I've joined the Miata club!

"Cash Rewards" (cashrewards) 05/21/2018 at 09:55 • Filed to: None

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2001 with the sports suspension, bigger brakes, and the torsen differential. 169k for $3600. The driver seat is a little worn. Not ripped yet, bit on its way there. Wheels need refinishing. Will need new brakes soon. Clean car fax, and only very minor issues on the PPI. No rust. I’m super excited. My wife is wonderful to have enabled this purchase.

Plan right now is back roads and autocross. What class would work best? I need new brakes, so it could be a good opportunity to ugrade to slotted/drilled rotors, but that takes me out of street class (where did stock class go, and when?). Is street touring the class for me anyway, or try to stay in street? Any and all Miata advise welcome! Who’s refinished wheels before?

Arrivederci > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 10:04

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I think if I was you I’d try and stay in ES. Congrats!

random001 > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 10:08

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Coooooool!

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 10:11

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Obligatory:

Cash Rewards > Arrivederci 05/21/2018 at 10:13

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Thanks!

Cash Rewards > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 05/21/2018 at 10:13

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Multiple people posted this, it definitely was a factor

nerd_racing > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 10:19

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Such an awesome car! I love the NB miatas so much I’m going to toss my NA shell I was adding a roof to so I can add it to an NB.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 10:23

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As soon as you bump out of street and into street touring you are into full suspension rework territory.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 10:29

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I think you’ll definitely want to stay in ES. Stock brakes are plenty sufficient for a stock-motor Miata for autocross anyway.

I believe ES gives you flexibility on shocks, anti-roll bars, and exhaust, plus your choice of street tire.

Your next step from there would be STS, which will basically let you run any suspension mods you want so long as they use the stock mounting points. Doesn’t open up too many options on the power front, though.

MarquetteLa > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 10:41

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Think about replacing the wheels with a set of something lighter and wider, at least for autox duty. I had those 5-spoke wheels on my NB, and while I like their design, 16x6.5 is definitely a weird wheel size. Going for anything between 15x7-15x8 will open up a lot more tire choices for you. I think 15s look better on NBs, too.

I haven’t autocrossed through SCCA in many years, so I’m not sure how much wider you’re allowed to go in the lower classes.

wkiernan > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 11:08

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1. You’ll love it. Beside “back roads and autocross” you can also use it for one hundred percent of all daily driving needs involving fewer than two passengers and less than 500 pounds of cargo.

2. Mazda color code A4A, “True Red”!

3. When you find out about refinishing the wheels, let us all know, the ones on my ‘04 look like crap.

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 05/21/2018 at 11:25

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I thought 6 speeds were sloppy compared to the 5 speeds... I mean yeah another gear would be great at highway cruising speeds, but my na8’s 5 speed is the best transmission I’ve ever driven.

Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 05/21/2018 at 11:46

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I don’t think it’s so much that they are sloppy, it’s that the final drive is the same as the 5-speed, so you don’t realize any fuel economy savings. I’ve also heard the 6-speed is more stout, so if you want to add more power, that’s the one you want.

I could be very wrong - I’ve never driven the 6 speed.

LongbowMkII > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 12:02

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Good buy

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] 05/21/2018 at 13:06

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Hmm interesting. I’ll have to look into it more, so I know

AestheticsInMotion > Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] 05/21/2018 at 13:44

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That’s all true. The 5 speed is a much better feeling gearbox.... But 6 speed swap is still preferred by almost all racers for the reasons you listed

AestheticsInMotion > nerd_racing 05/21/2018 at 13:45

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I’m curious to see your fleet now. Any work on the fastback lately?

ateamfan42 > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 13:49

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(where did stock class go, and when?). Is street touring the class for me anyway, or try to stay in street?

Back when stock class allowed race tires, street touring was the only class requiring street tires. As more and more folks became interested in racing on their daily driver tires, then stock was replaced with street. Now both street and street touring require street (>200 tread wear) tires. This means one does not need to invest in very expensive race tires to be competitive in the lower classes.

There’s never anything wrong with competing in a street class, but there are an awful lot of limitations that don’t align with everyone’s goals. I ran in street touring the last two years for nothing but wider wheels (15" x 8"), as the factory wheels are pretty narrow. Street touring does allow for a lot of fun upgrades (springs, anti-roll bars, wheels, motor mounts, exhaust, intake, etc.).

ateamfan42 > Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] 05/21/2018 at 13:55

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I don’t think it’s so much that they are sloppy, it’s that the final drive is the same as the 5-speed, so you don’t realize any fuel economy savings.

