Miata Timing Belt Complete

[kmead]

Good looking Miata, Karl. I've never driven one, so I have no personal frame of reference. I remember reading all the articles in Road & Track, Car & Driver, etc., when it was being developed & then marketed - commentary on how Mazda supposedly modelled most everything from the exhaust on up on various (unreliable) British roadsters. There are many well-loved examples around here, however I've never thought to own one.

Carl is correct, the Miata is much like driving an X but with limited suspension travel.

Interestingly both the Fiat 124 Spider and the X were among the cars Mazda was benchmarking early in development. I have the two books released which cover much of the development of the Miata and there are many pictures of a fuel injected X in there. They clearly took many cues for the driving dynamics from an X over the other cars they tried. I haven’t looked at the book in a long while but think there was also an early Lotus Elan in the mix as well, if you haven’t driven one of those you should, remarkable car with excessive lightness added

I bag on the Miata a lot but it is in fact a good car to zip around in. Top down is best as you don’t notice some of the shortcomings with all the other sensory inputs.

 

[carl]

I have several real friends (as opposed to you virtual clowns) who own Fiats and Miatas. Any Fiat owner who trashes a Miata probably has never owned one....or even driven one.

 

[kmead]

I have a friend who is on the large side primarily in height but he is built out to scale at 6’10”. At the introduction of the Miata in Chicago he went to the show and slipped in until his hips the seat back, he wiggled a bit and slid the rest of the way down which locked his knees into the IP and due to the shape of the seats his back side was wedged into the seat back. They couldn’t get him out, cracked part of the IP and broke the seat back trying to pry him out. No one was pleased.

I have no idea what he was thinking.