Turbo Miata - Should I buy it or build it?
 

I'm looking at getting a Miata (early 90's, 1.6L) as a weekend car for track/sun fun duty. Obviously I want it turbo :)

My question is, I've found a '90 for sale that's already got most of the work done. It has a 14b off of a 1G Talon, IC off of a RX7 and what sounds like a lot of maintenance work already completed (clutch, slave, brakes, etc).

Here's the car: http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...QAdIdZ76053756

Should I go this route or buy an N/A Miata and spend twice-3X as much money building it up. Even if this one needs work it's so cheap it's hard to resist! Obviously a paint job and tuning would be the first work orders :)

Any comments/suggestions are welcome!

I'd buy that car for the price even though it's a little ragged. Hell, the hard top is worth $700-800 on a bad day.

I say build it, so you know exactly what went into it and how it was put together. :) Plus you'll have a sense of accomplishment.

For that price, I'd buy it and part out things that your not satisfied with. During the inspection before the purchase, you could do a leakdown/compression check.

Depends. If you just want to part it and make money, you should buy it and part it out.

If you want a cheap turbo miata for the weekends, and ultimate power and reliability aren't your main concern, I'd snatch this up.

If you want a nice street machine that's well sorted, reliable, and something you'll know and enjoy, build your own shit.

I'm leaning towards your ideas JMDAflac, assuming the inspection goes alright I'll pick it up, if it ends up having a lot of issues there's enough in the car to part out and get my money back.

the seller mentioned Racing Beat lowering springs, anyone know if they're worth a damn?

Another option for me is this one:http://www.trader.ca/Search/Details....6&ADS=7233356|

Attachment 210799

About the same price but a much nicer condition body, although it needs a clutch and brakes.

Personally id start from a super clean slate. But that being said, I would also consider buying it and building it up more. Just remember its going to cost you more than you think. By the time you upgrade the fmic, injectors, ms, new motor(possibly), real suspension, paint, diff, etc. Than you could have started off with a clean 94 and not have to worry about paint, diff, or motor. But it does come with a hardtop and greddy kit, a $1500 value. And its cheap.

Your call.

Either way is good.

If the black and tan '93 is rust free, buy it. That's a canadian SE, comes with all the LE interior bits but in tan. Has cruise, ABS, power windows and mirrors. If that car was local to me and rust free I'd buy it ASAP. That is a fucking bargain given Canadian Miata prices.

If you unload the hardtop that's a $1800 car. I sold the busted ass MSSS stereo out of mine for $100us.

Unfortunately it's not a greddy kit, at least he didn't say it was. Sounds like a home fab job. He has a 3" downpipe/cat capped off by the stock 1.6L exhaust...

Since this is just a weekend car it's tough to justify paying a ton of money to have it look nice. In reality i have my SVT focus & '06 Magnum to drive around to look pretty, I just want the Miata to go like hell at the track.

Interesting ideas Jayc72... with these cars do they require hardtops, rollcages, etc for the track? I'd likely get a rollcage anyway, but I was wondering if keeping the hardtop would be necessary, I won't be driving it when it rains or snows that's for sure

I'm willing to bet that the first car you listed has rotted out rocker panels. Hence the black paint on the lower half of the car.

Buy the 1993, sell the hardtop, sell the door panels and the stereo. M.netters bust a nut over the speaker grills and the MSSS stereo system. Take the funds you get and put it towards a BEGI-S.

BEGI-S3 you mean? :) I hope anyway.

I definitely don't care about the door panels or speakers, hell if I can get money for them I'll part out the leather seats and get some cheap buckets. I'm going to try to look at it tonight.

As for the turbo '90, the quarters are bubbles so I would assume the rest is rotted considering it's a CDN car. If the '93 was store for as long as it says it might be pretty damn nice

Your car has already been built and tested personally by me.
https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26124

For moderate track duty, it just needs tires/wheels.
PM me if you want to talk deal.

^ Such a good deal its not even funny. OP buy a plane ticket and drive it back home.

Awesome deal Samnavy, but after paying for taxes and customs to bring it to Canada it would be a pretty penny :(

Hmm..good question.

I bought a turboed one, and am now fixing a bunch of shit the PO did half-assed, or even 1/4 assed.

Even with that said, I'm still coming out cheaper and everything I "fized" or changed is the way I want it.

It's a toss up man.

I'd buy it for that price. If it looks like the quality is there, and most likely a quality kit from fm or begi, I'd buy too. Time is worth a lot of money to me though.

Buy both, xfer what you want from the red one to the black, then partout.