Rave2Grave's 1996 Miata

[fitftw]

I could've sworn I made one of these already, but I guess I was wrong

Bought in January 2010 for $4,000 cash with 70,000mi and now sits at just under 82,000mi. She was garaged her whole life until I bought her. Came with headrest speakers, Racing Beat intake and dual exhaust. Here's what I've done so far:

Engine/Transmission
Racing Beat intake
Racing Beat 4-1 header
Roadstersport test pipe
Corksport Drift 14lb catback exhaust
brand new clutch master/slave cylinders and stainless clutchline
Cobalt shortshifter
header blanket
Koyo 37mm radiator
Flyin' Miata Stage 2 Spal fan kit
Mishimoto coolant hoses

Interior
Hard Dog Hardtop X-brace rollbar
Kenwood X595 stereo
Momo Competition steering wheel
Voodoo textured shift knob

Exterior
hardtop
turn signal intakes
R-speed OEM front lip
Track Dog Racing splitter
modified rear bumper

Wheels&Tires
14" Enkei RPF-1 +28
Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Specs 195/60/14

Deleted stuff
both airbags
power steering
air conditioning
passenger seat
ragtop
spare tire and jack
carpet
plastic trim panels
some wiring

And finally some pics! A couple from when I first got her:

and what she looks like now:

 

[176OES]

I like the fact that you've gone with small diameter wheels for the upgrade. Sets it off nicely.

Are you going to fabricate up a heatshield for your warm air induction setup?

 

[fitftw]

That intake and crossover tube will be gone in a year or sooner, whenever I can afford $4,000 for the Fast Forward Supercharger:

Would surely clean up the engine bay nicely. I want to start wire tucking also.

 

[Paulie]

I'd have thought a Rotrex charger would do a much nicer job on an MX-5, you should look in to it.

 

[fitftw]

Kraftwerks does make a Rotrex kit but it makes less power. Its intake air temps are more favorable though. I like the fact that the coldside kit replaces the intake manifold plus the throttle body. New parts are always nice.

 

[176OES]

That does look the part!

I'm surprised that they only use 2x bolts on the suspension strut tower

 

[CodeRedR51]

Are you going to fabricate up a heatshield for your warm air induction setup?

Honestly the best aftermarket air intake for these cars is a high flow filter in the stock box, and a tube connected from the oem box to the cowl area under the hood. Everything else just sits next to the exhaust and sucks in hot air.

I'm surprised that they only use 2x bolts on the suspension strut tower

Small car.

 

[nobuffalo]

I've always liked your car fitftw, well modded. I also have a RB intake but after reading a bit decided to not install it.

Honestly the best aftermarket air intake for these cars is a high flow filter in the stock box, and a tube connected from the oem box to the cowl area under the hood. Everything else just sits next to the exhaust and sucks in hot air.

It's really simple to do as well, probably my next mod. 👍

 

[fitftw]

It's called the Randall DIY intake. If my car came with the stock intake, I would do it. I don't feel like going back to stock intake when it's just going to be removed at some point.

 

[MistaX]

I've seen this car somewhere before.... Sup Adam?

 

[SpartanG]

Beautiful car!

And finally some pics! A couple from when I first got her:

this picture is the very definition of the Miata.

 

[CodeRedR51]

^^^ Finally read the trailer and got it.

 

[fitftw]

I've seen this car somewhere before.... Sup Adam?

Hey John, long time no see! How've you been man?

And thanks for the comments guys. Glad you enjoyed that picture. I should go take a current one there now lol. Also, want to do a shoot at a cemetery.

 

[MistaX]

Hey John, long time no see! How've you been man?

Can't complain. You?

Still meet at White Castle? I'll have to head over there sometime, if you do.

 

[fitftw]

nah I haven't been there in a year at least. I wonder if it's still going on.

 

[SohnVonStig]

Okay fit, I've been looking to buy an NA for about 2 months now and for $4000 I could probably get a bone stock 92 without a hardtop. Did you have some sort of miracle on your side or is it just that you were smart enough to wait till january to buy one?

 

[fitftw]

Well I had a '94 B16A3 Honda del Sol that was stolen from the apartment I used to live at. This was right before Christmas. I got my insurance check and threw down on the Miata in the beginning of January. It was pure luck and good timing. I traveled an hour and a half to PA for it. For $4,000 in the summer you can still get a really well-maintained ~100k mile NA if you look hard enough.

