Garage - n/a
theBird
October 17, 2012
Year:
1994
Make:
Mazda
Model:
Miata
Trim:
base
Vehicle nickname:
n/a
Generation:
1
Postal Code:
30519
Current odometer reading:
150
Insurance provider:
Geico
Driving Environment:
suburban
Transmission:
manual
2WD/4WD:
2WD
How fast do you drive?:
10
Highway / City %:
80
Tracking started on:
2012-10-17 00:00:00with 150 miles on the odometer
Tell the world a little bit about your vehicle
After owning a Nissan 240sx hatchback for 6 years, I decided in October that I wanted to trade it for something that didn't have that tuner look, swapped engine and a slew of aftermarket parts. Something that had similar performance in stock form.
After some research and car hunting, I decided on either a '94 or '95 Miata. I used Auto Tempest search to find what I was looking for. A few phone calls and I was on a train from Atlanta to Greensboro the next night to buy a mystery Miata in Winston-Salem. The car had more problems than the seller knew about, but it wasn't a deal breaker. Some rust and body damage, but overall the car is solid. It came from the factory with no power steering, a/c, cruise control, or tilt wheel. It has manual mirrors and locks. Just what the motherfuckin' doctor ordered.
The '94 Miata was the first year for the 1.8L engine, and the last year for a real oil pressure gauge. It's not a mechanical gauge but still better than a dummy on/off version seen on the '95 to '05 models. Only problem with the electronic gauge is the ground for the sensor can get dirty under the hood, and could result the gauge needle to read 0 at idle and fluctuate randomly. Having an oil pressure gauge in the car is very important to me. I like knowing when my oil reaches operating temp, plus when you get to know where normal pressures are, you can tell when you need to add oil or if you have a leak. And that's stock from the factory, no stupid bullshit aftermarket gauges to deal with. Between adding 16 horsepower from previous years and the oil pressure gauge mounted between your hands on the gauge cluster, I'd say these Mazda engineers got it right in '94.
The only downside to the '94 base is that it did not come from the factory with the torsen LSD, while the '95 base did. I only notice the disadvantages of my open differential when I'm coming off a corner really hard, the inside wheel starts to lose traction. I'll take the torsen swap job over the oil pressure gauge retrofit any day of the week.
Engine/Drivetrain Modifications:
stock
Suspension Modifications:
stock
Wheels/Tires Modifications:
Miata daisy wheels (not pictured)
Firestone Champion HR tires
Interior/Exterior Modifications:
JVC stereo
Future Modifications:
Smooth out the rough edges
megasquirt
1994
Make:
Mazda
Model:
Miata
Trim:
base
Vehicle nickname:
n/a
Generation:
1
Postal Code:
30519
Current odometer reading:
150
Insurance provider:
Geico
Driving Environment:
suburban
Transmission:
manual
2WD/4WD:
2WD
How fast do you drive?:
10
Highway / City %:
80
Tracking started on:
2012-10-17 00:00:00with 150 miles on the odometer
Tell the world a little bit about your vehicle
After owning a Nissan 240sx hatchback for 6 years, I decided in October that I wanted to trade it for something that didn't have that tuner look, swapped engine and a slew of aftermarket parts. Something that had similar performance in stock form.
After some research and car hunting, I decided on either a '94 or '95 Miata. I used Auto Tempest search to find what I was looking for. A few phone calls and I was on a train from Atlanta to Greensboro the next night to buy a mystery Miata in Winston-Salem. The car had more problems than the seller knew about, but it wasn't a deal breaker. Some rust and body damage, but overall the car is solid. It came from the factory with no power steering, a/c, cruise control, or tilt wheel. It has manual mirrors and locks. Just what the motherfuckin' doctor ordered.
The '94 Miata was the first year for the 1.8L engine, and the last year for a real oil pressure gauge. It's not a mechanical gauge but still better than a dummy on/off version seen on the '95 to '05 models. Only problem with the electronic gauge is the ground for the sensor can get dirty under the hood, and could result the gauge needle to read 0 at idle and fluctuate randomly. Having an oil pressure gauge in the car is very important to me. I like knowing when my oil reaches operating temp, plus when you get to know where normal pressures are, you can tell when you need to add oil or if you have a leak. And that's stock from the factory, no stupid bullshit aftermarket gauges to deal with. Between adding 16 horsepower from previous years and the oil pressure gauge mounted between your hands on the gauge cluster, I'd say these Mazda engineers got it right in '94.
The only downside to the '94 base is that it did not come from the factory with the torsen LSD, while the '95 base did. I only notice the disadvantages of my open differential when I'm coming off a corner really hard, the inside wheel starts to lose traction. I'll take the torsen swap job over the oil pressure gauge retrofit any day of the week.
Engine/Drivetrain Modifications:
stock
Suspension Modifications:
stock
Wheels/Tires Modifications:
Miata daisy wheels (not pictured)
Firestone Champion HR tires
Interior/Exterior Modifications:
JVC stereo
Future Modifications:
Smooth out the rough edges
megasquirt
