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· Yes, I drive a Barbie car
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4,388 Posts
Discussion Starter · #1 · (Edited)
As some of you may know, I have been driving my Miata pretty much on a daily basis for about 2.5 years now. After some thinking, and since I have other cars I can drive, I am going to actually start a full blown project with it.

For those of you that don't know, the car is a 2005 Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata GT. These came with the 1.8L Turbo mated to a 6 speed trans with a Helical LSD. The factory horsepower rating is 179 at the crank.

My goal is to have a fun car that is decently quick and to be something that I can take to AutoX, Trackdays, and/or drift events. No Herrafrush, no super slammed, none of that JDM madtyte low offset wheels BS.

The car being a Mazdaspeed, a lot of the hard work is sorta done for me already. The Mazdaspeeds come with bigger sway bars, better struts/springs, quicker ratio steering gear, and better chassis bracing underneath.

motor and power wise, I'm wanting to be around the 250-300 whp mark. That way I will have plenty of power for what I am wanting to do and still be easily drivable on the streets.

I already have a few things done as follows:

Muffler delete (Exhaust will be fully redone from the turbo back to eliminate the cat and resonator and to go at least 2.5")
Larger FMIC
Larger charge piping (will be change when big boy turbo goes on)
H&R springs on the front and rear (rates unknown)
Boost cut mod
TPS Mod
Apex'I twin chamber BOV
Turbo XS Dual stage Boost controller
MAF Relocated

Immediate plans are as follows:

un-relocate the MAF (Basically I need to put it back in the proper spot and redo my cold side charge pipe.)

Aerodynamic upgrades, such as, front and rear splitters, trans tunnel cover, adjust the rear spoiler, etc etc

Future plans:

Holset HX35 turbo with a custom made top mount manifold
Full turbo back stright though exhaust
Some sort of EMS setup
Some form of Coilovers (haven't decided on which brand yet)
Full Cage w/ hardtop
more to come as I think of them.

This is the very first picture I ever took of the car right after I bought it.


With the springs and FMIC installed.


Then this happened a few months ago.


I had the entire car painted a fresh coat of Velocity red Mica. Also added OEM "large" side skirts and replaced to rear bumper and added the "large" oem rear strakes.
This is the most current picture I have. Not pictured is the OEM Mazdaspeed Rear spoiler on the trunk.


So there you have it for now.
 

· Yes, I drive a Barbie car
Joined
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4,388 Posts
Discussion Starter · #3 ·
BOV's are for pussies.


but should bea fun toy if you can keep a trans in it if you get to 300 hp
I've thought about that. I am considering going with a 5 speed. I know the 6 speed's aren't as strong.

I am also thinking about going with the Kia Sportage ring gear and pinion swap to give it a 4.30 rear end.
 

· Yes, I drive a Barbie car
Joined
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4,388 Posts
Discussion Starter · #5 ·
Yeah, I'm not 100% sure on which is stronger. I just know that a lot of MSM guys run the 5speed instead of the 6. But that may be more for gearing purposes.
 

· G-force junkie
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109 Posts
Bam! Gearing calculator.
http://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/gearing.php

6spd > 5spd

No one "has to" use a Kia anything. Depending on options '99 and up use 4.3. Actually just ditched mine a few months ago. The 6spd trans gearing is all the same. US MSM use a 3.9 and Australia uses a 3.6. The MSM diff is the same ring gear stuff, but the axles are different and not interchangeable.

Just a suggestion, but get the ECU early. AEM or New MegaSquirt. Most others are failaids, annoying, or run crappy support.
 

· Registered
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783 Posts
just do a LS swap
 

· Yes, I drive a Barbie car
Joined
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4,388 Posts
Discussion Starter · #13 ·
Bam! Gearing calculator.
http://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/gearing.php

6spd > 5spd

No one "has to" use a Kia anything. Depending on options '99 and up use 4.3. Actually just ditched mine a few months ago. The 6spd trans gearing is all the same. US MSM use a 3.9 and Australia uses a 3.6. The MSM diff is the same ring gear stuff, but the axles are different and not interchangeable.

Just a suggestion, but get the ECU early. AEM or New MegaSquirt. Most others are failaids, annoying, or run crappy support.
I plan on looking into getting my hands on an AEM to start things off with the engine. Megasquirt isn't compatible with the MSM for some reason (so I've read), plus I'm not a fan ot the MS system.

I may be hitting you up for that. I'm just going to rock the 6speed until it breaks for now.

just do a LS swap
This is one thing I have put alot of thought into. But the thing is, I can acheive the same base HP rating as a LSx with less money. Plus, I want to seee how much I can squeeze out of the BP motor.
 

· Yes, I drive a Barbie car
Joined
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4,388 Posts
Discussion Starter · #14 ·
I'm having the spoiler actually painted to match the rest of the car today. Its currently been covered with a cheap coat of rattle can. Perks of working on the body shop side of the part dept. lol
 

· G-force junkie
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109 Posts
As soon as TrackSpeed finishes up I should have my AEM here in a bit. Once the car is bolted back up I'll be in the Murf here and there. 250whp is about the factory limit. Rods or oil pump tend to be the first boom. Never, NEVER, get rid of the harmonic damper, unless it's 949's or other damper. Solid underdrives are failsauce.

Also have a spare 5spd laying around FYI.....and radiator....and fans......and head.....
 

· Yes, I drive a Barbie car
Joined
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4,388 Posts
Discussion Starter · #18 ·
If anything ever happens to this motor something else will go in it. It'll give me a reason to yank this one and drop in a LSx.

I think my rods will be ok for now. The man has factory shot peened rods, not super strong but stronger than the normal 1.8 rods.
 

· Yes, I drive a Barbie car
Joined
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4,388 Posts
Discussion Starter · #20 ·
Looking at that flying Miata calculator i couldn't imagine how terrible shifting a 6 speed would be in the quarter, 2nd gear launch material
Hell, driving around town sucks as it is.

I'm constantly shifting gears. Hell this car is the reason when I went to buy a new car, I was looking more for Auto's than Manuals. I'm just tired of shifting so much. :bash:

I often down even use first gear and just pull out in 2nd.
 
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