Your intro was hysterical! (I HATE it when coffee spurts out my nose). I am looking at getting hold of an NA, owned by my best friend who was killed on his motorcycle a few weeks ago. It's all in probate now, but hopefully I can get it. It's somewhat disassembled right now, with the transmission having been removed for rebuild, but that's been done, just not yet reinstalled. I will have to learn how to reassemble the thing if I can get hold of it. Your (and many many many other) videos are helping me learn what I need to know to do that project. Thank you for all the excellent info.
Glad you enjoyed the silly dad humour! Sorry to hear about your friend ... a Miata build project of their car would be an awesome way to pay tribute and honor their memory. Let us know if you eventually get the car!
Hey great video. Can you tell me if R. Theory are still in operation??? I ordered a set of frame rails over 2 weeks ago and they have not responded to my e-mails. I'm becoming concerned!!
AFAIK R Theory is open. Can't comment on the situation with your specific order but for each of my purchases they've been awesome. Great product quality and post purchase support.
Can I ask why you don't put your jack stands on the factory jack locations? You seem to be rotating them 90 and putting them alongside it. Is that secure and safe?
Good eye to notice that! The NA/NB have reinforced jack stand points inboard of the pinch weld jacking tab at all 4 corners. Up close you can see a ridged area there (see the forum thread below for pictures). But once the frame rails braces are installed the jackstands can be placed securely there. Great question! www.mazda-speed.com/forum2/index.php/topic,4661.0.html
IMHO compared to a modern car I a stock NA is a wet noodle. Frame rails add much needed rigidity along the central frame of the car. Pair them with a roll bar, fender braces, and even a butterfly brace and it transforms the car.
Hi, can you say how thick your installed backing panels are? I would like to fabricate my own backing plates, but would like to buy slightly beefier plate, so they don't deform as much as yours ...
Good question, lemme check on that with R Theory and reply when I find out. I think the problem is the Miata floor isn't flat so you'd have to use a really thick plate, perhaps 1/4" steel or thicker? But to your point, I was surprised by how much these backing plates deformed. TBH, I don't think they're necessary. If I had to do it again I would use big-ass fender washers or cut pieces of 1/4" flat bar as individual bolt backing plates. If you watch my 6pt racing harness install video notice the OMP eye-bolt plates ... something like that.
Your intro was hysterical! (I HATE it when coffee spurts out my nose). I am looking at getting hold of an NA, owned by my best friend who was killed on his motorcycle a few weeks ago. It's all in probate now, but hopefully I can get it. It's somewhat disassembled right now, with the transmission having been removed for rebuild, but that's been done, just not yet reinstalled. I will have to learn how to reassemble the thing if I can get hold of it. Your (and many many many other) videos are helping me learn what I need to know to do that project. Thank you for all the excellent info.
Glad you enjoyed the silly dad humour! Sorry to hear about your friend ... a Miata build project of their car would be an awesome way to pay tribute and honor their memory. Let us know if you eventually get the car!
3:16 as a trivial note too and by personal experience, the NB chassis' ECU is right at the pedals. Kind of silly but it works.
Good point!
Hey great video. Can you tell me if R. Theory are still in operation??? I ordered a set of frame rails over 2 weeks ago and they have not responded to my e-mails. I'm becoming concerned!!
AFAIK R Theory is open. Can't comment on the situation with your specific order but for each of my purchases they've been awesome. Great product quality and post purchase support.
Can I ask why you don't put your jack stands on the factory jack locations? You seem to be rotating them 90 and putting them alongside it. Is that secure and safe?
Good eye to notice that! The NA/NB have reinforced jack stand points inboard of the pinch weld jacking tab at all 4 corners. Up close you can see a ridged area there (see the forum thread below for pictures). But once the frame rails braces are installed the jackstands can be placed securely there. Great question!
www.mazda-speed.com/forum2/index.php/topic,4661.0.html
How much of a difference do they make?
IMHO compared to a modern car I
a stock NA is a wet noodle. Frame rails add much needed rigidity along the central frame of the car. Pair them with a roll bar, fender braces, and even a butterfly brace and it transforms the car.
Hi, can you say how thick your installed backing panels are?
I would like to fabricate my own backing plates, but would like to buy slightly beefier plate, so they don't deform as much as yours ...
Good question, lemme check on that with R Theory and reply when I find out. I think the problem is the Miata floor isn't flat so you'd have to use a really thick plate, perhaps 1/4" steel or thicker? But to your point, I was surprised by how much these backing plates deformed. TBH, I don't think they're necessary. If I had to do it again I would use big-ass fender washers or cut pieces of 1/4" flat bar as individual bolt backing plates. If you watch my 6pt racing harness install video notice the OMP eye-bolt plates ... something like that.
R Theory says that the backing plates are 14 gauge stainless steel 0.0747", which is the same thickness as the frame rails themselves.