I just came into a ton of cash, and bought some seats. The only things left before the swap/turbo system is engine management and that frame brace.

Do you think it will make the car more fun, faster, or is it not worth the cash? Should I just buy MS instead, and get it tuned NA before I strip and swap from the 1.8 salvage car (engine, trans, rear end)?

I've put stand alone on a vw before and it really woke the car up in NA, even though hp #'s sometimes didn't reflect those changes. Do 1.6 and 1.8 miatas respond the same way, or is it a marginal gain in both performance and feel?

Thanks for the advice.

 

Are you talking about the Butterfly brace?

I think it'll make a significant difference in feel, and will really help with comfort on the street. I have my doubts that it'll be faster for autocross, maybe on the track. I was talking with someone that has a well prepared SM2 Miata (220-240whp SC) and he's got it. He siad night and day on the street, unsure for autocross.

I've got a set of frame rails, but they won't go on the car will spring.

I say go for it. It'll probably improve the car for 99% of your driving.

 

This is just a weekend car that will see a few road track events per month. I already have 450/350 springs on stiffly valved dampers, and a roll bar.

 

someone on .net and clubroadster.net destroyed his after driving over a manhole, and he says there is an inherent design flaw that leads to this.

 

thanks, I might just do the rails then.

 

The frame rails are a great idea. At the very least it makes jacking the car super easy. I noticed an improvement in ride quality with them, no track mileage to report.

 

You can't just change your opinion on a product because one guy destoryed his on a manhole. I really dont' beleive thats enough feedback to blacklist a product. You don't know if this person installed it correctly, you dont' know if the manhole was sticking out already, you don't know what he was doing while driving over the man hole... Come on.

 

...or how low his car was. When you lower the car below stock, there are certain compromises you have to accept.

I, for one, think FM products are well engineered and built. There are plenty of other things that stick out lower than the butterfly brace that he could/should have hit before the brace.

 

Make your own, personally I dont like the setup that they use. Xbraces are really common on alot of cars.