RDarragh

Hello everybody. Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Ryan, I live in north Jersey and im 22. Currently working in a small machine shop, and going to school full time as a mechanical engineering student.
Anyway, I just bought a red 1990 miata with 147k in great shape with the 1.6, manual trans, and I love it already. I bought a book on turbo chargers a year ago and I have been wanting to turbo something for a while, but I haven't had the right car for it. This is definitely the one though! I'll be doing a lot more reading up before coming to bother you guys with questions. So far the car has the following mods:
stage 1 racing clutch
Cheap-o CAI
OBX 2.5" cat-back
NRG removable steering wheel
15" Enkei Apache II's
advanced timing (guy forgot how much)

Looking to do a very modest build using stock internals. It will continue to be a daily driver, just looking for about 150 to the wheels. I have a welder, lathe, and milling machine at my disposal. I'll be doing this on a college student budget so I will just be searching craigslist and the forums for turbo parts and a MS on the cheap when they pop up. I look forward to learning from all of you here, and reading through your builds. Thanks guys!

rleete

iTrader: (21)

Decent intro, check.
No stupid questions, check.
No club ricer mods, check.
Reasonable expectations, check.
Picture, check.

Yup, you'll fit in just fine.

RDarragh

I spent enough time on the Jeep forums in the past 5 years to know what gets you scolded

ryansmoneypit

iTrader: (6)

We're going to build you a NA ripper.

RDarragh

That's what I like to hear!

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

Check out the fabulous fab section for info on building your own log manifold. You can build them for sub $200 if you can weld. Everything you need to build one has been linked to in that section.

RDarragh

Awesome, thanks! I am a beginner with welding, but I love it so far and don't mind putting in the practice time so I can build my own parts in the near future.

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

If you do things right, you're probably going to hit 150 by mistake on the way to 200.

adryargument

iTrader: (1)

Indeed. However if your planning to spend a';lot, learning the trade, and working to being a mechanic. Put a bloody 1.8 in it -> it will save you heaps in the end. and teach a few things.

This also applies to the exhaust and every thing between it and the turbo.

RDarragh

Right now I am only saying 150 because of budget, but next semester I will be taking out some loans for school as I can't keep up with the payment plan I currently have. That will free up some money, so who knows, maybe the 150 rwhp will turn to 200.

I don't plan on spending too much, and my power goals are very do-able on a 1.6. If it blows up, I would likely put a 1.8 in through. I know a turbo setup will be pricey no matter what, but I would like to stay on the low side, at least for now.