I’ve always wanted to build a fun little car to call my own.

Ever since the original Gran Turismo, I couldn’t stop adding things like suspension, brakes, tires, and turbos to the cars as if they were all my own. Now I can go from virtual parts to actual physical parts and do what I’ve always loved crafting in the digital realm.

Never would I have ever imagined that I’d receive new cars periodically to review. The 12-year-old me with a controller wouldn’t believe it! After driving over ~$1.5M in press cars, it left me wondering which car would be mine. While everyone was baking sourdough bread and hoarding toilet paper during the last few crazy years, I decided to set aside some money and researched different cars. But what would I get?

A simple yet complex question yielded the best fit for me: Project Miata: The Answer. Here’s how we got there.

Digging through reviews and looking at iconic movie car classics, I wanted a car that would bring a smile not only to myself, but to anyone who looks over and sees this little car driving alongside them. How could anyone forget the VW Beetle, Mini Cooper, or Fiat 500? Ok, so we’ve had a few contenders outside of the Miata. The next item on my checklist felt like the hardest box to check.

With some cars with over 500 horsepower, you’d think I’d go for all power and performance. Well, they’re great and all, but I didn’t feel any excitement. It’s expected and demanded. Then there are those cars that deliver on fun at a fraction of the power.

I’m talking about something called “feeling” we get from the driver’s car seat. And there’s one car that stuck with me throughout these crazy times: the 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata.

I wanted to make the Miata my own and document it. At first, I considered a first-generation Miata, often referred to as the NA model, but after researching, I noticed the cost around pop-up headlights. I’m not high maintenance, so I wanted to avoid that from the get go. Watching videos around the second-generation, or NB, inspired me to consider this specific model.

The NB debuted with an early version (1999-2000) and the facelift version (2001-2005). I was able to find a 2001, which is classified as the NB2. The facelift introduced projector-style headlights and a reworked front bumper. The Sunlight Silver metallic color wasn’t my first choice for such a fun-looking car like the Miata, but I’d like to wrap it in a different color. (Red or yellow? Help me decide!) I plan to add front and rear aero pieces as well as a wing.

The base model has the smaller 15” wheels and the smaller brakes without ABS. It has the standard suspension and not the preferred sports Bilstein shocks. I’ll definitely be upgrading the wheels to a slightly larger 16” size and add some tires with better grip. The brakes will first get stainless steel brake lines with improved brake pads. If I feel like braking distances need to be reduced even more, I’ll look into a big brake kit. The suspension will also get an upgrade in the form of adjustable coil overs.

Hello, 2001. Inside, it’s just as you’d expect. Its base trim is a black interior, but maybe it is not so basic after all. After reading different websites citing the Miata’s options, I’m starting to think the leather seats weren’t standard—it should actually be black cloth. I do have a small rip in the driver seat and they may stay that way temporarily until I finish tackling other items in the build.

I couldn’t drive the Miata without the proper sound system it deserved. I replaced the older Pioneer single-din radio that would constantly lose connection from my phone. My wife loves this project and encouraged me to update it to whichever radio made the difference in my driving experience. Well, in went the double-din Pioneer radio with wireless Apple CarPlay. I plan on building a wireless charger into the armrest, as well as attaching a backup camera to the radio. Life’s luxuries in affordable premium styling? I think so. I’ll also be replacing trim pieces to dress up the interior.

Under the hood, the 1.8L inline 4-cylinder already had an aftermarket K&N air intake. I’m still unsure of the route I want to go: supercharged, turbocharged, or Honda K-swap. What I do know is that I want to clean up the engine bay to look more presentable. I’ll also need to track down the current oil leak and give it all-new and fresh fluids.

My goal with this project is to have a weekend car to drive on spirited back roads, autocross, and some track events. With an acronym like “Miata Is Always The Answer,” I will be naming this series, Project Miata: The Answer. Subscribe to my social media channels to see the progress!