This is quite some awesomeness! In for detailed pics of subframe mounting structure madness. I've always wanted to try something like this.

Links to Spitiata build thread??

 

Don't think he has one, but I'll encourage him to start.

Yeah weight is our enemy, but having a modern bellypan+all the stuff to mount suspension/etc stuff to is truly great, so I'd carry over as much as I could get away with.

Besides, an extra couple hundo pounds can always be offset with MOAR BOOST

 

the thread is started...
https://www.miataturbo.net/showthrea...522#post844522

not a Spitiata... its the spit and shove... named for the raping it will be dealing out...

awesome build so far... i luck out...the spitfire has a frame so bracing doesnt have to be too extensive.

 

You've piqued my interest here. Academically anyway.

What are the prospects of doing a body swap on the miata? You've seen pictures of naked miatas before:



It seems (from my limited ability to see your project up close) that just popping the bodies off both cars, trimming the miata's extremeties, and slapping the Saab back down onto the miata chassis would be ... logistically possible?

 

The biggest issue is the Miata has a 9" shorter wheelbase.

 

I'd really like to know how legal that would be in NY. I imagine you'd need stuff like a windsheild, wipers, headlights. But I wonder about no hood/fenters/doors. Maybe cloth ones like a Jeep?

 

you want some of it back for aero.

 

What are you doing for a fuel tank? Reusing the Miata tank? Why not look into a fuel cell? Apologies if you've already addressed this and I simply missed it.

 

option a: Saab 96L

option b: saw off 9 inches of the power plant frame.

option c: move the front suspension pickup points 9" rearward.


Where do they eliminate this "9 inches" compared to a miata?

 

can you not cut the shell in half and make it 9" shorter?


n/m roofline will be a bitch.

 

Re-using the stocker. Keep the pump, lines, everything. I had kept the rear subframe holder part of the unibody and figured, why not keep the tank mounts and tank?

 

Couldn't you could just cut the Miata tub in half, use tube inserts in the frame rails, and then a section from a second tub to extend the interior sheet metal?

 

this would probably work.

 

Buying a new toy today at lunch! I've always wanted a plasma cutter and this project justifies one. On top of that I stopped at my local Linweld shop for some .023" wire for my welder yesterday and they were having an open house. Hypertherm is the best brand out there for plasma cutters but they were always $1,400 and sometimes $1250 on ebay. They have them on the open house for $1,033 and included a $180 air filtration system for free. Picking one up today. They had the Thermal Dynamics unit for $872 but the Hypertherm is the best unit and you can drag the tip. Helpful when working in a cramped area. I'm very happy.

 

OH the MIATA is the shorter car.

then that's easy.

You just need a spare wrecked miata to section the middle from and then you can overlap joint the power plant frames.

 

I was thinking a second tube with damaged ends would be free vs. the overlap. I would have the piece needed if this build was a year ago.

 

Got to play with my new plasma cutter tonight. The question is: How did I get along without one for so long? This thing is awesome! More rust than metal? Cuts right through it. Undercoating? Like it isn't even there. I even had some 1/8" thick tar paper sound deadening sheet inside of the car on the fenders. Strike the arc and cut through it even with the tar paper on the inside of the cut. I was worried that it would need clean metal. Chuck Testa.

I haven't cut anything thick yet. The guy said it would be a rough cut but it can do 3/4" thick. It's rated for 3/8" on a fine cut.

I got the floor pan into position and measured out where I need to cut for the front subframe rails. I laid it out with a sharpie. Then measured again. Then drank a beer looking at it and measured again. I get one shot at cutting this so I decided to wait until tomorrow.

 

You need bumpers to be legal, and like Brain said, there are aero issues.

 

Got a bit more done today.

Marked out where I need to cut the unibody/fender liners to fit with the floor in the location needed to position the front wheel in the middle of the fender as well as lowering the car from 4x4 ride height.



Cut away the offending metal.



One side of the front subframe mount tacked into place. After I tack in the second one I'll bolt in the subframe. It takes eight bolts in widely spaced locations to bolt it in place so that will help locate everything for final welding. Depending on how the weekend goes the motor/trans may be in place by Sunday night, at least for a test fit. Everything is lining up really well.

 

Nice build.
IN for more..