Ok, not yet anyway. At best this will start sometime in 2012 because I've got to get the shop ready for this. I've got all the welders and basic stuff you need for bodywork at the house. I've got to get an engine stand and hoist, parts washer, press, spring compressor and a few other things. I should have my tool box at the house filled with all the tools by the end of the year. It won't be all Snap-On stuff like my box at work but I don't need that level just for the house. I've actually got a Chief frame rack to put in the floor so I can pull frames if I ever need that. I won't need it for the MX-5 but you never know about other cars down the road. I'm thinking about making a car rotisserie so I can really get to everything under the car when I'm working on it. Needless to say I'm going all out on this one.
And I know that spending all of this cash fixing an MX-5 isn't the best way to spend ones money. But I'm also going to try and fix up an RX-7 or two after I'm done with this so I'll use these things in the future again I hope. So why am I posting this now if I'm not showing you pictures of an MX-5 on a rotisserie after it's been bead blasted? I like to have everything worked out before I start a project. And I've got a few things I can't make my mind up about and I want input from people on them. I've picked out all the roll bars, suspension parts and other fun stuff for the project already. These few things are the ones I can't make my mind up about.
(http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/1239/106re.jpg)
This is a nice looking MX-5 without the Mazda Type R deck lid spoiler.
(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2285/dscn0626re.jpg)
This is my car with a spoiler on it. What do you think looks better? I'm thinking about getting another deck lid and painting them both at the same time and seeing what I like when I'm done with the car.
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/2827/dscn0628i.jpg)
What do you guys think about these fog lamps? At the time I felt that the MX-5 should have them like the RX-7 did. As a matter of fact these lights came off an FD RX-7 on it's way to the junk yard after it was totaled. Should they stay or go?
(http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6279/na0580152t.jpg)
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/7630/na0580154t.jpg)
(http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/8124/na0580156t.jpg)
So are these too bling? I like almost all of it but I can't help but think the old school lights for the brake and charge and stuff could be a little over the top. On one hand the interior of the NA MX-5 is a little too 90's Japan with nothing but black plastics. But I don't want to try too hard in making it look like something it isn't.
Perhaps this with a few small things like this below wouldn't be too much?
(http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/2665/na006007502t.jpg)
(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2867/95miatafront.jpg)
This is the stock radio for an NA Miata. I don't have one anymore but I can still get them.
(http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/820/msss1front.jpg)
This is the bling radio that Mazda had at the same time. It's very hard to find these days.
I need a radio/CD player. And I don't want some ugly ass modern shit that kids put in there cars today. I need something that looks like Mazda would really put in there car. Do any of you kids keep up with this stuff and can you show me some units? If not then I'm just getting the old one and putting it back in.
I have more to ask like what you think about some Recaro seats I like and stuff like that. I'll show them later.
I love the retro instrument cluster piece.
Quote from: MX793 on December 06, 2011, 05:57:32 PM
I love the retro instrument cluster piece.
Plus Juan.
Also cool with the other interior trim stuff.
Not a huge fan of the fogs, mainly because they look like an add-on, which I guess is true. I think the front would look cleaner without them, but that's up to you.
Undecided on the decklid spoiler.
Keep the spoiler, get the gauges, get the black stereo, get rid of the fogs
Get some wheels with less offset so the wheels are flush with the fender lips (well, as close as you can get).
Turbo kit.
I'd get rid of the fogs unless you can find a way to make them look like less of an add-on. I'm up in the air about the spoiler. The car you posted without a spoiler looks great, but yours doesn't look bad either.
Definitely get the instrument panel and other interior stuff. Is the radio a double-din? I see what you mean about not wanting a bling-bling modern one, but it's possible that there are some more toned down headunits that could work.
Keep the spoiler and ditch the fogs. How do you feel about a modern aftermarket radio?
Ditch the spoiler, make some stock looking holes in the bumper cover for the fogs, get the instrument cluster, skip the other chrome stuff, check out the double DIN offerings from the usual suspects (Kenwood, Clarion, Alpine, Pioneer, etc.).
Are you doing FM stuff for the suspension?
