Miata Mailing List: February 2000, Message #2

sponsored by

Stu,

Here's a clue about where Russ is coming from... from a post of his on Jan
25 -

    "I will also be dealing in Greddy, HKS and Apex-i."

I think there is more than a grain of truth in what you say... it seems that
what Russ knows is Mitsu's, and he's applying that knowledge to Miatae.
Recall him advising somebody that the Miata engine will self-destruct if the
cam belt breaks?  Mitsu yes, Miatae no.  Going with an FM kit doesn't fit
with reselling these other brands, it's the competition.  Perhaps he can put
together a winning combination that will match the FM systems.  I will be
following his efforts with interest, and will be waiting for the definitive
dyno results.

At any rate, I wish him luck at the same time as I shake my head a bit.  For
someone who wants max power and speed, it is counter-intuitive to add weight
with showy body kits (we need extra springs to hold up the trunk lid with
the massive spoiler!) and heavy wheels.  Sure, they look good to many
people, but they won't help his quest for speed.  However, I won't claim to
understand the show stylings that are popular with the young Honda/Mitsu
aficionados, and even sometimes admire their efforts despite their
counterproductive-to-performance effects.  "Let he who is without sin cast
the first stone", right?  I'm not throwin'!

Regards,
Gordon Choate
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
96 BRG/tan - no turbo or body kits!


----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Jones" <stu@carolina.rr.com>
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2000 11:34 AM


> EunosRoadster99@aol.com wrote:
> > You may think i'm skimping on the turbo- but im really not....I dont
want an
> > FMII..if I wanted to be like everyone else, Id buy a civic.
>
> I don't understand something here. You say you don't want to be
> like 'everyone else' and own a civic. Yet, you're doing almost
> the /exact/ same mods to your car as 'they' do to theirs; same
> names, same types of parts. In that sense, what is the difference?
> Sounds to me, Russ, like the sheeply aspect, the following of
> the herd, comes in buying the 'big name' parts. All the kool kids
> are going HKS/GReedy turbo, with one of about 10 different Japanese
> body kit mfrs, and some brand of obnoxiously heavy wheels with Nitto
> tires. The only thing that you're /not/ doing 'like everyone else'
> is doing all of that to a Miata. Sorry, I don't see a difference.
>
> I'll grant you that this crowd has a lot of tunnel vision WRT to
> aftermarket parts. For good or ill, it seems like a lot of this
> tunnel vision is based on experiences of what works the best
> /FOR OUR CAR/. HKS may make some wonderful Silvia/Skyline parts.
> Greddy might make some wonderful parts for another car. The point
> is that neither company makes a FI solution that can hold even
> the smallest of candles to the FM turbo systems. You want the big
> power? FM is the way.. You're smart enough, find the dyno plots.
>
> More importantly than the power is the quality of service. I've
> stopped lurking on the power list, but I've seen literally
> thousands of examples of Bill helping his customers out with
> all kinds of bugs, turbo-related or not, helping them to get
> their turbos running as perfectly as is humanly possible. If you
> go with forced induction with any goals of big power, you /know/
> you will run into slight kinks. So when it comes time to tune
> through that rough little stumble at 4250, ask yourself an honest
> question: would you rather chance your engine to wild-assed
> guesses, or does it make more sense to have Bill's expertise
> available?
>
> Yeah, I know that in /this/ crowd, going the way of the FM
> is keeping step with the flock. However, out in the big room,
> which is what I think is the important part to you, going FM
> does /NOT/ mean you're keeping that kind of conformity. HKS
> or Greddy, IMNSHO, is exactly that: conformity to the big
> companies. <sarcasm> You should go with some huge, massive
> tuner company that makes parts for all cars, right? Everybody
> else is, and they all seem happy, right? When was the last
> time you saw a Civic with a big 'FM' decal on the rear quarter
> panel? What could these FM bozos /really/ know about high
> performance Japanese cars? And why would anybody in their
> right mind go with some little hole-in-the-wall company for
> their turbo? They couldn't /possibly/ know as much about the
> Miata as 'my' brand does.</sarcasm>
>
> You get the point. Hopefully you'll make an informed decision,
> not just the decision that's popular in the local bowling alley
> parking lot. After all, it's only your engine we're talking
> about here.
>
> --
> Stu
>