Miata Turbo Forum - Boost cars, acquire cats. - Hello from the Lehigh Valley, PA!

Hi Everybody! This is Chris from Allentown. Been lurking around here seemingly forever, a member of the Lehigh Valley Miata Owners Club since right after it started. I'm an engineer at an (un-named) Class 8 truck manufacturer here and am on my second Miata. (ex-Navy too, Sam, a FTM then they made us all FC's)

The first Miata ('92) was bought new then sold to buy a Eclipse to race. C'mon, it was the '90's, I didn't know any better! My present one has lasted, though.

After several FI cars (the Eclipse, a Thunderbird SC and a Kenne Bell-blown Mustang) I was adamant about keeping the '99 Miata NA. I got all caught up in the "purity of the sports-car experience" and frankly for the longest time it was nice just to get in, turn the key and go and not worry about belts slipping, re-tuning cause it's warmer/colder/full moon/etc. I did all the standard NA bolt-ons, IHE etc. Yep, it's fun, and enough power to stay in denial and think it's all you need.

Sure.

Until you get de-balled at a stoplight by a doughnut-chomping, cell-phone blabbing lady in an Odyssey with a soccer-team full of screaming kids in the last two rows. After you watch their taillights pass you by into the distance, it's right to the web and catalogs, thoughtfully thumbing the pages researching what's new in the the FI world for Miata's.

I was originally thinking SC, then after seeing what Paul was able to do with a 2560, getting a ride with Artie, and having Ken Hill calmly and logically set me on the right path at a barbecue I've been slowly piecing together what I'll need with a 2560 as the turbo.

Yeah, things are moving slowly right now as finances are extremely tight.... I don't have to describe what it's like working for a truck manufacturer right now, everyone watches the news.

The one thing that has me stuck big-time is management. God knows I'd like another Haltech but that's not about to happen. The good part about waiting is I'm hoping there will be more progress on the MS parallel front, I know Evan's happy with his but from my small knowledge it still seems like it's very much a beta right now.

I'm hoping to learn much from you guys, while I've been snoozing you all have been really inventing the future of Miata FI. I'll offer what knowledge and experience might be useful on topics I can speak about without being an ass, otherwise I'll read and learn and hopefully have something to contribute with my build.

[1999 Silver Touring w/aero kit & Hardtop, foglights removed and ducted, SS Mesh Grille w/baby teeth removed, Racing Beat SS 4-1 header, Randall Cowl Intake, Magnacore 8mm wires, Roadstersport SS Midpipe, Borla SS Sport Duals, Exedy Racing Clutch, 9lb Fidanza flywheel,Tein S-tech Springs, Tokico Illumina Shocks, Kosei K1-TS wheels, Racing Beat sways w/brace kit & Cobalt endlinks,Racing Beat rear brace kit, Slotted FrozenRotors w/EBD pads, SS Braided brake & clutch lines, Double-diagonal Hard Dog rollbar, Hard Dog Harness Bar, Blue Willans Harnesses, Black/Blue high-back perforated Katzkin Leather, custom gauge cluster w/AWR components, Panasonic 75w/ch with ClearWater speakers, Blue LED dash conversion, Robbins Blue Cloth Speedline top w/glass & defroster, diamondplate Aluminum mats, ricey stickers under hood, GT2560 on it's way, "Miata" engraved on my shoelace tips and Demons running AAALLLLLL through me! ]