Sleeper

Page 1: Miata overview
Page 2: suspension/interior
Page 3: engine/transmission
Page 4: 1995 M3
Page 5: prairie dogs

For the money, I feel it's difficult to build a better all around sports car than a turbo Miata. My goal was to build the ultimate street car within a reasonable budget. My definition of the ultimate street car is:
(1) sleeper, but still looks good
(2) fast as hell (under 12 sec 1/4 mile)
(3) handles like a go-kart (over 1 g)
(4) runs on pump gas
(5) reliable!
(6) doesn't drain my bank account

I chose to start my project with a 94 R package Miata. The R package came with manual steering, torsen LSD, manual windows, front lip spoiler, and rear spoiler. Being a 94, I do not have to deal with OBDII.

Go power:

I built the engine with Pauter rods, JE pistons, MBSP, ARP head/main studs, ported and polished head. I installed a Racingmazda.com Xtreme kit with 0.63 AR turbine, 0.50 AR compressor. The injectors are 830 cc/min, fed by a Vishnu fuel rail and Walbro 255LPH HP fuel pump. The exhaust is all 3" mandrel bent tubing with a Magnaflow muffler.

The car currently puts out 313 rwhp / 288 ft-lbs of torque @ 19 psi on a Mustang dyno. Mustang dyno numbers are typically much lower than Dynojet. From our experience, Miatas are 15% higher on dynojets. Converting the Mustang numbers to Dynojet yields: 360 rwhp / 330 ft-lbs (uncorrected)

Many people ask how I can get any traction.. it's not easy on street tires. I added an Apexi AVC-R boost controller, which is programmable for gear dependent boost. I run lower boost in 1st and 2nd gear, and full boost in 3rd gear and up.

Here is a closeup shot of the Racingmazda.com X-kit turbo with my custom heat shield. The turbo is a T3/04E with 0.5 AR compressor and 0.63 AR turbine. The manifold, turbo, downpipe, and dumptube are all ceramic coated with JetHot2000. The wastegate is a Tial 35 mm.

I added an Aquamist 2s water/methanol injection system to increase the detonation resistance of the fuel, decrease intake air temps, and lower EGTs. The 2s is programmable for duty cycle versus rpm and map. I run normal blue windshield washer fluid, which contains water and methanol. An Electromotive TEC2 controls fuel and spark, which is critical in a high boost engine running pump gas! The crank trigger and high power ignition coils ensure accurate and powerful spark.

Huge bar and plate type air-to-air intercooler. I measured the pressure drop through the IC at less than 1 psi at 14 psi of boost!

We have our new dyno in the shop! It's a Mustang MD-250, which is upgradeable to AWD. Tuning a standalone ECU on this loading chassis dynamometer will be a snap compared to the inertial Dynojets I have been working with.