Do I really wanna...?

So, yeah, there's the question. I'd love feedback from anyone who has lived with these modifications, and their real world experience.

I came up on Spridgets, VWs, Old Jags, etc. I always want to simplify and add lightness to everything, but as I age, I do recognize that there is a reason new cars come with power everything. We're lazy. I don't like to think of myself that way, but I also don't like to deny the obvious truth.

The project in question is a Miata. NA/NB. The paths to de-powering are very well documented. I love the IDEA of going back to a simpler, more visceral car." Will I love it every day?" is the question.

I have the means to go manual windows. This will happen. Done. AC is a necessity due to my location/age/weight/etc.

Brakes. I see you can move the master cylinder up an inch, and gain some mechanical advantage back. There are many who love this, and other opinions. Are they masochists? Is it like an older, non power assist car? Please enlighten me.

Steering. I don't mind the idea of a slightly larger steering wheel, and some increased effort while parking, but having de-powered my 69 Javelin (with a factory manual box), can affirm that that action ruined the driving experience below say, 40 mph. I'm not a huge person, so the IDEA of a larger wheel in a Miata, and some increased effort seems like a reasonable trade-off. 

Note(s): I have all the parts, and am waffling. I don't want to ruin a good rack with an unnecessary de-power. I'm not about to try to hunt down a factory manual rack. The car is to be used on the street, maybe the occasional autocross. Nothing Fancy. 

Please, Impart.

I have done the properly de-powered rack and the manual rack in my car. The manual rack is the way to go. Stay close to the factory steering wheel size.

I'm a fan of a depowered rack, especially for autocross, but a manual is easier (better mechanical ratio) and just as direct feeling.  I have a manual in my track car that I drive to the track, it's only a problem below 5ish mph. Keep a normalish sized wheel. 

The real problem is hunting down the idler pulley assembly so you can ditch the power steering pump but keep AC.

Also, I don't know that power windows add very much weight over the manual counterparts.  I've had a few more manual crank assemblies fail, so I don't (personally) believe they're any more reliable...

If you were anywhere near CT, I'd welcome you to drive my car to try it.

I have both. It is surprisingly nice and convenient to have power steering for a street NA. In my younger days, I would have de powered it. But not now.
 

Definitely prefer manual steering for track though. Just removing the ps belt is worth 2 rwhp on a dyno. Better feel too. 

I've raced NAs with manual rack and with power steering.

Other than the aforementioned 2hp boost there really isn't anything to be gained.

Some folks might like the feel of the manual rack, I get that it's about the experience but from a performance standpoint it's not worth it to me......especially for a street car.

Have you compared the weight of the manual window setup to a power window setup?  I wonder how much weight it actually saves. (In a car as small as a Miata a manual setup wouldn't be a problem since you can simply reach across to get to the passenger side, my question is whether it's worth the effort to make the change.)

I've daily driven and autocrossed Miatas with both power steering and a manual rack.  I actually converted my NA from power steering to the factory manual rack way back in the 90s.  That made sense when I was in my 20s, and parking in a tight lot was the worst side effect.  Nowadays, I'd go with the power steering, no question.   There's not much if any steering feel lost, and I can finesse the wheel better than with the manual setup.  The only downsides of power steering are the potential for fluid leaks and parts availability.

I hear the feedback, and appreciate everyone's perspective.

Manual windows- I'm just doing it. I'm also deleting speakers in the doors, power mirrors, and the lot. It is not necessarily about weigh so much as the complication. Yes, I may be complicating the build for little benefit, but the idea of removing the wiring that goes between the body and doors appeals to me. 

Flyin Miata sells a kit to keep AC, and remove PS. I am willing to spend the cash for a cleaner engine compartment, and "simplicity". This is not a build based on minimum cash outlay, nor maximum performance, but more on visceral driving feel. Again, I like the idea of few power assists, and don't mind the thought of some trade-offs, but don't want to make a car that sucks to drive. All this is purely aesthetic. Does a manual  brake/steering car really feel more connected?

My personal opinion on depowering power steering is that it's fine if you keep relatively narrow tires on the front and camber is close to zero.  Once you start adding fat sticky rubber on the front, or increase the steering axis inclination by adding negative camber, you will miss power steering.

I actually prefer a little positive camber with manual steering, on a street car.  Makes the steering feel lighter, reduces tramlining.

Isn't there some issue with keeping the A/C but removing the power steering?

I'd leave the power windows alone unless they're broken.  There's no real weight benefit in a modern car and the hassle to swap parts is a definite vs. a possible but lower likelihood of hassle in the future if you leave them power.

I bought one of the first NAs available in 1989, ordered to be very pure with almost no options (the dealer wouldn't order without AC in case I backed out of the deal). It was great for the 186k miles and 30 years my family owned it. The AC was surprisingly valuable.

A year into ownership I drove a friend's nearly identical car for an afternoon in the Santa Cruz mountains, and I kinda wished then I'd ordered PS. The faster ratio and lower effort was even more fun to drive, and I never noticed the 2hp.

I'd definitely do the manual windows but would leave the PS. 

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Can the effort with camber changes be mitigated by messing with caster?

I hate my depower rack and larger wheel. Im excited to go back to stock power steering. 

Granted, im on 245s, and a stupid aggressive alignment. 

In reply to j_tso :

I guess you could go to negative caster, if there is enough adjustment.

I will allow that on my first RX-7, I rotated the strut tops inwards instead of outwards to bring camber to zero instead of +.5.  It made the steering feel heavier and dead-er so I put it right back.  It's not like that car understeered or anything, anyway, I was just messing around with it...

I just built a pulley so my 60 plus year old friends could put power steering back in their e30 race car, because old guys have crap shoulders.

They are much faster now.

One thing I dont see.  What are you using the car for?

If its track stuff, then go for it.  Fiddle with it to your heart's content.

If it is at all a street car... I dont get it.  The entire reason for the Miata is that no one was making roadsters anymore, so it was an evolution of the roadster.  A car designed to ensure that the roadster mever went out of fashion.  Taking all the thought that went into it out solely for simplicity and cleanliness of engine bay?  It kinda baffles me.  At that point, why not go buy an MG or VW or whatnot?  Why purposefully step backwards and make life harder?

And those last three words are from a guy that went 10+ years in Florida in a truck with no AC cause he couldn't be bothered to fix it.

Power windows add one pound per door. 
At that weight, it's not a performance mod, it's an appearance mod. 

Again, I hear everyone's input. My thought is to leave the PS, PB, and, despite the excellent points made, do manual windows. The power mirrors will also have their wires cut. This is not simply to save weight, nor remove complication, but to remove wires. Right now, the tub is nearly bare, in anticipation of being fully bare and rust repaired. The donor has manual windows, and I'm planning a custom "Miata +" for the street. Maybe the occasional Autocross, I have heard the answers I was looking for in this thread, For What It Is Worth. Thanks, All.

Start drilling holes.......