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Crimson Miata: 1990 Track Build

Hey guys! We’ve been posting a lot on instagram, but I wanted a build thread where I could post the small details and the fails that we went through in order to help others with their track oriented Miata.

Anyways! My partner and I purchased a 1990 red Miata from a one owner “adult”. The Miata had just over 100k miles on it and the only mod was an aftermarket stereo. When asked if there were any leaks, the lady stated “Nope! We just replaced the top!” How cute :). Anyways! This is a build progression of our little track miata that we’ve spent too much money on. Not a scratch on her, perfect interior and a mint condition glass window soft top.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/L7...=w1754-h904-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5v...=w1205-h904-no
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https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7t...=w1205-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s0...K=w679-h904-no

After driving the car in stock form, our friend decided he needed to go full send around a roundabout and crash the passenger side into a curb :'). From there, we purchased some eBay coilovers, a new LCA, upper control arm, sway bar endlink and new tie rods for the repair.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/v4...N=w440-h904-no

Once we had the car running again, I decided I wanted a handbrake installed into the car. After some discussion with the partner (half-owner) to the Miata, we decided we wanted more safety gear before going full send. I still mocked up the hydro to the center column. Who knew this is when the adventure would begin.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kB...L=w679-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Q3...4=w679-h904-no
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https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nN...=w1205-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/R2...J=w679-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6I...=w1205-h904-no

Score! We scored a hard top just 2 hours away from us! It originally was classic red but the guy spray painted it primer black so we had to give it a nice spray paint job to match!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/IV...=w1205-h904-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/m2...=w1205-h904-no

At first, we attempted to vinyl wrap the top carbon fiber… But that ultimately failed so midnight spray painting it was!
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bu...=w1205-h904-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ws...=w1205-h904-no

BAM! Look at that top! As well, I did a full paint correction which gave the old girl a nice shine. She looked brand new.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oj...=w1205-h904-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MW...=w1205-h904-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xI...=w1205-h904-no

Weight Reduction! This is just the beginning! We purchased about 10lbs of dry ice and about 5 bottles of isopropyl alcohol. Pour the dry ice in the trunk and mix in the alcohol and stir! Eventually all of the sound deadening will crack and come out!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/f3...=w1205-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/x4...T=w679-h904-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/h5...1=w679-h904-no

Serious Business Time! So with little consideration or thought or expense reports, we decided that we were building a track car. Immediately we headed over to Summit and purchased some Kirkey 47 15” race seats, G-force 5 point belts and a cage kit.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Rd...=w1205-h904-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gI...q=w679-h904-no
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More weight reduction! Once the cage kit came in, we knew it was time to gut the interior to get the car prepared for the cage. Man did pulling the dashboard suck, 30 year old wiring connectors do not come out easily. I should have weighed the car before we pulled everything to see the real weight that came out. If anybody knows, I'd love to hear.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xh...=w1205-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NY...=w1205-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/x3...Y=w679-h904-no
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https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dW...i=w679-h904-no

After getting the cage materials, we brought one of those 15" Kirkey 47's to a local welder we know to have the seat shortened to the width of us. He was able to chop off quite a bit of the seat that allowed us to really squeeze in the seat. Custom is always better.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7z...V=w679-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/88...Z=w679-h904-no
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https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fD...=w1205-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/aC...=w1205-h904-no

WHEELS ARE IN!
15X9 Konig Dial-In's in their amazing grey color. Surprisingly Amazon was the cheapest for these baddies delivered.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dt...w468-h904-k-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/IM...=w1754-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/k7...H=w467-h904-no

Of course it wouldn't be a 1990 Miata if we didn't add the $40 Amazon lip :rofl:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5A...=w1754-h904-no

Okay last post for the night before I spam the forums again tomorrow.

What's in the box?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2y...=w1205-h904-no

6 Piston Wilwoods! We went with the 6 piston over the 4 as the cost was only slightly higher and the bling factor was that much better.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0...=w1754-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Wy...=w1205-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cB...D=w440-h904-no

The wheels and tires together, ughhh
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3K...=w1205-h904-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/L0...=w1205-h904-no

Are you interested in feedback on your build or are you just showing pics?

I suspect we will have lots of feedback :party:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savington (Post 1516209)

Are you interested in feedback on your build or are you just showing pics?

I suspect we will have lots of feedback :party:

Always interested in feedback, i've learned a lot from all of you and we're definitely still learning.

Hydro e-brake is not going to be well received on this forum, but at least bolt it to something structural. The plastic center console is not structural.

6-pot calipers on 11" rotors is very silly. 4-pots on 11.75" is what you want.

Lots of your pics are broken, but the single photo where the cage in the car is visible is frightening. Like, "tear it out and start over" levels of frightening. The halo hoop and a-pillar bars are way, way too close to you. Depending on what you're doing with the car, even Spec Miata cages are subpar at best. You can do much better. That SM cage is a TC Designs cage, and your CA plates indicate you might be a local to TC, so take the car to him and ask him to do his SM cage at bare minimum, or have him do something better if you have a little more money to spend.

I am 5'9. I have a race seat mounted on the floor, and a cage that is like the SM cage you posted without some of the Spec Miata concessions (I have a straight dash bar and door bars tied to rocker).

What I see in this picture makes me agree with @Savington that this cannot be safe. With a helmet on, my head would be right through your halo bars. If you are not 5'2", you are in serious danger driving this on the street or on the track. Having instructed at HPDEs, I would not get in this car on the right side.

Quote:

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Savington (Post 1516251)

Hey appreciate the feedback, i'm unsure why the google photos aren't working for you, possibly your network? I could see where you would think that are cage is way too close but in reality it meets the 2" minimum with a helmet on from every direction. The cage was done by Tolle Fabrication here in Citrus Heights and he's pretty well known for building spec legal roll cages. We're floor mounted so I'm unsure of the confusion but in the future I'll grab more pics. And I definitely agree with the hydro reception, we're over it :giggle:

Subscribing. Saw you on IG, love to follow your build as I am going through the same process, much much (much) slower than you. Keep it up! :bigtu: