I'm so indecisive!

[Imontalto]

So, it's come time for me to stop putting it off, and purchase a roll bar. I've narrowed down my choices to the Hard Dog M2 Sport and the Boss Frog Double Hoop. I've read just about everything that I can on both of these, but I still don't really know what they're like to live with. Can anyone help me out with what direction to take?

[Agent☣Orange]

Just do eet!










(sorry I'm not much help...) IMO, Boss Frog double hoop rules.

[Imontalto]

The only thing that worries me about the Boss Frog, is that I'm 6'2". I've read that it restricts seat travel a bit :/

But it is definitely the better looking of the two!

[Agent☣Orange]

That's true. It does eat up a bit of space but it depends how you like your seat. It really only impedes the back, right at the headrest but if you're the type who keeps the back more vertical it wouldn't be a problem but if you like it laid back, it's going to interfere.

[Phatmiata]

What is your location? Is there a Miata club in your area?? Get with the local clubs and see what other members have installed on their Miata's.

[Imontalto]

I'm in Charlotte, and that's not a bad idea. I've been trying to make it to one of their events, but it's been proving rather difficult to find time off from work.

[Tylerq219]

everyone has a hard dog. Be different, get the boss frog!

[Phatmiata]

I'm in Charlotte, and that's not a bad idea. I've been trying to make it to one of their events, but it's been proving rather difficult to find time off from work.

You mean North Carolina?? If so we have a very active group on here from NC

[Agent☣Orange]

Never mind those guys. Port Charlotte FL is where it's at!

[Demon I Am]

I have no issues moving the seat back with my M2.

[Agent☣Orange]

It's really hard to tell by mere body height and weight numbers. People are generally endomorphic, mesomorphic or ectomorphic in stature so you should probably check out a Miata with a roll bar installed to better gauge what you want. If you really don't need a roll bar, no sense going through all the trouble...

[Imontalto]

You mean North Carolina?? If so we have a very active group on here from NC

Yeah, Charlotte, North Carolina. Sorry, guess I should have specified.

[Andy]

You know they make the bossfrog in two flavors. One for hardtops and one not for hardtops. The non hardtop gives you more room.

[Imontalto]

I do eventually want a hardtop though... I hate being tall!!

[kung fu jesus]

JLBMX5 is about your height. I don't remember which rollbar he has. He may have good feedback for you.

I'm chucking out my $.02 so take it for what it's worth...I would choose the bar that gives you the space you need and fits under the hardtop. I haven't looked at rollbars in a while, but I know there are versions from Boss Frog (?) that allow full recline of the seats. I would always choose function over form in this area, but that is just my opinion.

I don't know if Bethania changed the height on their products, but I have fit an M2 HDHCDD in my NA and put a hardtop over it. It rubbed the top at the corners of the bar where the main hoop turns downward. I let the bar clearance itself against the top. My stock seat was jammed back into the diagonals around the headrest area. I am 6'.

The Charlotte area Miata group is pretty sizeable, or was when I lived there in the early/mid '00s. Friendly people, but I didn't spend a lot of time with them.

[Andy]

Honestly being that tall your only real option might be to get seats that sit lower. I am 6' and i have the boss frog double hoop for hardtops. It works fine ish. I have the seat all the way back but I can not recline it all the way. I also have the padding and cover. I plan on eventually getting Lotus Elise seats so I can sit just a tinge lower but more importantly so I can have proper headrests that keep my head further away from the roll bar.

[Imontalto]

I would always choose function over form in this area, but that is just my opinion.



Thank you for the ¢2, and I agree. It is my daily driver and I need something that I can live with everyday. The M2 Sport, as far as I've read, doesn't restrict anything and seems to be rather easy to live with. But I haven't been able to find much on the Boss Frog, and my goodness it looks good!


I plan on eventually getting Lotus Elise seats so I can sit just a tinge lower but more importantly so I can have proper headrests that keep my head further away from the roll bar.

Hey Andy! A few questions; How far is your head from the roll bar now? Does the bar that runs over the center console, ever get in your way?

[Andy]

The hump never gets in my way. To keep my head away from the bad I had to un recline the seat quite a bit. I feel safe now driving the car but I am sitting a little more upright than I would care for.

