Chris's german retro JDM inspired '94 BRG NA8C

After having driven a Roadster for the first time in 2008, i knew that i had to own one at some point. In 2010 i had the financial means to actually buy one and after about a year of looking around for the right model - i wanted a '94 BRG 1.8 with the old 93 dash board, no ABS, no Airbags - and guess what, i found exactly that!
It was located at the north sea coast of germany and i got it rather cheaply via ebay - didnt take a look at it before but owning Mazdas for 10 years i had a good idea of what to expect.
A friend took me there, about 350 miles, and this is what i bought home:

http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/r003.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/r007.jpg

On the drive home the car already exhibited a few problems (one being a lack of power above 4000 rpm) but all in all it was a solid purchase.
Back home i immediately got rid of the hidious style bar and installed my pre-purchased Runabout mirrors as well as some Miata side markers and Eunos Roadster badges.

I then did a service including new valve cover gasket and therefore took the opportunity to spray the valve cover while i was at it - strut brace and Mazdaspeed wires went in at the same time:
http://project-l.com/images/bastel/2010/jul03.jpg
http://project-l.com/images/bastel/2010/jul09.jpg

Also installed some JDM interour bling items:
http://project-l.com/images/bastel/2010/jul13.jpg

After that i got the car registered and finally could start driving :)
The car still had no power, however i notced a whistling sound when revving abobe 4k rpm, so i ordered a Magnaflow cat and got incredibly lucky on ebay, where i sourced an original JDM Car Make Corn's cat back - locally for a bargain price. An opportunity that couldnt be missed:
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/6203/img1326s.jpg

Aand, this did the trick - the original muffler must have been blocked, since the swap the car revs happily and develops good (standard) power.

Next thing on the list were tires - i actually intended to run the OEMs for a whily, however the installed tires were just some cheap crap - so on with some black NB alloys and ZE912 rubber:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/r020.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/r021.jpg
The keen observer might also notice the added R-package lip (I'm skipping some things and try to keep this a brief-ish introduction).

Some lucky ebay finds:
Beatrush slam panel:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/r026.jpg

Leather instrument cowl:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/r027.jpg

Then it was time for the big delivery:
http://www.project-l.com/images/bastel/2010/tein04.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/bastel/2010/tein07.jpg

After installing, things looked a bit better :)

http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/r029.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/r031.jpg

Second picture also shows Rikamae dook pulls, 320mm MOMO Corse wheel, Ally hand brake knob, VDO oil temperature gauge.
What you cant see: Uprated H&R ARBs.

Very nice!

Okay, skipping a LOT of stuff that didn't happen (yet), this is next: new alloys in spring 2011.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1O-ZGyOzXY...1600/erf09.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OGL3tFscqp...1600/erf10.jpg

Unfortunately i wrecked one of the alloys a short time after :(
So i had to sport the OEM look for a while:

http://www.project-l.com/images/road...06/enkei14.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...1-06/daisy.jpg

Luckily i could source a set of 6.5x14" +14.5 RS Watanabe B types a few weeks later - wrapped them in ZIEXs again:
http://www.project-l.com/images/starmaxx11/prev1.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/starmaxx11/prev2.jpg

Found out about the existance of the Moroso coolant tank and HAD to have one:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dP73H-f3Wm...00/moroso3.jpg

It was accompanied by an ITG Maxogen Intake:
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2646/img0116pue.jpg

Also added a KGW gauge cluster:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kbZK2PXv1T.../IMG_0397s.jpg

TR Lane power steering reservoir:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N_3NNvpdW_.../IMG_0381s.jpg

And just before winter found a ZOOM rear view mirror:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tnS46rnkse...1600/zoom5.jpg

That's about the most important stuff that has happened over the last year or so.
The car now sits like that:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HlUrTRv3Ud...s1600/tg01.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DRx3Q8-QeN...s1600/tg02.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9zM9cOuCzi...s1600/tg04.jpg


I'm currently working on a MSDIYPNP ECU as well as a BP4W head and some other stuff - if you're interested, some more information can be found on my blog: http://driving-culture.blogspot.com/

Thank you for reading and i hope you enjoyed the journey so far :)

MX5 and your latest Watanabes look great. Regarding the set of wheels that got bent, what were those? Kinda interesting looking.

Now your P/S reservoir and intake are 2 things I've NEVER seen! Awesome.

