$600 NA Build Thread - Just notes and thoughts - opinions wanted

[majornerd]

As I said in my introduction I won the Miata lottery. I paid $600 for a NA with hardtop. So far I have done the standard lube and filter and today completed the 1.8l brake upgrade. I am reading like crazy and trying to figure out the best path for upgrades. I love the simplicity of the Miata compared with anything else I have owned. My goal is to create a daily driver that can trounce an e46 M3 - bastard at work needs to be taught a lesson.....

This is my wishlist as of today - I would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks


So I bought my first Miata and fell in love. I got a great deal and am going through the car replacing and upgrading what I can to make it what I want.

My goal is to build a daily driver that can whoop on an e46 M3..... advice is very appreciated, please let me know if you see anything that is less than great.

Looking for the following:

1. 1.8l engine - complete for swap
2. Transmission
3. clutch disk
4. flywheel
5. pressure plate
6. pilot bearing
7. throwout bearing
8. shifter
9. inner/outer boots
10. clutch cylinder
11. clutch lines
12. slave cylinder
13. power train frame
14. speedo cable
15. Manual ECU
16. Momo style wheel and hub, prefer quick disconnect - no full wood
17. Turbo setup - not sure what I am looking for here, but my end goal will be 260-310 WHP
18. 1.8l rear end / differential
19. Frog legs
20. Large sway bars - front and rear
21. Springs and Shocks or Coils - I am thinking I want the FM VMaxx
22. FM Level clutch or equiv
23. FM Butterfly Brace
24. FM Canon Rear Brace
25. Hard Dog Duece Rollbar
26. V8Roadsters complete tubular control arm set
27. Bosch H4 conversion kit
28. FM pedal kit
29. 1990-97 dual gauge pod
30. FM 1.8 conversion kit
31. 1.8l brake dust covers
32. remove power steering and replace with purely manual steering
33. 1.8l brake upgrade Done
34. Replace all bushings with polyurethane (any tips for this would be great - I would like to do this and the suspension very shortly (as soon as the FM VMAXX's for NA with NB conversion are back in stock)

[rozza]

If you're going to turbo it to ~270hp, I would have thought that it's not worth the time, effort and expense of an engine swap...the 1.6s are meant to be just as responsive to forced induction I thought....?

[concealer404]

I'd swap.

And probably throw rods and pistons in there while i was in there.

If you wanted to get real cute, an FE3N or KL + turbo would be a monster, and either motor could easily handle those power levels without any internal work.

[Schain]

I don't know anyone with a 260-310 whp daily driven Miata. Do you have a second car as backup transportation? Good luck with your build.

[concealer404]

I'd daily drive mine if it was the only car i had and didn't care about salt damage. It's surprisingly easy to live with.

[tankluda]

Damn man, hows the condition of it? that crazy cheap

[JTninja]

Gotta be quicker...

http://clubroadster.net/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=55840

[The Driver]

I don't know anyone with a 260-310 whp daily driven Miata. Do you have a second car as backup transportation? Good luck with your build.

I do. The guy I know has a sunburst with 290 HP at the crank and a Caterham (Lotus) 7 with a little over 300 at the crank. Both cars have NB VVTI engines. You better be a hell of a driver with that much power in hand...

[concealer404]

I do. The guy I know has a sunburst with 290 HP at the crank and a Caterham (Lotus) 7 with a little over 300 at the crank. Both cars have NB VVTI engines. You better be a hell of a driver with that much power in hand...

I don't really find it that bad to be quite honest... Mine's around 270whp, i don't know what that comes out to at the crank, though.

[Chops]

You better be a hell of a driver with that much power in hand...

This is true, especially a street car on street tires... On the street!

My old '96 200SX SE-R was putting down 390hp at the front wheels and that thing was a handful (yes, it was the sr20de motor). 1st, 2nd and a good part of 3rd was virtually useless if you got on it from a standstill, constantly having to feather the throttle to gain some kind of traction and acceleration.

I can only imagine 310hp at the rear wheels of an NA which is about 700-900 lbs less than the SE-R I had. The ass-end would be wanting to come around front every chance it got. At least with FWD, all I had to worry about was major torque steer. LOL

[concealer404]

Weight transfer of a RWD car would make the Miata farrrrrrrrr easier to drive.

[Chops]

Weight transfer of a RWD car would make the Miata farrrrrrrrr easier to drive.

True. The reason for all that white smoke bellowing out from the front of my car all the time. The damn sunroof would suck in that smoke like a vacuum too! Haha But you'd still need to watch the throttle in the twisties with the Miata. Just a tad too much gas and around you go. Then again, with FWD, too much gas and you keep heading straight! Not good for going through a turn... LOL

[concealer404]

True. The reason for all that white smoke bellowing out from the front of my car all the time. The damn sunroof would suck in that smoke like a vacuum too! Haha But you'd still need to watch the throttle in the twisties with the Miata. Just a tad too much gas and around you go. Then again, with FWD, too much gas and you keep heading straight! Not good for going through a turn... LOL

Oh i'm aware....

My DD is a fairly majorly boosted FWD car. ;)

[Chops]

Oh i'm aware....

My DD is a fairly majorly boosted FWD car. ;)

Nice. Without going too far off topic, mind sharing what FWD car that would be? Just curious.

[concealer404]

Nice. Without going too far off topic, mind sharing what FWD car that would be? Just curious.

Shitty old heavily modified 1990 MX6 GT Turbo. ;)