Installation

Tools I used:

• 10 and 17mm sockets
• Breaker Bar (not needed if you have a long enough rachet)
• Phillips Head Screwdriver
• Dremel with Cutting Discs
• 15mm combination wrench (2, or 15mm socket and 1 wrench)
• Tape Measure

• Removing the plastic trim pieces is a PITA. Several 10mm snaps hold it in, along with one self expanding screw tap on each side. I broke one of these when removing, the other when re-installing. Oh well :) The key to getting the whole trim piece out easily is to remove the molding *and* lift up the edges of the door sills if you have those installed. Then use some oomph to bend the plastic out from under the carpet/rubber edge. Carpetting can be simply moved back a bit to help see.
• The 17mm bolt that holds the top of the seat belt tower on will probably not budge with a 3/8" ratchet. Gentle application of my breaker bar convinced that bolt that it was fighting a losing battle.
• Remove the entire seatbelt assembly. The instructions are vague and confusing here. They should just say take it all out (the piece I am referring to is the actual retractor that holds the seat belt). The top has a phillips head screw, and the bottom a 17mm bolt (when you push the plastic away you will see it). Remove and rest the belt assembly on the floor. The vacant area will look like this.
• Be patient putting in the lower 15mm bolt (well, mine fit a 15mm combination wrench fine. I figured it would be 14mm but it was not). Use the locking washer inside, a flat washer on the outside.
• For the 90-93 miata, the instructions are specific about which spacers to use. The lowest mazda washer is to be saved and used at the *top* of the Style Bar install, according to the instructions. If you leave this washer at the bottom (where it seems natural) the BSP spacer will be too tall for the style bar to fit properly.
• Unless I totally misread the instructions, BSP has you put the style bar on and thread the 17mm bolt in before installing the plastic. This is not a bad idea to set the bar, but do not tighten it all the way. You will end up removing this bolt later to finish the seat belt tower install as the top of the belt harness needs to be fed through that 17mm bolt, and this cannot be done easily if the plastic is not installed.
• When trimming the plastic, be careful. The instructions tell you to cut an area out. Its not an accurate area. If you are hyper anal about how much plastic to cut, you will want to cut a bit, fit, see where it rubs/restricts, then trim some more. Myself, I am not that fickle, and just cut a box with a Dremel. I ended up needing to trim a bit more to get one side to clear the bar. Its not an exact science, so I don't mind the directions here, but just be aware of the fact that even the directions of 2 5/8" down the plastic panel may easily be too much plastic to cut from that point of view. YMMV. See the cockpit view of the bar picture to note how much extra plastic I trimmed at the mount point. I was only 1/4" over the directions (damn Dremel :) but there is more then that showing.
• So far I am unable to figure out how to clip the plastic cover back onto the seat belt tower, so the top of the bolt shows. I don't care, personally. The problem is the hight has changed a bit, not allowing the piece to click into place.

Driving Impression

I also notice a bit less chassis rattle over bumps and such. With my stiffer suspension then stock, I am pretty used to rattles and shakes, but with the bar I feel a bit less in the cockpit, which is what I expected from the lateral bracing it does provide. If you just want the bracing, a $90 bar can be purchased from several vendors. Myself, I liked the bracing effect as a way to rationalize the purchase of the style bar. Here are a few pics of the finished product. Ignor the steelies: they are my winter wheels :P