Everything will be from Flyin' Miata. You name it and it will probably be on the car. I've used parts from different people over the years and was never really happy with the outcome. So now if I'm going to do it I'll pay for the best.
And that comes to my next problem. I wanted to put a 13B in it but after adding it all up the price was just too much. So now I must make up my mind to keep it NA and try to get a little more power out of it that way. Or doing this
http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=4519&parentid=0&stocknumber=22-10250%20%20WHT%20GAUGE
Now it's no secret around here that I'm not a HP freak. And I'm not the worlds biggest fan of turbo lag. But the car will pick up a few pounds with the stuff I'm going to add. And it's not like it had lots of power to begin with. So I must
make up my mind if I'm going turbo or not. The money isn't the problem it's just I'm not sure if I want it or not. I'm 50/50 right now.
Quote from: Rupert on December 06, 2011, 08:21:11 PM
Ditch the spoiler, make some stock looking holes in the bumper cover for the fogs, get the instrument cluster, skip the other chrome stuff, check out the double DIN offerings from the usual suspects (Kenwood, Clarion, Alpine, Pioneer, etc.).
Are you doing FM stuff for the suspension?
You know I think you could take the fog lamps out of a 1999 Miata and work them into a bumper of a 90 if you really wanted. Thing is I've already got a brand new bumper in the box for my car now and I'm not cutting any holes in it until I'm sure it work.
I could just cut the one on it now as a test before I do the main bumper.
One more thing, look at the pictures of the Miatas at the top. My car has the standard black paint down at the rockers as all Miata's had. The other car is painted red all the way down. Now I like how that looks on that car but they don't have the R package lower bumper spoilers on that car. And I think it could look strange having the black under the bumpers and not having the back down the side of the car. And before you ask I'm not painting the spoilers. For one I've seen them painted and it looks strange. And the paint won't stick to that kind of plastic very well anyway.
I do know that I won't put on the rock chip guard spray that Mazda used back in the 90's on there cars. It ran from the body line of the side all the way down.
Yeah, I would rather have rock chips than the stupid rock chip guards on my car, any day.
I'm a fan of it without a spoiler and without fog lamps. I really like the gauge cluster too.
Look up Artworks Dewa stuff for gauges and interior bits. They have some very cool designs. Also some really over-the-top stuff, but my favorites are gauge faces like this:
(http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~AWD/m1_mym6_02.jpg)
I like the fog lights and the gauges... Meh on the spoiler
You're probably not doing 100mph+ very often, so the spoiler is a visual spoiler. (The original Audi TT looked lame w/ the spoiler. But people were losing control at speed without them....)
Love those gauges, the fogs stick out a little too far.
Quote from: Secret Chimp on December 06, 2011, 11:26:10 PM
Look up Artworks Dewa stuff for gauges and interior bits. They have some very cool designs. Also some really over-the-top stuff, but my favorites are gauge faces like this:
(http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~AWD/m1_mym6_02.jpg)
Me too, I like this more.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on December 10, 2011, 09:58:12 PM
You're probably not doing 100mph+ very often, so the spoiler is a visual spoiler. (The original Audi TT looked lame w/ the spoiler. But people were losing control at speed without them....)
Love those gauges, the fogs stick out a little too far.
Thing about the spoiler is it kind of works with the lower spoilers on the front and rear bumper. I've never seen a MX-5 with the R package lower spoilers without the deck lid one because that's how Mazda made them. And I'm not taking the lower spoilers off because they help hide some of the stuff under the car and make it look cleaner. Particularly from the rear. That's why I'm going to just paint two of them and see how I like it with and without.
I very much like the spoiler and would keep the fogs, but make them more factory looking.
The Fogs are Mazda Fogs and they do go in like the RX-7 ones did. I didn't even have to drill any holes to bolt them up. It would be better if they went back and out a little but then I'd have to take the tow hooks out. And then you wouldn't have a place to pull the car from the front if you needed it.
Those are tie downs, not tow hooks?
Quote from: Rupert on December 11, 2011, 12:20:48 PM
Those are tie downs, not tow hooks?
Yes. I took mine out a couple years ago. Looks waaay better.
I love those gauges. I wish they'd make those for the NC.
Also, keep the spoiler. I'm considering a spoiler for my car (I'm such a ricer :lol: ).
