No Power, All The Fun
Everyone has heard of the Miata. Mazda’s hit car of the 1990’s hit the scene and was met with praise from all over, and for good reason: it brought a fun driving experience in a sporty roadster package for a relatively cheap price tag. Although not powerful, the driving feeling this car conveys to the driver makes it a package that’s hard to find in many other cars. However, there were some doubters : some didn’t like the appearance of the Miata because it wasn’t the most muscular looking car on the road, others didn’t like it because it wasn’t a powerful car with a big V8. Nowadays, more and more people are realizing the potential of these little cars and they’ve had another burst of popularity. Here’s just one example of why.
This is my 1996 Mazda Miata. It packs a stock 1.8L four cylinder powerplant with a 5 speed manual and an open differential. This is the most base spec that was available (aside from power steering and A/C) and also happens to be the most common. Although the drivetrain is stock in this example, it has had a few modifications that perfectly compliment the strong suits of the car. Among those are an upgraded front sway bar, Bilstein coilovers, upgraded brakes and sticky tires. It’s pretty simple, but it’s a proven formula for a good time.
I picked this car up when I was in high school. As a teenager, it ticked a few boxes that were priorities for me: rear wheel drive, manual transmission, lightweight, and fun to drive. Shortly before I picked mine up, a friend had traded for a turbo Miata and allowed me to drive it, putting the final nail in the coffin. Once I’d had a taste of a turbo Miata, I knew that I wanted to build one. I bought a higher mileage NA that I’d found on Facebook Marketplace and quickly started working on it. First on the list was a plethora of maintenance items: timing belt and water pump, drive belts, spark plugs and wires, and other basic high mileage maintenance items. After a few months, I got my first real modification and it’s been downhill since then.
I wanted a Miata because it was renowned for its handling prowess. My friends and I would often take off and explore backroads in our area just having fun and connecting dots on the map, so I grew very fond of this car quickly. I spent tons of time in it. It was driven every day through the week, and on the weekends I would take off with my buddies to go drive the Cherohala Skyway or the Tail of the Dragon. It became very apparent that the Miata was a great drivers’ car, not only because it could handle great, but also because it was very driver focused. Every subtle nuance in the road was transmitted through the steering wheel and seat, connecting you almost directly to the road. The car teaches you how to feel the situation, not just react to it.
Since I’ve been modifying this car, my goal has been to capitalize on the strong suits of the car and try to make them even stronger. As such, most of the modifications are suspension related. It rides on a set of DIY Bilstein coilovers that utilize factory R-Package struts and use a sleeve to convert them to coilovers. Under the front end, it’s got a tubular Racing Beat sway bar and adjustable end links to help mitigate the body roll and help turn in response. To slow it down, it’s running a tried-and-true combo of blank rotors, Hawk HP+ pads, and Motul RBF600 fluid. Keeping it on the ground is a set of Falken RT660’s mounted on 15x8.5” Konig Hypergram wheels. There are some other modifications, but these are the most notable. With this combination, the car sticks to the road like it’s been glued to it. The turn in response is excellent, and the car is quick to let you know when it doesn’t feel like turning any more or when the rear has had enough.
With the setup on this car, it’s something insanely fun to drive while still comfortable enough to drive to work or to the store. However, there’s no mistaking where this car feels most at home. Although it doesn’t have a lot of power, it’s a riot revving this car all the way out in 2nd and 3rd gear in the mountains and using all 100 horsepower to the fullest. The ergonomics are perfect, meaning you can nail that heel-toe downshift with ease. Driving this car hard through the twisties is extremely rewarding and while it may not be the fastest car in the world, you’re sure to enjoy every second behind the wheel. If you’ve never driven one, don’t cheat yourself: give it a try. It’s some of the most fun you can have, period.
