University Kid with a Low Budget
#1
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I'm a Mechanical Engineer at Clemson, with a yellow 1990 turbo. I bought it after I broke my black 2000 N/A. The reason I went with a 1990 is mostly because of the headlights. And because I wanted to see how much I could get out of the insurance money from the NB. After I installed the turbo I was right at budget.
Everything I do is my own work and when I need help I come to forums like this. I used information I gathered online to help me turbo my first car (I bought it mostly stock) reliably and quickly. With all the parts and information together I was able to finish it within a weekend. I run a megasquirt computer and an ebay turbo, but boost is addicting and upgrades are coming.
When I bought my 1990, I was unaware of how badly the frame on the car was damaged from a previous accident, but it's these kind of things that allow me to really let loose with it, no regrets.
Everything I do is my own work and when I need help I come to forums like this. I used information I gathered online to help me turbo my first car (I bought it mostly stock) reliably and quickly. With all the parts and information together I was able to finish it within a weekend. I run a megasquirt computer and an ebay turbo, but boost is addicting and upgrades are coming.
When I bought my 1990, I was unaware of how badly the frame on the car was damaged from a previous accident, but it's these kind of things that allow me to really let loose with it, no regrets.
#6
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Location: Tampa, Florida
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Welcome to the forum. We seem to be flush with engineers.
Thankfully, we don't have to talk you into a Megasquirt and out of bandaids. The downside is the few inherent weaknesses of the 1.6 cars you will need to address.
Thankfully, we don't have to talk you into a Megasquirt and out of bandaids. The downside is the few inherent weaknesses of the 1.6 cars you will need to address.
#7
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Welcome.
If you just bought the 90 I would consider trying to resell it and get most of your money back and look at some 94-97's instead. By the time you upgrade the brakes and diff/axels with the 1.8 parts it's equal to the price difference between those two years. And as a bonus you get an engine with a better torque curve.
~$200 - 1.8 brake upgrade
~$600 - 1.8 torsen swap with axels and drive shaft
If you just bought the 90 I would consider trying to resell it and get most of your money back and look at some 94-97's instead. By the time you upgrade the brakes and diff/axels with the 1.8 parts it's equal to the price difference between those two years. And as a bonus you get an engine with a better torque curve.
~$200 - 1.8 brake upgrade
~$600 - 1.8 torsen swap with axels and drive shaft
#8
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 15,189
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Welcome.
If you just bought the 90 I would consider trying to resell it and get most of your money back and look at some 94-97's instead. By the time you upgrade the brakes and diff/axels with the 1.8 parts it's equal to the price difference between those two years. And as a bonus you get an engine with a better torque curve.
~$200 - 1.8 brake upgrade
~$600 - 1.8 torsen swap with axels and drive shaft
If you just bought the 90 I would consider trying to resell it and get most of your money back and look at some 94-97's instead. By the time you upgrade the brakes and diff/axels with the 1.8 parts it's equal to the price difference between those two years. And as a bonus you get an engine with a better torque curve.
~$200 - 1.8 brake upgrade
~$600 - 1.8 torsen swap with axels and drive shaft
#12
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A lot of you want pics, I'll get to those when I have my computer. I realize there are imperfections in the 1.6 that the 1.8 chassis addresses, however the reason that I chose the miata is because it is an underdog when compared to a lot of roadsters. And the 1.6 is an underdog of the underdogs (catch my drift?). I have already performed a brake swap (courtesy of Panic Motorsports for $100) and I like the 1.6 because I have to work harder to make it make the power that others get easily. I'll probably have to go with a diff swap at some point but I'm only running 5lbs of boost until I get my EBC figured out. In regards to the frame, it does drive straight and it's just one of those quirks that lets me feel like I can thrash this car more than I would normally. Also over the summer I will be replacing the snc seal because it is leaking.
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