Quote from: Onslaught on December 06, 2011, 08:43:28 PM
Now it's no secret around here that I'm not a HP freak. And I'm not the worlds biggest fan of turbo lag. But the car will pick up a few pounds with the stuff I'm going to add. And it's not like it had lots of power to begin with. So I must
make up my mind if I'm going turbo or not. The money isn't the problem it's just I'm not sure if I want it or not. I'm 50/50 right now.
Supercharge it. Or do a motor swap. I would go KLZE or F20C. If you can weld (you are a body man right?) you should be good to go.
Quote from: sportyaccordy on December 12, 2011, 12:18:55 PM
Supercharge it. Or do a motor swap. I would go KLZE or F20C. If you can weld (you are a body man right?) you should be good to go.
They don't make many superchargers for the 1.6 engine. And the ones they do make are ok but not the best.
If I was going to do a motor swap it be a 13B or nothing else. Unless I put a 1.8 Miata engine in it. Then I'd have more choices for FI.
1.8 should be cheap (in the context of the project). Supercharging seems like best route as long as you can get it intercooled.
So. Do you guys think that these seats would look good http://www.ebay.com/itm/300645539823?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_1413
Or these seats? http://www.ebay.com/itm/180789879985?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_600wt_1413
I'm thinking the RX-7 seats are the way to go. The RX-8 seats are fucking great, I know because I have those seats in my 8 now. But they're large and could look out of place in a little Miata. That and they have air bags and shit and the RX-7 ones weigh less.
That and I know FD RX-7 seats fit in a Miata because lots of people did it back years ago.
Fuck, The RX-8 seats sold as I made this. I was thinking about getting them too as back up seats for my car. The fucking leather on one seat is $5K on my 8. Oh well, RX-7 seats it is then.
RX7 seats look better, too.
I mad can offer of $350 just to see if he'd take less then $400.00
Got to save what little I can for this thing.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300645655068?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_712wt_1413
If only it wasn't such a pain to put in.
Those RX-7 seats will look great. The RX-8s would have looked anachronistic.
I got the seats. Well, I paid for them anyway and will get them. That's one more thing down and a shit ton more to go.
Seats are here and look great. Better then I'd hope for being used. Must have had new leather put on them because no way this is 20 year old leather.
I've spend almost $2K on tools for the shop this past month. I'm still not even where I need to start stuff. Tools cost too much damn money.
(http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/2203/kgrhqjmerbtq2bp0oz9rbqw.jpg)
This will take care of the wanting to keep it NA but needing around 160bhp. And it should help offset some of the weight increase with the parts I was going to add to strengthen then chassis.
This will no longer be project MX-5. Now it's officially project RX-5.
Rad! :clap:
Does that require any flibertijibbery with engine mounts or transmission/driveshaft junk?
I was looking around on the RX-7 sites and found that many guys with 1989-91 S5 non turbo cars ran 1.8 Miata transmissions in their cars. You can put the MX-5 trans on a 89-91 RX bell housing with just a few small modifications. This way I can use a stock Miata transmission and keep the stock drive shaft and PPF. And Fly'n Miata makes a special subframe for putting V8's into an MX-5. But you can order one without motor mounts brackets welded in place for jobs other then V8's. This will make the job MUCH better because I won't have to cut up the stock one like people did years ago.
So, This motor is one the way and should be here next week.
A guys is selling a nice 5 speed off a 1.8 at a house near my brothers for $200 on the other side of NC.
And I'll get the subframe in sometime after all that and see how things fit before I go too far.
Awesome, I didn't know rotary swaps were that straightforward. I've only ever seen some hack job show up here and there, most people just go turbo or do V8 swaps...
Quote from: Secret Chimp on June 15, 2012, 08:49:24 PM
Awesome, I didn't know rotary swaps were that straightforward. I've only ever seen some hack job show up here and there, most people just go turbo or do V8 swaps...
I don't know if I'd call it "straightforward." Nothing like this will be easy and I know I'll run into some things that will kick my ass a little. I think the problem is people want turbo rotary motors. And that makes for more problems.
I just wanted around 150-180 hp. And this motor will give me just that without having to change as many parts. Or putting huge tires and stuff like that on it.
