I guess it was inevitable...

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It stays so long as it remains working.
Pray that it breaks. The Miata's manual rack is a glorious thing. The way it loads up something mighty while cornering hard at 60 mph...it's a satisfying workout.
 
Auto crossing with a manual rack is never fun even if it is glorious. I like the feeling right up until the first slalom. The club I race with usually has two or three per course.
 
Autocross, we'll there's your problem! :p

Disregard manual rack, acquire straight pipe. That's what a wise man once said. TH Motorsports sells the Spec 2 and Tetsuya is selling an Oyamayomama. Both about $550.

 
I can't seem to find a catalog of mazdaspeed parts online but I doubt they have many street parts still available. I think all but a few things and of course the spec miata parts are probably NLA by now.
I ordered & translated mazdaspeed parts catalog for local Mazda performance shop guy awhile back. It's been years, but I think they had many light/street performance upgrade parts available. Of course, that's JDM though. If the pricing is crazy like Keef says, maybe they don't have full support for the U.S. Market. Kinda stupid!

Edit: "Duit!" What was that from? I see Vince, I see Stiller, but I can't remember the movie. Must've been mediocre. :lol:
 
There is no way I'd get away with a straight pipe. I'm the type of guy that drives to work at 6:30am like I'm nonchalantly lapping Tsukuba.
 
Edit: "Duit!" What was that from? I see Vince, I see Stiller, but I can't remember the movie. Must've been mediocre. :lol:
Starsky & Hutch. So yes. :lol:

There is no way I'd get away with a straight pipe. I'm the type of guy that drives to work at 6:30am like I'm nonchalantly lapping Tsukuba.
You think I don't? Both pipes have mufflers anyway so it's not like it will be ridiculous. The Spec 2 would be the louder of the two most likely.

I'm leaning toward the Oyama simply because it's called Oyama. How much more JDM can you get?!
 
Pray that it breaks. The Miata's manual rack is a glorious thing. The way it loads up something mighty while cornering hard at 60 mph...it's a satisfying workout.

I've driven Miatas (well, a mixture of MX5s and Eunoses) with and without power steering and on balance I'd always go for power steering. You don't lose in feel as much as you gain in usability and the useful option of the odd bit of quick countersteer when required.
 
It honestly is about as quality a piece as you'll find. Thin-wall stainless tubing for that extra bit of lightweight. It comes with a silencer too, but you'll be too busy being rad to use it.

I've driven Miatas (well, a mixture of MX5s and Eunoses) with and without power steering and on balance I'd always go for power steering. You don't lose in feel as much as you gain in usability and the useful option of the odd bit of quick countersteer when required.
Meh! Manual racks do their own countersteering, and they do it with a forearm-bending ferocity. Like I said, a good workout. Still the most exhilarating driving experience I've had this side of a race kart.
 
Meh! Manual racks do their own countersteering, and they do it with a forearm-bending ferocity. Like I said, a good workout.

:lol: Yes. I drove the Impreza around with power steering for like half a year during my car's surgery. When I finally finished my car, I drove around for a couple days all jerky and what not (while cornering). The thing was man handling me like a boos and I couldn't drive it smoothly. Especially through less than perfect roads. I'm fine now :sly:
 
De-powered power rack FTW. Quicker ratio.
Nah, because then you've got the larger, heavier hardware still mounted, as well as sloshing the fluid back and forth. Manual rack probably saves 20 pounds. The ratio is still quicker than my RX7, too.

My AW11 doesn't have power steering. I've owned it for 4 years.
Your AW11 doesn't have an iron-block engine sitting on top the front wheels.

Also, guaranteed the Miata outperforms the AW11.
 
I think they're pretty close actually. The Miata is lighter and has a lower center of gravity but the MR2 has the extra weight over the drive axle and a roof giving it more rigidity.
 
Or that, but you're still left with a rack that wasn't designed to be operated that way. If it were, then Mazda simply would have not filled the manual rack with seals or fluid. That would have saved a lot of money. If you're going to take the thing apart anyway you might as well replace it with a manual rack, which is still satisfyingly quick and also plenty heavy through parking lots or loaded in a corner.
 
Or that, but you're still left with a rack that wasn't designed to be operated that way. If it were, then Mazda simply would have not filled the manual rack with seals or fluid. That would have saved a lot of money. If you're going to take the thing apart anyway you might as well replace it with a manual rack, which is still satisfyingly quick and also plenty heavy through parking lots or loaded in a corner.

Maybe so.

But having driven cars with both racks, I prefer the de-powered power rack. Did that with my Civic too.
 
To be honest, the only sportish cars I've driven with manual racks are Cesar's Miata and my buddy's old Civic DX. Like a damn school bus, that was. :lol:
 
Damn, i want this car so bad. I asked my parents if I could get one, they said no. I have a car now that works and they want me to keep that. If they never say yes I'm getting one as soon as i'm off to college. cheap to buy, insure, maintain, and fill up the tank. Great aftermarket support. huge supply. Keep updating this thread, can't wait to see more :dopey:
 
I did the basic tune up tonight. Pics were taken but my camera cord is MIA. The car runs a lot smoother now. Idle is stable. I also found the exhaust to be leaking before the cat so that solves that mystery.

Found cable.

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