Actually, the complaint is that 6th in the 6-speed is shorter than 5th in the 5-speed (1st is considerably shorter). Mazda did use a slighter higher final drive to help compensate a little (3.909 with the 6-speed [excepting the Mazdaspeed Miata] versus 4.1 or 4.3 with the 5-speeds). But there still is no “extra top gear” like a lot of folks expect.

Mazda did make a 3.636 final drive (equipped in some 6-speeed Australian models), which makes 1-4 with a 6-speed very closely match a 5-speed and better make 6th a cruising gear.

ateamfan42 > MarquetteLa 05/21/2018 at 13:58

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I haven’t autocrossed through SCCA in many years, so I’m not sure how much wider you’re allowed to go in the lower classes.

In Street, the diameter can go up or down an inch, but the stock width has to be used. Those 6.5" wheels are rather a limitation there.

An NB moving up to Street Touring goes to STR, which allows up to 9" wheels.

ateamfan42 > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 05/21/2018 at 14:00

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Your next step from there would be STS,

NB Miatas and NAs with a Torsen move up to STR. STS is only for NAs with open or viscous coupled diffs.

MarquetteLa > ateamfan42 05/21/2018 at 14:16

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That sucks. I think when I was racing SCCA I moved from those 16x6.5 wheels to 15x7.5 and ran in STS class, which looks to have been completely reconfigured from when I was racing in 2012/2013.

Tristan > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 14:24

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You spelled “cult” wrong.

Cash Rewards > Tristan 05/21/2018 at 14:38

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Try the Kool aid, it’s tasty!

Cash Rewards > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 05/21/2018 at 14:39

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That’s pricey

nerd_racing > AestheticsInMotion 05/21/2018 at 14:49

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I had to table it for a while so I can focus on fixing and getting a Mazda B2500 off my lawn. After that I’m going to start building a wooden buck and probably go with thinner sheet metal. Still considering making it a targa with a lift out panel too.

TechJunky > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 15:06

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Congrats! My parents had a NB Miata back when I was in college, and I borrowed it and drove it everywhere. I still find myself looking for one every now and again since the prices have come down enough to be an affordable purchase!

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > ateamfan42 05/21/2018 at 15:28

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Did not realize that, thanks for the clarification.

daender > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 19:58

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E-Street. Would you like a list of all the recommended modifications you need to be overly-competitive in said class? Also, is it a 6-speed or a 5-speed? ABS or none?

^My ‘02 that’s been locally competing for the past 5 years. I’ve gone as far as the rule book allows.

Cash Rewards > daender 05/21/2018 at 20:05

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5 speed, no abs. Sport s suspension.

Yours looks great!

daender > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 20:18

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Thanks, I’ve sunk too much money than I care to admit into it, especially swapping out the interior to black with blue carpet from a ‘99 10AE. The interior is a Frankenstein of various NBs to create a unique combination.

5-speed without ABS is a good combo; the gearing is good and threshold braking is a disappearing skill these days along with less clutter and weight under the hood. By the way, get a good feel of whatever tires are on those 16s for your first few events (or your first season with the car) before jumping over to stickier tires on 15x6.5 wheels.

Also, don’t do slotted or drilled, it’s not worth the extra money and unncessarily-decreased brake pad life. Get a set of Centric blanks with the hubs and fins painted black.

Be aware you have the sport brakes so all brake pads, calipers, and rotors are unique to this package (and standard on ‘03 and later Miatas). Check forums like Miata.net to see which pads and rotors actually fit sport brakes. I ordered mine through Mazdaspeed (free to join and you get discount pricing once you post the results of three racing events) and the pads were expensive ($100+) but I could’ve gone with cheaper parts from a local store.

Cash Rewards > daender 05/21/2018 at 20:37

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Ive been trying to figure out if I have the upgraded brakes. It’s “sport s”, not “hard s”. I was looking at Moss and trying to figure out what brakes to get. I had brembo rotors on a mini Cooper years back. Do the centricnones work well for you then?

daender > Cash Rewards 05/21/2018 at 20:42

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I haven’t done Centric-branded rotors just yet but friends of mine have done it and they have no complaints. They’re just good old blanks. Here’s a guide to tell the difference between sport and regular pre-’03 1.8L front brakes. The Hard S was only available on 6-speed NB2s. They’re slightly stiffer and the rear sway bar is 1mm thicker.

ateamfan42 > MarquetteLa 05/22/2018 at 09:20

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That sucks. I think when I was racing SCCA I moved from those 16x6.5 wheels to 15x7.5 and ran in STS class, which looks to have been completely reconfigured from when I was racing in 2012/2013.

The entire street touring lineup has been reconfigured a bit in recent years. STR was added for the faster roadsters. STC (compacts) and STF (FWD) have come and gone, and this year STH has been added for small turbo cars. It is actually a pretty interesting offering of classes, but does require one to keep up on the rules.