My Miata MX-4G Build
 

Hello,

My name is Justin. I am a gear head and would love to share my build with you fellow Turbo Miata guys. I am building a Turbo Miata, but not your typical turbo build. I am starting with a 1991 Miata. I plan on powering my Miata with a Mitsubishi 4G63T. I plan to use a GM or Toyota 6 speed transmission to transfer the power to the rear end. In the rear I am going to use a Ford 8.8 IRS Differential with Cobra half-shafts. I have not figured out which suspension set-up or brakes I will be using but I plan on doing those up nicely as well.

The car itself will be a stripped down road course car. It will receive a AWR Racing wide body kit so I may be able to run larger rubber to handle the power. I am installing a full roll cage as well. I plan to reinforcing the chassis as well by tying in the strut mounts and building an X brace for the bottom side of the car. I have debated on just going all tube up front and just might do so.

Here are some pics the car from when I started stripping it down.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_6129161d.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_d68fa37c.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_5a5ad4a0.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_0a37f46a.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_22dcf401.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_abda2c7e.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_1cd8fbde.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_93c727e9.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_829a6070.jpg

I have since stripped it some more and have gathered up some parts needed for the build.

One thing I picked up was a roll cage from a wrecked Spec Miata down in Houston for $250. I will use it as the bases of my cage. Here are some pics of it.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_16212dad.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_4b7a327a.jpg

More details and pictures will come as I progress. Right now, its just too damn cold for the Texas boy to be out working on anything, unless I am being paid for it.

All comments and suggestions are welcome. I will not always agree or take your advice, just a warning. I am open to listening and learning and deciding what I will do from there.

I hope everyone enjoys watching me build this car as much as I will enjoy building it.

nice:)

Sweet deal! I assume you're pretty familiar with the 4g6t and that's why you're not doing something like an LSX swap? I miss my Talon :/

A 4g63 can make a TON of power. When it runs:giggle:

I am very familiar with the 4G6 motor and have a lot of stuff sitting around already. I have built a drag talon with about 1100 at the motor, just under 900 at the wheels. Getting the 4G motor to run has never been my problem with a DSM but getting the transmission to stay together has been. I have always wanted to build a RWD 4G powered car. Never could bring myself to build a Mitsu truck or Starion/Conquest, expecially since it has been done so many times. I like the fact that it hasnt been done in the Miata yet as well. I was going to build a Spec Miata and the more I looked at the car the more I wanted to do a 4G swap. Well, here I am.

Very cool build, I cant wait to see some progression.

I will warn you though, there will probably be a few crankwalk jokes from us along the way :giggle:

I'll be watching this one...

I'll start:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3428/...c1767aa5b1.jpg

Well, since I wont be putting a 7 bolt in I wont have much to worry about.

I love that "poster", BTW. I have had two 2G's and one did walk on me. I swapped to a 6 bolt and fixed that problem! The race car I built was a 2G Talon but it had a 6 bolt in it as well. There are techniques to fix the crank walk problem and the 7 bolt crank is lighter so it is more desired by some but I just stay with the tried and true 6 bolt and dont have that problem.

I miss my AWD laser :( I once heard that there are a limited number of DSM souls out there...and on the day that your dsm runs for the first time in months, someone elses shit a timing belt for you :)

Good luck with the build, should be awesome!

Thank you for that warning.

http://www.streetelite.net/pics/Other/DSM_dumpster.jpg

You're going through the trouble of a motor swap why not just use an lsx?

well for one (even though it's overkill) you can make 500whp with a stock block 4g63t. and 2. it's way cheaper than an lsx swap, especially if your doing the fab work yourself like i imagine this guy is planning to. 3. turbo sounds from a hi-powered version at 8-9k rpm equal or better the sound of an lsx. (opinion). and 4. it sounds like he wants to be unique. only problem with that is that it usually negates #2.

good luck! if this goes well, my poor gvr4 may have a longer wait before it's on the road again. i've got a jdm 4g63 sitting in my garage with all the parts for greatness. tial wastegate, greddy intercooler and bov, turbonetics t3/t4, keydiver chipped eprom ecu, z06 maf and translator, ported head, crower ti. retainers/springs, web 276 cams, etc....

Fair enough, but if you think a high powered 4 trumps the sound of an lsx.. you're hearing the wrong ones.. The wrong tone.. ;)

Question is how long is this 500hp budget built 4g63 going to last? If you're worried about cost and can fab stuff yourself, but not worried about weight simply use an LQ series motor with an iron block. LQ9's can be had from salvage yards for under a grand, seen them for 3 - 500$ on craigslist before. For reference, the LQ9 is the 6 liter from the Caddy, 385# torque.

Defiantly subscribing to this thread and look forward to updates. Similar to the 2jz I wouldn't use the motor myself but give props for being different.

Most likely a lot longer than your typical LS motor once you start beating on it. The stock 4G63 has a forged crank, forged rods, forged pistons and a valvetrain that is stable to 7,000 RPM. If you want to run an LS hard and fast (which most people on this site would really do), boost it or hit with a big shot of nitrous you need to install real rods and pistons. The "poster child" LS376/480 has a nodular iron crank, powdered metal connecting rods, cast hypereuctic pistons and a marginal valve train for high RPM. The rest of the LS family is similar except for the LS7; it has a forged crank and forged rods but still runs cast hyper pistons.

Powdered metal rods are a disaster waiting to happen in a performance motor; one episode of detonation is all it takes to put a rod through the side of the block.

Fuck LS miata's! It's not even original anymore. Most people who get spanked by a miata usually think, "Oh Shit! Must be a V8!!!" but when they find out it's not, they really get surprised.

To the OP, I think this build is going to be great. The 4g is a great motor and you obviously have alot of fabrication experience, so best of luck and don't take people on here too seriously...we're all a bunch of a-holes.

I am in to watch this come togeather. I am all about putting things where they don't belong. Hence the 2JZ in a miata. I hope to see good things out of this thread. The car is red like mine so it has the start of a good build.

:ugh:

In the middle of typing a 10 paragraph reply to how much I disagree with almost everything in your post, I decided not to litter the OP's thread with the subject. OP has picked his motor so its a non-discussion.

Wow....absolutely friggin wow:facepalm:
Words cannot express the amount of fail
+1

Damn 4gs! All my friends talk about, even the Hondas. I guess this is too cool to ignore. Have fun with your build dude!