The email was about Miatas of course and it came up that the official GRM head family had not owned an NB Miata.
I kinda figured that would be a thing at this point. I guess the mechanicals aren't that much different from NA to NB, but still, for science!
That is weird. The forgotten middle child.
Hmmm. I'm a middle child, and I own an NB. Fitting?
2003 here
We've spent lots of time in and around them, but nope–no NB Miatas here.
Is mudding a thing in Florida? Can you fjord the Everglades or something? Because a wrecked out NB with coilovers, long springs, that fancy new Flyin' Miata lift kit, and a snorkel instead of a headlight would be amazing.
Kylini wrote: Is mudding a thing in Florida? Can you fjord the Everglades or something? Because a wrecked out NB with coilovers, long springs, that fancy new Flyin' Miata lift kit, and a snorkel instead of a headlight would be amazing.
Wait, that lift kit thing is for real? I saw the post and thought it was a joke. Oh, wait, FM never jokes about Miatas.
It's time!
Don't tell me you guys have/had an NC, because that would just be a travesty if you skipped the NB.
In reply to Harvey: Brace yourself, they did an NC project car for several issues a couple of years ago.
NickD wrote:Kylini wrote: Is mudding a thing in Florida? Can you fjord the Everglades or something? Because a wrecked out NB with coilovers, long springs, that fancy new Flyin' Miata lift kit, and a snorkel instead of a headlight would be amazing.Wait, that lift kit thing is for real? I saw the post and thought it was a joke. Oh, wait, FM never jokes about Miatas.
It was for real! I mean, c'mon, how fun does it look?
I think GRM hasn't owned an NB because they keep finding super-cheap NAs behind barns. If they find a NB in such a state, it'll happen. Also, just by sheer numbers, there aren't as many NBs.
They should have had an MSM by this point, though 
Honestly, I think the NC will be the forgotten middle child in 25 years.
Kylini wrote: Is mudding a thing in Florida?
We don't go mudding. We go swamping.
Keith Tanner wrote:NickD wrote:It was for real! I mean, c'mon, how fun does it look?Kylini wrote: Is mudding a thing in Florida? Can you fjord the Everglades or something? Because a wrecked out NB with coilovers, long springs, that fancy new Flyin' Miata lift kit, and a snorkel instead of a headlight would be amazing.Wait, that lift kit thing is for real? I saw the post and thought it was a joke. Oh, wait, FM never jokes about Miatas.
Oh, it looks like an absolute riot. I now want to go find the rustiest, junkiest Miata I can find and go bombing around logging roads and frozen lakes
Keith Tanner wrote: Also, just by sheer numbers, there aren't as many NBs.
According to the sales #s at miata.net, there are more NBs than there are 94-97 inclusive. 99 has more cars than any year but 90 and 91.
codrus wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: Also, just by sheer numbers, there aren't as many NBs.According to the sales #s at miata.net, there are more NBs than there are 94-97 inclusive. 99 has more cars than any year but 90 and 91.
Sure, but the 1990-93 cohort is big and cannot be ignored.
Total NA sales in the US: 212,305 (I might have fat-fingered the tens on one year)
Total NB sales in the US: 114,628.
So, by sheer numbers, there aren't as many NBs. I'm restricting myself to the US because very few UK cars find themselves behind Florida barns. The NB was more popular overseas than it was in the US.
In reply to Keith Tanner:
What is the camber issue mentioned in the sales information for the Miata lift kit? Are any more parts or mods needed to complete the lift?
In reply to Stampie:
Done that in Jersey Pine Barrens
Keith Tanner wrote: Total NA sales in the US: 212,305 (I might have fat-fingered the tens on one year) Total NB sales in the US: 114,628.
Sure, but I'm pretty sure they've owned multiple 1.8 NAs, and there's fewer of those than NBs! :)
outasite wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: What is the camber issue mentioned in the sales information for the Miata lift kit? Are any more parts or mods needed to complete the lift?
Just like when you lower a car, you're camber setting changes, it also changes when you raise it. My guess is, there's the possibility that with the 3" of lift, the camber might change so far that the eccentrics might not get you enough adjustability to correct it.
For the record-----we did have an NB on staff a few years ago. It was owned by a marketing guy who is no longer with GRM / CMS. It wasn't a magazine car, or a project.....but it was on staff.
So it's not like we have anything against them.......just haven't come across one that was irresistible. (like our $500 Chump / LeMons racer--- or latest $500 junkyard find)
NickD wrote:outasite wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: What is the camber issue mentioned in the sales information for the Miata lift kit? Are any more parts or mods needed to complete the lift?Just like when you lower a car, you're camber setting changes, it also changes when you raise it. My guess is, there's the possibility that with the 3" of lift, the camber might change so far that the eccentrics might not get you enough adjustability to correct it.
Exactly. If you want a track alignment with the car jacked way up, you're going to need some extra parts. Our extended lower ball joints and adjustable rear upper control arms would let you do that.
But you're not going to need a track alignment, really. You'll end up with probably pretty close to 0 camber front and rear - and for bombing around on the loose stuff, that'll work. Miata people have been brainwashed into thinking they need all the camber, all the time and just aren't used to thinking of a car that's not set up for maximum g.
Both of the recent finds were 1.6s, IIRC.
A two inch lift (10 in springs, so similar "push down the LCA" geometry) put my 99 at about 0 degrees in the front and still negative in the rear. It rallycrossed fine.
In reply to Keith Tanner:
Thanks Keith, that is the information I was looking for. For that setup 0 camber is fine. Set toe and go.
Harvey wrote: The email was about Miatas of course and it came up that the official GRM head family had not owned an NB Miata.
Is he really qualified to run this magazine then? I bet this is how it feels when kids learn there is no santa.
So is the lift kit just the spacers that are intended for Exocets, bolted to a Miata?
No. Wrong end of the shock I'm pretty sure the Exocet parts wouldn't fit the Miata chassis. Besides, they're quite a bit more complex and expensive.
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