Ask Bob!

December '99

Does Mazda have access to any variable valve-timing mojo, like Toyota and Honda?

I can't deny that hint of jealousy I feel towards those S2000 drivers. It would be sweet to have a naturally aspirated Miata with bhp between 160 and 180. Any higher would probably break that delicate balance you talk about.

Also, what do you know about the Renesis powerplant used in the Rx-Evolv concept?

Sounds like the promise of rotary engines is about to be realized. Only thing that I'm wondering about is fuel economy.

Jay Miller, Belmont, MA

Mazda has nothing of the V-TEC ilk in the production system right now. I've had a lot of seat time in the S2000 (and am driving one next week), but it's one of those cars that the gloss goes off the more you live with it.

The Renesis engine looks like it'll be a helluva piece when it gets into production. The 280hp (normally aspirated) is at the limit that Japan's officialdom will allow, and there's every reason to believe that any production version for the US will loose some suds as it's introduced to America's - and California's - strict emission rules. But fearlessly I predict it'll still be a ball-buster.

bwob

Are there any ABS retrofit kits for 1990 Miatas (or any other year, for that matter)?

Christopher J. Papazoglou, Alexandria, VA

None that I know of. Aftermarket ABS would probably raise the same product liability questions as, say, an aftermarket air bag would. Both are technically feasible: Peugeot and Citroen have used self-contained airbags where everything - sensors included - was in the steering wheel, so there's potential for an aftermarket bag. I strongly suspect the potential for litigation would cause the companies most likely to commercialize an aftermarket anti-lock brake system a enough worrying about product liability issues that they'd be looking for other, less litigious, business opportunities.

bwob

Hi Bob. I love my Miata. Saw my first one in 90 and waited 7 long years to get one. Now I'm in seventh heaven! My question is, how can I tell what number my Miata is of the 3500 Merlots produced?

Thanks,

Cliff Gress, Greenville, MI USA

Mazda didn't build those cars serially, so it's impossible to determine build order unless you had access to the VINs of all the Merlot cars. In the case of the BRG 1991s, the numbers were issued on delivery, and had nothing to do with build order. Without the importer issuing similar numbering, the VIN is the only way to determine sequence. If you could get a register of all Merlots going, you could figure out where each car appeared in build sequence. But if there's just one missing, the effort would be worthless.

The 10AEs were numbered at the factor in build sequence, although they weren't produced in a single batch but were intermixed throughout the production process.

bwob

I have just recently purchased a '92 Miata. As I look at the large opening in front of the radiator I can't help wondering if it would be a good idea to have some type of grill is front of the radiator to help avoid gravel, trash, etc come in contact with the radiator. What is your opinion?

Dan Hatfield, Columbia, Missouri, USA

That depends upon what sort of detritus you've got to encounter in your neck of the woods. There are plenty of grilles available through the aftermarket, so there's a lot to choose from. I'd opt for a simple, plain mesh grille for any Miata I owned, after taking a can of trusty Krylon satin black and spraying the inner grille area so no body color and/or cadmium-plated bits show.

bwob

I just bought a '99 Miata with the Bose audio system. With the top up the sound is good. With the top down, the '99 really seems to miss the headrest speakers. Can you suggest possible locations for installing rear speakers to improve the sound quality?

Dana Robinson, Atlanta, Georgia

If the audio system is that important, you could always check to see if M1 seats would fit (M2 floorpan architecture is awfully similar to that of the M1) and if they do, get a set from a junk yard and put a set of the Clearwaters into the convenient pockets.

bwob

Can I get a V-6 into my Miata?.. Is there a company that does this?

Glenn Swanson, Piti, Guam

Well, since an eight can be wedged in, a bent six shouldn't be a problem. Three prime candidates would be Mazda's 3.0 liter single cam from the old MPV (the single cam - the twin cam's a smidgen too wide to go in without some tricky cutting), the Nissan 3.0 liter VQ as fitted to the Japanese domestic Cedric and Gloria, which is already set-up for rear-drive and the Suzuki 2.5 V6 as used in the Grand Vitara/Sidekick (although it would probably require conversion to a dry sump). The 1.8/2.0/2.5 K-series V6 is completely unsuited for use in the Miata since it was engineered solely for and produced in front-drive configurations.

As for outfits doing V6 into Miata conversions, I don't know of a single company doing it commercially. People into such excess seem predisposed to eights.

bwob

My daughter loves our Miata and she would like to get a 1/24 scale model to build. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Kerry, Mishawaka/IN/USA

Tamiya makes a superb kit of the M1, packaged as both a Miata (with left-hand-drive) and a Eunos Roadster (right-hand drive), though it's not always easy to find in stores. The M2 has been well-duplicated in scale by Aoshima in both Mazda Roadster (right-hand-drive) and Mazda MX-5 Miata (left-hand-drive) versions. Check with places like Hobby Link Japan ( http://www.hlj.com ) and Hobby Web ­ they're probably the best place to start with if a local search comes up blank.

bwob