Miata Mailing List: May 1999, Message #158

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In a message dated 5/2/99 12:01:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
slowpokebill@uswest.net writes:

> What would your perfect package be?

  When Mazda asked this question a few years back, my response was "Elise."  
Over the last 10 years I've spent a lot of time (but almost no money) paring 
ounces here and pounds there to get my base 90 as light as practical.  That's 
always been my idea of a sports car -- as some magazine scribe wrote "Nothing 
on it that doesn't make it faster."
  I'd pay a few grand more for things like aluminum subframes, carbon fibre 
panels, titanium con rods, dry sump oiling, etc.  Perfect package?  1800 lb, 
180 hp NA aluminum 4 with 8500 redline (license it from Honda if necessary), 
4.55 or so final drive with adjustable clutch-type LSD, rear mounted very 
close ratio 6 speed transaxle, steering ratio similar to the PS in a manual 
rack, real adjustable coilovers, removable windshield, race-type seats and 
belts, SCCA membership instead of a warranty, ... Hmm, this is starting to 
sound like a Mod-class Lotus!
  Mazda has never been keen on this sort of thing.  Perhaps the closest 
they've come was the R package Miata (the 93R RX7 was still too friggin' 
big).  Back when they did the 85 RX7 GSL SE they made us buy all the station 
wagon fluff to get the big motor and brakes, lower final drive, etc.  I had 
the hardest time in 89 even getting a base Miata.  Finally, I had to forego 
the LSD (maybe something I should have done in the 60s) and drag home a 
%&^^$#@ dealer installed A/C which still takes up shop floor room.
  What would I pay for my ideal package?  Maybe $30,000 -- then again, if I 
had that sort of money I'd probably do something frivolous like pay the power 
bill or buy better beer.

  Foureagles and Rocinante, 2005 lb CSP (D-Mod if you look too closely) 90
  "Don't confuse symmetry with balance."

  PS: My spell checker wanted to replace "transaxle" with "transsexual."