twotone's Miata Thread

[Sigma Projects]

lol, that's one way to describe someone.

The 1G is an enthusiast Hybrid since many of them came with a manual trans, but they are engineered for economy rather than fun so it mostly just attracts the hyper mile nerds. Only a small portion of the community wants to use the chassis for more than just that. I mean if you spend enough time around these little cars I bet you'd start to geek out on them, they're really interesting and the chassis is crazy ridged. I'm really surprised, much more ridged than the newer Hondas.

Although not as common the 1st gen Honda Civic Hybrid did have an optional 5spd manual and surprisingly from what I've seen on spec sheets for the MT Civic Hybrid they put in the second quickest steering rack that they offered at the time, the only thing Honda had with a faster steering ratio was the AP1 S2000. If I knew that I would have grabbed the steering rack also instead of just the trans.

[twotone_ra64]

I mean, it's a pretty accurate description

I saw a Honda CR-Z yesterday and it looks a heck of a lot like the 1G Insight. It also came with a 6-speed manual, didn't it? I remember seeing the Mugen supercharged versions of them years ago.

[Sigma Projects]

Yea, the CR-Z is the successor to the Insight, which basically was the successor to the CRX/Del Sol line up. But IMO they botched both the CR-Z and Insight for not offering a true sport model. The CRX had a sporty version and then their eco version, which for its time was as impressive as the 1G insight for the early 2000s. The CR-Z was just too heavy (2600~2700lbs) for the size of the car and without an optional powerful motor it just kind of blew when comparing it to similarly priced cars. The transmission was nice in the car, but just too heavy. Especially when compared to the aluminum bodied car before it. If the CR-Z weighed 2000~2200lbs with the same power it would have been probably a lot more popular. Considering the MX5 weighs less, is a convertible, comes with more HP and is similarly priced I don't see how a CR-Z can compete with that. Maybe if Honda put in a much more powerful electric setup maybe that would have changed things. Just sad to see the last stick shift hybrid die because the manufacturer couldn't market it well. I talked to Matt Farah about the mugen CR-Z S/C and he was like, "it had more power, but still slow and way too expensive for what it is." At least with the 1G being so light weight it could be treated as a momentum car.

Still MX-5 trumps

[twotone_ra64]

Interesting... the CR-Z looks pretty sleek though! I'd have to drive one to get a feel for it. 2700 lbs is pretty decent, that's 2003 Toyota Matrix XRS weight (but with 180hp, it's much more fun).

Of course, Miata is always the answer.

[Sigma Projects]

Yea the CR-Z is well engineered and I bet in a few years they'll be affordable much like the 1G Insight. Just 115hp in a 2700lb car is rough. For sure a XRS with that 2ZZ-GE all day over the CR-Z

You have the 1.8L in your NA right? 130ish Hp?

[twotone_ra64]

VVTL-i JUST KICKED IN, YO!!

Yes, the 1999 BP-4W 1.8L with 130hp ish. If supercharged, it's good for 190-200 whp.

[Sigma Projects]

I can imagine, the MS version had 180hp right?

[twotone_ra64]

Something like that, in the 170-180 hp range. Same engine as mine too, it's just a BP-4W with an oil return line. The motor takes boost really well. The solid lifters help with that too (previous motors had HLAs).

[twotone_ra64]

So, here are my latest custom interior mods: S2000 engine start button and OEM pop-up button relocation!

I was originally going to put the start button in this panel where the passenger airbag switch would go (below the radio & HVAC controls), but then I had a better idea.



The location in which I had previously installed a toggle switch for my lights was a perfect candidate for the start button, since it's right next to the key. This required some precision filing to get the button to slide right through the panel. A bit of sticky string stuff (dum dum?) held it in place so it wouldn't slide in and out.









And then this Revlimiter blog post explained the button wiring. I used a quality Delphi 30A SPDT relay so it'll last a good while.

So now, what about the pop-up switch? Well, now that I still had that passenger airbag switch panel available, I tried to take some inspiration from another Revlimiter blog post to fit the OEM NA pop-up button in the panel.

I noticed that if you remove the plastic sticking out of the back of the airbag panel, and then remove the mounting tabs of the OEM hazard & pop-up button module and remove the hazard button...





...the button housing slides right in the back of the panel! The existing hole needed a bit of Hole Reaming^TM to properly fit the button through. A little bit of extra trimming allows space for the button backlight bulb to be removed and serviced.





This will look SWEET! I filled the unneeded holes in the panel with bondo, sanded it all down, primered, wet sanded, and painted the panel with Testors flat black enamel and Testors semi-gloss enamel clear coat for an OEM finish. I glued the button housing in with JB weld plastic bonder which worked really well.













And here it is installed!

[Sigma Projects]

Very clean on the popup switch. But knowing you have access to a 3D printer I can't help but think you need to make a new bezel for the start bottom 

[twotone_ra64]

Thank you! True, but I kind of don't want to go through the effort of redesigning a new panel after all the work I did. Plus, the little clips that hold the panel into the dash seem hard to design.

[Sigma Projects]

You're an engineer, but that doesn't mean you have to re-engineer everything  Just make an intermediate piece that goes in between the new button chrome portion and the little square panel. Looks like there's enough of a gap. That or you could bondo it in.

[Teranfirbt]

You're an engineer, but that doesn't mean you have to re-engineer everything 

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[Sigma Projects]

Hey, I resemble that remark!

  I know you're being intentional

[swan song]

As a technician, I beg, with mercy and pleadings, that anything you engineers go on to create, ends up with “repairable” as one of the top goals.