[95neoner]

When I got sent to SC I didn't have a car so I picked up a '99 Miata from the middle of GA. It and the black Neon are the two cars that were nice when I got them.

The Miata is rust-free as well, and was stock, so I've pretty well kept it that way. Took it home on my first leave and basically just detailed it a bit, the '95 Neon got most of my time.

Dropped in a K&N filter when I got it, switched it over to Royal Purple oil and filter, put the black neon's old Konig Holes & 205/40/17 Yokohama parada spec 2s on it, and threw in a stuffed pedobear for the irony. Took it autocrossing once and ran it in C stock. Put the '01 front bumper on it, removed the pinstripes, de-hazed the headlights, removed the baby teeth, Sylvainia silverstar headlight bulbs, and PIAA super sporza wiper blades.

I need to get better recent pics... probably do that soon. Just got my '01 headlights yesterday. Honestly I'm a bit confused at the moment, cause mine look like they've got a place for 3 seperate sockets & bulbs, but when I looked at a friend's MSM I thought it only had one big plug in the back of it, but either way, it looks like I've got some wiring to do in the near future. After I get those in and get the '01 tails, I want to put some Tein basics under it and get a hard top. Should be happy for a little while, maybe a GV lip. Dunno, we'll see.

 

[Machismo]

Welcome. Nice platform. Always wanted a 99 myself.

 

[95neoner]

Thanks. I just liked the idea that I actually had a nice car to start with, that didn't need the motor swapped, I've got enough of those backed up right now. I think with the SCCA's new STR class being adopted, I might build this car to those specs. More thinking to do...

 

[dgmorr29]

Are you still using 99-00 headlights? Fitment doesn't look too bad with that angle of your photo.

 

[95neoner]

Are you still using 99-00 headlights? Fitment doesn't look too bad with that angle of your photo.

That's because it's the best angle i got. :lol:

I'll try to get a better one for you tonight. Take a look in the corner near the center of the bumper. There's a bit of a gap there where the '01 headlights have a slightly sharper curve.

Hopefully I can figure out what's up with the wiring for the sockets tonight too. Coulda swore there was only 2 plugs in the back of the '01 headlight and it was gonna be a wiring-free swap. Looks like there's just 3 seperate sockets in mine. Hopefully i can figure it out and get the '01s soon.

 

[95neoner]

So I confirmed it the other day, I need to find some sockets with pigtails and do some wiring to get the headlights in. Planning on going to the junkyards tomorrow to look.

Pics of how the '99 headlights don't fit the '01 bumper:

Took a few pics with a couple friends tonight. Also in the pic is Scott's '87 Supra and Matt's '09 Mazdaspeed 3:

 

[95neoner]

So I used an ohm meter to test the headlight wires today, and I was a bit confused. Referencing the passenger side, the green wire always has power to it while the headlights are on, and I believe it was the red wire was high beam, and white was low beam, which leaves no ground. So I'm just supposing the '01 headlights are going to be the same with no ground wire running in. What it sounds like to me that I'll need to do is splice the green wire to both the high beam and low beam light sockets, and the red and white to thier respective sockets.

Just wondering if anyone has actually done the swap from '99-style headlights to the '01s. Did a little searching and couldn't find anything. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[BassMachine]

Can you trim the bumper to fit the lights? Personally i like the rounded 99 lights with the 01+ bumper. If you can do that then you don't have to mess with electrical.

 

[95neoner]

Not really. Even if I did, the lights are too tall and are holding the hood up, that's why all that hood gap is there. I like the look of the '01 headlights better. As soon as I get a chance to look at a friend's '01 I'm re-wiring the headlights.

 

[95neoner]

Finished getting the socets, lights, and connectors rounded up. If all goes well, I plan to put the headlights in tomorrow. Any intrest in a write-up if I can make it work?

Couple more pics:

 

[95neoner]

Got the headlights in. Bought a HKS filter for my '95 Neon and temporarily installed it on the stock intake tube of the Miata. Clay bared and waxed back to the fenders. Detailed the engine bay today.

 

[daftIntrovert]

yum, those are some shiny crystal clear 01+ headlights! Were they brand new?

If you're looking for something to fill the fog light holes but don't have any need for fog lights, don't feel like wiring them, don't care for the fact that they're more cosmetic than functional, etc. there are OEM fog light deletes available that are very inexpensive. Since it sounds like you're going to make this into an autocross car, have you looked at the Mazda Motorsports parts program? The link to the store is here: https://www.mazdamotorsports.com/we...azdaSportHomePageView?langId=-1&storeId=10001

I know they have some provision for registering a car that you haven't raced yet but are currently building to race. Then you just need to feed them a couple of your results each season and you can continue to get the awesome benefits. I think the deletes are only about $13 each through them.

The deletes look like this installed: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4373124272_bc17e5c156_b.jpg

 

[95neoner]

I've seen the deletes. I don't really want them though. Kinda remniscent of this for me:

I started out in the Neon community, so I'm carrying on influence from those cars to this one. The factory racing package put together by Dodge, called the ACR, came from the factory with a fog bumper (something many Neon people end up searching for as well), but no fog lights. Kinda odd, but that's what I like about the Neon. It's different, kinda the red-headed and beaten daily child of the tuning world. It just has... tao if you will. Anyhow, that's why I think I like it anyway.

The headlights were new off ebay. Same price for two as the dealership wants for one... wholesale.

I've autocrossed once with the car already, plan to attend as many as possible this year. The program keeps popping up and I keep forgetting to look into it. I need to check into it sometime though. Thanks for the link.

 

[95neoner]

Just for future clarification for anyone else planning on signing up... the application says you have to send race results and I figure that's cool, I'll send a link to them of the time I went last year. I get to the final page after the application has been sent, then it says send 2 results within the next 30 days. I hope our local event on March 20th doesn't get cancelled.

 

[daftIntrovert]

Trust me, the program is worth it. Mazda supports grassroots racers better than any other car company I know of.

If they don't respond promptly after you've submitted your results you can always call them. I've heard sometimes people wait months after submitting results and get angry with them when a little phone call could have fixed it right away

 

[95neoner]

That's what i was thinking I'll need to do.

 

[amptramp]

The empty foglamp holes would be usable for a cold air intake. An intake such as yours sitting above the exhaust manifold may not get much hot air when moving, but when stopped at a light, you will launch with a very hot intake. Unless, of course, you are in a racing class that does not permit cold air intakes.

 

[95neoner]

I plan to autocross in STR this year, but,

The damn fog holes are staying empty!

Kthxbai

:mrgreen:

 

[95neoner]

Finished my clay bar & wax today. Also got a Marhua shift knob on the way.

 

[95neoner]

Well, I'm getting a hard top this weekend now. This is why:

It goes all the way through.

Got my shift knob in today.

Also got Royal purple oil in the transmission and diff last night. Re-filling the transmission is a pita. can't refill from underneath cause the bottle won't fit, and can't fill through the shifter cause it has it's own compartment. Had to rig up a contraption with a bottle adapter, hose, and funnel to run from inside the car, down through the hole where the shifter used to be, and forward a foot and a half to the fill plug. It was interesting. A lot of it ended up on the floor. The aftermath: