CanyonMan

Hey Guys, I am an Mustang man currently. But I don't really have any deep set love for any particular car. I love performance and I want something fast and handles like a monster. My mustang handled great, but it was heavy. I know miata's handle well, so I'm wondering about power now. My mustang had a v8 and some ground pounding power, so i'm reticent to trade that for a small 4 cyl. That is why I turned to the idea of turbo'ing a miata. That being said. How much boost can I run? Which is better, the 1.6l or the 1.8l. Would it be better to just get a speed miata? Where do I start? I want a fast car. I don't mind putting on 9" wheels on the thing, my mustang had 10.5" wheels so that doesn't bug me. Off the cuff i'm thinking 250-300 crank hp, something to be into the 4s 0-60.

BenR

iTrader: (2)

These might help.

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/t26187/#post310173

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/t28447/

skidude

iTrader: (3)

Turbo miata is so fun. Did you do anything to the mustang, or will the turbo miata be faster?

18psi

iTrader: (76)

welcome..you have lots of research to do. If you want ground pounding power install a v8 in a miata, or be prepared to rework the engine with strong internals as well as address the weak transmission issue. That said a miata is a fun car that holds its own on the track

magnamx-5

iTrader: (7)

u dont need 9 inchers in fact i would go agianst quite that much if you only have 300 hp. That being said any 1.6 or 1.8 can hit 300 hp with alil work. Many of us have made 5.0's look just plain silly from time to time. This however is not the best drag car if you choose to go that route. To get it to realy stick and put down 400 plus whp u need to do some substantial homework. That being said 250 is easy to acheive and fairly streetable. You wont have 500 lb/ft of torque but wieghing 300-500 some odd lbs less than a foxbody will more than make up for that.
Some facts most people **** up on there first attempt. Miata wheels are light anything over 13 lbs is gonna realy **** u up i dealy u want a 10 lbs or less wheel if you can find it. The 1.6 differentials breack easily. The 5 speeds breack past 250, on a good number of them. The good news however is any trans or motor or diff will link up with anyother miata. from 1989-2005 so long as you have the right flywheel if u change motors or the right driveshaft if changeing diffs or trannys. Just poke around here abit man,

Saml01

iTrader: (9)

Bull.

Obviously you dont want 20lb wheels on the car but the factory hollow spokes are what 15lb, and they are fine.

skidude

iTrader: (3)

Is English your first language?

hustler

iTrader: (6)

welcome to the forum.

johnhanson

skidude

iTrader: (3)

I was just wondering, guys. His posts are difficult to read but usually include good information.

The_Pipefather

iTrader: (5)

his english is decent but he probably couldn't type if his life depended on it.

Toddcod

iTrader: (8)

What's wronge with his english. It is redneck appropriate! LOL

TEXAS!

Toddcod

iTrader: (8)

OK, lets get to the chase. HOW MUCH IS THE BUDGET CAR YOU WANT!

And how much do you have to spend at the moment? That will put us in a direction for which way to go.

And my 1.6L will roast my cousins 2003 GT. Not in the 1/8th mile though.

These cars spin too much in first and second to do well on street tires at the strip.

If you hit it at 40mph you will leave that mustang in the wind. But if you punch it from the hole. You better have a 1/4 mile.
The mustang owns the low end, But these cars on a basic turbo will run the same in 1/4 miles, but from a role will kill.

CanyonMan

Well, At the moment, I don't have much money. But in general I'll just save up for whatever I need. The mustang has a couple grand into it. And I would sell it to make room for the miata. I was getting ready to drop 2-3k on the motor for the mustang anyway, since the motor blew up. I like fast cars, not necessarily the drag race kind of fast. Fast acceleration is cool and all, but i'm not a big drag racer. My friends and I do alot of Canyon Running. And they have 350z's and suped up WRX and Evo's. The mustang could keep up alright, but it had crap for Horse power. Lots of torque, but torque don't mean **** at 5k rpm and 90mph. I like the idea of a turbo miata, cause it would be a small cheap motor that makes great power for the weight of the car. Yeah the mustang made 300hp but it also ways 3500 lbs. A 300 hp miata should make 0-60 in under 4 seconds if you can hook. That being said. How much is suspension on these things? A set of stiff coil overs, and maybe some sway bars. And what kind of top end do they have. Great acceleration but a top end of 100mph isn't that much fun.

I'm really trying to figure out the costs involved. I want to know how much its going to cost me to get the car I want. I want somethign that corners and drives like a race car. I know thats a big leap, but I knew what that took for my mustang. I don't know what it takes for a miata. I want to be in the low 12s range for the 1/4. But not as a drag only car, I hate drag racing. Its just fun to do to shut up high schoolers in their dady's S4 (true story). Hitting 140 mph at the top of a canyon, that is what I'm about. So the question is, whats it going to take. And will it be cheaper than my mustang. My mustang would need...
$700 for my coil overs.
$3k for my motor.
$500 for cage.
$1500 for brakes.
$1000 for my rear suspension.
New seats.

My ? for the miata...
Coil overs
motor
turbo kit
brakes


It adds up. I know seats would be the same, and the cage would be similar.