In addition to my FC 5.0 swap (RX7 project) I now have another Mazda that's draining my bank account, making friends question my choices and making my wife....happy? I recently traded my 04 WRX for this 97 Miata plus a good chunk of cash. My WRX had about 300whp, was lowered just enough to still clear anything you'd typically encounter on the street, looked excellent and was dead reliable. This Miata has plastidip on top of (what I was told) pretty beat up factory black paint and bondo, won't really make it over speed bumps, was running without any o2 sensors hooked up, had a stupid loud catless exhaust on it and has so far been a big headache. But I like it enough to keep it for a bit and try to fix some things

I needed to get the car through emissions, so the EGR "delete" that had been done was reversed, the exhaust was completely replaced with stock (admittedly, I miss the Riceland header ) and the o2 sensors were replaced along with a brand new Magnaflow cat being put on. Actually, the exhaust isn't 100% stock as I have a stock 1.6 catback which apparently lacks a silencer/resonator that the 1.8 exhaust has. Only reason for this was it was local and all I had to do was weld in an o2 bung. I got the title transferred on the 15th day after trading, which is the last day in Washington before they start charging you a late title transfer fee. I was thankful, and frustrated. Especially because on that 15th day my wife and I had just gotten back from a 12 hour road trip (each way) to Reno to visit friends. We did it in her 1990 Miata, good times.

Quick list of mods
- Megan EZ street coilovers
- 15x8 +0 Rota Shakotans with Chinese 195/50R15 tires
- Cut cam cover to expose the timing belt
- Plastidipped exterior, almost a primer red color
- Plaid door panels and console armrest (meh)
- Shifter extension
- Side skirts (from Amazon.com I believe)
- Touge run style rear spoiler
- Front lip
- Stubby antenna (super JDM yo)
- NRG quick release hub and wheel
- Panel wink mirror
- Approximately 12" ride height all around

That just about covers it I think. I just had the tires put on yesterday and had it aligned, I need to clearance the inside of the fender a bit now (previous owner ran 195/45R15). The car rides almost like stock, which I never believed when I read it online from other Miata people. But I mean it, besides the lack of space between the underside of my car and the road it rides like my wife's stock 1990. Except I also have a bit more bump travel which is nice.

So basically all I've done since getting this is try to figure out why I don't regret getting rid of my WRX yet. I also worked like crazy getting the car back to emissions compliance and also raising the inch about a rear and setting the preload on the coilover springs (the collars were almost an inch away from the springs when the car was jacked up....). Plans are to daily it for now. I'd like to get a hardtop for it (we have one for the wife's car, I love them), re gasket the engine and then eventually paint it and possibly in the distant future turbo it. But all this assumes I can balance having both the FC finished and this, because the FC takes priority at this point and this car was supposed to only function as a daily. Not another project

Here's some pics of the car









In the driveway with a friend's bugeye





Right after I got it, all the stickers are gone now haha



And how it looks most recently