Miata: 1999 White Touring package, 5 speed manual with Torsen LSD.
FFS kit: Purchased in 2005 as one of the original 25 prototype MP62 Coldside kits offered through a joint venture with Tom Van Dan Elzen, the founder of FFS and BRP / Stage One Tuning. When BRP folded FFS was born.
Miles on the FFS kit? 110k on the kit, 145K miles on the car
My story: When I was a kid growing up in the 70s, my dad owned a 75 TR6 in British Racing Green with a matching hardtop. I loved that car and vowed one day to have my own little two seat convertible. When Mazda released the Miata I knew it was only a matter of time. I found a low mileage 99 Miata in 2001 as a lease turn in and have been hooked on Miatas ever since. I loved the handling of the car but was always a little disappointed that it didn’t have a bit more power. In 2004 when I started researching how to add power using forced induction there were two main options: turbo kits or the mp45 supercharger or a larger mp62 hotside supercharger that recommended using an intercooler. In 2005 there was some chatter on Miata Net about a new coldside kit being developed that eliminated the need for an intercooler and provided immediate throttle response with approximately 170 – 190 rwhp. This new kit only required removing old parts and installing the new parts, no real modifications required such as cutting, drilling or welding and it only added about 19lbs of additional weight to the car. Once they released 25 kits for purchase to the public I pulled the trigger.
I was a very inexperienced shade tree mechanic but the process didn’t intimidate me. The kit came in two boxes, the electronics, most of the hardware, hoses and directions came from BRP; a separate box with the supercharger arrived from a company called “Knack Toys”, Tom’s company before starting FFS. Install took me about a month, spending a few hours each weekend from the day after Thanksgiving and finally turned the key for the first time on Jan 1 2006. The kit really follows Tom’s FFS Coldside motto “Install, Turn Key and Enjoy”.
Upgrades for the S/C were only an aftermarket aluminum radiator, boost, oil temp and AFR gauges, a new fuel filter and replaced the open differential with a factory LSD. I planned to upgrade the clutch and flywheel when the OEM failed but that lasted until last summer, I replaced it with another factory Mazda clutch hoping to get another 20+ years out of it. I run 93 Octane all year from Top Tier fuel stations, the fuel tank is just over 12 gallons so the additional cost of higher octane is minimal but should be a necessity for forced induction systems.
I really like the linear power delivery of the FFS kit. It feels like a larger engine and what the Miata should have had from the factory. It has been very reliable for my 20+ years of having it installed but I have resisted the urge to chase down more power by adding complexity. I still run the original 20 year old Jackson Racing Power Card piggy back to the stock ECU, no ECool or the other FFS fuel or timing card as my pulley ratio is 65/90 for 6lbs of boost. I have had the S/C nose bearings replaced twice when they started making noise where replacing the fluid and coupler didn’t fix the issue. Other than routine maintenance for a 26 year old car, the kit itself has been flawless.
How has the experience changed since installing your kit? The car feels perfect, every time I think it’s time to buy a faster, newer car I take the Miata out for a 30 minute drive and come back knowing I’ll never get rid of it. The only thing I plan next is to eventually convert it to the TVS900 as the MP62 parts and support are getting harder to find. For engine management I may move up to a standalone ECU so I can have a more efficient blower with a goal of 190 rwhp and still maintain reliability.
I also have the new FFS Cold Air Intake install that replaced the snorkel tube over the top of the valve cover. Once I figure where to relocate my oil filter relocation kit I’ll update this review with additional pics of the CAI installed. The original air intake was located underneath the blower next to the alternator. Later they added the snorkel and cold air box to the driver’s side headlight similar to the stock intake. The new CAI moves the intake back to the passenger side but up behind the passenger headlight instead of behind the alternator. That snorkel is the only thing I’ve ever disliked about the kit. While functional it looks silly and distracts from a very well put together kit.
I can’t recommend this kit enough for anyone who wants to increase the power of their Miata while maintaining stock reliability and drivability of their Miata. Pat Cowan, the new owner has been very receptive to my questions about kit compatibility with his new parts on old kits like mine. I’m still happy to be an active FFS customer for 20+ years, they still make things I can use!
Pics included are the original installation and current configuration of the car.
