One thing I saw with shots of this kit is that it seems as if the intake piping goes right through the strut brace mounting points.

Is it possible to retain a STB with this kit?

Nope

I have an '03, it came with the STB, I've never driven it without, what sort of impact would the STB removal have on handling and what could be done to reverse any impact?

Couldn't even retain the bar with something like this: http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda.../17-1018e.html

STB's are usually just for NVH tuning. There's yet to see any real performance gains with one, that i've seen. Here's a long thread on it if you really want to learn: http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=448

Let's move this over to the appropriate thread

https://www.miataturbo.net/showthrea...t=35489&page=3

I think the real thing holding the rotrex back from claiming a significant place among the options people consider is the lack of hard evidence to miata owners of what kind of power this thing could produce given proper sustaining mods. Cueball said this as well; the guys on here are not interested in 6 psi - that is like the default wastegate setting for a base kit that everyone immediately puts a boost controller on and never run it that low...
I get 6 psi at 2.9k rpm or so, I'm sure if I turned my boost down to 6 psi I'd see that same type of torque curve as that dyno... what could impress people is how quickly it can get to 12 or 14 psi - but we haven't really been shown that yet.

The beefy torque curve, reliability, and low heat all add up to what I see as being the hands down superior boost option for a street miata. I do not want something with a million little elements that need constant monitoring and maintenance on a street car (this is how my car is), and I do not want modest accelleration through the first half of my rpms and then a sudden kick in the pants at 4k for a street car (also how my car is).

For the track this all changes. I don't mind tinkering with a track/autox car - and it's not unreliable, it just requires more monitoring as there are more parts and more heat. And the power band is suddenly perfect - why would one be below 4k rpm on the track? The torque below that is a non-issue in that environment. Given a definitive solution to the manifold bolt issue - and Savington seems to have found one, the turbo seems better for those who want to track their car and those who want higher power levels - it's the well known and proven option - there's just not enough actual evidence and good hard data about what the Rotrex can do at the power levels we care about to make it an option to many here. I know Bellwilliam and Trackdayhookey are using them, but again, there isn't a bunch of publicized info on 949's website about those setups as an example of what it can do, nor of the OGK yet, though you're right Emilio, the OGK, with all its one off parts is not a great example anyways.

It's a crazy reliable setup, of that we are all sure. We just need to see what it can really do. I know there are a lot of other cars who use this supercharger successfully to make good power, but it's not going to mean much to miata owners until there is good evidence, data, and info about this blower on the miata at higher power levels.

I've gotten my girlfriend to agree to getting an NB down the road for street use. I'll be buying a Rotrex kit for it :)

??

What is it that you would like to see? The Rotrex superchargers are used in aftermarket kits all over the world and in huge variety of applications including sportscars, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, motorcycles, off shore power boats, quads, light duty recreational trucks. Mountains of documented dyno's for all sorts of cars. The power limits of each model of blower is also well documented.

The C30-74 will push enough air for about 260whp on a 100% stone stock NB with just injectors, intercooler and an ECU. Add a header, high flow cat and high flow exhaust to reach maybe 300whp. The base NB kit is restricted and not running max blower speed. Tons of headroom for expansion. 160whp on CA91 with no intercooler. Not spectacular but that's just the very beginning of what the blower is capable of.

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=352533

Honestly, if i were in the market for something belt driven, this would be it, far before one of those train wrecks called a cold side.

Rotrex is the way I would like to go. Turbo is great, but I don't have access to a shop or garage. I can put the Rotrex on in a few hours and be back on the road. And still have room for more boost later when the upgrade kit comes out.