First Post on this forum...
 

I'm an ASE certified Master Tech, been on a bunch of automotive forums, all under the same screen name. We got a Miata for my fiancee about a year ago, we are the 3rd owners, it has 190K on it. It still runs good, but I'm trying to decide whether to replace the engine and rebuild the old one, or buy and rebuild a used one then swap it, but definitely want to do a nice mild turbo setup on it for her. Also looking at doing a much nastier one for myself. I have a 93 S10 that I've done a (430 hp) 6 liter/700R4 swap in, (does 12.20s on street tires), and I also use it to tow my twin turbo Chevy Vega drag race car, which goes mid 9s in the 1/4 mile (so far, better times yet to come). What I want for myself is a "modern day AC Cobra" with even better performance. Looking forward to learning about these great little cars, and perhaps sharing some of my nearly 4 decades of automotive experience with other members.

You're going to have fun with the Miata. It really is a great little car. A turbo really wakes them up for street driving. Sounds like an engine swap is in the cards for your "modern day AC Cobra."

We need pictures!!

Hmm, modern day AC Cobra, and you're a Chevy guy...

There's an LFX swap, the question is can you fit 2 turbos under the hood with it. And can you get some of those titanium rods that the ATS-V uses.

I could almost see a turboed 6 cylinder swap on her car later on, always liked the 60° packages, a 2.8 or 3.1 Chevy with a 5 or 6 speed would be pretty cool. But for mine, the LS is probably going to get the nod, and most likely turboed as well. Lots of guys on theturboforums.com building 5.3s and 6.0s, and my boss has a 2000 5.3 with 540,000 miles on it, and still going strong, I'll probably inherit that one day and rebuild it. I think there's probably about as much room under the hood of a Miata as there is under the hood of my Vega.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...af4a6f0749.jpg

If my Miata, when I get it, runs anything like this:


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f2b747df97.jpg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...738fe44a16.jpg

...I'll be a happy camper, :skid:

Welcome to the site Rickracer, thanks for joining up!

Turbo LS is gunna need some fat rubber to be even remotely useful lol. Or boost by gear with EBC and a 1psi wastegate lol.

This^. Don't get me wrong, I want to see it, but I think you might be grossly overestimating how much power you need in these things to kill yourself twice.

See: this video posted in the random pics thread, LS with rear mount turbo, fishtailing at 100mph.

I'm a big believer in fat rubber. I built that kart a few years ago, it's a Suzuki RM250 dirt bike motor, with the biggest regular kart tires they make. Kart itself weighs 160 lbs. Specs say the motor makes ~43 hp @ 9600 rpm. It has pulled the front wheels up on a road coarse coming out of a turn.

I love to see little miatas with big power. But since you already have the straight line speed thing sorted out, you should try and challenge yourself around some turns.

Start a build thread, we love seeing progress and pictures.

Obviously, differerent people are in to different things. Evident by the #StanceNation#ClubRicer#ILikeBuyingTiresEvery15Mil es.

For me personally, the miata is not the car I would want to build big power with. The main limitation being tires. The widest 15" street tire currently available for the miata is a 225. You can put wider rubber underneath it, but you're talking r-comps at that point. And for what you would need, not even flares would be enough. But I suppose some people like fenderless exposed tires. I don't see myself spending big$ on a track only car. I'd much rather have a weekend car, built up fast, uncomfortable, etc. that I can still drive on the street, go to car shows, race civics with stuffed animals hanging from their ginormous tow hooks, etc. Again, just speaking with regards to my personal goals. If this is seriously your goal, and you're going to spend 20/30/40k on a turbo LS build, just keep things like this in mind. If you're going to have grip, you're going to buy r-comps regularly. REGULARLY.

Tl;Dr: Buy an FD RX-7.




Sidenote branching off of the hondas: I pulled up next to an integra at the gas station after getting off the interstate tuning. While making a few changes to the tune sitting in this parking spot, the integra starts revving up his car, and just holding it on the fucking rev limiter. WAMMMBAMMMBAMMMBAMMMMBAMMMBAMMM. Sounded terrible. Big shit eating grin on his face. And so my friend looks at me, and just gives me the look. Queue spark-cut 2step. It's like 2am, so dark enough to see the HUGE flames out the tailpipe. Guys face instantly sinks. Man was it funny.

I dig the kart. Looks like serious fun.

Punk kid next door goes through crappy used cars like crazy and always holds them on the rev limiter sitting in the yard. Civic, Neon, Jeep, Crown Vic, pickup truck, they all get held on the limiter. I don't get it.

OP, you don't need a great bigass engine to go fast in these cars because they aren't fat pigs. You can go 12.20s with high 2xx whp if you prep the car right.

And did you really mention the 2.8 3.1 engines? You must have missed the LFX swap threads or don't know what the LFX is...
Much fun can be had with them.

The NB sees the limiter regularly. Mostly under load, but sometimes not.

MNIVET hooks up pretty well.

Most people coming from heavier cars simply don't understand, or can't even comprehend how much power 400-500-700 is in a miata.

