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Miata newbie in Southern NJ.

Old 10-23-2011, 08:35 PM
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Default Miata newbie in Southern NJ.

You read it. Just picked up my 95 NA and am smiling like a high school girl in love. Spent nearly a month trying to find an unmolested gem with low[er] mileage and a Torsen.

Just this past weekend I found this beauty - has the PEP (Torsen, Cruise, Power Steering/Windows/Mirrors) and all the original accessories at purchase - cup holders (thank god), ash tray insert, luggage rack, window cover, yadda yadda. Best part is it's practically a one owner (sisters owned it together for the last 16 years) with full maintenance records dating back to original purchase (original sticker included - WHAT).

Immediate plans include little knick knacks such as visor delete, added interior lighting, new boot covers and shift ****.

Very near immediate plans are FM VMaxx suspension - ordered, HDHC roll bar - ordered.

Quite honestly I also want to add the small R-package accents - rear and front lips. Any recommendation on where to order them? I'm assuming I'd have to order replicas, but want to get them in as soon as possible.

Engine work will be started after the winter months. Probably just gonna do some bolt-ons until I'm finished school since this is my DD. Turbo build for the local track will begin when I graduate (spring) and purchase my new car.

Any recommendations on some other little mods? I'm itching to do some tasteful work fast!

PS: I've noticed the car doesn't have the "smoothest" shifts either. I understand it's an older car, but is this normal? I'm thinking of just doing a nice Tranny fluid change with some Redline and see if it remedies it a little bit unless it's just something you get used to.


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Old 10-23-2011, 08:46 PM
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Old 10-23-2011, 09:44 PM
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try GM synchromesh instead of Redline, I've had better luck with it in the past
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Old 10-24-2011, 12:17 AM
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I've got ford motorcraft in mine. I haven't tried the gm stuff but everyone swears by one or the other, so either/or is your best bet. Also check the shifter bushings, a broken bushing made my 99 shift horribly.

Where in SJ are you? I'm in Cherry Hill
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Old 10-24-2011, 03:23 AM
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Lightweight rims (6ul) and some good tires will make the biggest difference. you might also want to add a tubular RB sway bar while ur taking the suspension apart. I also added the whole R-pkg look on mine but everything is OEM on mine. I found a local guy that used to buy and sell crashed or salvaged miatas and he had the front/rear/spoiler which i bought for 400 dollars. I agree i could have gotten a better price but hey, it saved me the trouble of searching and waiting. Sometime i wish i had bought a different spoiler, same style only a bit more aggressive. If you are planning on FI then the best mod to do now is to get yourself a Megasquirt which will allow you to pick up to 10hp and delete the AFM or MAF (i forget which it is :P). Learning to work the MS now will save u lots of time and money later when u get the turbo.

Hello and welcome by the way!
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Old 10-24-2011, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by MR.M!474
Lightweight rims (6ul) and some good tires will make the biggest difference. you might also want to add a tubular RB sway bar while ur taking the suspension apart. I also added the whole R-pkg look on mine but everything is OEM on mine. I found a local guy that used to buy and sell crashed or salvaged miatas and he had the front/rear/spoiler which i bought for 400 dollars. I agree i could have gotten a better price but hey, it saved me the trouble of searching and waiting. Sometime i wish i had bought a different spoiler, same style only a bit more aggressive. If you are planning on FI then the best mod to do now is to get yourself a Megasquirt which will allow you to pick up to 10hp and delete the AFM or MAF (i forget which it is :P). Learning to work the MS now will save u lots of time and money later when u get the turbo.

Hello and welcome by the way!
Yeah, headers and exhaust are being researched now. I'm very, very nit picky on the exhaust tone - whereas I've noticed many [most] seem to care less. To each their own I suppose, but as it stands I'm looking at the Fujitsubo but it's a little costly. Sometimes you gotta pay to get what you want, though.



