Well I drank the Kool-Aid too, which is what spurred the name of this turd.

In the same vein (hopefully) as the 949 Rental and 95R, Trackspeed Rover, and Hornetball’s Red build, I present you with “Purple Drank”.

Mission: Build a capable, reliable car in order to win at HPDE and the adoration of all (few)

Sub-mission: Try and have the guy behind the wheel learn how to drive a bit without wadding anything up.

Step one: Buy car.



Found this 1996 M edition for sale locally about 2 years ago. Well cared for and almost bone stock. Car came with a double hoop roll bar, Racing Beat intake, and a Koyo 37. It was clean and basically unmolested so I didn’t have anything to repair. New timing belt, maintenance was up to date. M.net wine and cheese types can weep at the thought of defiling an M edition. Win.

Step 2: Read and research.

Initially I had boner inducing visions of V8 burnouts and spurting blow off valves. Call it my Miata adolescence. While is still think V8s and turbo’s are frigging awesome (wouldn’t be here if I didn’t), it’s the LAST thing some track newb needs to play with. Plus it’s tough to do on a budget unless you are a badass. The more I read the more I realized that a low power/high grip quasi-budget build would be the best course of action. Motor will be the last thing to do. As she sits today.





Here is a current mod list:

• 15x9 6Ul + 225 RS3s – Black because I’m lazy and hate washing off brake dust.
• Xida CS – Coilovers of the gods. 600/400 lbs of dampening bliss.
• 949 11.75 BBK / Mtuned rear kit/ 929 1” MC / Wilwood prop valve/ XP12s/ Factory ABS - Holy crap stopping power and pedal feel. Minor interference issue with my tie-rod ends.
• RB hollow front bar – It’s red
• Stock rear bar – It’s black
• BFW GT3 6 point – Yes I copied the Inside line guys. It looks bad ***, is lighter than a cage, and I won’t be going W2W anytime in the next century. Did a great job of stiffening up the car and Moti was freaking awesome to work with.
• RB header + 2.5 test pipe + Goodwin roadster sport – Loud enough to get a black flag at Laguna. 98.9 DB. Lifting pass the sound booth uphill after 5 SUCKS.
• RB Intake – Really good at heat soaking.
• Deleted: AC + PS + CC
• Exterior: Singular hood vents + aerocatch + APR mirrors + KG works spoiler (hiding a dent) + GV lip + FM intake lid

So that brings me up to date. BUT, there are some new developments. I’ll post up some photos later this evening once I’m home from work. Stupid corporate laptop wont let me access Flickr!

 

Some upgrades in the works

Operation: ALLOFTHESHIFTS



MSM 6 speed - Got a killer deal on this which allowed me to grab a couple other things to go along with it.

NB starter
Supermiata 1.6 flywheel
ACT HD 1.6 with street disc
New hydraulics and braided clutch line
Miataroadster tall angled shifter

I should net another 10 lbs off the car with the swap even with the additional weight of the 6 speed.



4.3 Torsen - I used Brains method to knock out the bushings, took 5 mins per side with a hammer and cold chisel. ES Poly or Delrin mounts for this.

Planning on keeping my factory 4.1 torsen in case I hate it. I have a feeling its going to pair well with an N/A build.

 

You are going to love the 6x4.3 on track. Much excellent. ECU or NB engine in its future?
I'm guessing you're at around 120whp now. 145whp is more better.

 

Yeah the 6x4.3 1-5 ratios looked similar to a 5x4.875, with an extra gear to get me to and from the track at 75 mph. Can't wait to try it out.

ECU in the very near future. I picked up a MSPNP2 in trade about a month ago. plugged it in and got everything connected yesterday. Just waiting on getting a bung welded into a spare test pipe and I'll start tuning.

For the motor, I already have a square top and 99 head sitting in my garage.

Original plan was to swap this onto my current motor and see what it could do, but this motor is starting to have oil pressure issues at start up. I'm thinking its probably a sticking oil pressure release valve.

New plan is to run this motor through October, smog it, then go NB2 bottom end or have something built. Ill be ecstatic if I can squeak out 130-135 whp with some tuning for the time being.

