Chucks build thread
 

I purchased a 1995 Mazda Miata yesterday. It was non-running due to blown head gasket. It has many dents and the center console was ripped apart from someone stealing the radio. I got it for $800 though so can't complain.

My goals are to make it into a stripped track car with occasional drag racing 2200lbs with turbo and rollbar. My build is going to be:

Engine:
99 Head
Belfab HP KIT
83.5MM 9:1 Pistons
Belfab Rods
Hp Rod Bolts
ARP Head Studs
ARP Main Studs
Supertech 1mm oversized intake and exhaust valves
Port and Polish
5-angle valve job
BEGI Intake Manifold
BEGI SSM KIT
GT2871 52trim .64 a/r
Seperated gases downpipe
Intercooler 18x12x3 Core
Greddy Type RS BOV
Toyota COP's
Fidanza Cam Gear
M-tuned Fuel Rail
550cc RX-7 Injectors (anybody have any extras even one?)
Stock or ? TB (I want to keep the stock IAC)
3" Mandrel Bent Exhaust with Magnecor muffler
NX Wet Kit 35-50-75shot for drag racing

ECU
Megasquirt running parallel built by BRAINEACK (thanks)
LC-1 Wideband W/ Gauge

Suspenion
KYB AGX Struts
Racing Beat Springs
Racing Beat Complete Front and Rear Sway Bars
M2 Rollbar

Transmission
5spd untill it blows up then 6spd
4.10 torsen untill I have enough for the 3.63
ACT Extreme Clutch and Flywheel (Happy Meal FTW)
Fidanza short shifter
Knobmeister Magnum black textured 6-spd Shift Knob

Brakes
HAWK HPS Front and Rear Pads
Slotted Rotors
Stainless Steal brake lines

Wheels
SSK 031 Time Attack Color (volk knock offs) $250 on ebay! (We'll see how they do hopefully when I come out of my garage I don't bend my rim on the 1" bump)
225/50r15 Bfgoodrich Sports for street untill I do a few track days and get use to the car then Ra1's

Cooling
Mishimoto Radiator
1.3 Bar Cap
20% Anti-Freeze 80% Water w/ Water Wetter

Here are pictures of the car. I had just gotten it home and hadn't cleaned it yet. I did take off the hood though.

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Thats a big expensive list. Are you doing it all at once or over time?
And why does everyone want 363's.

The car is actually pretty nice. Just needs seat covers, a door, and love on the quarter panel. But if you are just tracking it. I'd just drive it. Someone might hit you anyway.
Sounds like it is going to RUN!
Good Luck!

freon in the radiator huh? what's that do?

I may have to swing by and see this awesome build happening sometime...

What side of town are you on?

thats a pretty good buy. i bought a 90 with 200k miles and the drivetrain is shot and is missing the hood and front bumper for 500 bux. straight frame and body though i cant complain.

I have never seen that used before, but my guess is it amplifies the cooling effect of the cooling system. very weird though, and I wonder if it really works

So far i've order everything for the engine except the begi turbo kit, fuel rail, injectors, and intake manifold. Also haven't ordered sway bars, radiator, rollbar, clutch and flywheel.

My first part arrive today. The smallest part I ordered of course

Attachment 208701

Tomorrow, Friday, Saturday, and Monday will be like Christmas, Birthday, and Steak and BJ day (Houston Holiday) all rolled into one.

Today I picked up my 99 head from local junkyard for $350. They have two more I think and a few 01+'s for $450. I also removed the engine and tore everything out of the trunk and started on the interior. I need to buy some dry ice or a heat gun for the sound deading/tar.:crx:

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Sorry thought you were being sarcastic. Its a typo. Freon and water do not mix.

Its a doohickey that modifies the whatchamacallit for 1000 hp. Don't you know about it. Fixed

Northside 290 and FM 1960. Found out it will take 3 weeks for the turbo kit to get to me once I order it. And I can't order it untill this Friday or next Friday. Waiting on tax return:bang: So i'm going to running around a full built turbo motor n/a for two weeks. Atleast I can get the rings seated and clutch broken in and not be tempted to much. Also in a few weeks i'll have a obx header for sale just slightly used.

