SaturnOnSteroids’s 1999 Mazda Miata MX-5

Welcome to my 1999 Mazda MiataA local friend of mine bought the entire drivetrain from my 1995 and was going to put it into this car, but he ended up with an early NA Miata that has an entire Italia conversion kit instead. He decided that my old drivetrain is going into that car and sold this car to me. When I got the car it had a tan soft top, tan/black leather interior, and 17" Enkei wheels. It also had a Jackson Racing M45 supercharger kit (thus the different exhaust system), but that was pulled just prior to my buying the car.Since I've had the car I've added the 6UL wheels, utilized the coilover setup and lowered it, swapped the tan soft top for a black top, installed a pair of NB2 (01-05) tail lights, and I yanked the tan interior in favor of an OEM black interior, plus some other things. At the moment it is unfortunately more show than go, but it does have a very capable suspension setup, which is a good step to take before adding tons of power. The current plan is to swap install a turbo kit based around an MSM turbo, which is good for about 200rwhp. Perfect for a fun daily driver that's also pretty low maintenance. Ultimately I want to do an LSx conversion, so most of the car funds are being saved for that goal. Take a look at my '95 and you'll immediately know this project will be done right the first time.You can find me as RotorNutFD3S on:www.MX5Atlanta.com www.MiataTurbo.netwww.MazdaRoadster.netwww.ClubRoadster.net www.Miata.netWork in Progress:Nothing... for the minute.Current Modifications:- Engine Mods:Stock '99 BP4WOBX Header2.5" RoadsterSport MidpipeCobalt Stainless Steel ExhaustDIY Coldside Intake- Drivetrain and Suspension Mods: Tein Flex Coilover System - 9kg/6kg SpringsFlyin' Miata Front and Rear Sway BarsCobalt 3-Point Shock Tower BraceAdjustable End LinksWilwood 4-Piston 11" Front Brake KitNB Sport Rear Brake Swap w/ EBC Green Stuff PadsStainless Steel Braided Brake LinesStainless Steel Braided Clutch LineHard Dog M2 Hard Core Hard Top Double Diagonal Roll Bar w/ Bolt-In Harness Bar & CoverFlyin' Miata Cannon BraceBeatrush PPF BraceFlyin' Miata Frame Rails- Interior Mods: Momo Competition 350mm WheelDaikei HubNA SeatsBride Vios III LowMax Sport Seat (For Track Events)Revlimiter Version: FC NB GaugesKG Works Aluminum Instrument PanelDataTool RevlightScanGaugeIIInnovate LC-1 WBo2AutoMeter Cobalt Oil Pressure & Temperature GaugesNeutral Switch BypassD-Technique Center Console Delete KitVooDoo Smooth Piano Black Shift KnobNB2 Window Switch w/ Auto-Down FeatureOEM Black Interior SwapMazdaSpeed Miata Rear View Mirror in Black MicaMazdaSpeed Miata Door SillsMitsubishi Eclipse Vent Swap- Exterior Mods: HID Bi-Xenon Projector RetrofitGarage Vary Replica Front BumperGarage Vary EyelidsTrack Dog Racing Front SplitterCarbing Front Tow HookRennenMetal Rear Tow HookKG Works Side MarkersSlickAuto APR GT3 Carbon Fiber MirrorsMazdaSpeed Miata Rear SpoilerMazdaSpeed Miata Rear DiffuserIL Motorsports LED 3rd Brake LightMorette Tail LightsOEM Black Soft TopSpoon Fuel LidSharkAttack II AntennaNautilus Air Horn- Wheels and Tires: 949Racing 15x7.5 34 6ULs Nickel Finish949Racing Black Anodized Aluminum Lug Nuts205/50/15 Yokohama S-Drives- Audio Mods: Pioneer AVH-P6600DVD RadioClearwater 8" Door "Subwoofers"Clearwater Door TweetersRockford Fosgate 3.5" Headrest SpeakersSharkAttack II Antenna

All I'd like to add now to assist in stiffening the chassis are frame rail reinforcements and a 3-point shock tower brace.Sport Brake SwapI ended up with a set of NB Sport Brakes, which have slightly larger rotors in the front and much larger rotors in the rear. They also have larger pistons in the calipers.Comparison of the fronts off the car (Sport on left):

99-00 Headlight RetrofitThis is a relative easy and inexpensive project to complete, however it does take some time and patience to do it properly. I highly recommend that you handle the parts while wearing latex gloves, especially the projector shrouds or any of the chrome pieces. They easily pick up oily fingerprints and when cleaned improperly, can lightly scratch, leaving a hazed finish.This setup is easy to complete (no cutting or modification to the housings or projectors required) and the parts are relatively inexpensive while being of very good quality.* I assume no responsibility for you screwing up your headlights, getting pulled over, or any other problematic issues you may encounter.This projects uses Morimoto Mini H1 Bi-Xenon projectors (with Mini Gatling shrouds) from theretrofitsource.com, cost is $120 for the pair. These projectors have low-beam/high-beam capability and include parts to make the retrofit a mostly bolt-in affair.First, we have the projectors:

