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Last time on Phone spends way too much money on his Miata Dec 2010: Parked on the street, got hit-and-run, dudes roommate ratted him out. Car is declared total loss.  Feb 2011: Bought a bunch of stuff with the insurance money. It was about $70 in parts, and $600 in body work and alignments. Mar 2011: Swapped Fatcows engine into mine, got it running again. Drove 25 miles home with only the header attached. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt9W01Xf6Gc Aug 2011: Oil pump bolt backed itself out, tore the timing belt to shreds; put a sweet hole in the valve cover. Do an emergency timing belt change in early September.  Sept 2011: Did a track day. It was rad. Jan 2012: Driving on the street, sudden loss of power. Went to replace the CAS, found out that the timing belt broke. You know the one that was replaced 4 months ago and has 5000 miles.  Feb 2012: Use the starter to boost the car up my steep driveway, put it on dollies. Turn my 2 car garage into a 3 car garage. Scored a fancy EDM intake. July 2012: Start a new job; make all the dollars. Now since I have this weird thing called disposable income, I have been accumulating parts and hatching a plan. Namely, burn all dollar bills on a Miata. A total loss Miata. The parts: Engine from a 2003 Miata, has VVT! AEM EMS ACT Street Clutch (all the torques) European Market Squaretop Intake A bunch of boring replacement/maintenance parts Spare power-steering rack to pull apart for a proper depower  The goal is to make 150whp reliably on a naturally aspirated engine. The two big players in this are the EDM intake and the VVT engine. Thanks to engine management systems becoming absolutely fantastic in the past 5 years, the once worthless VVT head is now the new hotness. What does the VVT head give you? Torques: all of them. Soon after I get the car back up and running, Ill be able to stick a plate back on it and move onto other money dumping ventures. Oh yeah, at least 1 event/HPDE a month starting next season. The wish-list: Full exhaust, safety, 15x9 wheels with R-S3s, 1.6L dash, data acquisition, full cage, halo seat. Most of these will be done, but the data acq and stuff will probably be on hold for a while. The first thing on the list is to get the engine on the stand and wait for parts to come in. Ill probably see if I can crack open the power-steering rack and get that project started this upcoming weekend. Thread goal:
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Oct 10, 2012 00:00
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Why not just turbocharge it?
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Oct 10, 2012 00:29
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meatpimp posted:Why not just turbocharge it? FI isn't everyone's bag. The added weight and complications that go with making a well-tuned turbo setup could just be avoided if you only wanted to make 150hp which is a very possible goal for this project. My question is, why do you want a 1.6 dash? How different were they from the 1.8, or do you just like chrome trim rings?
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Oct 10, 2012 01:11
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The 1.8 dash is ugly.
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Oct 10, 2012 01:35
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 If you need parts let me know.
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Oct 10, 2012 01:36
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I guess it's been a long drat time since I've been in an older car but yeah, the dashes without the passenger airbag are much better looking.
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Oct 10, 2012 01:39
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Not going turbo (yet) to keep down the complexity and to not have to deal with broken parts all of the time. I'll probably make a frankenmotor and slap a 2560 with the VVT head and make all of the torques. The 1.6L dash doesn't have the passenger side airbag, is SCCA Solo2 legal, and is about 20-25lbs lighter than the 1.8L one.
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Oct 10, 2012 01:50
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This thread has the potential to be awesome! In that vein, please, for the love of god, cut this crap out: Phone posted:make all the dollars. Did you have to buy the car back from insurance? If so, and if you don't mind the question, how much did that cost? It's pretty interesting to see a mega-fun naturally aspirated Miata for not that much money.
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Oct 10, 2012 02:15
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Phone posted:make all the dollars. I officially request thread title be changed to "all the _blanks_", or more specifically, "all the torques". Edit: ^^ drat you Krakkles. Edit 2: And come help pull my engine this weekend!
