SIRIUS

This thread is for my in progress project since I don't have an online home for it other than Instagram.

It's a 1990 NA6 B-Package 5-Speed. When I was searching for a Miata I really wanted a 1990 5-spd (first year), for it to be rust free (or as close as possible and nothing too major), and a hardtop because I don't really care for convertibles.

I brought this home Feb 1st 2014:


It's been one year plus so I will update this post with the progress and future developments.

SIRIUS

I found this car on CL. It was listed for a fair (read cheap) price and I talked the owner down significantly from there. It did have its issues however like any "cheap Miata). For instance the soft top is weather resistant but the plastic rear window is hazed over. As previously mentioned though it has a hardtop and I don't care about top down anything. So I used it as a negotiation point with the previous owner.

The car as you will see has its fair share of flaws but overall it's a solid car that spent a lot (most) of its years before outside of the Northeast in FL.

The interior was in OK shape and was very clean but there were plenty of broken and worn items. The leather steering wheel which was an upgrade over the base models was bad. The leather was sunblasted and dry and torn. The driver side seat has typical bolster wear. Things like that. But for 154k miles it was decently clean. The 64 year old pervious owner seemed to at least try and maintain it.



Underhood:

SIRIUS

Buying a roadster in Feb in New England however means that it snows and well...that means salt. So it sat most of its first winter.

This pic was taken the 3rd day I owned the car (Feb 3rd 2014). Brought it to work and didn't realize it was going to snow. Its wearing the tag from my other car as it wasn't even registered or insured at this point (oops).


It spent most of its first winter like this (parked at my folks over flow lot):



I did however manage to get its first official mod out of the way with a replica R package front spoiler. I have since also bought a used oem r package front spoiler that I keep as a backup. Honestly the replica and real oem one are pretty much identical so I'm not worried that the oem one is just sitting collecting dust:


At this point it was finally a roadworthy car after I had to replace a couple of sensors that caused a CEL. The coil pack bracket had broken and fell on top of a sensor breaking that and throwing a code. I sourced a new sensor and a used bracket and we were good to go. No more CEL....but the good times didn't last long.

After replacing the coilpack bracket I started to notice a hesitation and misfire and some of the oil leaks began to get worse. I started to get frustrated and brought it to my uncles shop. It sat here for 2 months Or so...doing nothing

SIRIUS

At this point I was unsure on what to do. I was regretting buying this car a little at this point. In hindsight it was a couple of minor issues that were easy fixes. A bad plug wire was causing the misfire. Finally I dragged the car back home after languishing in my uncles shop (no fault of his I just wasn't motivated to work on the car and it was winter at that point). The car ran and drove fine at this point but was leaking a good bit of oil from its rear main seal. Oil leak aside it was great that it was running and driving well. I had in the meantime ordered some oem parts to refresh the interior and exterior as well. Mostly small items like oem floormats, a new Mazda decal for the front bumper, and I scored a rear oem r package bumper spoiler, as well as other small bits and pieces. Nonetheless I was pretty happy with it.

Here's a pic the day I installed the rear lip (May 11 2014):


The good feelings were short lived because I goofed pretty badly layer that same day (don't ask) leading to severely overheating the car and requiring a flat bed ride to a local Miata specislist... oops...

SIRIUS

So this is where she ended up, surrounded with other patients waiting her turn:


After deliberating back and forth I decided I wanted to stay 1.6L instead of "upgrading" to a 1.8L. I didn't bother to upgrade for a couple of reasons.

1) Its really not all that Much of an upgrade when driven back to back in my opinion. My butt dyno hardly sensed a difference.

2) the 1.6 sounds better IMO

3) Since it's a fairly early 90 model I wanted to stick with the "correct" 1.6.

Instead of rebuilding my high mileage engine I decided to get a low mile 1.6 from a crashed 92 and have it all refreshed and swapped in. All hoses were done at this time along with clutch and braided clutch line and TB and WP. All the maintenance items underhood. First day back after the motor swap (May 25, 2014):

SIRIUS

Thanks. It's been repainted at some point and isn't perfect but shines up nicely. The interior pic I posted is old. I have since replaced a lot of the older/worn items. Such as the speaker covers, steering wheel, cluster bezel all of which were worn or broken.

SIRIUS

Now that it was FINALLY running 100% I wanted to address some of the nagging minor cosmetic Issues.

Like the foggy front turn signals. Waterlogging had clogged them up:

Before:


After:


The same parts haul that got me the new turn signals also got me a bunch of interior parts from a low mileage donor car (Mazda test car actually)

SIRIUS

At this point I was pretty happy. The car ran great and it was cleaning up nicely. It essentially replaced my EP3 as my DD for 3 seasons out of the year:


Cleaned up the Daisy wheels and painted the center caps back to silver. The previous owner had rattle canned the centers black and it looked awful:

SIRIUS

Even though the daisy wheels looked nice now cleaned up I had the opportunity to grab a set of oem 14" bbs. They were too good to pass up so I snagged them. These bbs were available on the black and tan and LE special editions. They are to my knowledge the lightest oem wheels ever offered for the Miata. The guy I grabbed them off had swapped huge 18" chrome wheels onto his car....yuck but thanks


Also swapped my cracked rear bumper for a used one. Gotta love the POs home brewed stich job lol

SIRIUS

Next up because at this point I'm daily driving it is to tint the windows. That clear untinted rear window on the hardtop would cook the inside of the car. So I dropped it off at the tint shop and went as legally dark as I could (August 2014):

SpeedRacerEX-R

How do you like it? For some reason I really want an nb, but I'm unsure. I've never driven one. :/

SIRIUS

I love this car. I'm a little over a year and 9k miles into ownership and I just love driving it. I really suggest you try driving one. I'll be updating this with more today with the suspension currently on the car.

SIRIUS

At this point I needed to address the suspension. I debated getting some cheap-o coilovers to try and keep the budget in line but luckily I found a set of almost new Koni yellows with Eibach springs in CT. The same seller also had brand new uninstalled Eibach front and rear sway bars. So I took the drive to CT and grabbed them.

The Konis were installed on this for half a lap before he blew up his motor on track:




This was after the suspension swap...it was a little low for my liking tbh

Scott.

iTrader: (1)

bump! in for more

SIRIUS

Odds and ends:


Backroad blasting:


Picked up a nice cover for winter storage:

JDM_Ej

Man you did a great job on this. It looks fantastic now with the mods you have done. Very nice little car.

SIRIUS

Here is an updated pic. 15" NB Wheels (plastidipped) and R package rear spoiler shown. Took this pic this morning:

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

Now I kinda want a Miata...

SIRIUS

Tough to beat in the fun per dollar aspect man. When I bought this thing it was supposed to just be a project/weekend cruiser but I just love driving it. I cant imagine having more fun for the short $ I have into it.

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

I gotta drive one first.

Rude Awakening

Miatas are great.

Got one after owning tons of Hondas. They have nothing on the Miata. Also facebook group Honda kids are hilarious with their hate on the Miata. A Miata is gay, but your Civic is just as old, a quarter as fun and worth half as much.

That said I did trade it for a Civic, but only because I have an S2000 and wanted a little project with a back seat/ac. Surprisingly, the Miata was not less fun after I got the S2000.

SIRIUS

You can drive mine.

SIRIUS

You sell the Prelude RA?

Rude Awakening

Traded.

SIRIUS

Just a shot from this weekend. Not much to update as it's in Daily Driver status right now. I do have some upgrades planned for winter when it's laid up again.