That is so awesome.
I'm jealous. Awesome.
Saweeeet
Don't molest the Miata!
Quote from: mzziaz on June 16, 2012, 11:16:39 AM
Don't molest the Miata!
This is a perfectly awesome molestation.
Quote from: mzziaz on June 16, 2012, 11:16:39 AM
Don't molest the Miata!
It won't look any different from the outside then other Miata's. Perhaps a little larger poo shoot out the back and an oil cooler in front of the A/C condenser. Other then that you wouldn't know until I crank it up.
I'm not real worried about people modifying their Miatas. It's not like there are only 500 of them.
Miata is Guinnes book of records "best selling 2 seat sportscar". Ever. They're counting all the different model years combined though.
Quote from: Onslaught on June 16, 2012, 11:33:35 AM
It won't look any different from the outside then other Miata's. Perhaps a little larger poo shoot out the back and an oil cooler in front of the A/C condenser. Other then that you wouldn't know until I crank it up.
Change to a sidepipe. One that belches fire.
Quote from: Rupert on June 16, 2012, 12:30:02 PM
I'm not real worried about people modifying their Miatas. It's not like there are only 500 of them.
You don't see many that are stock and in really nice shape however. Or not near as many as you did.
Quote from: Rupert on June 16, 2012, 12:30:02 PM
I'm not real worried about people modifying their Miatas. It's not like there are only 500 of them.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on June 16, 2012, 12:53:46 PM
Miata is Guinnes book of records "best selling 2 seat sportscar". Ever. They're counting all the different model years combined though.
+1
There are still lots of them. Even with the Spec Miata crowd punting them into each other.
(http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/3892/img0401yn.jpg)
Before
(http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/4350/img0404nm.jpg)
After
I had a few hours to screw around today so I got to work taking some of the "stuff" off the old 13B. I've got to get an engine stand and some tools to take the clutch and flywheel off before I see how things are on the inside. Perhaps next weekend I'll have the time. I've got to say that taking a rotary apart is kind of easy. The only problem was trying to keep the 20 year old vacuum lines from disintegrating when removing them. I was going to replace them all anyway, but it be nice to have them as a reference for later.
Sorry for the crappy looking pictures. But I'm not using a nice camera when my hands are covered in oil, gas and dirt. I'm thinking about buying a camera just for the shop so I can take pictures of all of this and not worry about what happens to my good ones.
Are you planning on modifying the engine at all or just refreshing with new apex seals or whatever the hell you do when you take a rotary apart?
I'm not sure but I'm thinking just a rebuild of all the seals and stuff like that and keeping the motor stock for the most part. You can port the engine but I wouldn't do that unless I was making a track day car. I like a cool sounding engine as much as the next guy but this will be my weekend fun car from now on. And driving around hearing "BRAP BRAP BRAP BRAP BRAP" would probably get old after a few months.
Racing Beat makes aluminum front, rear and intermediate side housings and light weight rotors. However unless you're making some kind of bass ass motor I just can't see spending the money for the weight loss. I'm not one to give a crap about blowing cash. But at close to $8K to get that stuff even I can't see it.
Perhaps I'll upgrade the ignition and fuel systems and the exhaust and intake the best I can and call it a day. I could also go with a better ECU but I'm not made up my mind about that one either.
Look into a street port template if your tearing the motor apart... No brap from a street port
This is pure awesome BTW
Quote from: r0tor on June 25, 2012, 02:55:05 PM
Look into a street port template if your tearing the motor apart... No brap from a street port
This is pure awesome BTW
Yea, I know a mild street port isn't too bad. I know a guy who's doing one on his 12A right now. Kind of like hearing it in person sometime.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat
Dude, that is SO cool. Keep us updated please.
This is the most awesome thing that has ever happened in this forum.
Quote from: thecarnut on June 25, 2012, 04:13:12 PM
This is the most awesome thing that has ever happened in this forum.
Easily.
Get a street port template from racing beat while you have that open. Won't take too long and you will get some nice gains. No brap either.
I can't make my mod up on if I should come up with a way to put A/C on this thing or not. I'd have to make lines and stuff seeing that nothing will line up with a different motor and compressor. And I'm already taking the smog pump and power steering off and putting the manual rack like in a Type R Miata in it. So it would save me so weight by not having A/C.
That said, I hate extreme heat. So on real hot days I wouldn't get near the thing without A/C. And Miata's can fog up in the winter if you don't turn the A/C on with the heater and run it that way for a few minutes until the moisture out of the air.
As for porting, I'm probably going to buy new housings anyway seeing that these have 90k on them. So I'll practice a port on these and see how it looks before I try on brand new stuff.
Quote from: Onslaught on July 04, 2012, 04:30:32 PM
I can't make my mod up on if I should come up with a way to put A/C on this thing or not. I'd have to make lines and stuff seeing that nothing will line up with a different motor and compressor. And I'm already taking the smog pump and power steering off and putting the manual rack like in a Type R Miata in it. So it would save me so weight by not having A/C.
That said, I hate extreme heat. So on real hot days I wouldn't get near the thing without A/C. And Miata's can fog up in the winter if you don't turn the A/C on with the heater and run it that way for a few minutes until the moisture out of the air.
As for porting, I'm probably going to buy new housings anyway seeing that these have 90k on them. So I'll practice a port on these and see how it looks before I try on brand new stuff.
Leave the AC off... when it's really hot just drive it at night and use the RX-8 during the day.
Why would you even drive it on a cold winter day?
Getting seals on anything sucks.
Quote from: HotRodPilot on July 04, 2012, 04:46:09 PM
Leave the AC off... when it's really hot just drive it at night and use the RX-8 during the day.
Why would you even drive it on a cold winter day?
You never know, The RX-8 could be in the shop or something. And if you've ever had a modern girlfriend you'll know that A/C is a must in a car.
In the end I'll probably go without it just to save a little cash and keep the weight down.
When I purchased my parts cleaner I had a choice between a bad ass, flammable cleaner with warning labels all over it in a metal drum. Or an environmentally friendly kind of cleaner that wouldn't burst into flames and had green shit all over it's plastic container. Seeing that I have a small shop and will be welding on the car I went for the non combustible stuff even if I knew in my heart the other stuff would work 100 times better. Well after cleaning one rotor I now know I was right. This stuff sucks and it will take me forever to clean 20 years of oil and carbon off these parts.
But I can feel better about not hurting the rabbits and trees with that cleaning that actually works. I'll just hurt them when I drive my gas/oil sucking miata after all this is done.
Quote from: Onslaught on July 04, 2012, 07:30:08 PM
You never know, The RX-8 could be in the shop or something. And if you've ever had a modern girlfriend you'll know that A/C is a must in a car.
In the end I'll probably go without it just to save a little cash and keep the weight down.
If the RX-8 is in the shop and you both need to ride in the car together, just use her's
:huh:
MRX-5!
Any plans on where your mounting a larger radiator and oil coolers? The mx5 doesn't really have a lot of grill openings...
Quote from: HotRodPilot on July 04, 2012, 09:42:25 PM
If the RX-8 is in the shop and you both need to ride in the car together, just use her's
:huh:
Hell no, she drives a Honda civic. :devil:
Quote from: r0tor on July 05, 2012, 05:15:01 AM
Any plans on where your mounting a larger radiator and oil coolers? The mx5 doesn't really have a lot of grill openings...
I've got room for the radiator and the FC just had one, long but thin oil cooler. Without an A/C condenser I should have room for that up front. I'm looking for a really nice used one because a new one is over $700. That about what I payed for the motor.
Those engines are crazy.
tl;dr, still haven't figured out why there are pictures of a rotary engine in a miata thread
Quote from: Onslaught on July 05, 2012, 05:30:51 AM
I've got room for the radiator and the FC just had one, long but thin oil cooler. Without an A/C condenser I should have room for that up front. I'm looking for a really nice used one because a new one is over $700. That about what I payed for the motor.
I've seen an install kit that mounts an oil cooler on the undertray for the 8 that in engineering sense would work pretty well... May be an option.