Thank you - i really have tot take better pictures next year - this thread made me realize that i mostly have crappy ones so far ^^
The 15" wheels were from a company called MAS, they were sold through Mazda dealers when the MX5 was released here. They were quite popular, however only a few good sets survived. I might add here, that i actually sourced a brand new spare alloy to replace the bent one and sold the complete set to a fellow MX5 owner :) I would have kept them for the looks, but they really were too heavy and the difference in drivability is remarkable.

Hi Chris, how i's going with your intake and TÜV?

PS: i tryed to contact Tim (TRLane) I had no reply for the PS reservoir can you tell me something? maybe PM me for the price, if it's too expensive i think i could polish the OE one^^

I really dont know much about the PS reservoir - i got it via ebay, seems to have been a one off item. I also mailed him about a dip stick (should have been included but wasnt) and never heard back from them...
TÜV doesnt like the intake (just like almost all the other stuff ^^) - i'm gonna have a - presumably very expensive - TÜV session in spring and see how well that goes :)

i hope someone can close one eye or both^^

Thank you, mee too :D

In the mean time i managed to finish my DIYPNP:

http://www.project-l.com/images/bast...quirt/ms14.jpg

So far it seems to be working well, i could upload a firmware and connect to Tunerstudio:
http://www.project-l.com/images/bast...quirt/ms12.jpg

Due to image limitations i wont post the whole process here - if you're interested you can continue reading here and here.

Nice.
Shame you have to go through all the hassle in the spring. At least you get to enjoy better roads.

Yeah, it's not too bad.
Only problem is my limited spare time that i will have to divide between my girlfriends car and my 3 Mazdas so i fear that there's a lot of delay to be expected...

Alright, if alle goes well, a substantial update can be expected for next weekend :D

Okay, still didnt manage to do the "big update" but at least i can show you a few pictures from last weekends meeting :)

http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na01.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na02.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na03.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na04.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na05.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na06.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na07.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na08.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/treffen/mc12/na09.jpg

So many things I like about this car, especially as an overall package. But for some reason, that leather instrument cowl, man that just takes the cake, especially on top of the KGW gauges. LOVE IT! Ive never seen a cowl like that before and that has always been one of my top NA gripes, the cheapness, look and feel of the stock one.

Cheers for that :)
The standard plastic cover really is a letdown...and i really love mine because it looks like OEM finish, not over the top structured leather or wobbly fitment as you get with most aftermarket covers, i just got lucky with this i guess :)

This car checks all the right boxes for me, loving what you have done so far :)

Chris, have you thought of also installing TSI's? I seem to recommend them to just about everyone, I guess theyre one of my favorite mods. I think theyd look great on your already great looking car and increase cooling as well.

Thanks for the suggestion - did think about that and couldnt find a way to keep the indicators/position lights (necessary in germany) without destroying the overall look of the car. I actually considered a bumper conversion but for now the OEM look is right for me. Might clean the orange from the indicators though and also lose the side markers and change the side repeaters to clear ones but thats about all the changes that i could imagine for the exteriour at the moment. Focus is on engine and interior at the moment :)

I forgot to mention before that i had some massive problems with the car in the mean time, however, slowly getting them sorted and it's now running on Megasquirt (Alpha/N, due to initial problems with the MAP Daddy) - will have to get startup and pick up mapped a little bit better but for now its not too bad :)

ich vemisse deutschland :(. I used to live there. Love your miata !

Cool, what brought you here and where did you live?
Cheers for the positive comments :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HMT

Cool, what brought you here and where did you live?
Cheers for the positive comments :)

---

i was born in germany and lived there till i was 13, and then got dragged over in the U.S by my other.

I see - if you're ever here for a visit just gimme a shout :)

Finally got round to fitting my revlimiter Revolvers - they've been waiting in the shelf for 9 months now...
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/gauges.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...ightvision.jpg
They are just superb, i already dont wanna ever miss them!

God damn.... I want those so much.

Very nice build, your Roadster looks great!

Some nicer pictures for now :)

http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-08/det01.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-08/det02.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-08/det03.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-08/det04.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-08/det05.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-08/det06.jpg

Fantastic. I have a similar ideology with my car. Simple, fun, straight to the point. I'm enjoying your progression. Any plans for a bucket seat? The factory recaro would be perfect.

