> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brian Porter [mailto:porterb@mediaone.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 1999 9:16 PM
> To: Alan Dahl
> Cc: autox@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Stock Car Advice
>
>
> Similar to what I hear but has yet to be proven.. <g> A
> decent BS Miata
> guy moved from a '95R to a '99 Sport and prefers the '99..
> Added power and
> chassis stiffness are his top raves..
I too have switched from a 95R (still in the garage though currently - for
sale shortly - interested parties give an email!) to a '99. The '95 was
easy to setup - just be a lemming and do what the others did, poof instant
nationally competitive car. The '99 has not been quite so easy yet - mostly
due to being an early entry. Those that have committed to it (Alan Dahl,
Peter Raymond (in Jerry Bennington's car) et al. have gotten them to go
quite fast. We're finally getting there. We're _almost_ to being able to
'just drive' as Ren Marinus would phrase it.
Someday Katie Edler and I will do an impromptu drag race between her '99 and
my '95 to verify which is quicker. Hard to tell by seat of the pants - and
mine has the full cat back Borla, so is louder, making it _sound_ faster.
The stiffness is better on the '99, but mostly noticeable over rough areas.
>
> Do you know what the top-5 BS cars were at the Nationals this year?
> (year/model)
I can do this from the top of my head (no comments, any of you! :-):
1st: George Doganis '94 Miata R
2nd: me (Kevin McCormick) '95 Miata R
3rd: Alan Dahl '99 Miata Sport
4th: Peter Raymond '99 Miata Sport
5th: Eric Esch '95 Miata R (converted to one?)
>
> >
> >The '99 has a slightly smaller steering wheel but otherwise
> is exactly the
> >same interior-room-wise as the earlier car.
>
> I think the added "clutter" (HVAC buttons, gauges e.t.c.)
> made it *feel*
> smaller to me.. But in fairness, I always feel cramped for
> the first hour
> or so after driving out of winter storage..
To me, the '99 actually feels more open with the top of the dash being
lower. The steering wheel is indeed a step up!
>
> I do have the more accomodating, lightweight '95
> interior..<g> (no armrests..)
Good and bad - for long drives, the armrests are much better. They do get
in the way (permanent indentation on the left knee) in spirited driving.
Such is life!
>
> >
> >The big problem with the '99 is shocks. Once Koni has their
> shocks out in
> >June/July we should start to see more of the '99's true
> potential. Right
> >now your choices are the too soft but ok Mazdaspeed shocks,
> the factory
> >non-adjuatable Bilsteins or $$$ custom shocks from Ground
> Control or Penske.
>
> What size front sway bar does the '99 Sport come with
> nowadays? I recently
> added Koni's and an Addco 7/8" bar and love the mod.. I'll be
> as big as
> Arnold from added steering effort though.. :)
Stock is 7/8" (compared to 5/8 for a 94-97.) I run/ran a 15/16 on my 95R.
Kevin McComrick
>
> -Brian
> porterb@mediaone.net
>
>
|