Flyin' Miata makes an oil cooler that mounts just ahead of the steering rack that seems good, unless dorito engines need big coolers:
http://flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=&parentid=&stocknumber=04-37240%20%201990-93
Flyin' miata had a racing radiator with an oil cooler built into it for years. That would've been perfect. But I don't see it on the site anymore. Or it wasn't the last time I looked.
A few of you have asked about this project. To tell you the truth it's on hold for just a month or two. My original idea was to have everything purchased and ready before I started on it. I'm going to try and have every part, tool and equipment ready for me when I start so I don't have to wait for anything if I can help it. But I got a good deal on the 13B so I felt I couldn't pass on it and after I got it I had 30 days to return the motor if it wasn't good. Seeing that I don't have an FC RX-7 to put it in and test it I took the thing apart and went over everything. Now I must get all the seals, bearings and send the housings out for lapping. I'll also need to get a press to push the new bearings into place as well as all the suspension bushings later one. Right now I'm saving money for a trip to Florida next month but after that I'll start putting the motor back together and post pictures of all that.
Then I'll start buying all the parts for the car. From the new top and interior parts all the way to the pipe for the exhaust system and Tig welder to weld it with. So the Miata will still be worked on as soon as I get everything. It's just on hold until I've got an extra $10K ++ sitting around to buy all this stuff all at once.
(http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4329/img0429o.jpg)
rotary eccentric shaft. Measured and looks like it's fine.
(http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/910/img0430r.jpg)
The rotors look fine too. Just need to clean them more. Pain in the ass.
(http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/7382/img0431qm.jpg)
housings. All of these look good too. But I'm going to spend the extra money to have the lapped. It's only about $90 a side plus the shipping.
(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4705/img0432vn.jpg)
I'll be replacing these rotor housings with new ones. One of them is ok but the other had a curve cut into it from the intake to the exhaust port. You can't really fix these things so I'll just buy new ones.
(http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/4650/img0434ai.jpg)
This is all the other engine parts in boxes until I can clean them. Some of this stuff is new and some of it is used. Stuff I've collected over the internet.
(http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/1831/img0433ec.jpg)
Awaiting it's heart transplant and facelift.
Why buy a press youre only gonna use once... can you just press them in at your job?
Def watching this :popcorn:
Quote from: sportyaccordy on August 25, 2012, 09:27:58 PM
Why buy a press youre only gonna use once... can you just press them in at your job?
Def watching this :popcorn:
My place got bought out 2 years ago by another company. And when they did they came in and took almost all our stuff out of the shop and took it to their other shops around town. They turned us into a fleet shop and all we do is small hits for Enterprise rental cars. All I do all day is fix small dents and small hits so we didn't need all that stuff anymore. So even if I wanted to use it we don't have it. That and the new owners won't let you work on your own stuff without paying them first. I'll never give them money to work on my stuff with my tools.
I'm going to fix up an FD RX-7 after the Miata so this all this stuff will be used again later. It's not like I'm getting it for just one job. All these tools to work on a rotary will be used again soon I hope.
Looks like a nice build, personally I'd be shooting for more power but that is a personal preference. I'm guessing RX8 motors are tough to come by and a bit more spendy.
I'm looking to turbo my NB over the winter, I tossed around doing a transplant but cost would be equal and less fab work compared to a swap.
I too will be looking to flyin miata for the majority of my parts, I just bought a coilover kit and some wheels and tires from them. Also looking to maybe do a repaint on it before next summer too.
goodwin seems to have a great selection of parts too, I've picked a few minor things from them. Either way, it's great having such a fantastic supplier base for these cars.
Quote from: FlatBlackCaddy on September 03, 2012, 01:05:11 PM
Looks like a nice build, personally I'd be shooting for more power but that is a personal preference. I'm guessing RX8 motors are tough to come by and a bit more spendy.
No, it's easier to get an RX-8 engine actually. My goal is to make a MX-5 like Mazda would've made back in 1990 if it had a rotary in it. I'm not looking for off the charts power. If that was the case I'd gone with a turbo 13B.
As I said before, I can use this motor and use the stock transmission, drive shaft and all that other stuff and keep smaller/narrow rims on it like I like. I'll increase the power and hopefully drop weight at the same time. All the while
keeping the famous Miata fun factor and not turning it into some kind of G turning, neck snapping track car.
