I started to install my flying Miata butterfly brace and frame rails and quickly ran into a problem.

I know my Miata was previously slammed and it appears that it has also bee bottomed out hard on a speed bump. The subframe rails a pretty crushed on both sides in the same spot. They are now too wide at this point for the brace to fit around them.

I have tried beating them skinny with assorted hammers and wood and metal blocks. I have tried jacking the frame rail around the bludge. I have tried lowering the car onto the frame rails with a woodblock under them.

I have concluded that something must be shaved. I am thinking I will notch the fm brace because I don't want to weaken the cars subframe any further.

I appreciate any feed back and advise. I am also reaching out to flying Miata for advise.

After some searching my frame is not bad! This is common damage on a na. Two options pound it out or cut it off. I saw some guys cut it out and weld on a steel box in its place. I also saw cutting where it's crushed and prying it down. The frame rail on the underside that is crushed is not structural to the car but supports the floor pan

Google

Dealing with crushed "Frame Rails" on your Miata

See really damaged frame rails on Miata roadster . Net

Found a great tool for straightening metal in my air tools drawer. I used an air hammer with the chisel attachment and really got the rails straight!







I will paint to prevent rust prior to install

Found a great tool for straightening metal in my air tools drawer. I used an air hammer with the chisel attachment and really got the rails straight!







I will paint to prevent rust prior to install

What I lack in friends I make up for in jack stands






Got it just right!

Impressive man. Nice improvisation! Thats the one thing I'd really like to have had in my Miata. Greg loves his.

It came with hardware from the original owner and its all 9/16ths grade 8. It feels so strange to us SAE hardware on a Metric car LOL. some of the washers were bent and I pounded them straight I should have waited they were bent perfectly to conform to the raises and falls of the Miata floor board. I did replace all the nuts with nylon lock nuts and I'm using Loctite blue.

I used kitchen & bath clear silicone to cover the bolts and in the hole to prevent rust and water from coming inside the car if I ever drive it in rain. I drove it all day Sunday without the top installed and raised the rainstorm home Sunday night.

Its important to install the butterfly brace and the frame rail at the same time because they share 8 bolts and have to line up perfectly. Install the two rear most bolts first because they have a chance of coming up outside the passenger compartment if you have the brace too far back on the car.

Finished it up.

Caulked around the holes I drilled




1100 car! Since I had the flat black spray paint out for the frame rails I finished my fenders by adding the black strip at the bottom



Hardware is kind of long? I started with the back inside bolts first. Then did the front inside bolts. The frame rails and butterfly share these bolts so if they line up your good to go



The car is completely different feels like a racecar

Update after about 200 miles of driving. The cars top speed has been lowered to just under 90mph and it got hot trying it. I bottom out on a lot of things now even at my very sensible stock ride height. The handling is amazing!

What's wrong with your engine?

No turbo yet

I think the real evil is the automatic transmission. It will not shift into third at wot
.


I replaced the fuel filter. Im thinking about replacing the vacuum module and line.

Ahhhh.
I always forget you have an autotragic. I still don't know why you do though, or why anyone would.

You ever had to row gears with a great Dane in your lap?

Can't say I have... but I have rowed gears with a redhead in my lap