seat
belt cannot afford.  And you DO realize that seat belts cause injuries, too,
do you not?  My wife is still suffering occasional pain in her sternum,
cervical spine and lower back from being thrown into the seat belts of her
non-airbagged car---in a 20-mph minor impact, 5 years ago.

   >the statistics for airbags are pathetic.  Injuries caused by them are swept
  under the table unless they're so severe they can't (like dead babies and
  small people). >

Then where did you get that information you posted about airbag-related
injuries?  The NHTSA website, correct?  The fact that those stats are on file
and accessible speaks volumes---as you did, dans, anyone can and should go to
the website and see for themselves.  Interesting, you keep quoting those stats
to prove your case, then in other posts you say the stats are skewed and
meaningless.  Make up your mind.  Better yet, suggest some alternative
statistics (and their source) that disprove NHTSA's.

  >  The 'proof' that Akira quotes are conclusions, not proof.
  Look at the data, examine it and decide for yourself.

  /^\dans >>

Reduced severity of injuries is PROOF.  Lower injury premiums for airbagged
cars is PROOF.  Seeing the benefits of airbags---live, in the flesh, meeting
my customers who were in serious crashes over the past 10 years and marvelling
at how many of them were uninjured---that is how I drew MY conclusion.

And you never answered my questions to you in the last post---HOW OFTEN do
airbags cause injuries?    IMMHO, it's not enough to say that an airbag MIGHT
injure you---I want to know WHEN that is most likely to happen, HOW MANY TIMES
it has happened, what is the likelihood that it WILL happen to me, and most
importantly,  >what I can do< to reduce that infinitesimal risk.  I've done
that---and the airbags will stay in my car, and I won't own a car without
them.  Throwing out blanket falsehoods like "airbags are ALWAYS dangerous"
contributes little to an open debate.

We will never agree on this subject---I'll never change the way you feel, and
that's fine with me.  The ONE thing we do agree on, is that people should
educate themselves on the issue and make their personal decisions accordingly.
--
     "Akira"
'96 Chaste A/T      http://www.eunos.com/keith/stripes/akira.html

"Open the door.  Open the top.  Open the mind."
     ---from '99 Roadster sales brochure (Japan)

Well its a conspiracy by Bill Gates.  Another reason not to use Explorer.

Melon 68 wrote:

> My favorite places Microsoft explorer says http://www.miata.net. is not
> valid??
> Need some help
> Heinz



--
Larry Alster and White Knight

Team - Stripes Rule!!!
Team - Too - Much - Stuff - To - Mention

> Sorry, no advice, but does anybody else wonder why this happens to the
> window?

no idea, but mine went from a *slight* browning to totally black and crispy
after 3 straight days of keeping the top down (and boot on!) at an uncovered
parking space last summer. totally surprised me.

since then, everytime i park, i put the top up and zip the window back in. my
guess is that, boot on or not, the heat from laying on the rear deck is what
is baking the plastic, not the sunlight (or UV rays)...

Keith
'93 Mariner Blue
member MCA, MSCW, Miata.net

                +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                 Keith Richmond      keith@...
                      US Geological Survey, Reston, VA
                 web page - http://dgvis.er.usgs.GOV/~keith/
                +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On 29 Apr 98 at 7:45, Chris Lewis wrote:

> >From Yahoo weather.
>
> Day  Max Temp,Min Temp,Weather
>
> Today  16C, 10C, Partly Cloudy
> Thursday 17C, 8C, Rain
> Friday  18C, 11C, Showers
> Saturday 17C, 7C, Rain
> Sunday  19C, 10C, Rain
>
> 19C = 65F
> 7C   = 45F
>
> :-(((((((((((((
>
> Chris
.................
Soooo,

Wet weather tyres or intermediates?
We will also have to keep the speeds above 60mph under all
circumstances ...
No need to wash your 5 before the trip ...
:-))))


Werner

Don't know what to tell you.... It works for me.

Dave Young
90A Red

Melon 68 wrote:

> My favorite places Microsoft explorer says http://www.miata.net. is not
> valid??
> Need some help
> Heinz

>From Yahoo weather.

Day  Max Temp,Min Temp,Weather

Today  16C, 10C, Partly Cloudy
Thursday 17C, 8C, Rain
Friday  18C, 11C, Showers
Saturday 17C, 7C, Rain
Sunday  19C, 10C, Rain

19C = 65F
7C   = 45F

:-(((((((((((((

Chris

Bob Hotaling has 12 cylinders of Miata....    1/3 of which is yellow  ;-))

Ric

----------
> From: Espen Tandberg <espen@...>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <miata@...>
> Subject: RE: Yellow for sale
> Date: Wednesday, April 29, 1998 12:01 AM
>
> > Dang, I've been looking for one of those 6-cylinder models... Doesn't
seem
> > like they're too common...
>
> Yeah, tell me about it. And you probably wouldn't believe, but the
> 12-cylinder models are even harder to find!
>
> Espen
>

> Dang, I've been looking for one of those 6-cylinder models... Doesn't seem
> like they're too common...

