So this dude I work with told me last night he is selling his mustang. So I went over and looked at it. It is a 1987 primered up POS looking 5.0. I asked him what he wants for it and he said, $800. I could probably get it cheaper. The first thing that came to mind was, perfect 5.0 swap donor car for the miata.
This seems like a good deal, but my car is pretty much finished. If I did this swap, I'd have to yank my engine and trans, sell all my turbo, MS, IC ****, injectors, engine, trans, ETC. Then I'd need the 5.0 swap parts, and have to dick around with all that ****. It would be a lot more work I think than I would want to do, and for what. V-8 rumble and a little bit more torque, but more weight?
What do you guys think...would you 5.0 swap cause I can get this thing cheap...or would you leave your car turbo'd and save yourself the agrivation?

 

Look at the 302 swap numbers before you make that decision. If I remember correctly, they weren't putting down much more in the hp category then the turbo miatas, however the torque is obviously skewed toward the low end. If your hell bent on a v8, the LSX swap is pure sex (with an associated cost). Thanks to scott for letting me jack one of his posted pictures

 

Bruce might be back at the dyno day this year. I hope frank makes it with his LS1.

 

It seems to me that the donor parts are a deal, but that the real cost will be in the kit and/or custom work needed to fit them into the Miata.

If your turbo is working fine, don't do the 5.0 swap.

 

buy it and put the motor into a badass formula ford and have your own personal Atom

 

If I had a Miata with a pooched engine but a good chassis this would make sense. Tearing apart all the work you have done does not make much sense. Plus the 302 does not put down a lot.

And the LS1 swap is a bit lighter from what I have read, expect another ~200 lb on a stock Miata.

 

build party at franks house

 

cobra replica

 

Turbo BP > 4.9
Turbo BP < LSX
Turbo BP < Turbo 4.9

 

I'm seriously considering doing the same thing, even though my drivetrain is cherry at the moment. I think a 302, stroked to 347 (keeping the 302's 8.200" deck height), could be built with less money than a new LS series crate engine and put down similar hp/tq and mpg numbers. Forged parts for those engines are C H E A P. I plan to keep using the AEM EMS with the ford too in that case.

 

If I'm remembering my 5.0 history, '87 was the last year of SPEED DENSITY air metering. If it were me, I'd stick with an '88 or later when they switched to MASS AIR. There are more parts, better tuning ability,

 

I think I'm going to leave the miata alone, cause I said if I ever went V8, it'd be an LS swap. I'll probably buy the stang anyway, and just leave it sit around here to use for a donor in another car. Perhaps a total custom project I want to do someday, like a Volvo P1800 or pre 1970 Triumph Spitfire...
I learned my lesson before of passing up donor cars. I had a '97 S-10 ZR2 that I wrecked, but it still ran great. I scrapped it, but I shoulda kept it. That 4.3 vortec V-6 and 5 speed woulda fit nicely in my 1950 ****** CJ-3A.

 

you dont have any idea what you're talking about do you? A 5.0 in a Formula Ford? I'll have a little of whatever you're smoking.

 

weaksauce, go for the GTM Supercar kit.

GTM Supercar

well, you need a corvette for that...at least go for the 65 Coupe: http://www.factoryfive.com/coupehome.html

 

I don't see the problem

 

Go with LSx if doing a swap. Guys here are loving their LSx engines...

 

I've got 3/4 of the exhaust done. I was going to work on it again this weekend but my projector bulb went out so I had to upgrade that, run some HDMI in the ceiling, do nice wall plates and all that ****, and patch drywall. I'll hope to finish the exhaust next weekend and redo some brake lines. Then I just need to fire it up to check all the wiring, then put the interior in.

Anyone wanting to learn HP tuners is welcome to come by and help me tweak the maps when I get it running and check it out.

The most help I'll need is getting the dash back together.

As to the OPs question, why not just try to pick up a '90 with a decent body and a bad crank (or any year with a blown motor) and do the swap in that. The 5.0 swap is much cheap to do than the LSX because you mod the stock front k-member and donor parts are cheaper (motor, trans, 7.5 rear).

Frank

 

great thread, seriously. Would read again.