But it's fun to see absurd things done, so power to ya.

I've yet to see his car run without breaking or having issues, much less actually have him launch that car on the street.

Or am I missing something? If so, post vids.

https://www.youtube.com/user/1sikz31/videos

I'm not saying he can flat foot 1st or even 2nd on street tires, but it seems to dead hook 3rd.

Miatas hook well because dat lack of weight.

Tell that to ryan raeduchel who spun wrinkle wall slicks down the track

Also those vids are old. And hooking 3rd on a T56 trans is not exactly hooking lol. that's like 70-80?

The first miata I've ever seen dead hook insanely good off the line is that electric one that runs 9's at 140

There's a 6 month old video of him hooking 1-2-3-4 at the drag strip on the way to a 10.4 @ 144.

Your move, holy man.

Not sure what to tell you. He's making 2-3x the power most turbo miatas are, and manages to hook about as well.

About 20 years ago, I took a mostly stock 4 cylinder Vega, (had a few suspension tweaks, aluminum wheels, 60 series BFG radials, some mild carb mods, and a homebuilt "Flowmaster' muffler), and beat an 85 HO305/5 speed Z28 Camaro AND an early 70s 240Z with 12.5:1 compression, a roll cage and race car slicks, on about a 90 second autocross course. They were kinda overpowered for the course, and I could drive it with my right foot firmly planted on the floor, upshifting and downshifting. I beat the Camaro by 1.5 seconds and the Datsun by a little less than a second. The idea behind the 60° V6 would be great weight distribution, and still making roughly double the power of a stock Mazda motor. I think I might be able to figure out how to stuff some 50 series tires under the stock wheel wells, I think a P295/50 would look good on the rear, 215/50/16s Frt. & 295/50/16s Rear look GREAT on my S10, :D
Thinking about an independant 8.8 for the rear diff. Even a stock one should handle anything a turboed 3.1 with a stick could throw at it.

That tire will never fit under a miata unless you tub it.

I haven't really looked to see what a chore it would be, but I wouldn't be scared to do it.

It's hard enough that only like 5 people did it. Ever.

lol

Explain why you are starting with such a poor canvas? If you have to cut it to bits and rig EVERYTHING, why would you not just start with a car that better suits your end goals?

Because if you're going to build a drag car, why not start with the worst drag car ever?

LOL

I can't hate too much though, I hate convertibles (hence year-round hardtop) and I'm not particulatly into track or auto x or even canyon carving, yet I love me a clean miata.

Yeah. But you aren't looking for advice to turn a segway into a demolition derby car.

I guess for the same reason I've stuck to Vegas and S10s all these years, I just like em. The trans has been broken in my S10 for a few weeks, and I've been driving her Miata a lot, and I'm really getting to like it, I'd like it a lot more with more power and traction. I can't stand to leave ANYTHING stock. I'm sure I'd probably be pretty happy with a strong turboed 1.6 or 1.8 and 225~245/40s~50s, but overkill is one of my strong suits, :D

But was it worth it? That's the question...

I take my toys pretty serious:


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5cf95c6c52.jpg


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...95288ef3b8.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...058f3311d2.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d276799cda.jpg

Also, it wouldn't be a "drag" car, just a street driven muscle car that does a lot of things well, much like the most modern muscle cars, but with a more vintage flavor.

I'm sure it wouldn't be worth it.

The other option in my mind would be something like a Factory Five Cobra replica, they are said to be actually as good as or better than some of the originals, but I really kinda prefer doing my own stuff. Plus, I don't think they will wind up at 2500 lbs or less, which is one big attraction.

So many people join this form and gloat things they do, things they've done, awards they've won. These people post pictures, tell their stories and try to get a rise out of us.
98% of those people we never see again.

Start a build thread, document your progress, show us your agonizing defeat or triumphant success.

PS.
We love train wrecks.

PSS.
If you're going to stick around here you'll need a cat.

Shop cat sitting on my desk nuzzling my chin as I type, named her Lizzie, she's a lizard killin machine....she was feral, and about maybe 8 weeks old when we found her at the shop, the boss took her to the vet and had her spayed and got her some shots and stuff, then we kept her in a crate for a few weeks till she was fully healed. At first, she would try VERY HARD to draw blood every time I got near her, (feeding and changing litter). Then I starting using a thick welding glove, if she smacked me, I'd smack her back, if she bit me, I rough her up a little bit, holding her head. Now she loves me to death, and I'm pretty fond of her too.
I'm not trying to get a rise out of anyone, just trying to show I'm not some dreamer, or ricer. I know how to make a plan, (or follow a plan), and make it all work. I earned my nickname over the last 40 years or so, and I'm pretty good at making pretty much anything fast and reliable, I do it for customers all the time, but I generally do it best for myself, because I don't have to pay myself, and the budget is what generally gets us all in the end. I'm not one to spend stupid money, if I can make something as good as I can buy for a fraction of the $$, I do. I'm not set on any particular drivetrain or horsepower level yet, one of the reasons I'm here is to get a feel for what will work best for my purposes, which would be basically a badass street car, capable of being daily driven, maybe drag raced once in a while, maybe auto-xed once in a while, but mostly just enjoyed for the feeling of adrenaline it supplies. ;)
Plus, I live 1.3 miles (or, about 3 1/8 mile dragstrips), from my work...

