I guess these questions are directed toward Terry and Kieth,...and anyone else who has owned any miatas. I am seriously considering buying a miata and making a autocross car out of it. I definetely want to put a turbo on it. Just the though of 250hp in a rwd car that is that light is exciting! I was curious as to which miata I should buy. I know I want the latest body style, I like the styling much better than the older ones. But as for the motor, should I look for the 1.6 or the 1.8? Also, regarding the turbo, I want to do a sort of mixture of the FMII or the FMIII with a tubular manifold. I've searched around on the web for tubular manifolds for the miata, but I've only found one company that makes them. (racingmazda.com) Are they a reputable company? Are there any other companys you guys can steer me towards that make tubular manifolds. Terry, I can't remember if you said you still make manifolds for miata's or not. Any and all info on miata's you can give me is greatly appreciated.
Questions for the turbo miata gurus
- Thread starter big_ben
- Start date
I like the 1.6 myself. But the all the M1's make more power because of the lower compression ect.
A good thing witth 1.6 is that you can get the greddy Kit for $1200 an upgrade it from there and they can be had for next to nothing. Lots of miata folk do this. I have a good friend that owns an m2 with a gt30 (I think) and a tec2. He comes on these forums sometimes. He goes by the name of NEW on the miata forums. His setup is very potent as well. However the later miatas have better handling qualities, more bracing and structural rigidity ect.
I have owned a few miatas.
Kieth has definatly had more experience regarding all year miatas. Maybe he can chime in for you. By the way racingmazda.com is owned by Ric minimonster, the guy that has a 10 sec miata. Excellent manifolds if you ask me. I now they had some issues but know they use weld ells just like our manifolds. I saw one on a miata when I went to the last deals gap miata meet in july. The guy was making 290 hp with a t3/t4 and a Link system, yeah he is over on the miata forums as well. His name is bassmaster. You can probably ask him more questions about it. I can also make a full equal length tubular manifold for the 1.6 if you are interested.
A good thing witth 1.6 is that you can get the greddy Kit for $1200 an upgrade it from there and they can be had for next to nothing. Lots of miata folk do this. I have a good friend that owns an m2 with a gt30 (I think) and a tec2. He comes on these forums sometimes. He goes by the name of NEW on the miata forums. His setup is very potent as well. However the later miatas have better handling qualities, more bracing and structural rigidity ect.
I have owned a few miatas.
Kieth has definatly had more experience regarding all year miatas. Maybe he can chime in for you. By the way racingmazda.com is owned by Ric minimonster, the guy that has a 10 sec miata. Excellent manifolds if you ask me. I now they had some issues but know they use weld ells just like our manifolds. I saw one on a miata when I went to the last deals gap miata meet in july. The guy was making 290 hp with a t3/t4 and a Link system, yeah he is over on the miata forums as well. His name is bassmaster. You can probably ask him more questions about it. I can also make a full equal length tubular manifold for the 1.6 if you are interested.
i ve been driving the new 140 hp miata for the last two months. If you buy that car and turbo it, your car well be so fast, you wont even know what to do with all that power. Since its soo light, it allready feels like it has good power, but with a turbo you'll be flying. One thing that is really good about the miata is the shifting, you can shift really good, and cherp the gears. I am getting a mazdaspeed, i woudn't get a miata because i want to be able to drive people around, because i rollerblade, and i am constantly driving my friends around. But if you dont need a lot of room i would get that car, its really good car, very fast
I think I've pretty much decided to go with a miata now. Yesterday, someone used a crowbar to pry open my fuel door and pur sugar and pinesol down my gas tank. I am so fed up with this damn car. I have had so much bad luck with it. So I'm going to pay off my wifes civic, then sell my car and buy her a new one. Then buy the miata to play with. Life really sucks sometimes! 
If you go 1st gen stay in the upper digits of the vin# The early 90 models had crank key problems...they're not as bad as everyone plays them to be but if you plan on building something better to be safe than sorry. Personally If i were to do another miata i would try and source out a nice 94 R package...all the pluses of the 1st gens with the 1.8L out of the 2nd gen. plus the R has execllent suspension and steering response (read manual steering). The only thing with the 2nd gens is the packages you couldn't order certain performance options with creature comforts...they're a little screwy, like with the LS you can't get a hardtop unless you order it seperate from the car. Engine wise the 1.8 is probably a good starting point better baseline HP and torque, plus the upper end parts for the 1.6 are a little few and far between...check out www.todaracing.com for some sweet ass cams and piston setups.
well, im no turbo guru, but i do own both an MP3 and a 1990 miata, at first i was deciding if it was worthy to get a 99+ miata, but after lots (LOTS) of readin over at miataforums i decided that for the car, the best value are the 1990-1995. Now, some ppl like the feeling of the 1.6 more than the 1.8 (i believe spooling is one), but you can always swap a 1.8 into the older models.
Great car in my opinion, this is my second miata, but right now im worrying in tearing all the interior up and start over thing by thing during this winter. So far door panels need to get renewed.
Im just waiting to sell my MP3 so the heavy modding can begin!
