Salanis wrote: And I totally agree on driving the snot out of your car being the best way to avoid any "girly" stigma.
Me too.
Mine sees a fair amount of track time...its' much faster than my race-Spridget
It (below) has seen 125 mph (indicated) on the Pocono Long Course. Solid as a rock too.
It's not "Thumping your hairy chest" manly, but my old built-to-the-hilt STS2 car was extremely agile, low, loud, stiff, and just a little more powerful than normal NA Miatas. And - except for my codriver who claimed he would never get back into a street-tired competition car, nobody ever called it weak, or girly. Here's a shot of it at full roll.
Schermerica wrote:problemaddict wrote: Tuckin'99 Flares = $775That looks mind-blowing though.http://rev9autosport.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=21_27&products_id=115 gawd they look good, tho....
Don't forget the $2000+ you'd have to spend on wheels to fill out those flares.
z31maniac wrote: One of the few times I think I've ever disagreed with any thing you ever posted on this site. I'm sick of this Form > Function crap. There is absolutely no reason a car can't look AND perform well. There is nothing wrong with having a car that looks good and drives well.
I was being semi-sarcastic in that earlier post. But, I do believe that form should follow function. Being a "show car" can be a car's function, but I prefer performance.
The "flush" look, I see as an example of form taking precedence over function. Drifters do that because they like the look, and don't care if it actually helps their performance or not.
Sure, a car can look good and perform well, but I don't believe in sacrificing performance for the sake of looks. And the things that we normally think of as looking cool: wide meat, low stance, splitters, etc. come from setting up a car to perform.
I know this has been said before in so many words but I'll echo it:
What's more manly than the ability to brake wayyyy deeper into the turns and embarrassing far more expensive hardware in the twisties?
I think it's even more fun to do it with such a "girly" car.
That said, here's my entry for manliest Miata:
ArtOfRuin wrote: Schemerica, another thing to consider about "girly cars:" Girls are attracted to them.
+3687235872
Girls that would not normally give me the time of day stare very conspicuously when I drive the red '99 around. Especially in the summer when the top is down.
And all that's needed to make a Miata manly is Flyin' Miata's LS1 conversion kit. And an electric cutout so it can go from normal Miata to LS1 Miata at a stoplight and embarrass Mustang/Camaro/Corvette/M3/S4/350Z owners :)
Twin_Cam wrote:ArtOfRuin wrote: Schemerica, another thing to consider about "girly cars:" Girls are attracted to them.+3687235872 Girls that would not normally give me the time of day stare very conspicuously when I drive the red '99 around. Especially in the summer when the top is down. And all that's needed to make a Miata manly is Flyin' Miata's LS1 conversion kit. And an electric cutout so it can go from normal Miata to LS1 Miata at a stoplight and embarrass Mustang/Camaro/Corvette/M3/S4/350Z owners :)
Doesn't that kit cost somewhere around 6k?
..And all that's needed to make a Miata manly is Flyin' Miata's LS1 conversion kit. ...
That would certainly butch it up some...
Can you theoretically swap any higher horse power into the miata? Say I go to a junk yard and find a clean Celica gt engine? I wonder how difficult it would be to do a swap like that.
Anything is possible with enough:
a.) time
b.) money
Schermerica wrote: Can you theoretically swap any higher horse power into the miata? Say I go to a junk yard and find a clean Celica gt engine? I wonder how difficult it would be to do a swap like that.
If you're 16, and evidently cash-strapped, I wouldn't even think about doing some crazy engine swap just yet. Sure, people have done swaps with Miatas, but they're not their daily-drivers, and they require a lot of time/money/tools/skill, most of which 16-year-olds don't have.
If you want to impress your friends, do so with a clean, well-performing car that has a few economical mods. Buy that Miata, clean the heck out of it (constantly), and drive it. Tasteful, inexpensive mods are much more impressive than a half-ass "JDM SR20DET-swap".
If your friends still say they have a faster/better car, challenge them to join you at an autocross. Your stock Miata will blow away their mad-tyte JDM "Skyline". And you'll be driving yours while they're building/repairing theirs.
Schermerica wrote: Can you theoretically swap any higher horse power into the miata? Say I go to a junk yard and find a clean Celica gt engine? I wonder how difficult it would be to do a swap like that.
You are the future.....the Miata is the '55 Chevy or Fox body Mustang in regards to mods.Enjoy it and spread the word.
Every man should want a 2 seat roadster...
Don't worry about going fast, that will come in time. Learn to maintain it first.
Get a girl, put the top down (either one ) , and take a drive.
JFX001 wrote: If you're 16, and evidently cash-strapped, I wouldn't even think about doing some crazy engine swap just yet. Sure, people have done swaps with Miatas, but they're not their daily-drivers, and they require a lot of time/money/tools/skill, most of which 16-year-olds don't have. </blockquote Yeah i'm not realistically gonna do that, i was just curious.
I bought a complete Greddy turbo kit on this very board, from Clay I think, for around $500. I had to put some cash into it further down the road but that didn't stop me from enjoying some 5 psi boosted goodness for quite a few months before hand. While it was boosted the car looked ratty and stock, except for the rollbar to pass tech at the track.
While driving it in that shape I could care less what other people thought. The 350Z driver I was door handle to door handle with didn't accuse me of driving a girl car.
