mazda miata

[LethalEthan]

This is one of my buddies projects. We just finished it up recently but it is still un-tuned. Its a 97 with the 1.8L. Was bone stock but now its running on a begi turbo kit with a front mount. The car is run on megasquirt plug and play with an innovate lc-1 wideband. We took the car for its first drive the other night and it pulls pretty good. Its running a bit more boost than we expected but its handling it well.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX1651.jpg?t=1280535924

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX1661.jpg?t=1280535932

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX1663.jpg?t=1280536001

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX1665.jpg?t=1280536666

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX1666.jpg?t=1280536007

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX1674.jpg?t=1280536297

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX1710.jpg?t=1281859767

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX5920.jpg?t=1283574756

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SSPX5924.jpg?t=1283574762

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0097.jpg?t=1298700130

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0098.jpg?t=1298700130

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0104.jpg?t=1298700130

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0107.jpg?t=1298700131

[LethalEthan]

the text at the top is old. We've had this car running a little while now. The night we first ran it the wastegate wasn't opening properly and the car ended up at 15psi. Talk about a fun ride. You can see the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgB27hFtx00&feature=player_embedded The headlights go out at 70mph when the wind catches them and pushed them up. Thanks mazda for shitty headlight motors hahaha. Anyways we fixed the wastegate and the car is now down to a more manageable 10psi. The clutch started slipping not to long ago and thats when we put in the lightweight flywheel and stage 3 clutch. It's still un-tuned though, hopefully that will change soon.

[4doorciv]

Very nice project. Im a little jealous on my coworkers mazdaspeed miata. Which is the fact that its a soft top convertible. Other then that its just another car on the road. I like convertibles, and debating on a eclipse gst and swapping my awd driveline from my talon. Just for the soft top convertible.

[l.k.]

i am a big fan of mazda miata's. And as weird as it may sound my grandma is too... shes trying to get another one.

she had one that was a daily running on 8lbs boost. It was very clean and a fun car.

nice little project...now get it tuned!!!!!;)

[LethalEthan]

The a pillar pod got in the way to much so we added a din slot gauge holder after a new radio

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0860.jpg?t=1302664100

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0864.jpg?t=1302664100

[4doorciv]

Nice. And you get to keep the ac vents. Always a bonus.

[l.k.]

yay for cool stuff in the dash...and a.c. vents...go team miata..my grandma likes the car..i showed her the thread.

[LethalEthan]

alright, same car, but different car. That makes sense right?

http://a3.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/130/51b9152e8b3a4b9e93da83c34777d83a/l.jpg

http://a3.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/96/a9c0014fab27468da3bc8fa4755e4909/l.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0871.jpg?t=1302754155

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0874.jpg?t=1302754155

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_0875.jpg?t=1302754155

[4doorciv]

Nice headlights. What brand are they? You must have a lot of friends that slide their cars.

[foolonthehill]

That should be nice little hot rod!
I've driven a couple of Miata's, they seem to be a very solid platform, and one of the most stable rag tops I've ever been in. Virtually zero cowl shake.
I've always been interested in the Monster Miatas (302 Ford converstion) but of course a beefy banger will keep the car balanced nicer for handling.
The only thing I'd do, from what I've seen here; is actually a small detail, but VDO and other gauge companies, make little rubber surrounds for the gauges, which can be used 1) as a sun shield, or 2) reversed in order to make the gauge sit at an angle to face the driver. Two of these pieces on each gauge would do both, angle the gauge up to the driver, and give it a sun shield. Just a thought.

[LethalEthan]

The headlights are jdm and aren't made anymore. Its a really nice kit but their ultra hard to find. Especially ones with 2 different size lights in each housing. The prosport gauges did come with visors but he chose not to use them. This car is supercharged on a 1.8L with full exhaust and running on megasquirt as well. But its only running about 8lbs right now until he gets a new nose pulley. Hah yeah I guess my friends are a bunch of drifters. The owner of the white miata had a super nice FC rx7 before he got the miata.

[l.k.]

that white one looks dope...got any videos of that one....i have never seen a supercharged one run...just boosted. How is it.

Oh and what kind of dog is that...looks like a nice healthy dog..by the look of the coat..

[LethalEthan]

no videos of the white car. He doesn't really run it as much as we run the black car. It's OK. It has a really nice power band and lots of low end but the turbo miata takes it by a good bit. The dog is a boxer. I've had her since she could fit in the palm of my hand hahaha.

Here's the FC, he sold it to a guy in Atlanta a couple years ago
http://a3.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/93/153158879ea54f8ac5b93554a87d75b2/l.jpg

http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/12/825cdb29f34a32e4ea7db4ff62d869c8/l.jpg

[4doorciv]

That fc is nice. I wonder what made him well it. Miatas are nice cause it's small and it's a soft top. But the rx7's nowadays are getting a little hard to come by.

[l.k.]

yeah my buddy has a 10th anniversary edition rx7...hes in the process(a very long one at that) of putting a lsvette with 6speed in it... hes about to buy the kit for direct swap/bolt in.....he still needs some parts to complete the swap....

[LethalEthan]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1111.jpg?t=1305245856

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1110.jpg?t=1305245855

[l.k.]

that thing looks like it is built well. Clean to...really diggin it..

[DroppedMitsu]

Looking sweet from the pics, I would love to drive/ride in that miata. Props on the clean build

[4doorciv]

That's an interesting coolant overflow. Oh, I forgot to ask you. What kind of turbo is on the oem mazda speed miata? It looks kind of like an mhi turbo with the j pipe and everything. I was just wondering if I can sell my junk turbo to a coworker if they rebuild it.

[LethalEthan]

not sure what the turbo is. The kit came from bell industries. I had one of those nos bottles as my coolant overflow in the isuzu. You wouldn't believe how many people asked me if I sprayed it. Yeah I sprayed it....right into my radiator!

[l.k.]

lol....^^^^^^

[LethalEthan]

just a little update on the white miata
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1895.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1902.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1904.jpg

thats 1 coat of corrosion primer and 3 coats of high build. Final color goes on monday if all goes as planned. It's gonna be a dark green, and the carbon fiber trunk comes on tuesday. Just wait until you see the inside, newer two tone black and tan dash and door panels, new carpet front and rear, new personal steering wheel and a short console.

[LethalEthan]

more update
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1927.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1924.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1921.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1925.jpg

[camoit]

Nice.... You look like you have a production factory going on in the garage. You just need robotic arms for the painting. How the hell do you see anything in there after the first coat???? Is there ventilation. or do you pump fresh air to a mask. I'll try to get some pictures of my neighbors car he painted out side, of his 57 Nomad. He used a $10 gun from harbor freight. It turned out as smooth as glass it's flipping bad ass what he does. This is the type of build you should have dropped in the paint booth. Maybe the next one, hu....

[LethalEthan]

ours was a cheap gun and compressor. plastic on all 4 walls with a couple box fans at one end blowing out. but the car is gone now hahaha

[camoit]

I guess by adding in some carbon fiber and a roll bar it does get rid of the "chick" car look.

[LethalEthan]

hes traded it for it 93 240sx
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/lethalethan/SAM_1954.jpg

[camoit]

Ya thats better.... You going to run it through the paint tunnel :) or is it just going to remain silver.

[LethalEthan]

its gonna stay silver for a long time. its pretty clean already