'95 Miata from Wisconsin
 

Hello everyone. Figured I would introduce myself. My name is Jesse and I am a mechanical engineer living in the Milwaukee area. My interests include motorcycles, cars, and HiFi home audio. I am married with two kids, and am a Mazda fan boy.

I recently picked up a clean '95 Miata with factory hardtop. My plans are to summer drive it and also attend a monthly autocross and the occasional HPDE. My long term end goal is to supercharge or turbo with around 150 rwhp (only 5-6 psi boost), but this won't happen for another year or two. Snow hit the midwest this past week, so it is parked for the rest of the year. Recent modifications were a MOMO Monte Carlo wheel and a foamectomy to the driver's seat. Winter plans include removing the soft-top, adding a Hard Dog roll bar (M1 hardcore hardtop X-brace), coilovers, wheels/tires, and probably intake and exhaust. It will be somewhat of a budget build, with only about $2,000 available to spend this winter.

Here is a picture of when I picked it up:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1448389302

My daily driver is a 2006 MINI JCW for those interested:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1448389302

Turns out that a MINI and a Miata make a nice car combo.


I do miss my previous daily driver though:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1448389302

Glad to see someone local who isn't slamming the car with fart cans. Good luck to you on the build. Do you have cats?

Also, i would kill for an rx8, always had a soft spot for those cars.

hi

Well I will be lowering and adding exhaust.....but it won't be slammed, and it better not sound like a fart can.

Since I am extremely limited in budget (married with two kids...and my wife says the Miata isn't top priority....hah), I will be extremely cost sensitive with the upgrades. Right now I am leaning towards Yonaka coilovers and a Yonaka catback exhaust.
Suspension - Mazda Miata MX-5 1989-98
Yonaka 1990-1997 Mazda Miata NA Catback Exhaust

I know these are cheap coilovers, but I really just want to lower it about 1" and have a compliant suspension for daily use. I know I am not Mario Andretti out on the track/autocross.....and I only do autocross and track days for fun. I might go with Tein Basis instead, but then I don't have damping adjustment.

Wheels/tires will probably be 205mm width on a 15x8.....not zero offset. Probably something around +30 or so.

The RX-8 has basically hit rock bottom on resale value. I sold my 2004 with 68k miles in near mint shape for $7,000 this past summer. I owned it for about 4 years and bought it with only 19k miles. The undercarriage was starting to get a little rough after 4 winters, but the body was still showroom. I was really sad to see it go. It was an awesome track car too.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1448397947


I do also have two cats.

You totally buried the lead there.

Oh, and nice Miata, RX-8, etc. Welcome to the board. Let's see how long that 150 hp goal lasts. :skid:

Yea, I just wanted to change the timing belt on a 1.6L then shit got a little cray

Adolf Hitler was rejected from art school. One thing led to another, and the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the sovereign nation of Japan.

I keep telling myself that a power/weight ratio the same as the RX-8, and I will be happy. I personally thought the RX-8 was perfect in terms of its balance between power and chassis performance. I just want that package in a Miata, and that is about 150 rwhp. I am a complete noob when it comes to building a turbo car though, so I will definitely need the help of the forum to point me in the right direction when the forced induction time comes.

Welcome, jcrane82. Check out the Miata Gallery and post up some pics!

I think another factor was he had IBS, killed the doctors that couldn't do anything for him, started following a diet of beets and onions and ran out of dining rooms embarrassed because of uncontrollable flatulence. True Story.

So does anyone else here have a MINI as well as a Miata? In the past month I have meet three people locally who own both. Seemed like more than just a coincidence.

I seem to see quite a few subis on here, I personally drive a MS3. Well... and a second miata.

I'm not baller enough to have two cars. I did have a swapped GC with a VF34 back in '03, another in '05 with GD dash swap, I swapped an s50b30 motor from an e36m3 into my old e30, and I did have an internship at BMW Forschungs- und Innovationszentrum setting up and testing the suspension of the Mini GPII at Messgelände Aschheim. (This was also the time when the Vision-dynamics/i8 was in development and constantly breaking down on the track).

Subie -> BMW/Mini -> Miata

seems to fit

let's not talk about that brief stint with Honda. I didn't know what I was doing back then. #embarrassing

Very clean car! I know this is MT.net and all, but you also might want to look into options to make your 150whp goal in N/A form. Just food for thought.

Welcome to the site, you'll learn a lot here whether you go turbo or stay N/A.

Thanks for the welcome. In some ways this will kind of be a N/A build and a FI build, since I won't be going FI for a year or two.....and I can't leave anything stock for that length of time. I just need to be careful that any N/A mods I do over the next couple years don't derail my end goal of a JR supercharger (for example long tube headers).

I have done some preliminary research on a 150 rwhp N/A build, and the general consensus I have found is that 150 rwhp FI power is cheaper and more reliable.....not sure if that is true or not though. My budget is really tight, so I am looking for cheap power mods.

It's definitely cheaper. You could throw in a chinacharger, a log manifold, a rising rate FMU, and throw them in the engine bay (don't even bolt them in, just toss them in the engine bay) and accidentally make 150 hp.

Sounds like a good plan. Not sure how the FI 150whp setup would be more reliable than NA, but yes, you can do things really cheaply if your power goal is that low. Good luck!

I was only basing my original statement on what I had read in Corky Bell's Maximum Boost.

probably don't even need an intercooler

Some of the early cartech kits didn't have an intercooler either.

I just checked out your build thread. Holy shit balls.....350 rwhp is effing crazy nuts. Nice work!:party:

I'm trying to imagine, it probably would be so much more reliable and less points of failure to do this naturally aspirated. Shave the head down, get it flowing, and tune it with megasquirt. That's about as cheap as it's going to get. If you can afford a bit of modest headwork, and slightly higher compression pistons, you're already there.


Plus EPA just announced that they want to see more biofuels mixed into gas in the coming years. maybe high compression flex fuel is in your future?



It'll break in two months, then you'll see me cry about it and I'll leave miatas out of bitterness. Then after a while I'll just head over to the v8roadster forum.

I would actually prefer 150 rwhp naturally aspirated anyway. I really liked the power delivery of my RX-8, and I don't want throttle response to suffer due to a turbo.

I had stated that 150 rwhp FI would be more reliable because that is what I read in Corky Bell's Maximum Boost. Corky explains this in pages 5-6. Basically saying that doubling the power using boost does not equate to double the power load on the engine.
http://vasillalov.com/Maximum_Boost-Corky_Bell.pdf

I need to do more research on this yet, but I would really prefer a n/a build....but have reliability concerns about raising the rev limiter on the engine with stock internals.

Really the limiting factor is in the head. If you ever remove your head to rebuild or refresh and shave it down, you can always change the valve springs out while you have your guides and seals inspected. Valvespring kits are about $350 for the fancy ones. You can get away with a lot cheaper (there's information buried here in the forum Volvo springs or whatnot)

Got my Xmas present early this year......Yonaka coilovers.

Ride height is 12.25" front and 12.5" rear (measured from center of wheel to fender):
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1449501302

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1449501302

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1449501302

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1449501302

Only driven on them for about 10 miles so far, and I am currently without anti-sway bars (endlink bolts sheared during removal, so I just removed the bars since I plan on replacing them anyway). Even without anti-sway bars, the cars seems like it has more roll stiffness than stock, and the higher spring rate has drastically improved the brake dive I experienced when stock.

I just need to determine if this ride height is a good starting point, and then I will align it myself. Currently at this right height, the rear suspension lower control arms are horizontal. I would think that if I go any lower than this, I might be compromising suspension geometry too much. What are everyone's thoughts on this? My goal is racecar, not ricecar.

My wheel/tire package will more than likely be 205/50 on 15x8 +25.

Aligned the rear end last night. No issues getting the adjusters to move for a 21 year old car, so that was nice. Front end will get aligned in the coming weeks..

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1449598037

Have done a good deal of updates to the car over the past few months.

Here is what I have been doing:
-new timing belt, water pump, tensioner, crank seal, cam seals, and valve cover gaskets
-coolant flush
-sold the 320mm Monte Carlo and picked up a 350mm Monte Carlo wheel with 12mm spacer
-removed soft top and frame
-Garage Star delrin door bushings
-lowered it an additional 10mm and realigned it (ride height is 4.5" front and 4.75" rear, measured to pinch weld with no passengers)
-rolled front and rear fenders to fit new wheels/tires
-15x9 Advanti Storm S1 in Titanium Chrome with 225/45R15 Hankook RS-3

Here are some recent pics:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1457363912

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1457363912

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1457363912

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1457363912

Roll bar will be the next modification after I save up some $$$ in the coming months. I am unsure which Hard Dog bar to go with though. Right now I am leaning towards the hard core, hardtop, X-brace....since I don't see seats/harnesses in my near future.

First time waxing the Yata, so I decided to take some pictures. The paint was surprising glossy for 22 years old.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1458307985

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1458307985

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1458307985

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1458307985

This showed up this past weekend:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1459456913

Plan on getting it installed this upcoming weekend.

Man you gotta do something about that exhaust.

It is on the list, but right now my main priority is getting it track ready, and the exhaust isn't limiting that from happening.

