NA Miata Build Part 2 – Lots of Sanding

In our last post we introduced Classic Rust, a 1997 NA Miata that is severely lacking paint, among other things.

There has been some solid progress since then. On the mechanical side, the car has gotten a fresh oil and filter change. No pictures on the 3-year-old oil, but rest assured, it was black. Very black.

I also replaced both of the outer tie rods. In reality the entire suspension on this car should be overhauled because none of it looks good, but most of that can wait until after paint. Steering is a bit important though, so it provides good peace of mind to have them taken care of.

Beyond that, there’s been sanding. A LOT of sanding.

To start, I went through and removed the surface rust that comprised most of the fenders, doors, quarters, and trunk. Fun fact – NA Miata hoods are all-aluminum which explains the lack of surface rust even after years of outdoor exposure.

With most of the rust ground off, I’ve been trying to get all of the body panels down to one level surface before applying primer. While a lot of the bigger areas of the body were already down to bare metal, I’ve been busy removing parts like the side mirrors, taillights, and marker lights to make sure no sections of the body get missed.

I’ve been using an Eastwood SCT (Surface Conditioning Tool) with a 40 grit stripping drum for all of this work, and so far it has done everything I’ve asked of it, although it’s a bit too powerful to use on the flimsy bumpers and “finish panel” (that’s apparently what the piece between the taillights is called – who knew?)

The next steps for Classic Rust are going to be removing the bumpers and the first coat of primer. Follow us on social media as we continue to restore this neglected NA Miata back to its former glory!