Cheers :)
I tried the RS Recaros last year, unfortunately they wouldnt allow me to fit into the car properly. Hence the NB2 seats, which i'm considering to transform into NC2 Recaro lookalikes ;)

Ok, in the mean time i replaced the HKS header with an RB:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lgJ6AaUSgA...s1600/rb01.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ZteJAvzFK...s1600/rb06.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BvYWO-EFg1...s1600/rb08.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bmq0_UMJ4a...s1600/rb10.jpg

Won a few trophies on an MX5 meet...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...74292246_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...05009313_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...33485876_n.jpg

... and did some driving :)

Amazing work so far. I completely agree about the gauges taking the cake.

I love your BRG, great work so far on it!

Super looking BRG! I too, would give my right nut for your gauge cluster. That is well done, and classy. Nice job.

-Cheers,

Jim

Cheers for the feedback :)
The car was at the shop for the last few weeks (as it has been for the better part of this year) but I'll hopefully get it back tomorrow to enjoy the rest of october in it before it goes back to hibernation during winter.
I'll try and take a few more pictures if weather and time allow...

More pictures :) Car is now repainted, polished and in its winter garage :)

http://www.project-l.com/images/road...toastsps01.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...toastsps02.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...toastsps03.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...toastsps04.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...toastsps05.jpg

Sweet!

top job, Chris :8):

Right, after finishing my dissertation, there's some progress again :)

removed the head:
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot01.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot02.jpg

new head: BP4W, CNC-ported and smoothed,modified valve seats, bronze valve guides and polished back cut valves.
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot03.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot04.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot05.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot06.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot07.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot08.jpg

always wear protection:
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot09.jpg

the old block:
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot10.jpg

cleaned up:
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot11.jpg

cooling 2012:
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot12.jpg

cooling 2013:
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot13.jpg

anticipation....
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot14.jpg

Really looking forward to 2013 now :)

Looking good Chris.

Great looking car... and I'm really jealous of the Maruha Motors front cover!!

Russell.

Thanks guys :)

A bit of progress:

http://www.project-l.com/images/road...2-12/mot15.jpg

Wow looking great!! the Maruha stuff is top notch!

Great looking car! This is the first that I've seen the leather covered cowl.....where did you get it?

I love reading a build thread like this. Truly inspiring to do good work!

Sneak peek 2013 :)
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/jenvey0.jpg

Quich update :)

Engine is coming together:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan01.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan02.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan03.jpg

New seals and Mazdaspeed engine mounts
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan04.jpg
A Flyin Miata Clutch and Flywheel will fill up this space soon :)

Tein adé - hello BC :)
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan05.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan06.jpg

Tried out the prototypes of the new Garage5 Watanabe center caps with centering action :D
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan07.jpg
Added plus: new rear brake setup with OEM calipers and discs as well as stoptech pads...

Cap on the wheel:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan08.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan09.jpg

Maybe we should reconsider the apperance but it fits perfectly and is hellafunctional - me likey!

To be continued...
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/jan10.jpg

Looking good! :)

just leaving a few new pics:

The wishbones are still at powdercoating so the car has got a new temporary chassis:
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...ittingduck.jpg

Evolity brake lines have been added
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...13/evolity.jpg

and Superpro bushings are waiting to be fitted
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...3/superpro.jpg

Alright, the engine as it is now:

http://www.project-l.com/images/road...ticipation.jpg

It's now running and just has to be mapped and legalized...and it has to stop snowing soon!

Fuck. I really like this build.

Care to post up a little spec sheet regarding your engine and internals?

Just put something together :) The engine is pretty tame actually, it's just a trick head on a boring block :D

Drivetrain:
BP05 block: stock, just cleaned up
BP4W head: 5/10 taken off (10.2:1), polished and back cut valves, recessed valve seats, bronze valve guides, CNC ported
BP4W Exhintake with Maruha cam gears & cover
Jenvey IRTB Kit with NB2 injectors, custom carbon fibre airbox and ITG Maxogen intake
Megasquirt II ECU
Mazdaspeed engine mounts
RacingBeat 4-1 headers, wrapped
Magnaflow cat
Car Make Corn's "Silent" Catback
Magnecor 8.5mm spark leads
Koyo radiator with Samco hoses and Beatrush cooling panel
Flyin Miata Happy Meal clutch kit, Stage 1
4.1 Torsen

Suspension:
BC Racing BR coilovers
NB wishbones at the front, all powder coated
SuperPro suspension bushes
RacingBeat PU ARB connectors
185/60 Falken ZIEX 912 on 6,5x14" ET 14,5 R.S. Watanabe Typ B
Evolity brake hoses
Stoptech brake pads
Performance5 Frame Rails

There are so many things that make me love your car. Small things like the maruha cam cover, and corn's shifter surround are awesome.
Looks great, you are like me and cant wait for this stupid snow to go away even half way around the world haha.

Yeah, and it's still snowing :(
Not sure if it will ever stop...

could you post more shots of your itb assembled on the car? I about to start mine and a few pics of something completed will help if i ever get stuck.

Work in progress :)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...56764460_n.jpg

Should be a breeze to parallel park that thing:lol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HMT

just leaving a few new pics:

and Superpro bushings are waiting to be fitted
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...3/superpro.jpg

---

Soooo, what's in the little red box? Childish? Yes, but since nobody else pointed it out I couldn't help myself.

Gets better each time I visit!!!

That red box contains bearings. It is all bearings now!

Wow. That carbon airbox looks beautiful.

Love this build.

Almost there :D

http://project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/wuschig.jpg

Stunning!

Ready for a spin?
http://s1.directupload.net/images/130618/qua8dwu2.jpg

I've now got some better pictures of the engine bay and a dyno sheet. After that dyno run the revlimiter has been upped to 7500 rpm - evidently the stock valve springs are the limiting factor at the moment as the power curve just keeps increasing :)

http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/eng1.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/eng2.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/eng3.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2013/eng4.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...013/dyno13.jpg

Very Nice!

Very nice, indeed!

Stupidly awesome build!
I hope that someday my engine bay is half as amazing as yours!

^+1. Your car's engine bay is immaculate!

Great pictures too. :cheers:

I want to eat off that engine bay!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Agent☣Orange

I want to eat off that engine bay!

---

I bet you say that to all the girls.

Wow Chris, top work

How have I missed this thread before. What an awesome build. Absolutely love it all and it has got me even more excited about getting my Jenvey ITRB/Omex ECU kit fitted next month!

Just wanted to leave a few pics from 2014.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5568/...cb690a06_c.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...014/byefs1.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...014/byefs2.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...014/byefs3.jpg

The car is pretty much the same, just got new tires and a 6-speed gearbox.

looks great! What made you go to a 6-speed? Closer gearing?

How much HPs is that lol.


Love this car <3

Looks great to me

Mein Gott, this car is perfect!

Thanks for the nice comments :)
I went for the 6speed because the revs just dropped too much on the upshifts and the closer gearing now in combination with the 4.1 Torsen matches the engine perfectly. The dyno sheet results roughly translate into 175hp at the crank and 140 at the wheels. It's fun but it's not superfast. However, it's enough to keep up with a Boxster S in the blackwood forest as long as it's not uphill ^^
I'd love to do some reupholstering on the seats and rebuild the engine but at the moment that's just not within budget :(

why did the registration plates change?

I moved a few times :)
Actually, the car was on three different plates since i got it.

Need to change plates when moving inside Germany. I did not know.
:-)

Well, as of this year, they can remain on the car when you move. But in general, each city or district has their own code (first 1-3 letters).

Some detail work.

Didnt like these:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2015/jun01.jpg

Hence:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2015/jun02.jpg


Also, my NBFL seatcovers were getting a bit tired, so something new was in order:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2015/jun03.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2015/jun04.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2015/jun05.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2015/jun06.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2015/jun07.jpg

While i was at it, i also added some carbon heater mats.

Current interiour:
http://www.project-l.com/images/roadster/2015/jun08.jpg

Those seat covers are gorgeous.

That looks awesome!

Where did you get the seat covers from? They look great!

Thank you :)
The seat covers are from a german company called ma-carstyle. They use really nice thick leather but save a bit on built quality. As you can see, fitment is not really 100%. Still, you cant find a better solution for the price around here and once they are settled in, they are fine. (plus i actually like the slightly loose fitment in some places, reminds me of a leather jacket).

I will try to take some nicer pictures soon...

Hi! I saw your car at the sps season opening in diez this year :) looks great in person, I love the wheels!

Great car. The last update was enough for me to pull the trigger for a pair of Phoenix edition nb2 seats.

Phoenix do look amazing, but gotta love the quilted pattern on those! And since my beige ones are a it tired...ugh...hard to resist...

Love those seat covers.

So i went on the internet and i found this:
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...5/smaxx11a.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...5/smaxx11b.jpg
http://www.project-l.com/images/road...5/smaxx11c.jpg

Pictures someone took of us back in 2011 on a rally event :)

@moose: Thanks! I like them too :D

Awesome! Love carbon parts! :mrgreen:

Right, found my way back to the forum after some time out due to family life, work life and other car projects.
I still have the NA and although it's hibernating in the garage most of the time, we're still going for a drive every now and then.
Here's a few pictures taken over the last couple of years (I havent even managed to get the Nikon out for a very long time)

Attachment 19699Attachment 19700Attachment 19701Attachment 19702Attachment 19703

Unfortunately the stock bottom end is starting to pay the price for putting a "hot" head on a original 200k km block. So a rebuild is in order some time in the future. Want to go max displacement and compression since this car will stay N/A until the end of time. Havent decided on any specific parts as I want to get my MX3 V6 on the road first and need to put a new engine in the Lantis as well...so time will tell.

I'm happy to see that this forum is still alive since most others are in a very sorry state at the moment. Looking forward to catching up with what happened here in the last couple of years :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HMT

Right, found my way back to the forum after some time out due to family life, work life and other car projects.
I still have the NA and although it's hibernating in the garage most of the time, we're still going for a drive every now and then.
Here's a few pictures taken over the last couple of years (I havent even managed to get the Nikon out for a very long time)

Attachment 19699Attachment 19700Attachment 19701Attachment 19702Attachment 19703

Unfortunately the stock bottom end is starting to pay the price for putting a "hot" head on a original 200k km block. So a rebuild is in order some time in the future. Want to go max displacement and compression since this car will stay N/A until the end of time. Havent decided on any specific parts as I want to get my MX3 V6 on the road first and need to put a new engine in the Lantis as well...so time will tell.

I'm happy to see that this forum is still alive since most others are in a very sorry state at the moment. Looking forward to catching up with what happened here in the last couple of years :)

---

Nice little collection you have there :)

Thanks, unfortunatley the pics arent that recent.
These are my Lantis and my MX3
Attachment 19704Attachment 19705Attachment 19706

My wife got her MX3 totaled recently so we're currently bringing another one up to spec :)

Man those hatchbacks are always so beautiful to me. The rear of the Lantis/323 is just something else. Mazda on top of their game..

Nice cars.

Keeping the K8 V6 or going for a KF or KL swap?

Had a Xedos6 for five years. The KF-engine was super nice, with a nice top end feel.

Sent fra min SM-G935F via Tapatalk

Great to hear you still have the NA!
Love the build

OUTSTANDING!!! That's one german Chris (USA/German that is) to the other!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by atlex

Man those hatchbacks are always so beautiful to me. The rear of the Lantis/323 is just something else. Mazda on top of their game..

---

I completely agree. The Lantis is my first car and I've had it for 18 years now. It got me in touch with 90s japanese cars and convinced me with 90s Mazda build quality. Still loving it more than any other :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slampen

Nice cars.

Keeping the K8 V6 or going for a KF or KL swap?

Had a Xedos6 for five years. The KF-engine was super nice, with a nice top end feel.

Sent fra min SM-G935F via Tapatalk

---

Well thanks. I actually had two Xedos in 2017 and I parted one out and planned to have the other one as a daily. It had very little mileage and I got it in top shape but my wife didnt like it at all and I also felt a bit of a grandpa vibe from it so I decided to sell it (with enough profit) and get a BJ instead. This was it:
Attachment 19715
However, my life was lacking a K-series so when a mate offered me his MX3 in a rather sad state I just said yes :)
By the way, the BJ was a pile of junk and accident damage when i got it but is was the only one with the spec i wanted without body rust that a could find in a very long time. It's now looking like this:
Attachment 19714

As for the MX3, I havent completely decided yet. The K8 is ok and sounds lovely and i certainly will invest in other areas like suspension, wheels, body, maintenance first, also got a nice set of headers and some other bits. However, I also have a KL V6 with ridiculously little mileage (12k miles) that is looking for a space to live.
The thing is that this is a '96 EU spec MX3 and there is no PnP wiring harness for a KL swap so I might just as well think about running it on a Megasquirt. But this is again more work and time is a bit of a limited resource these days. So to answer the question: it will stay K8, at least until my Lantis and NA got reworked engines and/or the K8 suffers a timely death...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CLZinn2

OUTSTANDING!!! That's one german Chris (USA/German that is) to the other!!!

---

Thanks Chris :)

Nice collection you got there! BTW I have been always wondering how the MX3 rear hatch glass would look on a Miata fastback...