Yeah, tell me about it. And you probably wouldn't believe, but the
12-cylinder models are even harder to find!

Espen

My favorite places Microsoft explorer says http://www.miata.net. is not
valid??
Need some help
Heinz

>If anyone's in the market;
>
>1992, Mazda Miata, 27K miles, $12,000 /OBO
>Exterior Color - Yellow
>Interior Color - Black
>4-cyl.
<snip>
>For sale by private party
<snip>

Dang, I've been looking for one of those 6-cylinder models... Doesn't seem
like they're too common...

Jim Pullin and ??, the '95  M Edition
Tampa, FL, and nowhere else...
http://www.sunriders.com/

> The definite solution for this problem (heat and cold) is in the
> archives. Skip Cannon solved it.

I don't know if we should actually recomend that solution Werner! :)

Espen

If anyone's in the market;

1992, Mazda Miata, 27K miles, $12,000 /OBO
Exterior Color - Yellow
Interior Color - Black
4-cyl.
Air Conditioning
Driver Air Bag
Cassette Player
Convertible
Two Door - Holy cow!
Manual Transmission

For sale by private party
(316) 275-7499
ronwagner
garden city, Kansas 67846

Espen

On 29 Apr 98 at 1:31, Killer Lup wrote:

> You put a sock over your Voodoo knob?  Sacrilege!  Sounds like the
> vendors should produce a Voodoo Guard (tm).  I want mine in suede.
> Or maybe silk. Have it nicely fitted, and put a cool logo on it (in
> different color options).
>
> Darwin and Domino
> Team Tiger
> Team Voodoo (Guard)
> Team RÄZO
> Team Robbins
.........
The definite solution for this problem (heat and cold) is in the
archives. Skip Cannon solved it.

Try a search with the keywords: Bull, Voodoo, Scrotum.


Werner :)

On 28 Apr 98 at 21:55, Scott Stiles wrote:

> I've heard rumor that there are a few folks on this list that are
> running the Cannon rear brace & the JR Sport Exhaust in combination.
.......
Yep. For example me :)
........
>
> I'm having trouble w/interference between the two, right at the
> point where the exhaust pipe kicks up to clear the brace. I've taken
> a file to the cannon brace to try & make some more clearance, but
> it's not enough.
>
> There's no interference when cold, only when the exhaust warms up.
> However, when warm the contact is pretty solid.
>
> FWIW, my car is a '90A
>
> Other variables:
> - I have a JR Header on order. Will this change the alignment of the
> exhaust system at all? All I need is for the exhaust system as a
> whole to either shift UP or Forward 1/2" or so. I'm afraid of
> shifting it UP too much, as the exhaust tip is pretty tight in the
> rear valance as-is.
.........
The header might change things a tiny bit. I would install it, see if
the problem is still there, and try to solve it thru adjusting the
rubber hangers. You could also try to loosen the silencer part of the
exhaust, loosen the cat connections, and try to use the small
tolerances (which make quite a difference on the length of the
exhaust) to your benefit.

I have never had this problem - but I did need some adjustments to
keep the heavier JR setup from banging against different parts during
hard cornering.

>
> - If I'm not able to get the Cannon brace to clear, can anyone
> recommend another brace that is both sturdy & provides more
> clearance?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> PS: another random question: has anyone chopped off the obscenely
> large JR exhaust tip in favor of something a bit more modest?
> Results?
........
Aaaaah. It seems like I am not alone! When I got my JR setup, I
inquired whether a smaller tip was available - nope. Most people seem
to want the biggest exhaust tips they can get.
BTW, a hypothesis:

The driver IQ has a negative correlation to the exhaust tip diameter.

FWIW

Werner

On 28 Apr 98 at 21:02, Bob Hengen wrote:

> Sorry, no advice, but does anybody else wonder why this happens to
> the window? I mean Miatas get parked in the sun without a boot
> probably a million times without any problems. And every once in a
> while you hear of somebody's window getting toasted. Why?? Maybe it
> has something to do with reaching some critical temperature, or some
> exact angle of the sun, or...?
>
> Bob
> Red 90A - Buckeye MC - MCA #170
.........
I seem to remember to maybe have read in a Miata magazine that this
browning happens when the window lays flat on the black (= HEAT in
the sunshine) carpet. It gets very hot, and the air underneath cannot
really escape. There was even some speculation that the brownish
stuff actually stems from the carpet .....

Werner

Hi folks -

if anybody is interested: I'm back online :)

After moving, changing work, but still the same car :) and - hey - girlfriend
:))
I'm happy to be back again.
I missed some hundreds of mails each day...

Oliver Tim Kaufmann

** Grendel **
'95, BRG

OKaufmann@...

OK I have a few minutes to answer the question as to why did my Aunt and
Uncle feel the airbags saved their lives.Well first off the paramedics,local
police,and the California Highway Patrol told them so.Now. .  how and why. .
as I stated earlier they were driving at night on a four lane highway.On
said four lane highway there was a shoulder then a concrete wall
approximately three and a half feet tall I am sure all of you know the
barriers I am speaking of.The offending automobile was on the other side
going the opposite direction.This car apparently also going 55 mph or so had
a tire blow out sending it tumbling then flying over the concrete
barrier.The car then hit the front of their car a 1998 Lincoln and then flew
into their car at eye level or head level.The air bags deployed at the
initial impact as the car struck the grill area then launching towards the
passenger compartment at eye level.With the bags fully inflated the
windshield 'deflected'(with the bags supporting it) the momentum or inertia
of the oncoming projectile.Whether or not they had their seat belts on is a
moot point.If they did not have the air bags they would have been
decapitated.Now I believe that to be the end of the story but God knows with
this thread 8>)
Steven Gamble
'Pouncer'
'99 Black and Tan
License Plate(You Know Vanity)
99MIATA
Team I am almost sorry I told that story,almost.

Well Chris count your lucky stars on all three counts! No bodily injury to
you or any others. .  car sounds like . . well you now have a perfect excuse
to buy a '99! You can join the rest of us '99ers and feel the scorn of being
seen in(well we won't start that thread again).Go for it and enjoy.
Steven Gamble
Team Santa Barbara
'99 Black and Tan
'Pouncer'
License Plate '99MIATA'
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Carter <chris@...>
To: Multiple recipients of list <miata@...>
Date: Saturday, April 25, 1998 3:46 PM
Subject: bad karma -- my car is out of commision again :-(


>oops.
>
>after getting my car out of the shop from a week's stay for a new clutch
>and tranny rebuild just last night, i goofed up. this morning i went on a
>drive on my favorite road with some friends to get used to my new clutch
>before an autocross and to get used to driving my car again after driving
>nothing but a friend's alfa romeo GTV6 for a week (most definitely not a
>miata).. the road was just resurfaced a couple of months ago and is about
>10-12 miles of beatiful hairpins and sweepers.
>
>i was going about 45 around a right-hand downhill sweeper. i stayed on the
>brakes a litle too long before stepping on the throttle, causing the back
>end to start coming around a little. i gave it some gas and steered
>opposite to get it back in line and overcorrected just enough for the rear
>right wheel to hit some gravel on the right-hand shoulder of the road,
>which threw me off enough to bite me when it came back around, with the car
>rotating clockwise so that the rear end headed down the hill on the left
>side of the road.
>
>i managed to go right in between two big trees with about 10-12" on each
>side. i had both feet in so that the car was slowing down before it went
>off the road, so the impact from the tree that caught the rear bumper was
>not really noticeable and only pushed the bumper cover in about 2 inches,
>but i somehow managed to scrape and/or dent _every_ body panel on the car
>because of the small branches hanging from the cedar trees i parked in
>between and the passenger's side was bashed in on all three body panels.
>the window still rolled up 2/3 of the way, but the frame at the bottom of
>the passenger's door was dented in bad enough to prevent the door from
>opening. the front suspension is also damaged. fortunately, no glass broke,
>the fuel tank was left intact, the seat belt locked up tighter than a glove
>and the impact was made with the car going backwards so that the air bag
>stayed put. i was left sitting in the car looking out through the trees
>thinking "well...this sucks. i guess i'll either get a nice paint job or a
>'99 sport now." i've yet to notice any pain, so i think i'm
OK...physically.
>
>after seeing how close i was to the big trees on either side of my car, i
>have no doubt that God was watching out for me while still teaching me a
>lesson. be careful out there boys and girls.
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
> chris carter                  _     M Roadster Performance USA, LLC
> part owner guy              _| ~-.  5114 Balcones Woods Dr.
> mailto:chris@...  \,* _}  Suite 307-424
> http://www.mroadster.com      \(    Austin, Texas 78759
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
> t e l : 5 1 2 - 3 4 5 - 1 3 6 8     f a x : 5 1 2 - 3 4 9 - 2 4 6 0
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>     "...M roadster's performance will rival...the greatest..."
>                                     -Automobile, March 1998 ;-)
>
>
>

build something idiot-proof and they'll build a better idiot.

Air Bags are a 'supplemental' restraint system.  they are designed to work
with seatbelts.  Seatbelts do all the work, air bags get all the credit, we
all get screwed.

the statistics for airbags are pathetic.  Injuries caused by them are swept
under the table unless they're so severe they can't (like dead babies and
small people).  The 'proof' that Akira quotes are conclusions, not proof.
Look at the data, examine it and decide for yourself.

/^\dans



At 01:29 AM 4/29/98 +0000, Andrew Clark wrote:
>Air bags were installed because people still don't use the seat belts. Any
>device designed to be idiot proof only spawns more idiots, remember the
>automatic shoulder straps?
>
>Andy & Ziggy 95R (who knows the value of seat belts and hopes never to test
>air bags)
>
>
>
>
>

Build up a callus, it only sears for a second. I've heard tales of Voodoo
covers and driving gloves. I use driving gloves in winter, and grin and bear
it, it only burns for a second in the summer. Voodoos build good karma.

Andy & Ziggy 95R ( who thinks if heat is really a problem it might lie lower
than the Voodoo )


I've had my vodoo magum for a while and really love it, but when the weather
starts to get hot my love starts to fade.  I was wondering what kinds of
rituals people do to keep their vodoo cool when the temp gets hot.

*What I've done so far is to remove the knob and store it in the glove
compartment, or I drive with a clean sock over the knob to keep from getting
burned.

What are some creative ways to keep from getting fried by the Vodoo?

TC

Kevin Morrison wrote:
>
> Dean,
> Thanks for the vote of confidence, and yes, we are definitely looking for
> articles (some people have already been approached).  It is our sincere
> desire to compensate authors for their works, but we haven't figured out how
> yet.  If enough people subscribe we will be able to pay authors with real
> money. ;-)
>
> Thanks,
>

	 To jump on the "hope it goes well" wagon, I would like to say "good luck" to
	 Kevin.  Through some amazing circumstances, Kevin has shown he has quiet enough
	 of a personal element called resiliency.  Sign me up Kevin; err sorry to say
	 this, but the check is in the mail. :)

	 Eric Schwarzentraub
	 '91 Silver
	 Modesto,CA

Tom & Heidi Chen wrote:
>
> I've had my vodoo magum for a while and really love it, but when the weather
> starts to get hot my love starts to fade.  I was wondering what kinds of
> rituals people do to keep their vodoo cool when the temp gets hot.
>
> *What I've done so far is to remove the knob and store it in the glove
> compartment, or I drive with a clean sock over the knob to keep from getting
> burned.
>
> What are some creative ways to keep from getting fried by the Vodoo?
>
> TC

	 This thread has gone around, and to date, until now, I have not heard of
	 puting the knob in the glovebox. A sock is an intersting option also.  In fact,
	 the knob getting too hot was one concern I had before getting one.  It gets
darn
	 hot in the Cental Valley of CA (ie. 110-115 deg. F is darn hot to me).  But to
	 date, I haven't done anything creative to help cool it down.  I just know that
	 it will be hot, and not to rest my hand on it other than to shift.  After a
	 while it will cool down enough to where it is bearable, IMHO.   Either that or
	 my tolerance for heat has gone up and so it doesn't bother me.

	 Eric Schwarzentraub -> who is putting the final touches on his thesis
	 '91 Silver -> which is getting some new shoes this weekend
	 Modesto, CA

Tom Chen wrote:
>I've had my vodoo magum for a while and really love it, but when the weather
>starts to get hot my love starts to fade.  I was wondering what kinds of
>rituals people do to keep their vodoo cool when the temp gets hot.
>
>*What I've done so far is to remove the knob and store it in the glove
>compartment, or I drive with a clean sock over the knob to keep from getting
>burned.
>
>What are some creative ways to keep from getting fried by the Vodoo?
>

First, it's not a problem.  It is a perception.

Second, either wear gloves or do some kind of activity to build up calluses
on your shift hand (like grabbing hold of that Voodoo knob when it is warm
and driving for all you're worth.

"Real men have hot knobs"


_____________________________________
Anthony J. Wilde aka NevadaBob@...
Classic Red '90 (Red Dwarf)
Team Voodoo
San Diego Miata Club
Age & Treachery Racing, Ltd.
http://home.san.rr.com/nevadabob
_____________________________________

You put a sock over your Voodoo knob?  Sacrilege!  Sounds like the vendors
should produce a Voodoo Guard (tm).  I want mine in suede.  Or maybe silk.
Have it nicely fitted, and put a cool logo on it (in different color options).