Most of it at once (hopefully). The rollbar, sways, trans, and diff later when I get more money. And then last the nitrous.

Yeah i'm going to keep the aerodynamic modifications (aka dents). Never cared on how the car looks except I like black so i'm selling the tan top and buying a black one. Plus i'm going to get some black clotch seats (lighter)

3.63's Are great for turbo's. They will keep you in 4th gear in qt mile, they load up the turbo longer, and it makes first gear usefull. N/A you want the opposite 4.3

Also if anybody wants to see some of my old cars here a few videos on youtube.

YouTube - thumper2750's Channel

Highlights:
193mph Nitrous C6 Vette "Big yella", 11.1@128mph
260z Turbo "Whistler", 11.6@123mph
280zx Turbo "GHETTO BEAST", 400lb-tq 12.4&112mph
GTO Nitrous "Aussie done good", 12.2@115mph doing the only thing its good for burning tires

Oops I thought y8s was being sarcastic. Its a typo. I've been posting ads about my a/c setup so I had freon on the brain.

3.63s are crap for a track car. You want a 6-speed and 4.10s or 4.30s.

Hey Chuck, do you have a caliper handy? I say you have the head off that motor F/S, but I was wondering if you could go measure the bore spacing. or hell, if you have the head off, and a caliper, could you measure the thickness between two cylinders and the bore diameter?

Looks like one hell of a list of parts.

Are you talking about the 99 or my stock one? I don't have a caliper (need to get one) I have a measuring tape though not very accurate.

The stock one, though they're both the same bore and spacing, so either measurement will do. If you happen to get a caliper, I'd appreciate the measurements. Need some numbers that are within .001 or so. FWIW, I got my caliper at Autozone for $20 and it's the same one Enco sells for 30 in a different color case. (I have both, lol)

I would normally agree with you but because of the 6-spds close ratios and i'm hopefully going to have a wide power band I think the 3.63's will benefit me. Especially since the tracks around here have some good straight aways and high-speed turns. Plus I like long gears. Maybe when I switch i'll switch back.

Also look into FM's new Level 2 clutch. It's the new hotness in clutches. And coming from someone that had nitrous and now has a turbo: You won't need the nitrous. I promise.

Hmm that must be new. Just a couple of days ago it was the extreme still in there happy meal? Glad I hadn't order yet. Thanks

Yeah I've been thinking about traction issues. I will only put nitrous on if I think my street tires will handle it in 3rd gear. Then again I do plan on getting another 2 rims and putting some drag radials on. Doesn't matter right now it is definitely the last thing I will do so I've got a month or two to thing about it.

Yeah, it's a new clutch. Sounds badass to me.

About the nitrous, just run more boost in higher gears. I had 100 shot direct port with a progressive controller, WOT switch, and MSD dual window switch. Worked well, but it's not needed with a turbo. With MS you have antilag and launch control. I have no traction till third. If anything, I could put a switch to switch to high boost in 3rd or something.

Damn another thing I forgot to add to my list. I bought a greddy type s ebc from a member here. With it I can do a remote switch that will let me switch between two boost levels. The only thing is I don't want to run my boost past 22psi because then its way out its efficiency. And I think my block should handle more power so its kindof wasted. Then again I can think of it as a safety margin. But then again nitrous acts as a cooler.

Wait didn't I say I had a month or so. I'll decide once I see how the car behaves with turbo only. If its enough its enough. Never had a short wheelbase 300hp+ car so we will see.

Ok today was a very productive day. Received some boxes...

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Intercooler
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Steering Wheel
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Struts
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BOV
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Couplers and clamps
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Greddy EBC missing the solenoid
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Fidanzda Short Shifter

Exhaust Cam (no longer needed so its for sell)

Momo Steering wheel Adapter

I finished taking all the accesories off the block and found a nice exedy stage 1 clutch. Then I started on the interior.

First I had to have some fun with the sawzall...

This
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+ This
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='s This
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The interior ended up stripped
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Then I put it back together to make it look like this
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I'm going to cut off all the sharp metal stuff this weekend. And i'm going to put the center console back in once I get the tranny in again.