Quote from: Onslaught on September 03, 2012, 02:22:41 PM
No, it's easier to get an RX-8 engine actually. My goal is to make a MX-5 like Mazda would've made back in 1990 if it had a rotary in it. I'm not looking for off the charts power. If that was the case I'd gone with a turbo 13B.
As I said before, I can use this motor and use the stock transmission, drive shaft and all that other stuff and keep smaller/narrow rims on it like I like. I'll increase the power and hopefully drop weight at the same time. All the while
keeping the famous Miata fun factor and not turning it into some kind of G turning, neck snapping track car.
I understand the emphasis on balance, I will likely use a small turbo and focus on lower end power and response than high HP figures. Right now though it's all suspension and chassis stuff and cleaning the exterior/interior up.
So how bad is it to integrate the 13b ECU into the mx5 chassis systems? Are you going to rewire and run just the one computer or wire the 13b to it's computer and leave the MX5 unit for body control functions?
Quote from: FlatBlackCaddy on September 03, 2012, 06:10:42 PM
I understand the emphasis on balance, I will likely use a small turbo and focus on lower end power and response than high HP figures. Right now though it's all suspension and chassis stuff and cleaning the exterior/interior up.
So how bad is it to integrate the 13b ECU into the mx5 chassis systems? Are you going to rewire and run just the one computer or wire the 13b to it's computer and leave the MX5 unit for body control functions?
I'll either run the 13B one rewired or get a mega squirt.
Quote from: Onslaught on September 03, 2012, 06:15:01 PM
I'll either run the 13B one rewired or get a mega squirt.
For a stock motor isn't that a bit overkill. I've been hearing about more people preferring stock or flashed stock for mildly tuned motors due to better driveability and cold starts.
Quote from: FlatBlackCaddy on September 03, 2012, 06:18:24 PM
For a stock motor isn't that a bit overkill. I've been hearing about more people preferring stock or flashed stock for mildly tuned motors due to better driveability and cold starts.
Well my plan is stock. But things change sometimes. You know, when I blow something up after I do it wrong.
keep the original motor around for a spare. :lol:
Oh, it will be around. Got to put it into a FM Westfield!!!!
Does anyone sell "RX-5" badges for transplant cars?
Quote from: SVT666 on September 04, 2012, 09:51:38 AM
Does anyone sell "RX-5" badges for transplant cars?
No, but I'll take the badge for an RX-8 and Mazda5 and replace the 8 with the 5.
Quote from: Onslaught on September 04, 2012, 10:07:01 AM
No, but I'll take the badge for an RX-8 and Mazda5 and replace the 8 with the 5.
Or take an MX-5 badge and replace the M with an R? :huh:
Quote from: thecarnut on September 04, 2012, 10:43:56 AM
Or take an MX-5 badge and replace the M with an R? :huh:
No. The lone hyphenated character should be the odd one.
Quote from: thecarnut on September 04, 2012, 10:43:56 AM
Or take an MX-5 badge and replace the M with an R? :huh:
They wouldn't match up as far as size. The modern Mazda emblems look kind if the same. And the 8 & 5 are the same size on the two badge.
Also the NA badge is a big square that says "MX-5 miata" on it. You can't take anything off it.
Quote from: Onslaught on September 04, 2012, 10:50:35 AM
They wouldn't match up as far as size. The modern Mazda emblems look kind if the same. And the 8 & 5 are the same size on the two badge.
Also the NA badge is a big square that says "MX-5 miata" on it. You can't take anything off it.
I think the RX-8 and NC MX-5 badge are the same size... :huh:
Although, it looks like the hyphen and 8 on the RX-8 badge are separate from the RX part. On the MX-5 badge, everything is one piece.
I thought it was the badge on the car I have now you guys thought I could change.
Yea, you could probably make an NC badge work too. But I already have a Mazda 5 one
at work and I held the 5 up to my blue car and it works.
In the end I'll have it on the ass of the car when done. Probably won't have "Mazda" on the right side anymore.
We'll worry about the little things later.
I was going to say you could have my MX5 one for free, but then again you probably have those lying around in the shop. :lol:
Thanks, but I have all kinds. I have a nice 3rd gen RX-7 one that would look great if I could find a 5 that small and in the same color. But I don't think that's possible.