Nice to see the NA again here, Chris. A few years ago I saw it at the mazda-community?, when I had my NB.
Maybe there is a meeting in the future in Germany to see it.

Grüße aus Thüringen, Christian

Hey Christian, I'll be at the SPS motorsport season opening in April, maybe I'll see you there :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HMT

be at the SPS motorsport season opening in April

---

SPS Motorsport seems like a nice gang, their webshop has a lot of sexy parts.

Yes, maybe. Already thought about it after I couldn´t take part last year.

So now that I have a BRG I need to see more of this beautiful build.

Hell, I do not even have a BRG and yet need to see more!

I once had a BRG and I need to see more, too :lol:

I have a brg, live basically next street from HMTs and also demand updates!

Sorry guys, I forgot to update this!
First of all, m00se, we should meet up :)

So what happened in the mean time?
Got the NA out of storage in April
Attachment 20624

First order of business: New center cap sticker, made to spec.
Attachment 20625
Attachment 20626

To help with my temperature issues, I finally got round to fitting the Mocal oil cooler I've had in the trunk for 2 years:
Attachment 20627
Attachment 20628
And boy did it help. Temperatures dropped by 20°C easily, peaks are less harsh and the temperature recovers quickly. Should have done this years ago...

Added Delrin door bushings:
Attachment 20629

Went to a Japmeet @ Klassikstadt Frankfurt, really cool place
Attachment 20630
Attachment 20631

Added a Runabout V1 fuel lid, which i could finally acquire in this very forum (Thanks Harry) :)
Attachment 20632
Attachment 20633

Yesterday I attended a really big classics meet in my local town
Attachment 20634
Attachment 20635

And fitted the Revlimiter window switches which I found locally second hand since i wanted to avoid the pain of going through german customs (which I'm having to do for my other cars atm and it annoys the hell out of me).
Attachment 20636
Attachment 20637
They look awesome and work like a charm. Thanks to Adam for developing all the amazing stuff for our cars!

The car still needs a change of carpets due to wear and some other updates but I have to balance this with my other builds where I have a KL engine and some nice parts from overseas incoming :)
I'm in it for the long run.

Oh, if you are interested, I can upload a few pictures of the meets to my blog to show some of the classic cars of germany.

Glad the lid found its' way in good hands; looks right at home on your car! And yes, please do upload more pictures ;)

I was looking for the car in Meppen... :ninja:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LagBlu

I was looking for the car in Meppen... :ninja:

---

Oh well, didnt fit in my schedule, I would have had to drive to the event and back home on one day, equaling 9h of Autobahn. Didnt make much sense, unfortunately.
Still nice that you thought of me. I did however attend the SPS Season Opening, albeit with another car....

Not usually a fan of dark colored wheels as they can't be seen well and get lost, but those minis with the contrasting rims look Great!!! Nice touch with the Eunos stickers on the centers as well. Very Nice Car!!!

Well, I agree with everything you said. I got them like this and had the intention of painting the centers in a really pale matte gold tone after a while. But since then, I've really come to like the looks, especially with a bit of wear and paint fade and the very coarse surface of the spokes. Therefore I decided to leave them in their original state and love them for what they are.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HarryB

And yes, please do upload more pictures ;)

---

So, I updated my blog with a few pictures :)
See here:
https://driving-culture.blogspot.com/

So, apart from some maintenance the car received some more bracing lately: a Kenauto Dosukoi frame end bar.
It's a really well made piece and not too expensive. I didn't expect much of it but wanted to try it out. My NA always suffered from flex at the rear end. After installing the brace I immediately felt this to be significantly reduced (even when just exiting the driveway). There is less squeals and rattles and the rear feels more planted. Didn't expect that but it surely makes me happy :)
Attachment 20994
Attachment 20995

It might receive one or two more parts before winter, let's see...

Ok, so time for another update :)

Got a Mazdaspeed Strut Brace
Attachment 22177
Attachment 22178

Luckily, it clears the CF airbox and ITB setup nicely
Attachment 22179

Decided to improve the audio in the car by adding a small amplifier
Attachment 22180

Also, it was time for some more grip.
Attachment 22181

Looking a lot meaner now. Also, it grips :D
Attachment 22182
Attachment 22183

And added a celebratory sticker
Attachment 22184

Next up on the list are fender braces and some smaller bits before the engine finally will get an overhaul...