Started on the rollbar installation this past weekend. Here is my progress:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1459780489

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1459780489

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1459780489

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1459780489

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1459780489

Still have yet to finish cutting/trimming the driver's side plastics.

Been busy recently. Sold the MINI and picked up a new garage mate for the Miata. Meet the new daily driver:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1467827230

And here is me bringing it back to Wisconsin from Florida where I picked it up. Had to hit Deal's Gap on the trip home.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1467827230



Also had the Miata at it's first autocross this past weekend. Car ran well, but was having lots of issues getting grip, specifically in the rear. The day was an exercise in oversteer and trying to control it. I am guessing most of that had to do with tires, since the Hankook RS-3 are more of a track oriented tire and need heat in order to grip.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1467827230

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1467827230

Current alignment and suspension settings are as follows:
-ride height to pinch welds: 4.25" front, 4.5" rear
-Yonaka coilovers 6k/4k spring rates
-stock front/rear sway bars
-225/45 Hankook RS-3 on 15x9 +25 Advanti S1
-Alignment: -1.5 front camber, -1.5 rear camber
0 front toe, 4mm total toe in rear

After dropping rear tire pressure to 24 psi and front pressure to 26 psi.....then the car started behaving better, but it never felt like it has the cornering power that I think it should. The event was a national level SCCA event with over 250 entrants, so there was 20+ minutes in between runs even having a co-driver that day. The tires were not getting much temperature/pressure growth within the 60 second run.

There is another autocross event this weekend that will be much smaller, so I will see how it performs again before making alignment changes.


I also finally replaced the stock exhaust with the Yonaka cat-back. Don't have any good pictures of it though, but installation was easy and fitment with rear bumper is centered.

Been awhile since posting, so here is the latest......this is the current list of modifications, with the newest ad-on's in bold.

-Yonaka coilover suspension
-225/45 Hankook RS-3 tires on 15x9 +35 Advanti S1 Storm wheels
-350mm Momo Monte Carlo steering wheel with Momo hub
-seat foamectomy, both driver and passenger
-removed soft top
-stubby antenna
-Hard dog hardcore X-brace rollbar
-Yonaka catback exhaust
-5X racing steering rack spacers
-R-package front lip
-KG style rear trunk spoiler
-Wilwood brake proportioning valve
-Flyin' Miata adjustable anti-roll bars
-Improved Racing adjustable end-links
-Yonaka aluminum radiator


And here are some recent pictures:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8396/2...03fb1b74_h.jpg

https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8398/2...67103bf4_h.jpg

https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8516/2...92a0581f_h.jpg

https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8269/2...fb3187c5_h.jpg

https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8219/2...02509025_h.jpg

https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8511/2...01857700_h.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8294/2...4bc6c9e2_h.jpg


I also recently had the Miata at Autobahn Full Course for its first track day. Here are some pics and some in-car footage:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5329/2...59657d23_h.jpg

https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8127/2...49a84184_h.jpg

https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8285/2...5233fc3c_h.jpg


Please excuse the horrible camera position inside the car. This was my first time trying out a GoPro in the car.


I now have the car ready to accept FI parts. I have sorted the handling and safety bits (still need some track brake pads though), so now comes the saving of $$$ and buying of turbo parts! Hope to have a turbo Miata by mid summer of next year.

Car looks great, autobahn is a blast. If you want your FI build to remain reliable, be sure to keep some extra headroom in the budget, cutting corners leads to an unreliable build. You'll likely want to upgrade the brakes as well, if you want to keep tracking it with the added power (especially once you get it out to Road America, which is inevitable since you live in the area). I spy a BHF sticker, one of my favorite tracks back when I was in Milwaukee, tons of fun and perfect for a miata with a little boost.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9c25bdcc0d.jpg

BHF....YES! One of my favorite tracks since it is less of a power hungry track. Actually my first track day I ever attended was at BHF in my old RX-8. Great track for a well balanced car I think. Here are some pics of my old RX-8 on Blackhawk.

https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8454/8...2c90a5e1_h.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8459/8...df254e03_h.jpg



​Your car looks great by the way.

Currently having second thoughts on going turbo with the build. I feel like I will be satisfied with 150 rwhp, since that is higher power/weight ratio than my RX-8 was....and I loved that car's power to weight balance. I might even be able to do 150 whp slightly cheaper if I go naturally aspirated. 10:1 pistons, flow the head, intake/header, plus Megasquirt tune on 91+. That should be 150 whp I would think. The only issue with this plan is that I am near the limit of that motor naturally aspirated unless I want to drop major cash.

What do the turbo cats say?