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Oct 10, 2012 02:27
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Phone posted:Not going turbo (yet) to keep down the complexity and to not have to deal with broken parts all of the time. I'll probably make a frankenmotor and slap a 2560 with the VVT head and make all of the torques. You might want to stock up on transmissions when you go FI. Two guys here autocross supercharged miatas in SSM. One has broken a tranny every event, usually the second run, and the other guy is looking to unload his for $5k obo.
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Oct 10, 2012 02:59
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^^^ the 6-speed is pretty bulletproof. It's the same Aisin box that's in the S2000 and Toyobaru. The 5-speeds blow up on a regular basis ^^^ Insurance paid out $4k, I bought it back for $400. There's a guy locally that parts out Miatas; I go to his place with some frequency. To fix it mechanically AND cosmetically, it was extremely cheap: $15 for a set of used rear control arms $20 for a door skin (in the right color, too) $425 for a shop to pull the rear quarter panel and prime it $200ish for a very, very long alignment due to a bolt being bent when the car was pushed to the curb; it was one of these With the remaining money, I rolled that into upgrades (coilovers, engine maintenance, etc).
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Oct 10, 2012 03:02
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Phone posted:^^^ the 6-speed is pretty bulletproof. It's the same Aisin box that's in the S2000 and Toyobaru. The Accelerated Performance/Visconti turbo BRZ already broke a transmission. And a friend of mine has broken plenty of stuff in his s2k box. Although you will probably be fine under about 400whp.
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Oct 10, 2012 03:27
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For the people asking "Why are you doing X thing that way" http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/assets/2012_Solo_Rules_May.pdf 352 glorious pages of rules so you can drive for 30 seconds around a parking lot full of cones. Phone is basically making a (reliable) clone of my car. Even though I've done all of this before I'll try to find a way to make this thread finish with the purchase of a lifted bro truck and no Miata. One of these days I need to pick up a 94-95 shell so I can put a plate back on my car.
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Oct 10, 2012 21:48
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FatCow posted:For the people asking "Why are you doing X thing that way" Holy poo poo is there a sheep station up for grabs or something?
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Oct 10, 2012 23:32
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The way that my brother explained to me why he turbo'd his miata is this: 1. You can "reliably" turbo a Miata for around $1500 with used parts and strategic sourcing. 2. with all fucks being thrown out the window you can safely blow up the engine and replace for a few hundred dollars with a junkyard core. 3. If not all fucks are thrown out the window you can de-tune and have a streetable, reliable daily driver. However, you are going straight to 3 the NA route which will certainly make for a more consistent driving experience. I think honestly that people turbo Miatas before building engines because you can turbo a miata for almost nothing and short blocks are dirt cheap.
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Oct 10, 2012 23:45
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Paul Boz_ posted:I think honestly that people turbo Miatas before building engines because you can turbo a miata for almost nothing and short blocks are dirt cheap. Don't Miatas come with stock forged internals too? I remember seeing a 10 second turbo Miata on the cover of Sport Compact Car in the early 2000's with a stock engine.
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Oct 11, 2012 02:22
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You can go really fast in a Miata for cheap. Pull a used turbo, get an eBay intercooler and radiator, pick up a second-hand ECU (Hydra, MS2, etc), and then you blow up and keep throwing parts at it until either you get bored or run out of money. The VVT route is less exciting because it isn't as fast and poo poo isn't constantly blowing up (though Fatcow might contest this point). Junkyard is reliable, managing heat isn't too much of an issue, and things are arguably cheaper because you don't have to buy a bunch of turbo stuff. You always have the option of getting better rods, special shim-under-bucket lifters, and a billet damper if you want to spin the motor up to 8500rpm. I'm going to stick with the factory 7200, and call it a day. The car will eventually get a smaller turbo; however, the goal for right now is to go as fast as possible, for as "cheap" as possible, for as long as possible. In terms of track time, I have done more events/races in cars that aren't the Miata and I desperately want to change that. Update: 949racing and Mazdaspeed shipped my stuff. Yay.
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Oct 11, 2012 02:33
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Phone posted:949racing and Mazdaspeed shipped my stuff. All the stuff?
