WondrousBread said:
I can't speak to the Bilsteins, but the base model factory suspension feels very under-damped to me. They also tend to have a large wheel gap. My mum's car will be remaining 100% stock, but if it were mine a set of adjustable shocks (or coilovers) would find their way on there.
Optimum dampening depends greatly on the quality of your roads. There are a few railroad crossings and other areas around where I live where having a low, stiff suspension means you'll leave undercarriage parts, fender liners and bumper covers along the road unless you go over them at about 2 MPH. Then there are all of the speed bumps and such.
I love having a suspension that can soak up those things and having enough travel and ride height not to scrape.
In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :
The NC1/NC2 Bilsteins were underdamped, though. They didn't have full control of the springs. I am a firm believer in travel and not overdamping shocks (say hello to the 2016-18 ND soft top Bilsteings to experience that), but the earlier NCs flopped all over the place. I have no idea how Mazda got it so wrong. I don't have as much experience with the non-Bilstein early NC, but driving our shop car for the first time on the road was an eye-opener. For most of the cars, we recommend a set of sway bars as the first step in suspension tuning. For an NC1/NC2, it's a set of quality shocks.
Stiff and low can still be underdamped, or overdamped. Ride height and spring rate don't imply anything about the quality of the damping or the road surface. The shocks have to be matched to the springs, the springs have to be matched to the available travel and use.
The wheel gap is partly because Mazda's internal requirements say that the car has to wear two sets of tire chains instead of the usual one. It's an odd one.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Great info, thank you. The car is currently on KYB Gas Adjusts and what looks like a set of stock springs, so I can't speak to what it was like prior to that. It currently drives well enough on the street. Maybe once I get it to an event, I'll change my mind.
Being a convertible, the plan is to drive it through the fall and then make any changes during the winter months.
I bought this with cloth seats in it, and that's not correct. I'm trying to find some saddle colored leather seats locally, and the best I can do is black leather seats for more than $500 for the pair. Granted, they're in very good condition, but... wow. I'm used to LKQ pricing, I guess.
There is a 2006 Limited edition that was hit in the rear coming up on a local insurance auction. I'm debating getting it for a parts car, as it would give me a front bumper cover and leather seats, plus a lower mileage engine, spare trans, spare LSD, etc.
I do still want to try to repair this bumper cover as practice, though.
Have you checked out the Miata breaker in Salisbury, NC? I can't find his website but he does post a ton on parts on FBM.
If you're considering a parts car, you could also use a later one and get the updated shift forks, forged internals and different front end styling. Based on our Miata salvage experience, though, finding one that hasn't got front end damage is pretty rare.
Miata leather is not durable, so a good seat of leather seats is worth a premium. Usually they're all scruffy or ripped on the bolsters.
Keith Tanner said:
If you're considering a parts car, you could also use a later one and get the updated shift forks, forged internals and different front end styling. Based on our Miata salvage experience, though, finding one that hasn't got front end damage is pretty rare.
Miata leather is not durable, so a good seat of leather seats is worth a premium. Usually they're all scruffy or ripped on the bolsters.
I'm certainly considering it, but I also have to take what's available nearby.
Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) said:
hobiercr said:
Have you checked out the Miata breaker in Salisbury, NC? I can't find his website but he does post a ton on parts on FBM.
HS Motorsports?
Yup. Thats my guy. Haven't been able to make contact for some reason
Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) said:
Optimum dampening ...
but if you be like Brett_Murphy, you're all wet!
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:
Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) said:
Optimum dampening ...
but if you be like Brett_Murphy, you're all wet!
No, with optimum dampening you are just as wet as you want to be.
I vote we set a forum filter to change "brake" to "break" just to drive Angry nuts.
Mea culpa on the dampening, and what I get for typing up a forum post while I'm trying to eat.
I still haven't found the time to take the interior apart to clean out the drain holes, and forgot to put a tarp over it for the last good storm.
That's moved to job one now. Maybe I'll start on it this evening.
Minor update: I think I have the drain holes completely clear. I can pour water on them and it hits the ground, no problem. However, if a heavy rain happens, I still get water on the driver's side floor board and in the trunk. Maybe it's an issue with the top, but in the little time I've spent chasing the issue, I've not found the problem. I just keep the car covered.
In larger news, I went to drive it earlier, pushed in the clutch and went to start the car and it hopped. I let off of the clutch, and it stayed on the floor. Oh, joy. Just as peak convertible season in North Carolina is getting ready to happen. So, I have to figure out what broke there: the line, master or slave.
I've been enjoying the Miata so much that once I get it running again, I might look for a newer example with a PRHT.
I am really impressed where they put the slave cylinder on these cars- right on the bottom of the transmission, easy to service, etc. Hard lines all the way from the master to the slave.
I had a buddy push the clutch while I was looking at it and it kind of-sort of moved a little bit. So, I have a slave on the way from Rock Auto.
Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) said:
Minor update: I think I have the drain holes completely clear. I can pour water on them and it hits the ground, no problem. However, if a heavy rain happens, I still get water on the driver's side floor board and in the trunk. Maybe it's an issue with the top, but in the little time I've spent chasing the issue, I've not found the problem.
The driver's side floorboard is most likely from one of the wiper cowl screws:
https://www.clubroadster.net/threads/wet-floorboards-when-it-rains-on-your-nc-quick-permanent-fix.58571/
The trunk has about 5 places that can leak: The 3rd brake light, left and right chrome frankenstein bolt pads, and both taillight gaskets.
It doesn't seem to leak when I have the top and Frankenstein bolt areas covered.
That may narrow it down a bit.
The screws for the frankenstein bolt pads have a washer to seal them. Product name: Screw Part number: 9YAB-4A-801C qty 4.
