What would you do? Got two NA8 engines but now a rarer BP4W appeared very cheap...
 

Had posted my cheap blue 92 purchase a few months back and got a TD04 Greddy kit and as I was getting ready to cut out rust as a chance popped up for me to buy a couple of NA8's for a great price.

Black car sat for 3 years , bad water pump only (according to owner) and belt replacement coming soon , driver side widow is not rolling down , has some muffler and Racing Beat rear bumper + functional fashion bar + rims etc
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1454878333

Black one may end up being my daily as I wanted a 1.8 before all (especially if AC will work as owner said) unless my 92 turbo ends up being tons more fun and easy AC fix .

White car is bad body wise and will be a parts car but has a bit more aftermarket stuff including ARC chamber and please ID headers headers?
Cusco coilovers (I guess they are shot)

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1454878333

Also 4 point roll cage and that wide body kit which will go to waste most likely
Engine is a bit high mileage but owner says there is a light weight flywheel there also and a full exhaust system (HKS maybe) Juran braces and more...


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1454878333

Most likely I will part out the white car as its badly corroded , will end up with lots of parts including engine and tranny etc.

Now exactly at the same time at a yard near by appears an NB 98 Japanese BP4W engine very low mile with crisp 5 speed and ECU for like $300


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1454878333


Has also sat around for ages but looks good overall , ECU was rained on (but I cant say it was really bad) ... I am able to pick it all up with tranny and maybe looms included.

I feel like its just too much at once plus storage is not very easy as I don't own my own garage ... Is the BP4W worth buying ? what else should I grab if I do buy it ? NB ECU ? or no need ?

Would you buy this extra NB engine if you already ended up with three NA cars at the same time and had limited storage? The yard wont let me buy just the head either

Long post ... zzzzzz

I hope some of the more experienced guys here can help me make a wise decision. The NB engine has sat for a long time so its very low mile...

Also found this to be a very helpful read
http://www.mx5atlanta.com/forums/sho...4-97-NA-How-To

But there is nothing like advice from someone that has built a good few of these engines before.

I'd do it.

I would do it too.
Sell the five speed right off the bat and keep the engine in the passenger side of the white car if you need to.

ECU and loom too ? From NB ? Or not worth the extra work?

Still undecided on piggyback or MS as the 1.8 may stay a non turbo build since I have that header set and light flywheel. Then keep the 1.6 turbo

Differential from the NB ?

Thanks for the responses , truly appreciate it!!

Taking the entire loom is a pain in the ass and unnecessary if you are going to use megasquirt. Buy one that corresponds with the year of your car, not the year of your engine.
You are going to use megasquirt.

It's not any stronger than the one from your white car, but you definitely need to upgrade the one in the 1.6 car. The NB should have one piece axles which I prefer.

This NB car is pretty corroded underneath right wheel is stuck (brakes I guess) . I will try get a deal on the diff also , the loom will definitely be a pain but since the OEM ECU may come free see how we go.

Also the entire dashboard was taken by my buddy too so he cut off all wires there interior was mint . The NB ECU may come free with the engine , I may skip the NB 5 speed unless he throws it in free also.
I know they are the same but it does feel crisp and smooth in this NB ...

Apparently the person who bought this in 1998 only drove it for a while and let it sit , my friend says the car has done maybe less than 50.000 km got the entire interior all mint.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1454953277


http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...dca03d28a6.jpg

If you do the B94W swap a flat top intake manifold on it. That would enlimiate having to wire up an activator switch for the stock butterflies.

IMO the difference between the 2 1.8's is above 6000rpm.

Which flat top intake manifold exactly ? Excuse my minimal knowledge I am doing this for the first time , first I would like to simply reach drive ability if I swap to the newer engine , I am thinking to throw in the light weight flywheel while I'm at it and headers (still can't tell brand) and the ARC intake too.

Regardless to low milage Got to worry about this BP engine , 10 years sitting is long , white oxidation all over it , what would I need to do to get it going? Any replace patrdm
Any chance that the engine can be used as is ? Would it be better to swap some stuff on it ?
If I buy just the NB engine then I could possibly swap in the flywheel and headers from the 95 white car at the same time. Found more rust today ...

Flat top manifold was NB Euro/Japanese market stock intake. I'm not sure on exactly what year cars it came stock.

I'm trying to find photos of the righ one , this is a JDM NB , it's from the later models perhaps , what do people pay for them like on Ebay or in the US ?

Updates on this car , what a mess lucky the wheels and hardtop and other bits may make it worth the deal but the car is pretty rusty...

Bilsteins are shot and the worst spot of rust is on the A pilar going under towards the right bottom corner of the windscreen...

Also a very noob question I would have posted in another forum just on the run...

99-00 engine swap VS timing belt water pump change on the existing gen 1 1.8

I heard time wise about the same , s that correct ? Difficulty wise about the same ?
keeping AC also ...

I appreciate the help very much !!!

This is a flattop:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1455180419

The intake on the car is a VICS, which is your second best option.
Timing belt is basically the same...

Forget that. Its 1 more freaking wire from the megasquirt and a power wire from the injector harness. Easy. The VICS manifold is better for most people anyways.