Salanis wrote:z31maniac wrote: One of the few times I think I've ever disagreed with any thing you ever posted on this site. I'm sick of this Form > Function crap. There is absolutely no reason a car can't look AND perform well. There is nothing wrong with having a car that looks good and drives well.I was being semi-sarcastic in that earlier post. But, I do believe that form should follow function. Being a "show car" can be a car's function, but I prefer performance. The "flush" look, I see as an example of form taking precedence over function. Drifters do that because they like the look, and don't care if it actually helps their performance or not. Sure, a car can look good and perform well, but I don't believe in sacrificing performance for the sake of looks. And the things that we normally think of as looking cool: wide meat, low stance, splitters, etc. come from setting up a car to perform.
Agreed.
My vanity betrays me though. I'd like to get another set of wheels to run "flush" and still have my Works for proper sized manly tires for the E30.
I think wheels look much better when they're coming outta the sides of the car.
None of my friends think Miatas are chick cars. Then again, most of the, are autocrossers.
Look up and follow Randy Stockers mods for an early Miata. Big injectors, RX7 MAF, ebay header and 2.25 bubba exhaust will do wonders for your image. Add 15x7 wheels and drop the ride height and you will feel quite comfortable with your sexuality. I have owned miata for over 14 yrs. Usually I am only interested in a mod if it makes it go faster.
As I said earlier, but it did not show up right, as I put the text in the middle of a quote, the owner of that really pretty widebody black Miata said it was really hard to steer on an autocross course. I figure that this would be because of the weird offset of those wheels. So, in that case it would be form over function. But, I think form can follow function, as something that works well is almost always beautiful, in its own right. Take a cow, for example. Not very pretty, but its multiple stomachs that can get nutrients out of grass is beautiful in its own way...(So why would us human idiots feed them corn, I dont know, but I guess thats another discussion)
Or a Harley next to a sport bike. Viewed from a performance angle, the sport bike is much prettier. Viewed from a cruising down the highway angle...Well, some would find the Harley prettier.
Joey
joey48442 wrote: As I said earlier, but it did not show up right, as I put the text in the middle of a quote, the owner of that really pretty widebody black Miata said it was really hard to steer on an autocross course. I figure that this would be because of the weird offset of those wheels. So, in that case it would be form over function. But, I think form can follow function, as something that works well is almost always beautiful, in its own right. Take a cow, for example. Not very pretty, but its multiple stomachs that can get nutrients out of grass is beautiful in its own way...(So why would us human idiots feed them corn, I dont know, but I guess thats another discussion) Or a Harley next to a sport bike. Viewed from a performance angle, the sport bike is much prettier. Viewed from a cruising down the highway angle...Well, some would find the Harley prettier. Joey
I think it really apply to aerodynamics. Cars look good when people make them looks aerodynamically efficient. Air is Sexy
joey48442 wrote: As I said earlier, but it did not show up right, as I put the text in the middle of a quote, the owner of that really pretty widebody black Miata said it was really hard to steer on an autocross course. I figure that this would be because of the weird offset of those wheels. So, in that case it would be form over function. But, I think form can follow function, as something that works well is almost always beautiful, in its own right.
The black car was built as a drift car, not by the current owner. It stopped by FM on the way out to CA. There's some really nice engineering in there such as a V-mount IC/radiator setup. So I would not be surprised if it does work in the venue for which it was designed, just not autox.
What do you mean man it up? Why?
Let's get something straight up. If you are out here worrying about what people think of the car you drive, you aren't going to get very far. Not around here, or anywhere I know. Buy the friggin Miata if you want a friggin Miata.
The only thing that can man up a Miata has nothing to do with the car. Take some high performance driving education, and learn how to use the car. You can have a Ferrari and if you can't drive worth crap, it's a worthless POS.
Now, that being said. I love driving Miata's. They are tight, light, fun little cars. I have almost bought one more than once to have as a reliable run-about. Something always seems to stop me, because I know which one I want ('99 SE 6 speed, where are you!?) and don't buy the one I don't. I have this as a daily driver:
and I like Miata's.
So stop being a girl, and make your own decision.
Keith wrote: The black car was built as a drift car, not by the current owner. It stopped by FM on the way out to CA. There's some really nice engineering in there such as a V-mount IC/radiator setup. So I would not be surprised if it does work in the venue for which it was designed, just not autox.
Here's the story:
http://www.triplezoom.com/news/publish/article_316.shtml
You want your friends to think your Miata is manly and badass? Hang out at auto-x and track days, and make friends there. You'll have a bunch of friends who will tell you what a wonderfully manly car your Miata is. Or bring your friends along and show them why the Miata is manly and badass. And spread the fever.
Oh, my dad just did his first track day and decided he really likes the Miata.
Keith wrote:joey48442 wrote: As I said earlier, but it did not show up right, as I put the text in the middle of a quote, the owner of that really pretty widebody black Miata said it was really hard to steer on an autocross course. I figure that this would be because of the weird offset of those wheels. So, in that case it would be form over function. But, I think form can follow function, as something that works well is almost always beautiful, in its own right.The black car was built as a drift car, not by the current owner. It stopped by FM on the way out to CA. There's some really nice engineering in there such as a V-mount IC/radiator setup. So I would not be surprised if it does work in the venue for which it was designed, just not autox.
So, Chris doesnt own it anymore? I met Chris at an autocross out here, near Detroit. Neat car, Its just...not really my thing.
Joey
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