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Oct 11, 2012 03:39
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Bucephalus posted:All the stuff? No, just the torques. Personally, I like the way this is headed. A solid NA base with the potential to go FI reliably in the future. It's a good plan - and a solid performing NA is plenty of fun.
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Oct 11, 2012 14:46
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Good plan. I'd like to do the same thing actually, but with ITB's  It will be awhile though. I get none of the torques 
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Oct 12, 2012 05:15
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Parts. I'm going to need to do a few more orders for stuff I've missed, but this is the bulk of it. TSE is going to send me the crank trigger wheel so I can actually do the timing belt, etc job. The 99-00 fuel rail is huge (comparatively):  Some images from July:  And some Simple Green XXXXTREEEEEM AIRCRAFT BOEING APPROVED and a power wash later:  I buying out my roommate's share of the garage, so I'll be able to park my Mazda stable and actually have room to work on the Miata. I still need to finish off the power-steering rack and swing by Target to pick up some wireframe racks. Hopefully the next update will have a video.
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Oct 15, 2012 23:30
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Remember the time I only spent $1600 on parts and I was faster than you?
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Oct 16, 2012 00:09
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This is so topical of what I'm going through right now with my Maxima. Its in the need of basically a whole suspension. ball joints, shocks, struts, inners, outters, bushings, controll arms, etc.... it also has a nearly failing rusted engine brace/radiator support and pretty rusty brake lines. Do I try fix it to keep? Do I fix it to sell? Or just jump ship and sell for a minimum. Id be doing the work myself. I realize a Miata is a way better thing to spend money on, but I was wondering how you rationalize spending thousands on an old car.
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Oct 16, 2012 00:22
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It's totaled and I would have to pay somebody to take it off of my hands. That said, I'm not particularly fond of it considering how many overhauls I've done on this piece of poo poo over the years. I'm just hoping that this will be somewhat reliable and will quench any ideas of PenFed having 1.5% interest on used car loans to point towards an S2000.
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Oct 16, 2012 00:25
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Phone posted:I'm just hoping that this will be somewhat reliable and will quench any ideas of PenFed having 1.5% interest on used car loans to point towards an S2000. I'm not trying to be a negative Nancy but There is not a moment alive where I think "I really wish I could trade my ap2 for a built Miata." Then again though, every time I drive my s2000 I think it's slow and bemoan the lack of torque. I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with its power but if a built Miata gives you satisfaction an s2000 would be your cat's meow.
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Oct 16, 2012 00:47
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Phone posted:Not going turbo (yet) to keep down the complexity and to not have to deal with broken parts all of the time. I'll probably make a frankenmotor and slap a 2560 with the VVT head and make all of the torques. Besides the subjective element of looking better, the 1.8's passenger airbag, if it blows, can tear the hell out of the dash and smash the windshield. The driver airbag won't damage anything but itself and the driver. ASK ME HOW I KNOW.
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Oct 16, 2012 08:55
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The 1.8 will break the windshield from inside the car. I've been in a Miata wreck, too. I'm going to eventually pull both airbags because seats + harnesses + airbags is a bad combo. Paul Boz: I bought a Mazda2 in January, it currently has 17k on the odometer and I'm not 100% in love with the car. If I got an S2K, I'd be using it as a DD to go back and forth to work 16 miles one way. Being a responsible adult blows sometimes; I know this makes me un-American, but I'm not terribly keen on putting everything on credit.
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Oct 16, 2012 14:02
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Phone posted:
I'm a responsible adult with a reasonable car note on my s2k and I drive it 12 miles each way every day, twice a day since I come home for lunch
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Oct 16, 2012 17:52
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Phone posted:The 1.8 will break the windshield from inside the car. I've been in a Miata wreck, too. I'm going to eventually pull both airbags because seats + harnesses + airbags is a bad combo. What don't you like about the 2? The small hatch and non flat folding rear seats seem like they'd be the biggest downers.
