SP Rides: Mazda Madness
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Name: Christopher Selga
Age: 39
Occupation: Mechanic
Hobbies: Cars, surfing, golf
Year, Make, Model: 2005 Mazdaspeed Miata
Color: Titanium Grey
Engine: CX Racing front mount intercooler, Megasquirt PRO ECU, muffler delete
Body:
Mazda OEM small side skirts, small rear mud guards, hard top, Mazda tail light bezels, BatteAero Chassis Mount Wing with boomerang end plates, Track Dog aggressive front splitter and splitter support rods, JsaiAero canards, R-Theory rear diffuser, Mazdaspeed front tow hook, Sparco rear tow strap
Interior:
Mazdaspeed race seats, Takata Racing harnesses, ZerekFab roll bar, ZerekFab harness bar, Mishimoto weighted shift knob
Suspension: Apexi N1 coilovers, Megan Racing rear upper control arms
Wheels, Tires: Work Meister S1 15 by 9 inches with -2 offset, 195/50r15 Dunlop Direzza front, 205/50r15 BF Goodrich G-force Rivals rear, Muteki neo-chrome lug nuts
Christopher Selga grew up in a family of hot rod lovers in Ewa Beach. He purchased his first ride, a 1992 Honda Civic Si, while still a senior in high school. Despite his family of car-enthusiasts, this ’92 Honda was Selga’s first foray into the world of automotive enthusiasm. He was part of the original Rated R car club in 1995 and attests his import love was impacted strongly by his friends.
Since then, he’s owned a slew of different import makes and models such as the IS300, 240, S2000, and the M3, however he’d never owned a Mazda. Wanting something different and knowing the Miata’s pedigree as a driver’s car, he fell in love after test driving this 2005 Mazdaspeed Miata.
Purchased bone stock and well maintained, the original intent was to compete in SCCA but he was daunted by the amount of time and money he’d have to spend away from his child. Instead, he opted to work a different crowd by improving its overall visual appeal coupled with some minor performance modifications. Overall, there’s no one part or modification that stands out for Selga — it’s really about how it all ties in together.
Visually, this ride sports all of the trick Mazdaspeed components. An OEM hard top was purchased and added to eliminate the cloth roof. The Mazdaspeed kit has been augmented with an aggressive front spoiler by Track Dog, held in place by splitter support rods and JSAIAero carbon fiber canards. A functional R-Theory rear diffuser was mounted to the rear undercarriage while a Mazdaspeed front tow hook and Sparco rear tow strap were also added for panache.
Of special mention is the BattleAero wing with boomerang end plates, this race-look is combined with the rolled fenders and sick Work Meister S1s set at 15 by 9 inches all around. These have a -2 offset and feature 195/50r15 Dunlop Direzza in the front while the rear rocks 205/50r15 BF Goodrich G-force Rivals. All of this is handled perfectly by a combination of APexi N1 coilovers and Megan Racing rear upper control arms.
The interior has plenty of components thrown in to make this ride even safer to roll on with the top off. A ZerkFab roll and harness bar provides protection, as well as mounting points for the Takata Harness. Very expensive and hard to source Mazdaspeed race seats set off the interior while a Mishimoto weighted shift knob improves flicks.
Power and performance is improved by a CX racing front mount intercooler, a Megasquirt Pro ECU and muffler delete.
Selga has always built his cars the way he wanted it. Of course, when it comes to our chosen rides, we all make choices. We all make sacrifices. Sadly, this MX-5 has been a short yet enjoyable journey for Selga. He’s currently in the process of selling it so he can focus 100 percent of his time and money on his other ride — a third generation Mazda RX-7. Talk about “no regrets.” As for me, I can’t wait to cover that ride!
