Pg 1: My Miata story
Pg 2: More details and specs
Pg 3: "Richtown USA" A sweet 1/87th scale car diorama with 40+ cars!
Pg 4: 1/87 scale racing diorama.
Pg 5: Commission a diorama for yourself

Ah yes, a splendid love affair the Miata has provided me over the past 6 years. Back in 1996, I had just begun my career and life outside of college. Work grew boring real quick, but like most people I had to make money to live. So I had to think of other ways to enjoy my life outside of work. I have always loved cars so I thought I would try racing. After going to a few SCCA autocrosses in my Infiniti G20, I was pretty much hooked but knew the G20 wasn�t a great vehicle to compete with (although for a 4 door sedan it handled great). I researched all the budget minded cars out there like the CRX, Civic, MR2 and of course the Miata. My decision was easily made up for the Miata was the only true sports car design with its favorable weight distribution and double wishbone suspension. No FWD and strut suspensions for me, thank you. After 3 months of searching I struck a deal for an off lease 1993 Black and Tan at a great price. I had to pick it up in New Jersey and almost wrecked it on the way home to Rhode Island!

I showed up at the next autocross in my new-to-me Miata and was having a hard time. I ran horribly and was out of control on the track. Knowing I couldn�t be such a bad driver and having had better times in the G20, I figured out the tires were the cause. They were some generic no name brands the last owner bought to sell the car. It was the embarrassment of driving so poorly and being uncompetitive that fueled me to start modifying the Miata. The first things I needed to do to be competitive was replace the worn out suspension and get better tires. By installing all the non-driveline parts by myself, I really got to learn how well engineered the Miata is.

I have a deep emotional attachment to this car now because I did much of the customization myself. Redoing the interior, fabricating the speaker box, seat brackets, and front turn signals, and modifying the rear bumper for the central exhaust were very laborious processes. I also installed the suspension and rollcage. I don�t have access to a machine shop or anything either, it just took a lot of blood, sweat, and swears to do it all with regular hand tools.

Having made the suspension and tire upgrades, I now ran competitively in the BSP class for a few years. Then in 1999, I moved to Colorado, but the Colorado Miata Club doesn�t race and the SCCA out there is too crowded (100+ cars equals 3 to 4 runs in an 8 hour day) so I�ve lost interest in competing.

Although I didn�t compete anymore, I didn�t stop making further modifications. Living at a 5000-foot elevation drained power from my car. Now I couldn�t run around and let other cars pass me on the highway so I had Flyin Miata install their best turbo kit along with the needed clutch, flywheel, and big brake kit. Suffice to say, power was no longer lacking. I could pass 3 cars at a time going uphill on the freeway at 7000 feet of elevation!! I don�t believe in street racing, you should keep that to a track. Even so, the owners of stock WRXs and S2000s shouldn�t try to overtake a turbo Miata because they�ve tried and failed. Many of my friends say my car is the fastest car they have ever driven and/or ridden in. Having approximately 250HP (which isn�t much until it�s in a 2100 lb car), wide rubber, big brakes, and a lower center of gravity, this car forces drivers and passengers to recalibrate their minds from their standard cars.

So after investing about $20K into the car over the span of 6 years, I just moved to Southern California and discovered my car is not smog legal here. Loving this car so much, there is no way I will ever sell it, but it isn�t street legal so I can�t drive it. I made the hard decision of giving it to my old roommate in Colorado for however many years I will live in California. At least it will be looked after and driven occasionally, as it deserves to be. I know I will miss this car so much that it will probably force me to move from California real soon. All I know is when I do get the car back; it�s back to modifications. Perhaps a widebody kit and wider tires�hmmm�.only time will tell.

See next page for mods list and engine bay.

Want to see some other cool rides and car stuff?

�72 Austin Mini Cooper (rally style) and 1:24 scale rally diorama at http://www.cardomain.com/id/takman2

'02 PT Cruiser (18" Boyds, smoothie rear end, dual exhausts) & a super fly one of a kind beach cruiser chopper bicycle for sale.

http://www.cardomain.com/id/takman3