Project S13 Convertible

[DroptopS13]

To start off, I'm making this thread to track my cars history, progress and record the maintenance.

I picked up this car the summer after my freshman year. After doing alot of research it fit all my goals: Daily drivable, Available parts,TURBO, Decent gas mileage, In my price range, lots of room to expand, and well documented. I picked her up with a sr20det and a 5 speed swap (verts only came with automatics) already in it; due to the fact that it had alot more work done to it than I could of afforded, to do myself, on my budget. Heres a list of whats already been done to it Mod wise.


The Car

Chassis Mileage: 129,000
Engine Mileage: >50,000

Engine:
~96-98 Kouki S13 SR Blacktop swap(Type X 97-98)
~GT28R(S14) ball bearing turbo
~HKS actuator @~11psi
~Taka turbo lines
~FMIC, solid piping
~Piping Pro intake
~K&N filter
~Recirculating DSM BOV (nice and quiet)
~Megan Racing turbo elbow
~3" downpipe/Catco cat,
~3" Fujitsubo JASMA exhaust.(Great tone)
~Walbro 255
~Nismo FPR
~Altima electric fans

Suspension/brakes
~Eibach Sportliine springs,
~KYB AGX shocks
~Tanabe Sustec rear sway
~EBC Greenstuff front pads, Hawk HPS rears


Exterior
~Canadian DTRLs
~Amber/clear turn signals
~Multi-piece Linea Sport mesh wheels
~BFG G-Force Sport tires, 205/50ZR16, ~7000 miles

Interior
~C's short shifter,
~Nismo butt plug knob
~Nardi 365mm classic
~HKB hub
~Kouki S14 SE seats
~Autometer boost, water temp, oil pressure gauges in center A/C vent
~Pioneer head unit
~Stri turbo timer

Maintenance:
Turbo Return Lines ~5000 miles
Z32 Fuel Filter (upgrade) ~500 Miles
Coil packs(4x) ~0 Miles
NGK BKR7E Sparkplugs (1 step colder) ~0 Miles
Slave Cylinder ~100 Miles
Master Cylinder ~0 Miles
Clutch Line ~100 Miles
Lightweight Miata Battery ~1000 Miles

To do soon:
~Install CXRacing Aluminum 2 row Radiator
~Install Silicone Radiator Hoses
~Clean up Aluminum in the engine bay
~Paint Intercooler Black(Debating)
~New Trunk Shocks
~Kill Switch
~Hook up oil pressure solenoid

Future Plans(in order):
1. Brake rotor/caliper upgrade (either STI/Evo Brembos or J30)

2. Nistune
Sti 555cc injectors
Z32 MAF
GT28RS "Disco Potato" Turbo
6 Puck Sprung ACT Clutch

3. SilkRoad Coilovers


Pictures:

[DroptopS13]

Update just installed the radiator and hoses, engine bays looking a little better and hopefully my temp gauge will be alot lower, I also kept the two 12" fans for good measure.


All Aluminum Radiator (2 Row)


Silicone Hoses


A Comparison, its amazing the old one held up too cool a engine with more than 2 times the horsepower it was designed too.




Looking pretty with the silicone hoses in place, but I def need to clean my engine engine soon its looking real dirty.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Why are there random clamps on the silicone hose in the middle? And good god please clean up the wiring (pet peeve of mine). With how cheap aluminum radiators are these days it makes sense to do them over regular plastic end tank radiator, at least wiht bmws where they like to blow apart.

I dunno why I think its cool that the sr20 is in a convertible, convertibles with blowoff valves are da hawtness.

[ViPER1313]

And good god please clean up the wiring (pet peeve of mine).

This coming from the guy who was too cheap/lazy to replace a $4 inline fuse holder for his DSM's fuel pump, causing it to not start 75% of the time and stall at random up and down Port Republic..... for 6 months.....

[D_Eclipse9916]

And good god please clean up the wiring (pet peeve of mine).

This coming from the guy who was too cheap/lazy to replace a $4 inline fuse holder for his DSM's fuel pump, causing it to not start 75% of the time and stall at random up and down Port Republic..... for 6 months.....

If it really did that I would have replaced it out of annoyance. I am too impatient with cars to have that happen. It went out a few times while I was waiting for a different fuse holder to come in.

[DroptopS13]

Why are there random clamps on the silicone hose in the middle? And good god please clean up the wiring (pet peeve of mine).

Yeah I will probably pick up some loom this week though the wiring is getting redone in 2 months by a electrician friend of mine, hes redoing all the wiring, and looming everything out for me for real cheap. And the clamps are in the middle because I have a aftermarket temp gauge and the sensor is in the middle of that hose, thus I added clamps to make it secure.

With how cheap aluminum radiators are these days it makes sense to do them over regular plastic end tank radiator, at least wiht bmws where they like to blow apart.

I got this for around 160 shipped, same company Jon used in his S14, the welds aren't the prettiest but for the price you cant beat it. But if you want pretty welds it runs like 200ish+ shipping.

Just got her running after a really rough winter and shes purring like a kitten, just have to redo the temp sensors wiring and maybe redo the top hose so I feel a bit better

Thanks man, I love driving with the top down hearing my blow off valve sing, who needs a radio haha

[N0VA_zEnKI]

ya that radiator should treat ya well man. it'll be nice when u bring the car down... cruisy cruise! gotta get mine up and goin again

[DroptopS13]

Summer Update: Since I had a blowout on the way home from JMU, I went ahead and replaced all 4 tires with new sumitomo HTR Z III's 16 inch 205/50. Also Realigned. Then my Downpipe bolts rattled off and my car sounded like fucking monster truck (note all the kids at work with hondas thought it was "cool"). So I went ahead and replaced all the studs and locklited them. Now I'm thinking about swapping in a helical LSD(torque based) from the s15 type Rs at the end of summer.

[Jake]

Nice update... do you not have a LSD now? I have a Torsen (aka torque sensing) in the Miata and it helps sooooo much in the snow/ice. If one of your two drive wheels has traction, you can get moving a bit. I guess it helps with autocross and stuff too, but I haven't driven a Miata with open diff to compare directly.