Josh's Na6

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 4:11 pm

Haha! yeah I would have but he was driving an MG-F so there wasn't really much I could tell him.

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 2:38 am

Update!!!!!!!!!!
Ok so no pics as of yet but I'll get some on soon.

Well it's been a while since I've updated here so I figure I'll give it a shot. I think a few things have changed since last time, most notably my list of things to buy.
But before that, I've attacked the car with a few little mods.

First off I got rid of the standard shift knob since mine was starting to look a little ragged, and had it replaced with a polished Voodoo thanks to a generous forum member

I have to say i'm definitely a fan of where the shifter sits now, it feels lower and the shifts are a tiny bit shorter thanks to the levers slightly shorter throw. Though I'd still love to put in a short shifter when I finally plug the top seal on the gearbox, but that's a mission for another episode.

The other thing that had been bugging me for some time were the ugly bike reflectors all over the car. I don't know about anyone else but that tacky orange plastic just had to go! I took a cue from Pamex, Stu and all the other billion people on the forum and replaced the repeaters and reflectors with clears.
It actually took a fair bit of hunting around to find the repeaters since every place I looked into seemed to have a a chrome ring around the repeaters.
FYI, I just wanted black rubber/plastic around the base of the repeater like the stock ones have. I'm trying to keep with the OEM styling but pretty it up a little.
Only after I put on the reflectors though, I saw someone rocking some need body coloured plastic inserts.... I'm not sure which I prefer now.
But at the end of the day I made my decision and that's life!

Now in other news, I'm finally out of my massive financial trauma and starting to put some money away. The goal had been to buy a set of BC coilovers and retire my old shockers... Permanently. I'm still shooting for the same thing, but before that I've been coming up with a list of things that need to happen.
I've been trying to prioritize but it's been hard when I wasn't sure on which direction to take the car. But I think now I have a goal and I'm doing my best to stick to it. At the moment I think my car has a bit of a hodge-podge set up going. I mean yeah, arguable I got great deals and couldn't pass them up, the parts are quality and they all work well but when I think about it... I feel like I haven't put any thought into modifying my car.
In relative terms, I feel as if I've just been scouring the used parts bin and picking up anything that looks pretty with a good name to it and bolting it onto the car and not looking at the big picture. Running like a dog with a bone. So this has made me sit down and have a long hard think about what I'm doing, what I've done and what I want. The big question even crossed my mind, is it worth it? Is the mx5 game really where I want to be? Should I sell it and get something else?
I teetered on this for months but now I have an answer. Yes. Yet it's worth it, yes I'm keeping the car, yes the mx5 is for me. This is what I want and where I want to be. But what I was lacking was the direction. Everyone has an image in their head whether they know it or not, a goal.
I'm not sure if I have a goal so to speak, but I do know what I want out of the car.

My list is as follows:
Finish my exhaust-
The RSR is definitely a keeper and the Apexi 4-1's haven't hurt me yet. But it's still a job half done. I'm running with a busted old cat so one of my priorities is going to be to retire it and pick up a 100 cell steel cat. I've already found one online and just have to hit buy when I'm ready.
The second part is to remove the RSR midpipe and have a custom one made up with a resonator in it. The standard RSR pipe doesn't have a resonator in it at all so this will quieten it down a notch and let me hear on the highway.

Fix my suspension:
This is old news and I've mentioned I'm running saggy $20 OEM jobs, but it's on my mind every time I corner. I feel like It's killing the cars handling right now with the excess amount of roll and needs to be replaced. I'm not sure how much life they have in them either since I'm sure they get looser every month.
The plan has always been coilovers and I'm still looking into the BC's. The price is right and I'm very happy to pay it after seeing some face to face.

Stiffen up the car:
This goes in line with the suspension tweaks, I'm looking to put in some FM front and rear sways, strut brace that will clear my mania intake as well as a TB roll bar. With the suspension this should help to stiffen the car up significantly and make the car more nimble and responsive.

That is my current plan for the now. Everything else is put on hold. In terms of visuals, I'm not painting my roof for a long time and a lot of other cosmetic stuff can wait. I've started spray painting my OEM Daisey wheels matte black since I'll be selling the Watanabe's soon. I love the Watanabe wheels but my time with them has passed. I'll be happy running stocks when I have the car driving how I want.
The goal is to have the car handle first and foremost to my desire. I have a goal in mind of the responsiveness and feel I want out of the car. As for power, that stuff can wait, I'm too caught up in the twisties. After I found a patch of road in the country a while back, my perception of the car has changed and I want to gear it towards cornering first and foremost.
The hardest decision I've had to make was to stop working on the engine. No more mods to the motor, no more power. I had a long think about this and came to the realization that I'm chasing a my tail working on the B6. The motor has traveled over 260,000km's now and nomatter how you cut it, that's a big number.
It's not worth rebuilding a 1.6L so the plan is to do a BP conversion. It's the cheapest and safest swap for these cars and there is far more support for modding.
This brought me to another question though, do I sell the Na6 and buy an Na8? In the end I figured it would probably cost me the difference in price just replacing the motor and brakes and building an equivalent. The only thing I really want out of the Na8 is the BP motor and the bigger brakes but that's virtually it. So realistically I'm happy where I am now.
As for the engine swap, sure it sounds like something I should add to the list up there. But to be honest, this is how I see it:
The motor is running fine as it is so it wouldn't be worth my time replacing it. Since the whole motor will be removed and replaced, it seems more cost effective to just leave it in and when it decides it's time on this earth is up, buy a new motor.
I've been offered a few motors now, notably an SR20DE lol. But I'm not ready for that now.
I have my list and I'm doing my best to stick to it. no doubt, I'll get distracted like always and buy something pretty I don't need for the car but hopefully I'm staying on track.

The other news is I have a deadline for this. I'm aiming to get the exhaust done after Christmas and coilovers next month. the braces will hopefully be in at the end of Feb to mid March along with strut bracing.

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 6:51 am

Sounds like a well thought out plan. You might like to have a very close look at the Yellowspeed coilovers from Mania. They seem like excellent bang for the bucks. Also, if it were me, I'd skip the strut brace - they're more about glam than real benefit in an NA6. As for your diff, you should be able to identify whether it's a TorSen or whatever, using the guide in the Miata.net garage. If it turns out you've got a VLSD, it's probably dead by now anyway, so might be worth hunting down a TorSen.

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 12:40 pm

Nice little write up Josh. It sounds like your settled on what you want now.

If your coming to garage next week, take my car out for a drive as it has basically everything your wanting to add. I'm sure you will be very impressed with how much of a difference a bit of tweaking adds to the cars handling.

Come Monday morning, my car will have:

-FM front and rear adjustable sway bars
-Cusco 4 point front chassis/subframe brace
-Cusco 2 point rear chassis/subframe brace
-185/60/14 Bridgestone Adrenaline RE001 on stock wheels
-Koni adjustables with king springs
- An aggressive wheel alignment

I'm happy for you to take it for a drive to really feel what everything does as a package. The most noticeable mod so far was the cusco bracing, the sways are not fitted as yet though, I already know they will be great though

Looking forward to watching this space ;)

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:16 pm

Well it's a new year and I've begun my resolution. I've just purchased a brand new Magnaflow 2.25" high-flow cat for the car and have half a set of coilovers in my bank, back to saving!

I've sold my 16x8 5 stud Watanabe wheels so that will render some more play moneys when they get picked up soon. Coilovers shouldn't be too far away.
I've finally settled on a set of wheels to buy now. It's taken me AGES and a lot of research, in the end it came naturally. I had an epiphany a while back and I've seen the light, legit wheels all the way and lighweight. It hit me one night when I was filling the car up and caught a glimpse of the Wat's on the car.
It struck me odd that I have legitimate RS Watanabe wheels on my car that weigh almost nothing and I'm thinking about selling them for a knock off in a better fitment just to save some $$.... I realised then and there I'd be going backwards. It should have hit me a long time ago but i guess it's easy to get distracted.
So I hit up all the oldschool JDM wheels I love, I settled on a handful.
It came down to Work Equip 03, Work Meisters, SSR Formula Mesh, SSR MK3, SSR StarShark and Hayashi Streets. Sadly, everyone seems to be getting a set of Equips and Meisters now and the rest of my favorites are either stupidly expensive or hard to find...
It was only recently after stumbling on some pics that I became quite attached to the 949 Racing 6UL wheels. So the current plan is to finish repainting my stock daisies and sell off my Watanabe's. The specs I'm looking at are 15x9 +36 in matte bronze, though that may be subject to change. I've had black wheels for ages and sure I love it but I'm still planning on repainting my hard top and pillars black. So I think it might be an idea to change it up a little and throw down a new colour on the wheels.

Thanks for reading my build thread by the way, I don't think I've said that in previous posts. I'd really appreciate feedback as well!

Aside from plans for the car, I noticed a few things I'm having trouble with. Namely this scuffling sound behind me. It sounds like something running up and down the parcel shelf when I turn hard or hit the brakes. thing is, I can't find anything loose at all. I haven't pulled up the carpet yet but feeling under it, I can't feel anything loose underneath so it's very odd...
There is a seemingly random groan in the car too, this only happens occasionally. I'll be backing out the driveway and I'll hear this weird gwaaaaaaaar noise from the rear. I admit, my shockers are on the way out (hence getting replaced) but other than that I've not the faintest clue where it's coming from.... But like i said it's only once in a while it does it and it will only do it driving up and down a slope. Any ideas?

Also having some electrical problems too, but these aren't a priority. I can deal with it for now but it can be annoying. There is an intermittent connection somewhere which is causing my windows to not function at all on start up. Then suddenly they'll work without warning maybe 5 or so minutes later. It's odd because initially I thought it could have been the switch but the stereo will do the same thing. It won't work when i start the car up and after a seemingly random amount of time it will blink on. But this happens independent of the windows, yet sometimes the same time. Then the cigarette lighter will do the same!!!
It's a pain in the ass but It's nothing major. it's only interior. I checked all my fuses and it doesn't seem to be coming from there. I'm yet to take the tombstone off and look around since I know very little when it comes to electronics. If there is anyone who can help, I'd appreciate it!!!
Then the last problem I've got on that end of things is the remote central. Sometimes it won't lock when I hit the button but the immobilizer will come on. So the button works fine since I get a response from the car, it's just the locks that work when they want to. No idea how to fix... But it's something to keep an eye on I guess.

Can't wait for my cat to arrive in the mail. I'll be able to get a resonated midpipe when they fit it, which means no pansy ass silencer in my exhaust!!!

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:31 am

Though sadly still not a fan of the crap offset of the 949's even at their widest...

funmx5 · Postby **funmx5** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:20 pm

josh
what wheels have you got on your na now?

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:57 pm

The wheels I have at the moment are 14x6.5 RS Watanabe F8's powder coated satin black with a clear on top. I love them but to be honest, just not a fan of the weak offset (about +34 or something) and I'm after more of a flush fitment. Plus I hate myself for going what looks basically gloss instead of matte black. When I first got the wheels they were a horrible white colour that had tarnished, I cleaned them up as best I could but it still looked merky so I had them sandblasted and recoated.

zossy1 · Postby **zossy1** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:16 pm

Here's what I've bought for my car - the new Enkei J-Speed Classic in 15x8 +25. Available in Silver or Black. I bought from fleabay USA as they are not available in Oz, and I paid around $900AUD shipped for the set (may get slugged with a few bucks duty too). They are slightly heavy at 15.1lbs but they have the aggressive offset and the JDM look you are after. I plan on running them with 205/50s.

Alternatively, you might consider a set of Rota RB or XXR Sportmax as both are available with the aggressive offset you are after - but until you have your coilovers and can stance the car properly, none of these wheels will look any good. Sounds like you have that covered though

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:14 pm

Wow those jspeed wheels are pretty cool, those are Watanabe GR8's rebadged under Enkei yeah? I think there is an XXR clone too.
Do you have any pics of these on the car at all? oh and what are the weights of these?

Also thanks for the comment on my FS thread!

zossy1 · Postby **zossy1** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:03 pm

They're actually a reproduction of the old Enkei J-Speed from the 90s. Not sure if they were an original design of Enkei, but yes - I have seen the XXR knockoff...

I have yet to see them on an MX5, but mine are not far away - hopefully pics will be available soon

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:23 pm

I actually found a pic of the wheels I was talking about.

http://www.vrwheels.com/images/IMG_1401.JPG

Those are Watanabe GR-8's. Not sure if they were original manufactured by Racing Service Watanabe originally or if they are a reproduction. It's hard to keep tabs these days. It seems like a lot of the high end JDM manufacturers are making reproductions of other prominent JDM ones. Especially with parent companies and manufacturers buying out other names. I remember way back, Speed Star Racing (SSR) owned Watanabe, just like how Rays has Volk and Work under them.
But now SSR is independant I think and aren't affiliated with Watanabe like they were. So it's a bit of mess working out who made what and when lol.

zossy1 · Postby **zossy1** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 12:38 pm

Hmm... Similar but different to my J-Speeds. They finally arrived Friday and, thanks to Kevin, they already have rubber on them. I mounted the rears on my unfinished girl yesterday but didn't have the foresight to take pics... Will do so this arvo. Suffice to say, they are sexy!!

And I probably have the only set in Oz ATM.