The original plan was to stuff an LSx V8 into this car, but due to being recently engaged, shopping for a house, etc., that plan has been put on hold for the time being. In the meantime, I've been stuffing away parts to turbo the car, but with the goal of spending the least amount of money as possible. I have the benefit of consistently helping and working on a lot of Miata-related projects which help me get some nice parts and I patiently watch various Miata forum's classifieds for a great deal.So far I have the following parts:

Welcome to my 1999 Mazda MiataA local friend of mine bought the entire drivetrain from my 1995 and was going to put it into this car, but he ended up with an early NA Miata that has an entire Italia conversion kit instead. He decided that my old drivetrain is going into that car and sold this car to me. When I got the car it had a tan soft top, tan/black leather interior, and 17" Enkei wheels. It also had a Jackson Racing M45 supercharger kit (thus the different exhaust system), but that was pulled just prior to my buying the car.Since I've had the car I've added the 6UL wheels, utilized the coilover setup and lowered it, swapped the tan soft top for a black top, installed a pair of NB2 (01-05) tail lights, and I yanked the tan interior in favor of an OEM black interior, plus some other things. At the moment it is unfortunately more show than go, but it does have a very capable suspension setup, which is a good step to take before adding tons of power. The current plan is to swap install a turbo kit based around an MSM turbo, which is good for about 200rwhp. Perfect for a fun daily driver that's also pretty low maintenance. Ultimately I want to do an LSx conversion, so most of the car funds are being saved for that goal. Take a look at my '95 and you'll immediately know this project will be done right the first time.You can find me as RotorNutFD3S on:www.MX5Atlanta.com www.MiataTurbo.netwww.MazdaRoadster.netwww.ClubRoadster.net www.Miata.netWork in Progress:Nothing... for the minute.Current Modifications:- Engine Mods:Stock '99 BP4WOBX Header2.5" RoadsterSport MidpipeCobalt Stainless Steel ExhaustDIY Coldside Intake- Drivetrain and Suspension Mods: Tein Flex Coilover System - 9kg/6kg SpringsFlyin' Miata Front and Rear Sway BarsCobalt 3-Point Shock Tower BraceAdjustable End LinksWilwood 4-Piston 11" Front Brake KitNB Sport Rear Brake Swap w/ EBC Green Stuff PadsStainless Steel Braided Brake LinesStainless Steel Braided Clutch LineHard Dog M2 Hard Core Hard Top Double Diagonal Roll Bar w/ Bolt-In Harness Bar & CoverFlyin' Miata Cannon BraceBeatrush PPF BraceFlyin' Miata Frame Rails- Interior Mods: Momo Competition 350mm WheelDaikei HubNA SeatsBride Vios III LowMax Sport Seat (For Track Events)Revlimiter Version: FC NB GaugesKG Works Aluminum Instrument PanelDataTool RevlightScanGaugeIIInnovate LC-1 WBo2AutoMeter Cobalt Oil Pressure & Temperature GaugesNeutral Switch BypassD-Technique Center Console Delete KitVooDoo Smooth Piano Black Shift KnobNB2 Window Switch w/ Auto-Down FeatureOEM Black Interior SwapMazdaSpeed Miata Rear View Mirror in Black MicaMazdaSpeed Miata Door SillsMitsubishi Eclipse Vent Swap- Exterior Mods: HID Bi-Xenon Projector RetrofitGarage Vary Replica Front BumperGarage Vary EyelidsTrack Dog Racing Front SplitterCarbing Front Tow HookRennenMetal Rear Tow HookKG Works Side MarkersSlickAuto APR GT3 Carbon Fiber MirrorsMazdaSpeed Miata Rear SpoilerMazdaSpeed Miata Rear DiffuserIL Motorsports LED 3rd Brake LightMorette Tail LightsOEM Black Soft TopSpoon Fuel LidSharkAttack II AntennaNautilus Air Horn- Wheels and Tires: 949Racing 15x7.5 34 6ULs Nickel Finish949Racing Black Anodized Aluminum Lug Nuts205/50/15 Yokohama S-Drives- Audio Mods: Pioneer AVH-P6600DVD RadioClearwater 8" Door "Subwoofers"Clearwater Door TweetersRockford Fosgate 3.5" Headrest SpeakersSharkAttack II Antenna

Interior ChangesI didn't really like the tan interior that Miatas came with and I really don't enjoy leather in a convertible (no offense to anyone that likes either!). The center console and floor mats were already swapped for black so I decided to swap the entire interior to black.Here's the before:

