Taylor Royal takes on installing a Street Wang. 

1999-2005 NB Miata Street Wang V2 Install 

(May apply to the 1989-1997 Na chassis, but cannot verify) 

Tools Required: 

• 10mm Socket and/or wrench (optional if removing trunk lid) 
• 1/2” wrenches (2) 
• Drill 
• 1/8” & 3/8” drill bits 
• Center punch 
• 1/8” Hex key 
• Metal cutting tool of choice (for trimming edge of trunk lid) 
• Safety Glasses (you don’t want metal in your eye) 
• Blue painter’s tape 
• Marker/Sharpie 
• Tape Measurer  
• Small ruler or straight edge 
• Touchup paint 

Step 1: Unbox and check parts 

Unbox your Street Wang kit and verify you received all the necessary parts to install. The packing by the folks at Nine  Lives Racing is superb and protected everything from getting damaged during shipping. 

You should have the following parts: 

• 1 x Wang element 
• 2 x Endplate pylons 
• 6 x nut and bolt sets for mounting endplate pylons to the car (not pictured) 
• 8 x hex key screws for mounting the wang element to the pylons (not pictured) 
• 2 x plastic endplate base spacer wedges, these will installs on an NA Miata* 
• Assortment of 9LR stickers (most important)

Step 2 (optional): Remove trunk lid 

If you would prefer, you can remove your trunk lid for this process. I did not find it necessary and just propped the trunk  lid up, preventing it from coming down on me during the install. 

If you’d prefer to remove it, just mark the location of your hinge mounts using painter’s tape to make reinstallation  easier on yourself later. Other than that it’s just unbolting the 4 – 10mm bolts and removing the trunk. Make sure to set  it somewhere safe so it doesn’t get damaged. 

Step 3: Measuring for endplate pylon mounting holes 

Place a piece of painters tape along the inside edge of the rear quarter panel about 12” long starting at the rear edge of  the quarter panel. Use a measuring tape to measure 3 ½” from the back edge of the quarter panel and, using your  marker, place a mark at the 3 ½” mark (picture 3a). Next, I used a small ruler and made a line straight down to provide a  good reference mark for the rear most mounting hole. (picture 3b). 

Next, I used the provided plastic spacer as a guide for marking the remaining holes. Using your reference line made  previously, match it up with the last hole in the spacer and lay the spacer flat against the body of the car (picture 3c).  Mark the center of the remaining two holes (picture 3d). At this point I also pulled up the weatherstripping to prevent  cutting it while drilling in the next step.

Step 4: Drilling mounting holes 

Using the center punch, make an indention at each of your marks for the mounting holes made in the previous step  (picture 4a). 

Next, drill a pilot hole for each using the 1/8” drill bit, making sure to keep the weatherstripping out of the way from  being torn. After that, drill your final holes using the 3/8” drill bit. You should now have 3 new holes drilled into either  side of your car (picture 4b). No going back now! Make sure to use some touch up paint and coat the edge of each of the  holes to prevent future rust (4c). 

Step 5: Mounting the endplates and wang 

You’re likely going to need two sets of hands for this next step as the entire wang needs to be loosely constructed  before being completely tightened down. 

Start off by mounting both endplate pylons using the provided nut and bolt by threading on the nut just a few threads to  keep the endplate entirely loose (picture 5a). Notice the orientation of the endplates for which side each gets mounted  to (picture 5b). *NA Miata owners: This is where you’ll use the provided plastic wedge spacer. Place it between the fender and  the endplate with the wider end at the rear before installing the nut/bolt.

With both endplates loosely installed, this is where you’re going to need a second set of hands. Have someone hold the  wang element up to one endplate and attach it to the endplate using the provided hex key screws, loosely. Next, using  the play in the endplate mounts, line up the other end of the wang to the other endplate and attach using the remaining  hex key screws. Tighten down all of the hex key head screws so the wang element is secured to the endplates. You  should now have an assembled street wang but since you have not yet tightened the endplate mounting bolts, it should  move a round a bit (pictures 5c & 5d). 

Finally, using your 2 – 1/2" wrenches of choice, tighten down the endplate mounting points on the car. I fully tightened  one side at a time and used a combination of box wrenches and a power ratcheting wrench to make life easier. I did not  take a picture of this process as it is pretty self-explanatory. Once the mounts are tightened, give the wang hex key head  screws a final tightening as well. 

Step 6: Trimming/shaving trunk lid to fit 

As every car will be different, as will your installation, this process will be custom to each car. It will take a lot of trail and  error of fitting, trimming and fitting until you get the fitment you’re comfortable with and can easily close the trunk lid.  This is the process I used but, as mentioned, it will not work for everyone. 

First, I set the trunk down on to the endplates and estimated how much I thought needed to be shaved off and marked  it off with a piece of painter’s tape (picture 6a). From there I used a combination of an orbital sander, angle grinder and  files to work off as much trunk material as needed. I ended up having to take off about a 1/16” of the last 12” of the  trunk lid to get the trunk to close and fit to my liking. 

Make sure, once you’re done trimming that you paint over the exposed metal with your paint pen used earlier (picture  6b).

….And you’re done! Step back and admire your work and the beautiful product created by Nine Lives Racing!