First of all hello all long time no see. I've not driven my Miata in a couple of years. Got too many tickets so...

Anyways I've still got it in great condition it a NA. But I've got a complete 95 drivetrain also complete with ecu and subframes only 16k miles on that. I'm in the process of purchasing a dozen acres. I want to build a Miata based off road tube frame chassis vehicle. Oh and I'm missing the NB wiring harness cause I sold it and now I regret that. Where do I source one? Or at least the connectors. A junkyard???

But here's the catch. I want it to be 4x4. I assume there is no bolt on 4x4 set up right? But I can make something else work right? Like with a bell housing adapter? Or something? What else will I need? I've never done something like this so I don't know where to start with the transmission. What would be a good transmission to use? Subaru? Forgive me if some of these questions are stupid.

I'm a welder and I have friends in CNC shops, and I'll be setting up a small shop on the new land. So there is no challenge if I need to custom fabricate any metal parts.

Thanks for reading, long time no see.

I have turbo parts and will be turboing this as well. But the 4x4 will be a deal breaker if I can't figure it out.

 

Or actually these subframes may be poor for off road, and therefore this thread is dumb?

Or maybe I can modify it? Can it be done well?

 

subframes will be poor for a long travel offroad type vehicle, for a rally/rally-x they're just fine.

If you want to use the mazda engine for some dumb reason I think they made a 4x4 B2200 that has a tranny and transfer case that work with the mazda B series. Or you can use the Kia sportage AWD stuff or B2600 4x4 stuff with the motor out of the kia and stay mazda, but again. thats pretty dumb too. Pick a better motor like a kobota or johndeere.

 

Or you could build a VW based off road car, with a plethora of aftermarket accessories and support. Otherwise, You will be left with a heavy underpowered turd, if you choose a heavy underpowered engine. Go look at race desert, they are the miataturbo of off road. Check out the fab section and projects. Of course I say all of this without knowing what you want to do with this car thingy.

 

You need to read this build thread.

MX5 Bronco Miata/Baby Bronco - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Dude builds a kid's 4x4 crawler off a miata drivetrain.

EDIT : Yes, it's an NC but it will give you an idea of fab-work involved. Also this is a 4x4 off road truck, not sure if that's your end goal.

 

I actually saw that bronco miata thread. It's cool, but not my style.

And I'm sure you guys are right, the Miata base will just not be good for what I want to build. Only wanted to do that cause this subframe drivetrain has been siting with 16k miles in my garage for I don't even know anymore how many years.

And yeah I'll do a VW one for sure. I used to own a 75 beetle 1600dp.

I want to get a VW thing.

Okay so it seems I'll just build on that subframe for profit and nothing else cause I've lost interest in street. I know some ralley guys. What about a locost or an exocet tube chassis style that will kick *** on the street and the dirt roads?

And how much can I sell such a vehicle for?

 

The land I was looking at had a 6 acre clearing on it....more than enough for a dirt circle redneck race track.

I wish I could change the thread title now. Maybe a mod will do it for me, something like what do i do with this danged drivetrain and subframes I gots layin round?

 

A lot less then you spend building it.

 

Even considering I will be bending my own tube and doing all the fabrication work myself, from start to finish?

 

You could definitely get lucky and find someone to buy it. But there really isn't a "market" for that kind of thing.

Someone might pay a lot.

 

No, you will lose money. All of that adds up to way more than would ever imagine. Just look at the price of tube these days. It ain't a dollar a foot anymore.

 

Okay that makes sense. Dang it this sucks. So what do I do with the drivetrain, subframes, suspension, and frikkin everything else? Sell it as is for someone else who wants to build a custom kit car?

 

I had no problems selling a few seat stands online for over 3x cost to build. And that was a low price I was offering, due to the lack of market for it. But man if you see a metal fabricated item in the store, you can gaurantee it cost less than 1/5 the retail cost to build the thing. All the money you pay is for the skill of the fabricator.

Wanna buy a seat stand?

lol @ $x$ new thread title.

This was in my moms garage.


I'll be building more complex and pricey man cave chairs within the year using factory Ford F-450 bucket seats. These chairs will have a few optional features too.

Sry I just like fab talk and entrepunerial talk.

Btw people I have just about every NA part from 1.6 and 1.8
How would one recommend I market myself as a custom parts fabricator to help out you guys with your custom projects in case you are in need of a fabricated part?

 

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I couldn't resist an longer. this is pic of my other money pit. '68, 2275 injected 12.0:1
33" tires, 18" wheel travel and goes real fast over lots of big bumps.

 

I wonder if there's a service like 3D printing services in your neighborhood | makexyz.com that includes all fabrication services. Or if you could convince them to add it.

 

Nice bug!

And on the marketing, is that like to find a local fabricator is what you are suggesting?

What I mean is marketing towards you guys, and to the guys on the other miata forums. I have everything just about for an NA to use as jigs. I could custom fabricate you guys Miata parts for special projects which require it. Mostly like stuff made from tube, sheet, and or plate.

 

The amish called. They want their beard back.

 

i haz mustache now

 

hipster

 

No sir! I'm part redneck part hippy. I'm building a basement house and the attic will be a greenhouse instead of a conventional roof. And one of the first things I will do is buy some five hundred dollar cars with some friends and race them in a redneck dirt track.