I dont understand why you cut half the dash out.

lol +1

also don't use a heat gun on the sound deadening material, just a big sticky goopy mess, try the dry ice method instead. Also +1 on those measurements for me and pat

Because I had a dash, and a sawzall and I don't care how it looks. Actually the car is going to be a stripped car and i'm looking for every lb. And by cutting right side I lost atleast 5 lbs.

Also i'm going to build myself a custom dash when I get around to it.

if you're that ---- about weight. why dont you start dropping some pounds off of your body. i mean this in a constructive way. not to sound like a dick

LOL, the dude cut the dash in half...

I don't like shifting that much, or skipping gears on downshifts.

6 spd with 363's are like cookies and milk.

a 6 spd with 410/430's is a stump puller to say the least. In a low hp car, ok...but in anything over 300 hp what are you gonna do with 1st gear?

I agree 100%. When I upgrade to the 6-spd I will do the 3.63's at the same time.

Hey don't diss cutting the dash in half it was fun.

FYI update coming later.

New Parts
 

I haven't done much lately waiting on parts and laziness. All I've really done is I removed my convertible top. (I am looking for a cheap crappy black top or a cf lightweight hardtop).

I did some new parts including my belfab hp kit. Looks complete and got here quickly. Jim at Belfab thanks. I'll be taking it to the machine shop tom and should have it back in a week or so.

Supertech pistons
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Belfab Rods
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Springs, Retainers, and Seats
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Oversized Intake and Exhaust Valves
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Arp Head Studs and Main Studs
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Adj. Cam Gear
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Racing Beat Springs
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Looks like the parts gathering part of the build is coming along well.

I sent you a PM with pics of my cheap crappy black top.

You talk about 1st gear with a 6s/4.10 combo like 1st with a 5-speed or 1st with the 3.636s would be even SLIGHTLY more useable. Once you're past 250whp, 1st gear is a writeoff regardless of what your gear ratio is. It's a stupid argument.

The 6-speed and 4.10s is the best track box because of the 3-4-5-6 combo, which is what you actually USE. I have never used 2nd gear on any track. 3rd becomes the new 2nd, and you get a 70mph 2nd gear which makes it EXTREMELY useable, ESPECIALLY for a high horsepower car. 4th is the new 3rd, which runs you past 80mph, and 5th and 4th are the exact same and 6th/5th are close enough to consider them equal as well.

The 3.636 ratio nullifies all of those advantages. Your 2nd gear is still totally useless, but now you have a tall 3rd which means you're lugging the car out of tight corners, and you spend more time in every gear which means slower acceleration.

Put two equal cars on a road course, one with 3.636s and one with 4.10s, and regardless of the horsepower level, the 4.10 car will go faster. Period.

Chucky, you're doing a BEGi-SSM with a GT2871R, a stripped interior... and KYBs? Fail.

Can we get a price list in case people want to keep track of how much it would cost to do everything your doing would be?

I still don't get why you cut the dash, there are so many other places to loose 10lbs on a miata.

I'll think about getting a price list but i'm not big on people knowing how much i'm spending on my car though.

One reason is the dash is going to be a custom aluminum one soon. The other reason is if I can remove it from another location and this one then I have removed twice as much. And every little bit counts when building a true lightweight.

I am confused. You're worried about 5lbs of weight but you went with AGX's and simple springs? You'd gained more with a proper coilover setup than you are by loosing the 5 lbs. haha

LOLOLOLOLOL how much does coilovers cost and how much does cutting the dash cost... LOLOLOLOLOL

Don't be jealous of my mad sawzall skills. It won't be the last.

How do you and your mad sawzall skills plan to stop?

Think about this

I've addressed the brakes. This is stage 1 for brakes. Not sure what kit I will use for stage 2.

That will hold up under stock power. NOT anything above 150 whp

Actually the stock braking system is quite adequate. Especially in a lightened miata. Many many national competing race miatas use the stock calipers. With the proper rotor, pads, and brake fluid the stock system will handle most track days.

