No spring thread has any use without fully considering shock valving. I've had '96 stock, standard FM2.5 kit, GAZ threaded body with 350/250s, and now FCM 550/350s. Far and away, the FCMs RIDE better than the rest. Far and away, meaning not in the same strata to even compare. It obviously has nothing to do with the spring rate. I just wish I went with a 750/450 type setup.

To the OP, best to probably follow the advice that if you're reusing the KYBs, a stock spring will probably be your best overall bet. If you want to upgrade a little, want ots shocks, and don't want to spend a ton, no shock in that range can handle anything over the FM set's spring rates. If you want something better, cheap, and able to be upgraded in the future, pick up a used set of Bilstein or middle grade Konis that you can revalve in the future to match strong spring rates. If you use them as-is, stick with the FM spring set, you can always sell them on and get some QA1 or similar.

Brain, just curious, how can the performance be wonderful if it can't stay on the ground on bumps? With proper valving, you can really have the best of both worlds: great bump compliance AND rates that hold up under high g loading. Just sayin.

One more thing to the OP, pay close attention to the tophat and bump rubber setup, and work to match it with whatever setup you get. The wrong bump stop will fuck up an otherwise great setup.

Cause the roads here are awful and I'm kinda exaggerating. When I'm actually autoxing or driving spiritedly it's a great setup; huge improvement over the FM springs I had prior.

And I was kinda being overly didactic. I just want to get across the point that sweet valving makes a huge difference. FCM isn't the only outlet for a good revalve, either.

BTW, Brain, come on out to the NEDivs and play with Foo and I at FedEx field. I would love to get a flock of Miatas out there to scare the other fast Mazdas that are sure to show up. I know, it's expensive and all that, but there should be better hardware out there than the average regional. And I want to have a bunch of dudes to buy beer for when I'm slower than the rest of you.

I'd totally do it, but I'm cheap asshole. Ideally, I'd keep these springs and re-valve and pwn n00bs.

Eff you, gosped. I duded it up by saying I'd buy the beer, not the wine.

Lol at your pic, though. My kids will never see a computer, I swear. Hamstertime.net, wtf??