I've seen all his videos except those last two from earlier this year.

I guess he got it sorted and running again.

I'm impressed.

PS: the only part that doesn't impress me is now the car weighs over 3k lb

So, any opinions on a GM 60° V6 with a T5, probably N/A at first, then turbo charged later, as I get it all sorted out? I like the idea of them because they are pretty torquey, not too heavy, pretty easy to "package", and seem to respond fairly well to boost. Would it be best to start with a 1.8 version for the bigger brakes and rear diff? And are there any reasons to look for a particular year/range/generation or to stay away from certain years? It's a good possibility that I'll look for one with a blown up or missing motor to start the budget out right...do brakes, suspension mods, roll bar, etc. THEN look for a motor...

l33, heads, I&E, v8 roadsters front subframe, t56, ect.

First Post on this forum...
 

Again, the 2.8 3.1 engines have garbage heads with 2 tiny valves and an iron block. The LFX from the new Camaro is all aluminum, with 4 valve heads, VVT, makes 323ish horsepower, revs to 7400 rpm, is dead reliable, and somebody already makes a subframe kit to do the swap.

I have recently tangled with a CTS 3.6, (timing chains and gears) and the LFX looks alarmingly similar, if it's the same platform, No Thanks, :td:
And having a subframe already made is really not really that much of an incentive, much of the "ready made" stuff I've seen and used for engine swaps, I can actually do better.

First Post on this forum...
 

Lulz.

OK, just making sure you were aware there is an easy button.

I had an Opel GT with the '93 Camaro 3.4 /5speed swap. With all that displacement it only got up to the power level of a naturally aspirated BP engine. Rated gross hp 160 @ 4600. Yes, 4600 because it didn't breathe well at all. Better than a stock Opel engine but it was not a modern engine by any standard. Until about 5 or 6 years ago GM was flagging way behind the rest of the world in hp/liter because of ancient design architecture.

OK, I see a lot of terminology being used that I don't recognize, some that I do recognize, but not sure about. What is a BP engine? Where are the breaks between NA, NB, NC, ND? Where is the best place to look for pros and cons of each generation? I've been looking through the stickies, hoping to find some newbie FAQs on that stuff, but no such luck so far. I even had some thoughts about doing a rotary, had a '74 RX4 with a 13b in it back in the day, traded a Pontiac starter and distributor for it, did some exhaust and carb work on it, and made a set of "slapper bars" for it, went low 13s on near stock size tires, I drove the piss out of it for a year before I finally blew it up, turn out somebody had disconnected and plugged off the metering oil pump, if I'd known, I would have been running some 2 stroke oil in the gas, oh well, :D . I just can't stand the racket they make when they are all modded out. I saw some stuff about swapping an Escape motor, but I think it was the 4 cylinder they were talking about. My fiancee also has an 04 Escape with a 3.0, and it's a pretty spunky motor, but having done some major engine work on some of them as well, I'm not fond of the complexity. You have to take half the motor apart to do a head gasket. Not too fond of the Camaro 3.4 either, heard of too many with the bottom end bad, replaced a couple as well.
I have a buddy and customer that had a 2.8/3.1 turbo motor in a Corolla that went low 6s in the 1/8th, carrying the front tires on the launch. I did some structural and suspension work on that one to make sure it went straight when it came back down, :D . I only saw it run once, but I saw a lot of time slips, and I was impressed. EVERYTHING on that car was low $$ except the engine management system, which was Haltech, IIRC. I love that Minivett Miata with 600+ hp, but I don't think I'd be willing to spend the kind of $$ to build that kind of car. I don't need to be the fastest, but I like it when the top 10 fast guys are together and wonder why I'm not there. :D
I want a car that can be impressive for 10 or 15 years without a boatload of expensive maintenance or upgrades.

BTW, my brother had a (69?) Opel GT, if it hadn't been such a horrible rust bucket, it would have wound up as a street strip car with a small block Chevy, a TH350, and probably a 9" Ford rear. Another car I would like to have built would be a 70s Datsun Z car, a friend of a friend had one with just a 305/TH350 in it, and it was FUN, & pretty quick stoplight to stoplight, don't know if he ever took it to the track....

2.8/3.1/3.4 are the same engine bored and stroked differently.

?? Anybody??

Wikipedia for the generations and production changes. And DIY FAQ sticky on this forum for more specifics.

Thanks for that, the Wikipedia listing for the Miata is pretty extensive, and links to some other pretty good Miata comparison articles too. It's good to know that NA goes all the way to 98. There are a couple of places here in Central Florida that specifically salvage Miatas and should be a good source of parts for my "yet to be purchased" car, as well as the fiancees 90. Hers needs a new convertible top pretty soon.