I never said the stock system WASN'T adequate what im saying is that your chose of setup will NOT be adequate. How light do you expect to get your car?

Your choice of pads is not going to be enough. Have you ever done a track day? If so why would you choose kyb shocks with springs? There are some things you need to re-consider.

i did a good bit of research on cheap suspension set-ups and i've learned that racing beat springs are only good for lowering and shit handeling, and kyb dampers are short-lived.

why not the Tokico Illumina's and FM springs? awesome cheap set-up or groundcontrols and illuminas for coilover's that arent that much more?

Acting like you know what you're talking about is a great way to look smart around people who don't.

Acting like you know what you're talking about is a great way to look retarded around people who do.

Hawk HPS pads will fade your FIRST lap out, if you know how to drive (which I doubt).

I have done 1 track day and 2 dozen or so solo II events. Yes the pads I choose are alittle more street than track but since i'm not running slicks yet I think I can get away with it. If not new pads are a swap away. Everything else is more than adequate.

I think the car in race form should be 2200lbs at the most. I'm shooting for 2100lbs. I choose kyb agx's because I've used them before and was very satisfied with the valving and ease of adjustments and Racing beat springs are perfect for mild track days. I'm not looking to be competitive just fun.

Only thing coilovers give you is adjustable ride height, more spring choices, more tire choices, and corner weighting. Since i'm happy with the ride height, spring rate, tire size, and not to serious yet on suspension this will be just perfect. Plus budget dictates Kyb with springs. After a few track days I may find my self wanting more but untill then they will do me fine.

Dump your shitty slotted rotors while you're at it too. Carbotech XP10/8 minimum is a good idea.

Ok he came out and said I was wrong. When all he needed to say was I would recommend a different pad. I will be also street driving this vehicle so I want a quite pad. If the hps pads fade then I guess they will fade and I will upgrade. No biggie.

THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO GIVE SOMEONE YOUR OPINION THEN TELLING THEM THEY ARE WRONG

I've read and found that a "quality" slotted rotor is superior to a non-slotted rotor. Thats why people run them.

And you wonder why we think you're retarded? The drilled/slotted rotors you can afford are completely worthless and will only score you points at the opening of TF&F 4.

LOL

too funny. savington has that affect on people.

i agree with savington though, if your driving properly stock brakes don't do squat. I'm running stock brakes with Hawk DTC-60's, aka rotor eaters, right now. During the end of the track session, maybe 15 minutes in, you start to feel fade as well. I'm moving up to bbk asap. I'm on 2 track events with the DTC-60's and they're almost game over too, along with my rotor.

*your

You're an idiot

Your ideas are idiotic

Both are grammatically correct and true, unlike most of the things you say.

Actually if you match racing beat springs with the kyb's they are perfect match. I had them on my previous miata and ran them for 2yrs at many solo II events and was quite happy with it. Plus its a good price. FM Springs and illuminas would have been extra $250 and when I decide to get coilovers it will be wasted money.

forgot to mention, yeah your suspension sucks. LOL

What rotors and fluid were you running? Thanks for you advice and experience.

Give me $3000 to get a better suspension untill then it will have to do.

Here's the deal I HAVE TO rebuild the engine. And decided to go turbo so those are unfortunately the two things I decided I HAVE to do. After that I am trying to build up what I can on my budget. Just because I can't afford what you run doesn't mean I won't have fun with it. The car will still out handle most vehicles and should be fun on the track. I will upgrade what I can when I can.

At least do yourself a favor and don't waste the money on springs. Get a set of Koni Sports instead, and when you get more money upgrade to Ground Controls, and then revalve the Konis. You'll end up with my setup at the end of the day, which is probably one of the best sub-$2k setups out there.

Slotted rotors are shit, don't tell anyone here they are anything other than shit if you expect to maintain a modicum of respect. Solid rotors from NAPA are cheap and good.

Spend the money in pads. HPS pads are a joke, and anyone with track experience knows it. HP+ pads are only slightly better. Get a set of Carbotechs, XP10s front and XP8s rear. They are street driveable (you cut your dashboard in half, don't give me a single word about pad noise), cold bite is fine, and you will never fade them. Ever.