You are overthinking this. Buy the one I linked to and be done. Unless you are going with a Begi core you won't find a better one for the price.

Inferior quality or too large can cause undesirable pressure losses and especially both together. This is not an area to skimp. Go with the recommendation.

If your dead set on trying to find something cheaper, this would be your next best option and would support your hp goal. Go to frozenboost.com and search their air to air intercoolers. They have one with a core size of 24x6x2.5 for $99 and I know it's a good quality piece.

Cheaper is not the goal, and I am going to buy the Vibrant.

I just was looking for how cooler size affects performance and how it might affect anything else in the equation. Not from an over thinking POV just trying to learn.

I called Vibrant, the amazon listing has no mention of mounting, mounting hardware etc. but come with a full kit with the ability to bolt through the end tank as well as brackets that capture the end tanks and then can be used to hang the cooler from that. Y'all may have know that but it was not listed.

You have to figure out your own mounting. Same amount of work as you have to do with an eBay core. It comes with some hardware, not sure if it is enough to mount it in a miata or not. If you want an intercooler that is PnP you either order from FM/Begi/Fab9, but plan on paying a good amount more.

Roger that and thank you sir.

You have a total budget of $2K, which is tiny, tiny. Then you keep implying that cost is not an object (lightened flywheel, name brand I/C). It does not compute with me.

No, sorry not the case. Simply, I am leaning on you all to help me. I am ok with the wrenches on motorcycles and regular car stuff but forced induction is another area all together. Vibrant (a name I've never heard before) v Mishimoto (who sponsors a friend's formula drift car and looks really sexy in the gold version)on the intercooler was one example - opinion seems to be Vibrant is the most cost effective way to go and costs $50 more than CX yet with higher volume than the Mishimoto. Intercooler piping is another area: for instance if I can spend $250 on something not CXracing vs their pipe and hose kit for $185 I can absorb those costs. As for clutch and flywheel, if I need to spend (or it makes sense from veterans on the forum to but a $600 clutch/flywheel over something else, then I am looking for reasoned opinions from people who have been at this a lot longer than me. Yes, and I know my mileage will vary.... $2,000 was a "it would be nice to get he parts for that" and based on Greg Peters Broke and Boosted $1,000 budget.

As for my budget:
MSPNP $850
Intercooler and pipe kit $400 +/-
Injectors $200-300 +/-
Manifold and adapter: $155
"Happy Meal" or some other clutch/flywheel: $400-600

Puts me at $2-2200 and I know I'll likely blow that by another $500 before the down pipe is even in the picture. As always, looking for good advice and reasoned input like Shuiend's POV on Vibrant vs Mishimoto...now if it only came in gold..... :party:

I think the manifold to adapter is going to be your biggest issue long term. I have never seen an adapter hold up.

Shuiend, would you recommend a "log" style manifold then? Mazworks has one for around $125.

I buy my flanges from PRL Motorsports. I get my weld el's from a local plumbing store. I use Schedule40 MS weld el's. Realistically you can spend about $125 on parts for the log, then just need to weld it together.

My personal recommendations would be to buy the 1.6 tacotaco and then the t3 chinacharger I use in my setups and just run that. Deezums has had really good luck with that setup.

He has a 1994 1.8 engine.

EDIT: From 1st post: "So here is the base line: 94 1.8 A-package car, manual windows, 5 speed, 103k on the clock, original one owner car"