Hi Chris, hope you are fine and you are enyoing your roadster.
Nice parts there - also got new tires last month but there was no E certification mark on the Advan A048 (which they had in the past)
so I can´t use them on the street. Not easy to find some grippy ones for my 7x14.

First time I've seen your car...nice work. What are the seat covers and where are they from? My grandparents are from Munchen and Baden-Baden. Haven't been there since '73. Germany is cleaner than Disneyland! Enjoy the ride and speed safely. Aloha.

Thanks, so the seat covers are from a german company called MA Carstyle. Considering the price, they are really nice pieces.
I'd actually like to enjoy my roadster a lot more but a barely drive it. Most of the enjoying part is making improvments here and there :D
I hope that I'll be able to properly drive it again some time in the future...

As for the tires, the R888R are E marked and street legal. So are the NS2R, which I'd probably have gotten if the Toyos hadnd popped up for a discounted price.

I had the Ns2r in the past when the Eunos got approved by sps.
The whole car had strong vibrations from 80 km / h and on. Was practically impassable. They were balanced several times but I think it was due to the 7 inch rims.
I sold them to a friend's NA with 6x14 Intra wheels.

Huh, how did they perform on the 14x6s? Is your friend happy with them?
I really was relying on the NS2R for the future. Let's hope that at least Toyo will keep making some good tires in that size.

There were minor vibrations at certain speeds but not that bad.
He had the Ns2r before, too.

Forgot to update when it happenend:
Got a new OEM rear panel as mine was faded and had some blemishes.
Attachment 22714

Removed original emblems to be replaced with new JDM ones
Attachment 22715
Attachment 22716

Decided to go without the Roadster emblem this time as it didnt look right (accidently got another version with an angled front face). Would have gone without any emblems but unfortunately, the upper right one was held in place with pins, therefore I need one to cover up the holes.

Also, replaced the rear shelf carpet as this one still had holes from a previous ownder's style bar install
Attachment 22717
Attachment 22718

So this is how it looks now:
Attachment 22719
Attachment 22720
Attachment 22721

Well, when I say now... the car is currently hibernating next to my Lantis.
Here are two pics from October 31st - last wash
Attachment 22722

Underground storage
Attachment 22723

See you in spring....

Thanks for the end of year update! Looking forward to where you take this in 2021. Happy Holidays!

I´m curious what will follow in 2021.
Frohe und gesunde Feiertage.

Well, planned for 2021 so far:
- Paco Motorsports Strongarms and Brake Master Cylinder bracket
- FM door bushings
Both already have been ordered.

Other than that not much. Drove the car about 1k kms this year so...not really much to do :D
That said, there WILL be a major engine overhaul in the future, depending on available funds which in turn depend on my other projects. There are 2 engine swaps already in prep for my Lantis and MX3 in '21 and '22.

So, I rediscovered sone pictures from last year after reading through the forum all evening and thought i might as well share.
As per the pandemic, no official events were held in 2020. However, the situation in germany allowed for at least one semi-official Mazda Cummunity meet in July. As the weather and the roads in the region were perfect, i decided to take the NA :)
Even managed to get it nice and clean for the occasion:
Attachment 22749

Early on Saturday morning I hit the road, excited to go on a road trip, meet some friends and see a few cars, maybe even take some spirited drives...
Attachment 22748

As it turned out, I would do exactly that :) Only managed to stay there for the better part of one day but at least had some fun on and off the roads. Here are a few pictures on site:
Attachment 22750
Attachment 22751

And one with my favourite Touge companion cooling down :)
Attachment 22752

That sums up about 80% of my Roadster activities in 2020 ^^
That said, I'm hopeful that I might be able to allocate a bit more time to the car (not sure yet how I will manage that in practice). To celebrate the occasion (or rather the intent), I decided to update the shopping list from above like so:
- Paco Motorsports Strongarms and Brake Master Cylinder bracket
- FM door bushings
- AWR front sway bar mount
- H&R front and rear sway bars (I already had these on the car but sold them when I got my BC coilovers)
I also wanted to change the look a bit towards the slightly aggressive, so:
- GV front lip
- Rev9 M2 1028 side mirrors

And as my center console is a bit faded and worn, I'm looking into having it wrapped in leather if this is feasible until March - otherwise it will have to wait until next winter.
In addition, I really have to look into future means of photography as picture quality really has declined with the demise of my beloved D90 and it's just annoying to ony take crappy pictures all the time.
Well, one step at a time :)
Happy new year everyone!