Old Sol:

And the Honda Fit I had for a year in the Navy, it was totaled 2 months after I moved back to NJ by a 16 year old girl with her learner's permit.

This is why I now own a Miata. Nobody will steal it, and I'm super aware of idiots on the road.

 

[Crispy]

That angle on your old Del Sol makes it look a bit like an MKIV Supra.

Nice Miata. Bet its a killer. And be warned. My parents had their rims stolen off their Miata. So you need to guard your rims with your life!

The current Miata had problems a day or so back. Started stalling whenever someone touched the Clutch pedal. Just a bit under 200k too. Going to get it checked out soon. Stopped doing this for a little bit, but don't want to keep going un-armed.

 

[homeforsummer]

This is why I now own a Miata. Nobody will steal it, and I'm super aware of idiots on the road.

That's what I thought, until mine got stolen

 

[eSZee]

Miatas will become worse than ITRs in the theft department. It seems to be new fad among the less than stellar individuals and they don't mind jacking them at all.

 

[CodeRedR51]

The current Miata had problems a day or so back. Started stalling whenever someone touched the Clutch pedal. Just a bit under 200k too. Going to get it checked out soon. Stopped doing this for a little bit, but don't want to keep going un-armed.

When was the last time the clutch was changed?

 

[fitftw]

The current Miata had problems a day or so back. Started stalling whenever someone touched the Clutch pedal. Just a bit under 200k too. Going to get it checked out soon. Stopped doing this for a little bit, but don't want to keep going un-armed.

Nobody has messed with my car, I live in a decent area and I see it from my bedroom window.

As for your car, check the fluid in the master cylinder, pull back the boot on the slave cylinder and check for leaks, and make sure the nub at the end of the slave is connected to the clutch fork. If all that is good, then I'd agree with R1600 and say it might be something inside the bell housing like a bad bearing or something.

That's what I thought, until mine got stolen

Great now I'm going to be paranoid. Thanks

Miatas will become worse than ITRs in the theft department. It seems to be new fad among the less than stellar individuals and they don't mind jacking them at all.

Again, thanks for the paranoia lol I doubt Miatas will ever be as worse as ITR's or any Honda for that matter. Only thing someone would want from a Miata is a hardtop and wheels since they are 4x100 just like tuner Hondas. I have hardtop locks, so I just have to worry about the wheels.

 

[CodeRedR51]

As for your car, check the fluid in the master cylinder, pull back the boot on the slave cylinder and check for leaks, and make sure the nub at the end of the slave is connected to the clutch fork. If all that is good, then I'd agree with R1600 and say it might be something inside the bell housing like a bad bearing or something.

If the slave wasn't seated properly the pedal would just go to the floor. Same deal if the slave was completely shot or master was empty. I'm almost certain that something is wrong inside the bell housing.

 

[Keef]

It would take a whole lot of something being wrong to stall an engine mechanically. I can't imagine that being a comfortable ride. We all know vacuum, fuel, and electronic problems can make them huff and puff, but I don't see what the clutch pedal would have to do with any of that unless there was some strange electronic interference.

 

[fitftw]

Crispy:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/fo...n-clutch-is-engaged-miata-content/5865/page1/

"Get the crank end play checked immediately. Do not drive the car until you know if this is within spec. If you're lucky, all you need is a new thrust washer. If you're not, then you might be looking at a new engine. Why would a thrust bearing cause this? Because when you press in the clutch, that's what you're pressing against. A worn or missing thrust bearing lets the crank push up against the main caps, and this resistance (as the crank machines both itself and the block) is what stalls the engine. If the thrust bearing is that bad, then you don't have any oil pressure and your cams are busy destroying themselves and the cam journals as you drive. If the end play is good, then I'd drop the transmission and look at all the clutch-related bearings. "

 

[CodeRedR51]

^^^ Good catch. Wonder what year the car is, because I believe the 99-00 cars had issues with thrust bearing failures.

 

[homeforsummer]

^^^ Good catch. Wonder what year the car is, because I believe the 99-00 cars had issues with thrust bearing failures.

I thought it was only 89 and 90 NA models that had this problem and it was solved from late 90 onwards?

 

[CodeRedR51]

I thought it was only 89 and 90 NA models that had this problem and it was solved from late 90 onwards?

You're thinking of the crankshaft nose, which was too short on the early model cars. Fixed mid-'91. 👍

 

[homeforsummer]

Ah okay, ignore me then

 

[SohnVonStig]

Wait but the model years were a year behind here in the US weren't they? Car's made in 89's were 90's etc.... ?