My first Miata drive today

I am in Tucson, AZ on vacation. A good friend of mine has a stock 1997 Miata with 134,000 miles on it.( I am building a Miata based project but had never driven one.) I took it for a drive today and came across "Roller Coaster" road. It's a short little road with tight winding turns. What a blast. Now I understand whey there is such a following for the Miata. The handling and steering is quick, precise, and planted. like driving a big go kart. Big smiles everywhere.

I purchased 2 older Miata's last fall for a car project. I am in the process of building a space frame for the suspension cradles and drivetrain to bolt into. I was going to use a body based on one from England but after receiving it have decided to do my own from scratch.

Progress is slow as I am doing this for fun. Here is a picture of the frame as a work in progress. I am going to make some changes to this and not all of the tubing is installed. So, please don't be to critical-yet.

Having fun, Now I can/t wait to get home and start work again. I think that I will be going the Turbo route. I can just imagine, 1400lbs, stiff frame, upgrade brakes, wheels and tires and a turbo.

The Mazda tagline was right: "It just feels right."
I found those words coming to mind often when I drove mine.

I own a 95 miata and got to drive an NB with an aftermarket turbo (200+whp) on it at an auto-x the other week. I left with the feeling that "thats what the car is missing" meaning it was the complete package.

They are amazing with how the nose just points in where you want it. It was a revelation to me as my other ride is a mustang.

I technically had my first miata drive on Saturday. I was helping to clean up an autocross and they sent me out to pick up the corner worker stuff in one of their miatas. I'm not sure how I felt about it. I sat down and everything was right where it was supposed to be and it was easy to drive. It was a case of "oh, this old thing". Like the car was a perfect average of every automotive experience I'd ever had. I suppose I'll need to figure out how to drive one in anger some time.

mazdeuce wrote: I suppose I'll need to figure out how to drive one in anger some time.

Do that. It's like they were born to tear up the cones.

Performed a wicked powerslide during my first Miata experience. I'm a fan.

All this Miata talk makes me want to pull mine out of the garage and drive it.

I recall that "Just Perfect" feeling from when I bought my Miata in 1990 and it never went away in the 13 years I drove it.

It it that exact feeling that I HOPE to get from the Scion FRS when it arrives in May.

I do not get that feeling from the new Miatas. I feel that they are "Really Good" cars, but the perfection has been diluted.

My first drive in a Miata was on a technical autox course with sleet and rain falling all around.

I bought one two months later. It was that good.

Doing my first Miata surgery following my first year of ownership. I'm tackling the timing belt and water pump. I might also install an aftermarket radiator that I have since half the mounts on the current one are missing or broke and the bottom of it is all dented in. It probably happened when the P.O. tore the tray off the bottom of the engine compartment and got weeds jammed up above the steering rack.

I took mine for a drive earlier this morning. 91 NA and I love driving with the top down, especially since I have the Hard Dog M1 roll bar in. So much more responsive after I put in the Eibach sway bars in yesterday too. Just gotta get the adjustable end links to make the proper adjustments and it will be that much better. So glad I own a Miata.

Just an update. I will be starting over on the frame. I have been lucky to obtain the services of a chassis engineer to do the frame design for me. Might as well get it right!

My first Miata drive was a 97. I was 110% "meh" over it.

I'm VERY glad not 30 minutes later i test drove a very low mileage NB Sport. I "got it" with that car.

And then bought my annoying car. Oops. Got greedy, bit me in the ass.