 

Very nice! I picked up a 4.3 with an OSGiken a while ago and I plan on staying N/A, as well, so I hope I like the gearing too! I will be going from a 3.9 to a 4.3, so it will be a lot more shifting lol.

 

The 6spd/4.3 combo scares me. I want to try it, but so scare for street use.

 

By street use, do you mean highway? I live 5 hours from the nearest track, so I am super-screwed, but around town it should be fine.

 

Yes, 3-7 hour trips won't be uncommon with this car.

That said, the NVH is going to be pretty horrid anyways, so i suppose it doesn't really matter.

 

You have the SM engine mounts, right? I will be getting those, too, so we will be in the same boat.

 

The 6 x 4.3 is a necessary evil for a dedicated track car. So perfect on track, always in the right gear and often two gears to choose from. The 5 speed only works with a 4.77 (Kia) and a fairly broad powerband.

 

I hope one of you gets those 70 duros in before I swap subframes. I'm a big puss and want someone else to tell me there aren't that bad.

That said I have a fresh set of MazComps ready to go in if they are that bad.

 

Sack up, boy.

You're already down the path this far... Why hold back now?

(Plus, I'll totally toss those Mazda ones into Mary's car... She's in desperate need of new motor mounts! )

 

What's your timeframe on the subframes? I have an autox April 19th. They'll be in before then at the latest. I won't have tires until the 13th, so i probably won't be able to give much feedback before then, since the tires on the car now sketch me right the **** out.

 

I have time, still waiting on the last few parts to trickle in anyways. Biggest issue is the intermediate shaft U-joint in the car now is shot. It makes things, uh, exciting at the track. I won't be returning until its fixed.

Between a nagging GF, work, and fear of getting dirty I would say a month is about right. The 6 speed should go in next weekend.

I still have to drive 1-2-3 hours to whatever track and I want to keep my fillings intact on the way. I already have to bribe or rufie my GF to even ride in the car so that wont factor in. Also, it was previously stated, I am a big puss.

 

Our GFs are so much different... I keep forgetting about your estrogen component!

 

Props for a fantastic looking car and a great post. Sounds like fun.

 

Thanks! Gonna do my best to keep this thread updated.

Well this happened yesterday. Huge thanks to Twibs415 for access to his shop and doing most of the work. This guys knows his way around a Miata.



We managed to get the swap done in 4 hours, including new hydraulics for the clutch. Only problem was once we pulled it off the lift and pushed in the clutch it was making a pretty strange whirring noise that neither of us were comfortable with.

So we got to do it a 2nd time. Pulled it back apart, rechecked everything, all looked good. Put it back together again, dropped it off the lift and

Same sound.

We decided I would drive it home, order a new throwout bearing, and we would pull if back apart next weekend. After a 10 minute drive home on the freeway the sound was completely gone!

EFF YES. Definitely something I'll keep my eye on, but so far so good.

 

6 speed and ACT HD have been pretty awesome since throwing them in. Still breaking in the clutch. Can't wait to use it at the track. NB front subframe will be going in on Sunday, cannot wait to swap out this crunchy intermediate shaft.

Had some new goodies come in too.



2.5" metal core cat with O2 bung for my AEM (Cant have the smog ****'s smelling your test pipe in CA)



Racetech RT1000 for the passenger side. Have an RT4009 incoming for the drivers side. I made the decision to overhaul my safety gear after this happened to my friends as at MRLS back in January...

 

To do list for tomorrow:

• NB subframe
• NB UCA
• NB LCA (fresh powdercoat)
• NB Spindles (POR 15d)
• NB manual rack
• NB intermediate shaft
• AWR reinforced sway bar mounts
• Miataroadster delrin rack bushings
• ES Poly bushings
• Mazdacomp motor mounts
• Singular motorsports brake ducts
• New lower ball joints
• New inner tie rods
• New outer tie rods
• 700lb springs for Xidas
• Fancy new orange spring locators for my NB hats
• New set of Torrington bearings
• NB lower rad hose

This should address the steering issues I have with my wonky intermediate shaft and I'm really hoping it fixes the clearance issues I have with the 11.75" rotors and tie rod ends.

I'll never have to mess with the RB brace blocks again either!

 

Needs moar squaretop.