Right-hand-drive Woes

I'm thinking of changing out the dash of my 93 to one of those in 94-97. I don't need working airbags, other than the dash itself, what other parts are needed (glove compartment? instrument cluster cover? vertical console?...) My other concern is whether the connectors, sliders(console area) & aircon/venting ducts would match.
Can you advice on the compatibility of this swap?
BTW, mine is RHD. Thank you so much.

wai choong, Bukit Batok, Singapore

The instrument panel with dual airbags as used in 1994-7 Miatas was produced only in left-hand-drive form. All right-hand-drive Eunos Roadsters and Mazda MX-5s of that vintage continued to use the original (1989-93) instrument panel. As a result compatibility is effectively zero as regards a right hook car since there is no 'alternate' right-hand-drive instrument panel to the one you already have.

bwob

Yup, another one from Yahoo

How big of a short of NOS could my car handle? I have a 1996 Miata
Thanks.

Luke, Mason, WV

Damned if I know, but then we never designed nor tested the engine to survive on anything other than plain old unleaded gasoline. Let me know if something breaks.

bwob

There's a reason it's called the aftermarket, Part XXXVI

Bob I bought a used 90 Miata with a Jackson supercharger already installed there is a drop in power if you jump on it, and between 3000 and 42000 rpms I installed an MSD and readjusted the timing . I also installed a boost gauge and can't seem to get over 4 PSI . Any suggestions

Rob Mease, Plantation Fl.

Yup. Get on the phone to the guys at Jackson racing.

bwob

The cost of gloss

Was there a difference in the paint or the application process between the Montego Blue Miata and the 3rd gen RX-7? The first time I saw an FD in M. Blue it stopped me in my tracks; I've yet to see a Miata that has the same shimmer and color change though I am trying with my car. I could relax a little if I new it was a fruitless attempt by virtue of some real difference between the two.

Robert Mangas, Royal Oak, MI

There was indeed. Though the paint itself was the same, the RX-7 used a system called "High-Reflex Coating" which rotated the shell as it went through the drying oven (and the RX-7 line's oven was run at higher temperatures to take advantage of this). This caused the paint to 'flow' very evenly over the car as it dried and also gave it a harder, glossier surface.

That made the color appear deeper and more lustrous. On the negative side of the ledger, paint using the "High-Reflex Coating" tended to be considerably more brittle than the same paint applied and dried in the conventional method. RX-7s reflected this with hoods which would stone chip very easily (and badly) with the pretty, but pretty fragile, paint.

bwob

A million here, a million there...

In the Miata MX-5 guide book, it says that .. Bob Hall, who recently came from the media himself had similar worries. He agreed with Matsui's plan, but knew that a leaked photo now could botch the whole project before it started.

As millions of dollars were probably spent on Miata development at the time the prototype came to the USA, was the threat even remotely real that the Miata development would be canceled if a picture was taken and published?

Bill Farrell, West Palm Beach,FL USA

At the time the V701 proof-of-concept vehicle was being driven through Santa Barbara, the program had not even been given the OK for a production study. Not a penny had been spent on tooling, with the single proof-of-concept vehicle the only piece of hardware. Total spending was probably well under US$1.5 million at that point in time. Chump change by the standards of the day at Mazda R&D in those days.

Since a production program had not been approved, it would have been very, very easy to use the exposure of the V701 as a justification to kill the project. There were few supporters and rather more detractors of the idea back then, so if it got down to a boardroom vote there'd be no Miata or need for a recount.

bwob

It's called DRAG racing for a reason

Hi Bob, I wanted to ask you what would be the best way to build a complete 1/4 mile drag racing Miata, I am in the market for a 90-97 Miata and was wondering what options are available as far as aftermarket, thanks.

Amer, Bakersfield,CA USA

The best way would be to find someone interested in wasting their life 1/4 mile at a time and asking them.

I'm afraid I lost interest in drag racing while in grade school - shortly after discovering corners and curves - and have spent the balance of my life avoiding driving anywhere in a straight line for 1320 feet or longer whenever and wherever possible. The idea of the fastest Miata in a straight line is about as appealing to me as knowing which member of the Albanian Parliament has the largest anal pustules. I'll let somebody else worry about that, thank you.

This may come as a bit of a shocker, but the Miata was made for corners, not for the appropriately-named dragstrip. Good luck.

bwob

No prizes for guessing it's from a HotMail account

I recently heard a TV commercial about Allergies and Canner and I was wonder what the two had in common, or what pros and cons they had against each other. Thank you for your time. Hope to hear back soon. Lyla

Lyla Kay Hofer, Edmonton, Alberta,Canada

I've found that people who work in canneries usually have allergies to legumes, but only on alternating Wednesdays in months which have an 'r' in them.

bwob

(Editor's note: We don't make this stuff up. These are real letters to Bob.)

Breathless? What a great movie!

Bob, Great site! Thinking of buying a MX-5 for a planned trip to the French Alps @ 10,000ft. Can you tell me if the EFI is altitude compensating as my Healey on 45 Weber gets VERY breathless!

Mike North, London

Like most modern fuel injection systems, the MX-5's offers a degree of altitude compensation. However there will be a perceptible reduction in oomph as you get into the Alps, though nothing like a Big Healey with carbies. Just relax, listen to the cow bells and enjoy the scenery, since it'll take you a little longer to pass through it.

bwob

Numbers vs. actual performance

I am 17 and looking to "hook up" my 93' Miata. I have a thousand dollars right now. What are the best items for the amount of money I have right now to increase my horsepower the most?

thank you for reading my question

Brian, hazlet,NJ,USA

Do you want to increase horsepower or be able to drive the car quicker? If your answer is the latter, and investment in a good performance driving class will give the biggest bang for your buck. Far more than any hardware add-ons. Well, unless you just live your life a quarter mile at a time.
If you are solely interested in increasing power output for the sake of bragging rights or whatever, save a few more bucks and buy an aftermarket turbo. Make sure you have some extra dosh put away for insurance premiums.

But you'll still derive appreciably greater benefit from the aforementioned investment in driver training.

bwob

Wow! Typed with an drawl!

Do yall have this snap in pouch that fits behind the seats in black? Or maybe other type of stuff like that that I can install, I couldn't find that on your web site.

Patsy Davila, Dallas, TX

No, we all don't. But then Miata.net doesn't sell much other than ad space and Miata.net pins. However there are buttons at the bottom of the main page at Miata.net, with one marked 'Marketplace'. Pressing that will bring up a number of links to vendors who do sell things other than ad space and Miata.net pins. You all might want to check them all out.

bwob

Go right to the source and ask the horse...

In the last year or two, I have started to experience a hot start problem with my supercharged 1990 Miata. The first time it occurred, it was about 95 degrees, car was cruising at about 60mph. I stopped the car and stalled it. It did not want to restart. I turned the key, absolutely nothing. Two minutes later it fired up, no problem. Yesterday, it was in the 90's again. Drove the car 20 miles, stopped at a store for about 10 minutes, car would not restart. Nothing. The battery had power, the radio, blower for the HVAC all worked ok. But try to crank the starter, and there is absolutely no reaction. I had to push start the car. When I got home, it restarted with no problem. What do you think? Weak Battery? Starter? Solenoid? Have others had this problem? Thanks!

David Brown, Racine, Wisconsin/USA

Not having - by choice, mind you - any exposure to troubleshooting aftermarket supercharger systems installed to Miatas, I really don't think anything on this subject. Well, other than the fact the outfit which developed the supercharger installation is the one with primary responsibility in how the cars works after such an installation is performed. Inasmuch as you may have noticed that we didn't fit a turbocharger or positive-displacement supercharger in the car we developed, you might want to contact the people who put together the supercharger hardware you've installed.

bwob

Oh, they all do that. Well, sorta...

Hi Bob- nice column...!
I have a '90 Eunos Roadster (Miata) which is un-modified save for a set of mk 2 alloys with 195/50/15 tyres. My problem is the car seems to wander about on the road at speeds over 60mph, plus I think it's suffering from slight oversteer. Things have improved slightly since changing the wheels, having new tires fitted and getting the alignment checked- but still I am left with a car that has a tendency to wander and oversteer. This detracts from the confidence I was expecting behind the wheel of one of these cars. I have had a look underneath etc. and it's very tidy- I believe the car has been well looked after. It's difficult to judge when I've never driven any other MX5's- whether they're all like this- I don't think so however. Am I right in thinking later models had additional chassis braces etc.- your thoughts would be much appreciated

Ed, London- UK

Early NA Series Eunos Roadsters/MX-5s/Miatas (1989 through about mid-1990 build) had the chassis tune optimised very much to the liking of the development team. In relationship to the likes of the more typical driver, this is somewhat 'tailier' and prone to light oversteer than the norm. This is not a unique to the first NA Series Eunos Roadsters/MX-5s/Miatas either; early SA Series (first-generation) RX-7s has chassis dynamics of a similar flavour. A reflection of what the guys doing the car prefer, since (like a fighter aircraft) to be exceptionally responsive a car needs a slight degree of instability. There was a somewhat mistaken belief that the buyers of NA Series Eunos Roadsters/MX-5s/Miatas would have a higher degree of car control than they in fact did, which is why the car was dumbed-down slightly as production continued.

Subsequent models had alterations made (as a running change, separate to any sort of noted facelift or other 'visible' revision) to moderate these characteristics, primarily via minor alterations to spring, shock and bushing rates (duplicating the changes made with early SA Series RX-7s vis-a-vis later production(. There were no changes of primary geometry. Presupposing nothing is bent or otherwise tweaked under your car, fitting circa 1991-3 suspension bits could moderate the oversteer condition and make the car somewhat less likely to wander. The subsequent inclusion of additional chassis bracing was not a factor in this aspect of the vehicle dynamics of NA Series Eunos Roadsters/MX-5s/Miatas.

Use of aftermarket suspension and/or shock absorbers will have an effect on the car's slight tendency to go into a mild oversteer condition, though the degree of improvement can and will vary hugely on the selection of springs an/or shocks as they introduce a myriad of new variables.

bwob

Does it rain in Indianapolis in the summertime?

I really enjoy your column. The Indianapolis Star had an article from Wheelbase Communications about the Miata, 1990-1997, in its auto section on 28 July 2002. I thought immediately of you. Do you know anyone on staff at Wheelbase? The article seemed to be making fun. It stated "From an aesthetic standpoint, the early Miata's factory blue is downright unattractive." I think Mariner Blue is a great color. It's almost as if they wanted to harass the Father of the Miata! Are they pulling our leg on this?

Jim Hartmann, Indianapolis, IN USA

Since I let my subscription to The Indianapolis Star lapse in 1956, I'm afraid they've not been able to harass me much, if at all.

By the same token, anyone who thinks that Mariner Blue is unattractive probably considers silver 1976 Ford Granadas with whorehouse maroon interiors great looking.

As for any leg-pulling on the part of the writer, you'd better drop him/her a line. If you're lucky he/she may even to tell you if their 1976 Granada is a two-door or four-door.

bwob

Iron lung not required

My Suzuki Cappuccino is making this funny sound when I drive it hard and. . . just kidding. :p

Seriously though, I was wondering if you've had a chance to drive the turboed SP Miata Oz has gotten. What's your reaction (either way)? Given that it's not planned for export, if you were being forced to add HP to a Miata, which is the turbo or s/c out there that you think is the best fit?

Owen Chang, Columbus/OH/USA

Yup, it's a fun ride. Much, much faster than an NB8B (or any other Miata), but not better. Well, unless you think that 'faster' makes a car better; I do not.

By the same token, it is no worse than regular Miata, and when boosting power to that sort of level, this is indeed an achievement. While I'd never own one, I'd not hesitate to recommend one to someone who believed that the MX-5 was hopelessly underpowered or that the S2000 was a good car.

Since turbo or positive displacement supercharging are not the sole ways of increasing power for a car (any car, not just a Miata), I could never be 'forced' into selecting between either. As a result, the best 'fit' for an MX-5 in my garage is still to go atmo rather than forced induction. If I were 'forced' into having a Miata with more power, a Toda stroker crank and overbore pistons would be my course of action, along with intake and exhaust to suit.

bwob