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Oct 19, 2012 16:53
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It isn't exciting to drive like a sports car. Its sporty and fun to toss into corners, but it's not a RWD sports car. That is my dissatisfaction with the 2, even though I bought it saying, "this is what I need." My beef is wants versus needs and practicality. The Mazda2 as a car is completely competent and worth having, though. It has just enough utility, just enough fun, and gets great gas mileage. As a A-to-B vehicle, it blows most of the competition out of the water just because it's so engaging. If I had to buy a new car in the same situation, it would have come down to either the 2 or the Fit, the 500 was OK; however, it was loaded to the brim with even cheaper plastic and the car must felt a bit off. Topic related: moving the car into place tomorrow and getting started on things. Yay.
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Oct 19, 2012 18:45
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Phone posted:I'm going to eventually pull both airbags because seats + harnesses + airbags is a bad combo. What is it about this that's bad? Just that with the harness you won't move at all so the airbag just basically punches you in the face? I'm putting a roll bar + harness + seat into mine this winter, but I'll be maintaining the 3-point for the street. The air bag is useful with the stok belt even with a seat, right?
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Oct 19, 2012 21:33
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I think the idea is that if you're wearing a helmet it's going to smash the helmet into your face. I'd rather have the helmet pushed into my face from the airbag than having nothing to slow my head down before it hits the steering wheel w/helmet. If you're on track with a HANS and harnesses, then I'd remove it. Otherwise I'd keep it, personally.
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Oct 20, 2012 12:39
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If you have some sweet chicken legs, you can manage to wedge yourself in/out of the car with rubbing your junk all over the steering wheel. Or... you can get a removeable steering wheel to make it much easier, and you can also bring the steering wheel closer to you for that sweet 90 degree arm bend for maximum racing posture. I am going to drive it on the street, not as a DD, but it's mostly going to be for the track. (it's obvious who has, etc) Before:  After (sorry about the image quality, phone has some poo poo ISO going on):  Went to Target to pick up some kitty litter and get a shelving rack. The biggest pain in the rear end was trying to get the engine bolted onto the stand. I need to swing by HF and get some pliers and a 12mm 3/8" drive socket (loving lost mine, and I own a Miata what the balls). Progress so far: - $$$ spent - Car in place - Radiator drained/pulled - A lot of poo poo is in place and ready to be worked on
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Oct 21, 2012 00:20
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Mini-Monday Update: - I might be busted for working on my cars at my house by the handyman! (I doubt anything will happen, going to wait to do anything obvious; i.e. - pull the bumper cover) - My lovely HF impact proves that it was well worth the $30 dollars I paid for it 4.5 years ago by taking off the crank bolt like it ain't no thing. Thank you, Harbor Freight. Your tools are poo poo, but will work in a bind. 
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Oct 23, 2012 01:03
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Phone posted:- I might be busted for working on my cars at my house by the handyman! (I doubt anything will happen, going to wait to do anything obvious; i.e. - pull the bumper cover) I'm confused. You seem to have a private, enclosed garage. Do you have a title encumbrance and a homeowners association that thinks they can tell you what to do inside your own enclosed spaces?
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Oct 23, 2012 02:42
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The HOA isn't bad, it's the fact that I'm renting. 
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Oct 23, 2012 02:57
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Phone posted:Thank you, Harbor Freight. Your tools are poo poo, but will work in a bind. Just don't use their cutoff wheels wearing anything short of full medieval plate mail armor.
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Oct 23, 2012 05:20
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Fucknag posted:Just don't use their cutoff wheels wearing anything short of full medieval plate mail armor. I've pushed the envelop on this in the last several months. I have all of my fingers, both eyes, and no extra material in my arms or legs. A++ would buy again.
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Oct 23, 2012 05:22
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Phone posted:The HOA isn't bad, it's the fact that I'm renting. He hasn't noticed the engine on the stand?
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Oct 23, 2012 14:39
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You mean the one right next to the breaker panel that he had to goto to turn off the relay for the oven range? I seriously doubt anything is going to come of it. Push comes to shove, I'll tell the landlord that I pinky swear I won't mess up the garage floor.
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Oct 23, 2012 14:58
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