Darwin and Domino
Team Tiger
Team Voodoo (Guard)
Team RÄZO
Team Robbins

Air bags were installed because people still don't use the seat belts. Any
device designed to be idiot proof only spawns more idiots, remember the
automatic shoulder straps?

Andy & Ziggy 95R (who knows the value of seat belts and hopes never to test
air bags)

I've had my vodoo magum for a while and really love it, but when the weather
starts to get hot my love starts to fade.  I was wondering what kinds of
rituals people do to keep their vodoo cool when the temp gets hot.

*What I've done so far is to remove the knob and store it in the glove
compartment, or I drive with a clean sock over the knob to keep from getting
burned.

What are some creative ways to keep from getting fried by the Vodoo?

TC

moments wrote:
>
>
> I had an interference between my Cannon brace and my oem exhaust on my
> '91 when the system was hot.  First I tried replacing rubber exhaust
> hangers, assuming the old ones had stretched.  No good.  Then I cured
> the problem by putting a stainless steel hose clamp around the outside
> of one of the rubber hangers on the muffler, lifting the entire system
> a short distance and getting me the clearance I needed.
>
> --

	 Well, Bill beat me to it.  Before removing any metal, I would try bending the
	 hangers, getting new ones, and or shorting the rubber hangers in the way Bill
	 described.

	 Eric Schwarzentraub
	 '91 Silver  -> which no longer wears its RB rear-brace
	 Modesto, CA

In a message dated 98-04-28 23:59:40 EDT, fblades@...
writes:

<< Aaron, Kurt,

  although I cant give any specific answers myself, I have serious
  dificulty beleiving that one.

  The AVSi's I'm sure are a very good tire, (better than I can afford), but
  it is a) a road tire, and b) not the top road tire in the Yokohama range
  (although it may be the top tire that fits a stock wheel?).

  I would think that a competition tire would be "stickier". Some are road
  legal and some are not...

   >>

* Fletch,

I agree with you..I took the originators message to mean every day driving..
If mileage and cost don't count, then I'd go for BF. Goodrich R-1's, Yokohama
A032's, Toyo RA-1's or Kumho's.....

I've run te R-1's on the street, and while you won't get many miles from
them...they are very sticky indeeed!!!!...Ran 205-50-15's on the Miata..and
245-45-16's on the RX-7...dodn't last long, but ...Yeee Hawwww...rip your head
off grip!!!!!

Aaron
aaron@...

Fellow Listers

If you are interested in my Broken Dash Dispute with Mazda Australia, you might
be interested to know of its outcome.

Final result was that Brooking Mazda (the Perth dealer) has agreed to split the
cost of a new dash with me (dealer's cost $434.00).

I'll fit it myself (no doubt I'll search the archives for tips).

The dealer has done it as a goodwill gesture as they will not get compensated
by Mazda. As a result, I must thank them them for this and any other West
Australians take note - if you're shopping for a good Service Department (or if
you're in the market for a car) check out Brookings as they obviously value
their clients (I should move out of Tax Consultancy and into PR!)

They also said that they would straighten the bent support for me and provide
me with any technical assiatance that I may require.

This highlights how poor Mazda Australia has been in dealing with this issue. I
feel sorry for the Australian dealerships as they must have to deal with their
crap on a weekly basis.

In summary
1) Mazda MX-5  -  one of the world's great cars.
2) Brooking Mazda in Perth WA   -  a quality dealership.
3) Mazda Australia  -  a bunch of inflexible, tight beaurocrats (esp. Victorian
Customer Relations Manager - Mr Rod Lowe)

PS. If anyone knows anyone at Mazda Australia, please do not hesitate to pass
on my opinion of them. It might get to someone that cares and other MX-5 owners
won't get shafted.

By the way, these are only my opinions and are merely based on my recent
experiences.

Gus Samson

1992 White
15" Simmons Cross-Spokes
205/50 Yokohama A-509's

In a message dated 98-04-28 20:58:42 EDT, derekengelhaupt@...
writes:

<< Has anyone out there ever looked into having a dual exhaust custom
  built (yes, like the FM Duals)?  I would just buy the FM's, but I
  can't seem to justify the $580 price tag plus shipping costs.  I don't
  know how much a custom exhaust would run, so if anyone has any ideas....
   >>
Around these parts (Atlanta) I would guess that you can probably get something
made *and installed* for something between $250 and $350. I've asked about a
custom exhaust (single) and they've told me $150 to $200.

Manuel