Now, on another issue, try to shop for a low mile 94-95 if you can, Mazda just decided (like 3 weeks ago) to stop production of new crates for older miatas, and sell reconditioned ones for almost 2 times the price of what the crates used to cost... so that you dont get my same hassle of being junkyard hunting for a not so old 1.8 engine.
Great car in my opinion, this is my second miata, but right now im worrying in tearing all the interior up and start over thing by thing during this winter. So far door panels need to get renewed.
Im just waiting to sell my MP3 so the heavy modding can begin!
Now, on another issue, try to shop for a low mile 94-95 if you can, Mazda just decided (like 3 weeks ago) to stop production of new crates for older miatas, and sell reconditioned ones for almost 2 times the price of what the crates used to cost... so that you dont get my same hassle of being junkyard hunting for a not so old 1.8 engine.
K
Keith@FP
Probably the easiest thing to do would be to call us. We can give you all sorts of info on buying a Miata to be modified. In short, the 1994-95 is the best choice from an ultimate power standpoint although the suspension is a bit better on the 1999+ cars. Personally, I find the suspension on the 1994-97 R cars to be very harsh.
The FM III is no longer available. The best parts of it have been integrated into the FM II, and the FM IV has the T3/T4 with an external wastegate (you'll need to call for details on that one). The T3/T4 setup I find to be too laggy for the street, with the T28-based FM II far more fun. Tubular manifolds are cool things to have, but unless they're designed well they don't actually work any better.
Basically, it depends on how much engineering you want to do. You can buy a 1994-95, slap on an FM II and be running around with 240+ whp without any headaches and full support. Or you can source your own manifold, do your own intercooler piping, engineer an engine management system....some people enjoy the challenge. Many folks who start with the GReddy kit do say they wish they'd bought a complete kit by the time they're done, but a few like the idea of making up their own.
Keith
The FM III is no longer available. The best parts of it have been integrated into the FM II, and the FM IV has the T3/T4 with an external wastegate (you'll need to call for details on that one). The T3/T4 setup I find to be too laggy for the street, with the T28-based FM II far more fun. Tubular manifolds are cool things to have, but unless they're designed well they don't actually work any better.
Basically, it depends on how much engineering you want to do. You can buy a 1994-95, slap on an FM II and be running around with 240+ whp without any headaches and full support. Or you can source your own manifold, do your own intercooler piping, engineer an engine management system....some people enjoy the challenge. Many folks who start with the GReddy kit do say they wish they'd bought a complete kit by the time they're done, but a few like the idea of making up their own.
Keith
Well, I like to do my own intercooler piping. That's the easy part. I also know about te engineering on the tubular manifold. If it isn't VERY close to equal length, and if the curves arent as straight as possible, it's not really that much better than a log type. But I like the look of the tubular so I'll be willing to pay a little extra as long as it is strong and the construction is good. I also plan on using a TECII in the future of it so I'm not so worried about the OBD2 in the newer miatas. But I do like the idea of the newer miatas having the better suspension. So I guess I'm sold on the newer miata. Doesn't the new miata's have the 1.8 instead of the 1.6? After all, there's no replacement for displacement. I've seen a few wrecked ones on the web, maybe I'll go after one of those that are like $4000 to $5000 and just do the body repaires myself. That way I'll have some money to spare for the motor and suspension. Thanks for all the input guys. Now, are there any good body kits for the newer miatas?
K
Keith@FP
I'd recommend you drive one of each first. The fundamental difference is a bit more travel in the rear. The later cars feel different, though. Bigger and heavier, more planted - less nervous. That's a matter of taste. Most of us at FM have the earlier cars 
Good looking body kits are purely a matter of taste. I don't think there are any, but then again I think the original design looked pretty good to start.
The 1.8 used in the later cars is more complex. There's more to run with VICS and VVT (depending on the year).
As one of the TEC-II owners on Miataforum said, buy support, not features. Something to consider.
Keith
Good looking body kits are purely a matter of taste. I don't think there are any, but then again I think the original design looked pretty good to start.The 1.8 used in the later cars is more complex. There's more to run with VICS and VVT (depending on the year).
As one of the TEC-II owners on Miataforum said, buy support, not features. Something to consider.
Keith
Here's a question for you, will the earlier head (the mid to late 90's), bolt up to the 99+ block? And also the intake manifold? Is that a possibility? The MP3 has the VICS and I know it is a barrier for turbo tuning. Also, will the motors interchange, mid 90's 1.8 motor in the 99+ miata?
K
Keith@FP
Yes. To all the questions Some are a higher effort than others. Remember that you have to control the VICS. I don't think it's a real barrier to turbo tuning at all, however.
Our race car ran a 2001 block with a 99 head, 95 intake manifold, 90 throttle body, 2001 pan....
Keith
Some are a higher effort than others. Remember that you have to control the VICS. I don't think it's a real barrier to turbo tuning at all, however.Our race car ran a 2001 block with a 99 head, 95 intake manifold, 90 throttle body, 2001 pan....
Keith
