Budget turbo miata

it's a different year engine so some small differences to account for, like the loss of the turbo oil pressure port i had on the old engine.
i took some covers and pan off to torque check key things, welded in a oil return bung on the pan, transferring over everything else.

sounds so simple when you say just slapped it in as is, but yes that's basically what i did

I'm just jealous after spending my time the last several months more fabricating than slapping together.

i know im supposed to just enjoy it as is and prepare to sell it next spring, but i keep dumping money into it
But at least it'll be way more comfortable through the winter and I can officially ice race/rallyX with a hardtop (OEM)



the fresh spec miata motor runs great and doesn't burn or leak a drop of oil which is a nice change.
"new" ACT clutch seems to hold up to 13psi no problem but i'm getting some pinging.
I need to figure out a way to soften up the stock evo wastegate springs and bring it down to a more reasonable 10ish psi of boost.
I tried backing timing off a lot but it didn't seem to be enough.

cut open the stock evo wastegate

pried over the spring and cut 1.5 coils off and welded it back together.
It is magically now maxing out at 10psi, just what I had hoped for.
Got super lucky it was the right amount the first try, since it is annoying to adjust.

need to take it off and fully weld it, but for now it's holding up well!

im not sure my paint choice was the right color.... oh well.

So.....how much to buy it?

not for sale yet but depending on how i like it through the winter or not i might list it on CL for something ridiculously high and hope for bites.
seems similar condition NA miatas without turbos or hardtops are going for $3k :O around here, so with the turbo and hardtop i have a feeling $5k isn't unreasonable to ask.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

not sure any of you have been in an old miata in the dark, but the single dome light at the passenger's left knee area is basically useless.
flexible LED strips are amazingly cheap on amazon now, so i tried some out.
i used 4 out of the 10 pack i bought for under $10 and it seems plenty bright.
I can always add more later if i wanted to.



also entered it into the company car show/burnout contest last week.
I finally confirmed on video that it does in fact have a torsen and will spin both tires. (this increases its value by a not insignificant amount I've been told)

https://www.facebook.com/greencactus3/videos/10109105610635113/

couple updates:
turns out if you buy a spec miata motor sometimes they won't have a thermostat...
Didn't realize this until one of the coldest weeks Michigan has seen in a loooong time.
went to replace a stuck open t-stat and ended up just adding one.

also improved my light output with wrangler LEDs


made some interesting similarities


had to replace a clutch master in the driveway because the garage is full of blazer and audi


popped a sidewall and cracked a wheel on the highway, news article the next day said 50+ cars with flat tires documented on that stretch which required emergency road repairs.
borrowe'd a buddy's summer tire/wheel combo while i waited for ebay to ship a wheel


found some "summer tires" for it


and added some buttwarmers

well, I keep wasting time on this thing.
Turbo manifold was cracking so I took it off and welded up with some gussets. hopefully it'll last over a year this time.
While i was at it I made a new exhaust for it to quiet it down for daily duty.

Took off the fart can and added a pair of magnaflows I got from CL for $10 for both

also did the boring but necessary things such as all new brake things all around and balljoints and tie rod ends and stuff which i had been neglecting.
oh and "new" OE shocks from a facebook group, and this since I was down there anyways


Looks pretty goofy. Hopefully I can get the alignment to something somewhat reasonable.
Then I need to start hacking up the fenders and see what size tire I can fit.
unfortunately I ran an intercooler pipe through the fender back in the day thinking I was clever... which is going to eat up tire space so I don't think I'll be able to quite stuff a 235/75/15 as I wanted to.
pic from last year (may 21, so i guess not quite 1 year)


I'm targeting a 205/75/15 now, but we'll see how it looks after i get it aligned.

It was clever at the time haha

And here I go shopping for Magnaflow mufflers on Craigslist now. You're getting pretty good at making and packaging exhausts now. Does it pass through both mufflers in series?

yup it makes a forcibly tight 180 on the other side of the mufflers to go in series.
these guys make some really tight bends for times like this.
http://catalog.woolfaircraft.com/category/bent-elbows


on a budget and CL note, buddy is offloading these, https://annarbor.craigslist.org/cto/d/2001-chevy-blazer-and-1999/6589170502.html He'd give a significant friend of a friend discount im sure.

on a budget and CL note, buddy is offloading these, https://annarbor.craigslist.org/cto/d/2001-chevy-blazer-and-1999/6589170502.html He'd give a significant friend of a friend discount im sure.

I could certainly be interested in the Blazer. I'd take both, but not sure I'd want to make two trips with the trailer. Feel free to pass on my number, but I wouldn't be able to pick up until next week.

I could certainly be interested in the Blazer. I'd take both, but not sure I'd want to make two trips with the trailer. Feel free to pass on my number, but I wouldn't be able to pick up until next week.

Just shoot him an email through the CL link, say you're my friend. I don't think he needs to sell both together

well the little miata grew up a little bit.
Trimmed the sheet metal and banged some firewall lips enough to get the tire to bolt on and statically get full steering.
hopefully I can get away without too much more trimming for regular street driving.


this is the most 'stretched' tire I've ever had to mount. what a bitch!

Looks mean! What size tire did you end up buying?

205/75/15, so a decent bump in diameter.
crossing my fingers for better highway empeegees


have any of the same size rolling around in the barn? I want to make a swing-out rear bumper with a full size spare on it

These trips sound like a great time! Are you doing another trip this year? That miata looks like it would be a blast on a rallycross!

These trips sound like a great time! Are you doing another trip this year? That miata looks like it would be a blast on a rallycross!

Yup, this year is a big change, we're doing a lap around lake superior on motorcycles.
Time's running out and I still haven't gotten my bike to riding condition yet :/
I don't know if i'll ever get around to rallyx since im always busy in the summer months but i do hope i have time for ice racing over the winter!

That's awesome! What bike did you get? Ice racing would be pretty cool too!