As I said earlier I plan on replacing my seats at some point. You might be happier with the nb2 surfboard seats as they have very tall headrests. So you could recline the seat until the headrest hits the bar.

[Imontalto]

Gotcha! Is there any way of getting headrest speakers in the surfboards? I've grown rather find of those...

[Andy]

I think the nb's had speakers in the wind blocker instead of the headrests.

[jux]

Some wind blockers, yes. Some, no. Choose wisely, and know that OE wind blockers generally don't play nice with rollbars.
Never tried fitting speakers to surfboards, but I expect the seats are a bit too thin at the top for speakers.

[Bummer]

What part of Charlotte? My NA should be at 42 Autosports later this week (assuming the Joefis intake arrives as scheduled). You're welcome to sit in it to gauge the height of my HD.

[Andy]

OP are you going to miatas at the gap? If you want when I am there you can sit in my car and see for yourself how you fit with the roll bar. My drivers seat has a foamectomy on it but the passenger is fine.

[Imontalto]

What part of Charlotte? My NA should be at 42 Autosports later this week

I'm right on the border of Concord and Harrisburg. I haven't heard of that place before, when are you going to be there? Also, what is it? haha


OP are you going to miatas at the gap?

I wish! I'll be out of town with work on the days that it's happening...

[Agent☣Orange]

Not all NBs had the speakers in the wind blockers. It was a Mazdaspeed thing and even then, they're pretty small even though I love the idea. And like jux said, wind blockers and roll bars don't go well together although I did see picts where someone had trimmed his wind blocker to accommodate the roll bar.

I had 5.25 speakers in the rear along with my wind blocker but that was more of a custom install.

[Bummer]

I'm right on the border of Concord and Harrisburg. I haven't heard of that place before, when are you going to be there? Also, what is it? haha

42 Autosports is a Tuner/Race shop on Church Street, in Concord. https://www.facebook.com/42Autosports Hopefully, I'll be able to get down there after work Wednesday or Thursday, early enough to get the intake on, the IAT sensor wired into the Haltech, and still get the car on the dyno by 7pm. Here's a few photos I took the last time I was in the shop:

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh356/appalachianmiatas/1534926_10200863277178856_1504613872_o_zps5f6230f1 .jpg

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh356/appalachianmiatas/IMAG07071_zpsc8f1d673.jpg

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh356/appalachianmiatas/S2Kawesome_zps3d2b0da2.jpg

[Imontalto]

42 Autosports is a Tuner/Race shop on Church Street, in Concord.

I had no idea that was up there! That's pretty cool!

[Andy]

I want to know more about that blue tr6.

[Bummer]

I want to know more about that blue tr6.

Lot's of TR's in there. They share the dyno with a British car mechanic.

I should be there from 3:30 to 6:00, tomorrow. Hope to get the car on the rollers to test and tune the new intake.

[Imontalto]

I should be there from 3:30 to 6:00, tomorrow. Hope to get the car on the rollers to test and tune the new intake.

Awesome! I'll do what I can to swing by and see how I like the m2! Unfortunately I can't give a definite yes, as it hinges on how my work day plays out tomorrow...

[Imontalto]

I should be there from 3:30 to 6:00, tomorrow. Hope to get the car on the rollers to test and tune the new intake.

I'm not going to be able to make it... I'm still sitting at my desk

[Bummer]

Too bad. It was a good evening. We were there until about 8:30. I got the new intake on and the IAT sensor wired into the Haltech. Got the car on the dyno and tuned it to run decently with the added input. Found out the VVT is not turning off at the upper limit, which is killing the top end. Sent all the info to Haltech, and they want us to send a data log, which will need to wait until Monday. Here are a few photos from last night for your pleasure:

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh356/appalachianmiatas/IMAG14841_zps20fed7c4.jpg

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh356/appalachianmiatas/IMAG14741_zps323feed3.jpg

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh356/appalachianmiatas/IMAG14831_zpsac868b71.jpg

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh356/appalachianmiatas/IMAG14931_zps4e85544d.jpg

[MX595]

Bummer, what intake is that? custom?

[Bummer]

Bummer, what intake is that? custom?

Custom? Sort of. Made to order. It's a Joefis Racing intake. http://www.joefisracing.com/joefis-racing-cold-air-intake/


http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh356/appalachianmiatas/IMAG14791_zps541816f2.jpg