So, today, these arrived:
Attachment 22813

I am excited to see them on the car in spring. I originally intended to spray them BRG right away, but i like the finish on them and might try them out in black first.

Another piece just arrived :)
Attachment 22848

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HMT

Another piece just arrived :)
Attachment 22848

---

That's the PPF brace no? I've been eyeing that for a while now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dnaha

That's the PPF brace no? I've been eyeing that for a while now.

---

I've had a PPF brace on two different Miata's now, one Beatrush(NA) and one Roadstersport(NB), and they are great for stabilizing the drive train. Goodwin Racing now makes their own that is a little more cost effective:
https://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazd...t/61-2402.html

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Greasemonkey2000

I've had a PPF brace on two different Miata's now, one Beatrush(NA) and one Roadstersport(NB), and they are great for stabilizing the drive train. Goodwin Racing now makes their own that is a little more cost effective:
https://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazd...t/61-2402.html

---

Thanks for the recommendations and your experience with them. Makes me confident that buying them wouldn't be a waste of money

Yup, thanks for the recommendation! I just sold my PPF as I didnt realize it was steel (assumed it would be alu like most other Beatrush parts) to raise some money for another project and to get the lighter Roadstersport version in the future :)

So, my Flyin Miata order from last November finally arrived :)
Attachment 22971

I wanted these for a long time: Paco Strong Arms, the brake master cylinder brace that should work with my strut brace and FM door bushings.
Only one more week to go before I can drive the car again so perfect timing.

So, since it's now March, I can drive the car on the roads again. :)
Had an early start this year and got it out at the weekend.
Attachment 22975

Decided to hit the ground running and installed the smaller FM bits:
Attachment 22976
Attachment 22977

Also, since the regular inspection was due, added a fog light (which can be folded up after the inspection to be invisible for the time in between :)).
Attachment 22978

First drive yesterday morning, after dropping off the little one was straight to the inspection which the car passed thanks to a very cool inspector :)
Attachment 22979

To celebrate the occasion I took the long road home and went into the twisty forests at freezing temperatures with blue sky and the top down. That's something to wake you up in the morning :D
Attachment 22980

All things considered, this was one of the better starts into a spring season...

Nice car!!! One (part German Chris) to a real German Chris. My last name is Zinn and we come from the southern Rhine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CLZinn2

Nice car!!! One (part German Chris) to a real German Chris. My last name is Zinn and we come from the southern Rhine.

---

Thanks mate. When did your family move?

Hi Chris
That foldable fog light is nice. I already thought about it, too and have to realize this in the future. That ugly thing bothers me.
The only drive I had this year so far was the return from Bottrop´s body shop. :lol:

Right, so I missed a few posts here...what has happened so far?

Installed the frog arms along with new fenders, new side mirrors and a GV lip
Attachment 24003
Attachment 24004
Attachment 24005

Got round to installing a new carpet
Attachment 24006

Cleaned up the engine bay: new vacuum system and idle control, new airbox back plate, AFM delete, COP conversion
Attachment 24007
Attachment 24008

Currently it's in the garage again for the winter season, awaiting new seat belts and radiator air ducting
Attachment 24009
Attachment 24010
Attachment 24011

Nice ride. Which COP ignition did you use? I see FlowForce specifically warn against using their Audi R8 COP kit with the MS Labs MS3 Basic ECU that I run because it lacks the necessary high-current coil driver circuit. I see on MiataTurbo.net forum one guy got it working on his MS3X (which has the same limitation as my MS3 Basic) using a custom TC4427A chip circuit in the prototype area of his ECU, but that is above my skill level. I don’t even think my ECU has a prototype area, making it even more challenging. All of it makes me want to upgrade to a DIYAutoTune MS3Pro PNP in order to have a few little upgrades like second MAP sensor for realtime barometric pressure sensing and easy sequential ignition using COP conversion.

https://www.miataturbo.net/miata-par...3/#post1594622

I used NGK/Toyota COPs. Had to adjust the dwell time and works fine with my DIYPNP/MS2E.

Cool updates! Car looks fantastic.

Regarding COPs, easy button would be Toyota ones. Can be sourced fairly easily, are sized properly for 1.6, work fine for boost (and work even fine with OEM ECUs on NBs). Only thing you need is a tie down plate.

Thanks. The COPs should work with the OEM NA ECU as well.
Conversion harnesses are available for PNP install, same for tie down plates. Mine is from KAInjection.
Attachment 24015