You're looking at a MazdaSpeed Miata turbo assembly with very low mileage. This assembly bolts directly to the stock '99-'00 downpipe which will allow me to bolt up to my existing 2.5" RoadsterSport midpipe without any hassle. At the top is an Enthuza XR Lightweight exhaust from a Mazdaspeed Miata. These sound extremely good with a turbo upstream. Right below it is a pair of MazdaSpeed Miata engine mounts, brand new, which will reduce some engine movement but will not cause harsh vibration. The clutch setup is Flyin' Miata's Happy Meal with a 10.3 lb aluminum flywheel. It has been lightly used for about 4-5k miles, but wasn't abused and the deal was awesome, so I got it. I also have a Walbro 190lph HP fuel pump if I end up needing it. Not pictured are my Supra 330cc injectors, however, I may be moving up to 440cc injectors when this all goes in.In order to bolt this assembly to the side of the engine it's necessary to replace the stock water pump inlet with the inlet that's specifically for the MSMs. Otherwise the turbo will not clear the lower radiator hose. I searched and waited for one to pop up used and it finally did. Patience paid off and saved me a considerable amount of money on just one piece.At this point I only have $600 invested in this setup. All I need is an intercooler and piping, oil and water lines, and engine management. The intercooler will probably be an eBay unit and I'm thinking of spending a little more on piping as I'd like to have the FM pipes again, they are all silicone and there are only 3 pipes for the hot- and coldside. I can make my own SS lines for the oil and water lines, so cost should be well regulated there. For engine management I'm considering the Greddy Emanage Ultimate. It's an older but proven unit, allows me effectively run larger injectors, and most importantly it will allow me to pass yearly OBDII emission checks.2/18/11 - I also bought a MazdaSpeed Miata oil pan (just like I did during the rebuild on my '95) since the motor and transmission is coming out when I do this install. This will keep the turbo oil drain plug-n-play and I get the added benefit of the MBSP (Main Bearing Support Plate).

Preheat the oven to 220°, while it's warming up, prepare a cookie pan by covering it with aluminum foil (helps prevent the pan from stinking of burnt plastic, although no odor is really produced). Place the headlight in the oven for 10-12 minutes, I found it worked best to use the rack in the middle. Time will depend on your oven obviously, less time is better.

The factory "eyeball" vents leave a lot to be desired because when they age they don't stay in position very well. It was found that 3rd gen Mitsubishi Eclipse vents pop right in with very little modification. The result is an OEM appearance, no more fighting with the vents, and a lot more airflow if the passenger side vents are closed off (when no one is riding along that is):

Put on a pair of soft leather or vinyl gloves and remove the headlights from the oven. Carefully use a flat head screwdriver and pry the lens from the housing, too hard and you'll damage the housing or lens, they're plastic so they get soft when hot. If the housing doesn't want to come apart easily, put it in the oven for a couple more minutes. When it's at the proper heat it will come apart easily with just a little assistance with a screwdriver. The sealant will stretch as you pull the two pieces apart, just let it break, making sure that the sealant doesn't get on the lenses. (Reinstalling the lenses is the opposite of these steps, heat and push back together, but we'll get to that later.)

Here's the hardware you'll need: very small M3x8mm flat-topped Philips head machine screws (in stainless) and 7/8" fender washers. The fender washers sit between the projector and the headlight reflector and seat the projector in the correct position. The screws hold the bulb retainer in place and need to be flat-topped so the bulb can be installed properly.

I personally didn't like how the shrouds attach to the projectors. They clip on in three places, are hard to clip on, and seem to pop off easily anyway. People on HIDPlanet suggest using JB Weld, high temp silicone, or other methods to ensure they stay on. Not a fan of that, especially when it would be difficult to fix should one of those methods fail. However the most recent generation of these projectors include a revised shroud that attaches via four screws in existing holes in the projector, which is a lot more secure. I exchanged the current shrouds for the new style.Old shroud on left vs. new shroud:

After checking everything, return to the oven and bake the headlights back together. Loosely apply the lenses to the headlights and place one assembly at a time in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Then remove the assembly and push it together as firmly as you can. Be careful where you push as the plastic is now very soft. If you can't get it back together all the way, simply put it back in the oven for a few more minutes. Adding more sealant is not necessary.My relay is mounted on the passenger side behind that headlight and the main power source for the relay was taken from the fuse block up near the firewall. If you unbolt the box, there's a large red w/ black stripe (IIRC) wire that carries 12v when the key is in any position and that's the wire I used. Each ground wire is bolted to the ground distribution block underneath each headlight. Everything else simply plugs in.I mounted the "slim" HID ballasts under each headlight to the flat portion of the car's body that's in the turn signal area, so this is all the wiring that you can see: