New guy looking at Miatas
#1
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New guy looking at Miatas
Hey guys,
I spent the past few weeks driving a really fun small car, now I really want a Miata. I've been looking for a while, but I think I've finally found a good candidate. It's a 1991, about 1,000 cars too early for the revised crank!! It's cheap though, think I'm just gonna go for it. Low enough miles I think it may just last long enough to get my thrills in
I'm liking the 1.6 since it looks like decent iron manifolds are cheaper, the cars themselves are cheaper, and I'm really not looking for stupid crazy power. I've got friends in junkyards, probably end up changing the clutch anyway, and the rear diff doesn't look too expensive. I figure I'll roll with it, then go to a 1.8, or later crank 1.6, if things go bad.
I think I'll pair a cheap T3 with the cast ebay manifold, from a few days of reading it seems like a pretty solid plan to get to ~200whp with room to grow if I feel like it. I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron, and I've been playing with HPtuners and GM's for a while, so a DIYPNP MS setup seems right up my alley. Much easier than reconstructing V8 LS harnesses at least...
I've still got quite a bit more reading to do, on stuff like injectors, what size turbo exactly, oil and water hookups, bunches of other things I'm sure, but figured I'd "check in." May just come back with car pics after this weekend too
Thanks for documenting everything as well as you all have so far!
I spent the past few weeks driving a really fun small car, now I really want a Miata. I've been looking for a while, but I think I've finally found a good candidate. It's a 1991, about 1,000 cars too early for the revised crank!! It's cheap though, think I'm just gonna go for it. Low enough miles I think it may just last long enough to get my thrills in
I'm liking the 1.6 since it looks like decent iron manifolds are cheaper, the cars themselves are cheaper, and I'm really not looking for stupid crazy power. I've got friends in junkyards, probably end up changing the clutch anyway, and the rear diff doesn't look too expensive. I figure I'll roll with it, then go to a 1.8, or later crank 1.6, if things go bad.
I think I'll pair a cheap T3 with the cast ebay manifold, from a few days of reading it seems like a pretty solid plan to get to ~200whp with room to grow if I feel like it. I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron, and I've been playing with HPtuners and GM's for a while, so a DIYPNP MS setup seems right up my alley. Much easier than reconstructing V8 LS harnesses at least...
I've still got quite a bit more reading to do, on stuff like injectors, what size turbo exactly, oil and water hookups, bunches of other things I'm sure, but figured I'd "check in." May just come back with car pics after this weekend too
Thanks for documenting everything as well as you all have so far!
#4
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Thanks for the welcome guys!
So I have a Miata
And, from what I can see, it does not have a SNC. It runs nice and true, and the crank bolt sure has one heck of a flange on it. Score!
Looking a bit goofy on huge rear tires, plus lots of other little things I hope to have that fixed early next week. Can't go fast, not without worrying about loosing quarter panels!
So I have a Miata
And, from what I can see, it does not have a SNC. It runs nice and true, and the crank bolt sure has one heck of a flange on it. Score!
Looking a bit goofy on huge rear tires, plus lots of other little things I hope to have that fixed early next week. Can't go fast, not without worrying about loosing quarter panels!
#7
By removing the stupid black accent stripes(which I hope for your sake is vinyl),removing the nasty chrome RS4 replica wheels, and removing the wing(IMO) you could have a really nice start for your eventual money pit.
Welcome and study study before asking questions! I'm in a good mood so I'll give you a link I wish I had when I started rebuilding my car. The rest you can find here. I find typing your query in google search followed by miataturbo (ex. "AFR gauge calibration miataturbo")brings up better results than the site search.
http://www.mellens.net/mazda/index.html
Welcome and study study before asking questions! I'm in a good mood so I'll give you a link I wish I had when I started rebuilding my car. The rest you can find here. I find typing your query in google search followed by miataturbo (ex. "AFR gauge calibration miataturbo")brings up better results than the site search.
http://www.mellens.net/mazda/index.html
#9
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Thanks! I love this car already, it's a blast to drive.
Unfortunately the silly stripes are not vinyl, and the car is not originally yellow. I hope to do something about that mess eventually, but for now I'll just rock it as is. That bra is hiding a slightly ugly front bumper cover, gonna need to find a new one at some point.
I plan to do something with the wheels and tires sooner, probably go to some smaller less gaudy rims. They're actually in halfway decent shape, maybe I can get a few bucks for em!
Still doing a lot of searching, but I think I may have decided what turbo to go with. It's a cheap ebay T3, 50 trim .42/.48ar. I think a few guys here might be using this same one, but I can never tell 100%. If I'm not mistaken, this little guy will liven up the low end where I like to spend most of my time. If it's not enough, I might look more at the t3/t4 turbos.
Anyway, thanks for the welcome guys!
Unfortunately the silly stripes are not vinyl, and the car is not originally yellow. I hope to do something about that mess eventually, but for now I'll just rock it as is. That bra is hiding a slightly ugly front bumper cover, gonna need to find a new one at some point.
I plan to do something with the wheels and tires sooner, probably go to some smaller less gaudy rims. They're actually in halfway decent shape, maybe I can get a few bucks for em!
Still doing a lot of searching, but I think I may have decided what turbo to go with. It's a cheap ebay T3, 50 trim .42/.48ar. I think a few guys here might be using this same one, but I can never tell 100%. If I'm not mistaken, this little guy will liven up the low end where I like to spend most of my time. If it's not enough, I might look more at the t3/t4 turbos.
Anyway, thanks for the welcome guys!
#10
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Who-hoo, got some free goodies!
IMG_20140521_135241_zps7ad0abad.jpg?t=1400698435
I met an older British guy who used to import Eunos roadsters from Japan to Europe, and somehow these parts came with him to the US! So one of my slow windows is completely fixed, and I have a brand new stock shifter, finally! The guy knows the cars inside and out too, which is awesome.
I also got quite tired of the ugly and gaudy wheels, with massive back tires. Instead of using these rims, I decided to spring for some 15x8 +25 Konig wideopens. I hope they come soon, my new tires, hub rings, and lugs are already here!
IMG_20140521_135141_zpscd670bdb.jpg?t=1400698449
I guess I'll need to roll the fender lip over to run this offset and rim width, so I ordered an imitation of one of those eastwood fender roller kits on amazon. Someone in the reviews said the miata was too small to fit the tool without mods, hope he's wrong
IMG_20140521_135241_zps7ad0abad.jpg?t=1400698435
I met an older British guy who used to import Eunos roadsters from Japan to Europe, and somehow these parts came with him to the US! So one of my slow windows is completely fixed, and I have a brand new stock shifter, finally! The guy knows the cars inside and out too, which is awesome.
I also got quite tired of the ugly and gaudy wheels, with massive back tires. Instead of using these rims, I decided to spring for some 15x8 +25 Konig wideopens. I hope they come soon, my new tires, hub rings, and lugs are already here!
IMG_20140521_135141_zpscd670bdb.jpg?t=1400698449
I guess I'll need to roll the fender lip over to run this offset and rim width, so I ordered an imitation of one of those eastwood fender roller kits on amazon. Someone in the reviews said the miata was too small to fit the tool without mods, hope he's wrong
#12
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This guy here, the review describing the "miata mod" is in this listing.
I didn't buy that particular one, but I bought an identical one for a few less dollars that isn't prime eligible. Looks like I'm waiting a little while on my wheels anyway...
I didn't buy that particular one, but I bought an identical one for a few less dollars that isn't prime eligible. Looks like I'm waiting a little while on my wheels anyway...
#13
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So I went crazy and tore my new miata all to hell and back, because racecar.
Excuse the overspray, I hate my PO.
IMG_20140611_210814_zps05831285.jpg?t=1403245892
IMG_20140611_210656_zpsdbe9a821.jpg?t=1403245908
Then I made it low, hehe
IMG_20140613_141006_zpsc4615790.jpg?t=1403245867
IMG_20140613_141019_zpsbf6bb4a9.jpg?t=1403245880
Then I made it right, haha
IMG_20140618_151441_zps348f74aa.jpg?t=1403245849
Scarred up, stupid bumper cover is hard to find. My best friend the PO took a grinder or something to the poor thing. Massive cuts out of the thing near the headlight, for god knows what reason!!
IMG_20140618_150658_zpsa72b9b41.jpg?t=1403246271
Rolled fenders, though I can't tell. No rubbing, and I've made them new tires scream a bit already. Most fun I've ever had in a car, money well spent! Grip for days!
Basically, whole new front end - Balljoints, endlinks, poly bushes (zerks are a beach) Some 1.8 brakes, stainless lines, a strut bar when I figure out what to do with a racing beat...
More pictures, everyone likes those
IMG_20140531_162629_zpsd37c8928.jpg?t=1403246973
Worn out garbage, loose as a three dollar *****!
IMG_20140531_162832_zpsd6ed4578.jpg?t=1403246992
IMG_20140531_163649_zps61dce934.jpg?t=1403247007
My upper arm had no grooves, but squeaked like a beach, so I did this.
IMG_20140602_171234_zps47216926.jpg?t=1403247027
Going to Pikes Peak in a few more weeks, gonna be a blaast!
Edit: I didn't have to modify the fender roller either, not sure what the dude on amazon's problem is...
Excuse the overspray, I hate my PO.
IMG_20140611_210814_zps05831285.jpg?t=1403245892
IMG_20140611_210656_zpsdbe9a821.jpg?t=1403245908
Then I made it low, hehe
IMG_20140613_141006_zpsc4615790.jpg?t=1403245867
IMG_20140613_141019_zpsbf6bb4a9.jpg?t=1403245880
Then I made it right, haha
IMG_20140618_151441_zps348f74aa.jpg?t=1403245849
Scarred up, stupid bumper cover is hard to find. My best friend the PO took a grinder or something to the poor thing. Massive cuts out of the thing near the headlight, for god knows what reason!!
IMG_20140618_150658_zpsa72b9b41.jpg?t=1403246271
Rolled fenders, though I can't tell. No rubbing, and I've made them new tires scream a bit already. Most fun I've ever had in a car, money well spent! Grip for days!
Basically, whole new front end - Balljoints, endlinks, poly bushes (zerks are a beach) Some 1.8 brakes, stainless lines, a strut bar when I figure out what to do with a racing beat...
More pictures, everyone likes those
IMG_20140531_162629_zpsd37c8928.jpg?t=1403246973
Worn out garbage, loose as a three dollar *****!
IMG_20140531_162832_zpsd6ed4578.jpg?t=1403246992
IMG_20140531_163649_zps61dce934.jpg?t=1403247007
My upper arm had no grooves, but squeaked like a beach, so I did this.
IMG_20140602_171234_zps47216926.jpg?t=1403247027
Going to Pikes Peak in a few more weeks, gonna be a blaast!
Edit: I didn't have to modify the fender roller either, not sure what the dude on amazon's problem is...
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