Originally Posted by thegrapist
I've got ford motorcraft in mine. I haven't tried the gm stuff but everyone swears by one or the other, so either/or is your best bet. Also check the shifter bushings, a broken bushing made my 99 shift horribly.

Where in SJ are you? I'm in Cherry Hill
I live in Ocean City, so you're a little over an hour from me. I'm gonna do a nice tune-up to ensure it's reliability before modding. Flushing all fluids, etc. Gotta get her ready for the coming winter months, since she's my DD.
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Old 10-24-2011, 12:15 PM
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Old 10-24-2011, 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by mreakus
Yeah, headers and exhaust are being researched now. I'm very, very nit picky on the exhaust tone - whereas I've noticed many [most] seem to care less. To each their own I suppose, but as it stands I'm looking at the Fujitsubo but it's a little costly. Sometimes you gotta pay to get what you want, though.
I really like the CorkSport Drift exhaust or w.e. its called. It has a very deep tone and it has 2.5in piping. I hear that it makes for a decent exhaust for a turbo. I would recommend that you don't get a header because your going to end up selling it anyway because you wanna go turbo but that is completely up to you. Oh, the corksport costs like half as much as the Fuji.
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Old 10-24-2011, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by mreakus
Originally Posted by MR.M!474
Lightweight rims (6ul) and some good tires will make the biggest difference. you might also want to add a tubular RB sway bar while ur taking the suspension apart. I also added the whole R-pkg look on mine but everything is OEM on mine. I found a local guy that used to buy and sell crashed or salvaged miatas and he had the front/rear/spoiler which i bought for 400 dollars. I agree i could have gotten a better price but hey, it saved me the trouble of searching and waiting. Sometime i wish i had bought a different spoiler, same style only a bit more aggressive. If you are planning on FI then the best mod to do now is to get yourself a Megasquirt which will allow you to pick up to 10hp and delete the AFM or MAF (i forget which it is :P). Learning to work the MS now will save u lots of time and money later when u get the turbo.

Hello and welcome by the way!
Yeah, headers and exhaust are being researched now. I'm very, very nit picky on the exhaust tone - whereas I've noticed many [most] seem to care less. To each their own I suppose, but as it stands I'm looking at the Fujitsubo but it's a little costly. Sometimes you gotta pay to get what you want, though.



Originally Posted by thegrapist
I've got ford motorcraft in mine. I haven't tried the gm stuff but everyone swears by one or the other, so either/or is your best bet. Also check the shifter bushings, a broken bushing made my 99 shift horribly.

Where in SJ are you? I'm in Cherry Hill
I live in Ocean City, so you're a little over an hour from me. I'm gonna do a nice tune-up to ensure it's reliability before modding. Flushing all fluids, etc. Gotta get her ready for the coming winter months, since she's my DD.
Sounds good. Let me know if you're looking for a set of winter wheels/ tires. And hit me up if you ever need another set of hands.
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Old 10-24-2011, 01:32 PM
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Since you're planning on going turbo, I would recommend you build a megasquirt and learn how to tune your car while it's N/A.

I wouldn't bother with an exhaust since a good turbo exhaust will be insanely loud on N/A car and a N/A exhaust won't be as good once you go turbo.

Two mods I've done that are cheap and good - Exhintake cam swap and COPs. You can do either for like $100.
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Old 10-24-2011, 02:16 PM
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DIYPNP Megasquirt, wait on the exhaust if you plan on going turbo. And pray to the MT gods that your car will be faster than mine.......
Actually it just takes Mo Money.
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Old 10-25-2011, 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by flydaddyskidz
DIYPNP Megasquirt, wait on the exhaust if you plan on going turbo. And pray to the MT gods that your car will be faster than mine.......
Actually it just takes Mo Money.
You really made your username flydaddyskidz? Hahahahaha.

I thought you were cooler than that man.

Although your Miata will always be faster than mine. :sad face:
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