rodan

Konig Flatout 15x8 +25

Another gratuitous pic from my Sunday drive http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y185/RodanAZ/Miata/4-28-134_zpse820f3f5.jpg

Gratuitous track pic http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y185/RodanAZ/Miata/IMG_4903_zps42f26a46.jpg

With OBDI, is it just a visual and sniffer? I doubt they'd even notice the VVT... And aren't you OK transplanting any later motor, as long as the emissions equipment for that year is intact?

Nice deal. I've been watching a couple on fleaBay... I think I'd prefer a VVT motor, but if the right deal shows up on an earlier one, I'd take it. Still a couple months away from pulling the trigger...

Qatar was great! COTA, not so much... I was hoping for a more interesting race for their 1st time there.

Happiness is some lightly toasted race rubber... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y185/RodanAZ/Miata/Racerubber1_zps49293a08.jpg

Took mine out for it's first track day yesterday. Here's a little video, just the last two laps of the third session... check out the 'line' the guy in the VW takes. It was fast (400whp, allegedly), but the guy couldn't drive... that was not his only dirt excursion. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34k_hUvjtp0]Arizona Motorsports Park - 2 Laps - YouTube[/ame] Definitely needs more horsepowers for a track with this many straights! I was holding my own in the corners, though... LOL

Always fun... my favorite is sport bikes. I went out with the VW club yesterday... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y185/RodanAZ/Miata/3-16-13Overlook2_zpscba8db51.jpg

That's the nice thing about these cars: they're in the sweet spot between some of the 80's nightmare attempts at EFI and emissions, but still unencumbered by a lot of the BS weighing down newer cars and making them a lot more complex to work on.

Low miles for a '90, nice car! The water plug is referred to as the "cursed water plug", and is a known failure point. One of the several undesired results of adapting a FWD engine into a RWD platform.

My motor rotates pretty easily with plugs out using a 1/2" breaker bar on the crank bolt. Rotrex SC might be an option for you in CA. I think their new kit is CARB approved. That's one of the options I'm considering for the reliability benefits over a turbo on a car that's regularly tracked.

Yup, that's why I said for forced induction. Just a convenience factor really. That's my main motivation to buy a builder... I'd like to make 275-300whp, and rods are required...

For forced induction, I've been reading that a 94-95 block with 99+ head is the way to go. VVT head is best for power if you've got the engine management to control it. I haven't decided yet if I want a running engine to bolt in, or if I want to buy and build before installing. Either way, I'll be running it NA for a while...

Another option (which may be the same kit re-branded): http://949racing.com/miata-coolant-reroute-system.aspx Both 949 and FM are top flite outfits. I would definitely pursue a 1.8 over putting any money in a 1.6... much better ROI in the long run. My next major project is a 1.8 swap.

Just finished swapping in a Torsen diff, poly diff bushings and new wheel hubs/bearings/ARP wheel studs. About all that's left to do for the chassis is poly suspension bushings and sway bars. Then it'll be time to start on the powertrain...

On a personal note, I AutoX'd mine for the second time yesterday. This is a very informal, just for fun deal put on monthly by an outfit in Phoenix. No classes, just run. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMjIuNU_rOM]Local Motors AutoX 2-9-13 - YouTube[/ame] I was about .5 sec off FTD... pretty happy with that!

These work great: http://flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=5681&parentid=0&stocknumber=35-62000 If you can't wait to order them, two crescent wrenches over the hex casting on the cams can be C-clamped together to lock the cams. There's a pic on this walkthrough: http://www.miata.net/garage/timingbelt.html

I'm planning a 1.8 swap, which will eventually get a turbo or supercharger... still haven't decided which. I'm almost finished with the chassis, then it will be time to start on the powertrain.

?? Forearms? I wear XL gloves and don't have small forearms and can get in there OK.

I haven't even found that to be necessary.

A lot of folks claim this to be an issue, but I've not found it to be particularly difficult. All those years of changing oil/filter on sportbikes, I guess...

I went with Hawk HPS pads and Centric rotors from TireRack, SS lines from 949 Racing and an O'Reilly master cylinder. Pads work great on the street and for the limited AutoX I've done with it, though I haven't tried them in an open track environment.

You might as well do the timing belt and water pump if you're going to have the head off, and you don't have documentation that they've been done. A 90 could also have crank issues... I honestly haven't paid all that much attention to that since it was only an issue on the 90-91 cars and mine is a '92. Miata.net does have a lot of folks that aren't mechanically inclined, but there's still a lot of info there. Search, and look through the garage section. NB swap is a good idea for the suspension. I'm running VMAXX coilovers from Flyin' Miata, and they've been great for the price. As far as brakes, I'm still running the stock '92 brakes with good pads, and I haven't had any complaints. More HP would probably justify bigger brakes, though. Look into the later 'sport' brakes. There are several conversion setups out there.

Nice! Hard to beat a Miata for a track dog, and generally fun 'weekend' car. What year? Miata.net for the general Miata crowd, lots of diversity of purpose, and lots of good tech info Clubroadster.net for the 'stance' and hipster crowd Miataturbo.net for the hardcore crowd (prepare to be abused!) Mine's almost ready for it's first trackday in April. AutoXing it this weekend for the 2nd time. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y185/RodanAZ/Miata/Miata10-12-122_zps5fb14405.jpg