MX-5 type R?
or maybe GT-R?
MX-5 competizione
MX-5 R Spec?
or maybe just call it the Mighty Mia?
This is the least important part of this entire project. It would still be awesome if it had a "Dickbutt McGaywagon" badge.
Quote from: Secret Chimp on September 04, 2012, 07:15:24 PM
This is the least important part of this entire project. It would still be awesome if it had a "Dickbutt McGaywagon" badge.
Actually the most important part IS the name. It's marketing 101, i'd spend months coming up with the perfect name. Just toss the motor in there and tape some wires together, but don't dare cut corners on the name.
While I save up some cash for parts for the engine stuff, I'm thinking about starting work on my headlamp project this weekend. I've got all the extra parts to make a headlamp Assy for a Miata including the motors. I've also got a brand new headlamp for an FD RX-7. If you've ever seen a FD and NA next to each other you'll notice that the fronts look similar but the RX-7 had lower headlamps when up vs the NA's "Barn Door" pop-up headlamps. I'm going to try and put the headlamp of the FD into the pop-up assy on the Miata and adjust it so it won't have to raise up near as much. Also the lights in a RX-7 weren't perfectly round like those of a Miata and fit the look of the turn signals more if you ask me. So I'll have lights that won't be so damn high up in the air when on but still look more stock then some of the aftermarket solutions. If it works out ok then all I need to do is make a bezel cover to fit the new shape of the lights.
So that's an RX-7 engine, lights, seats, shifter knob and probably more when I'm done. It really will be an RX-5. I'll post pictures if I can get to it this weekend.
Quote from: FlatBlackCaddy on September 04, 2012, 07:13:06 PM
MX-5 type R?
They already had one of those. Actually, my car is a copy of one in some ways.
Quote from: FlatBlackCaddy on September 04, 2012, 07:13:06 PM
MX-5 type R?
or maybe GT-R?
MX-5 competizione
MX-5 R Spec?
or maybe just call it the Mighty Mia?
(http://0.tqn.com/d/movies/1/0/4/Q/R/mammamiaposter.jpg)
Quote from: Onslaught on September 04, 2012, 07:33:25 PM
They already had one of those. Actually, my car is a copy of one in some ways.
R package, not type R, dog
So, you get that motor put in there yet.......
Quote from: FlatBlackCaddy on September 10, 2012, 08:37:09 PM
So, you get that motor put in there yet.......
Good lord no, I jumped the gun telling you guys all about this. It will take time before it's ready. This is going to be a massive project.
Quote from: Onslaught on September 10, 2012, 08:47:27 PM
Good lord no, I jumped the gun telling you guys all about this. It will take time before it's ready. This is going to be a massive project.
So...that means what, next week sometime?
Quote from: FlatBlackCaddy on September 10, 2012, 08:49:42 PM
So...that means what, next week sometime?
No, got to get the rest of my shop equipment. Tig welder, soda blaster, powder coating system, press, spring compressor and some other things. Then I have to rent a drill and put the bolts into the floor for my frame rack. Set up my ventilation fan for paint and stuff like that also.
Then I'm building an auto rotisserie so I can put the car in the air and spin it around to work on any side.
Then I take everything off the car, soda blast it and put it all together with reworked or new parts. I'm not starting until I've got it all ready either. Don't want it sitting around for years while I work on it.
Whoa. I see this is more than a simple motor swap. Have you considered a tri-rotor?
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on September 10, 2012, 09:03:23 PM
Whoa. I see this is more than a simple motor swap. Have you considered a tri-rotor?
In a miata? That's a little overkill.
Quote from: Onslaught on September 10, 2012, 09:07:02 PM
In a miata? That's a little overkill.
Some idiot put one in a Corolla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFgKNIzah1g&
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on September 10, 2012, 09:13:02 PM
Some idiot put one in a Corolla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFgKNIzah1g&
Yes, but I'm not that kind of idiot.
I'm the kind of idiot who sinks crazy money into a car worth nothing.
Quote from: Onslaught on September 10, 2012, 09:01:41 PM
No, got to get the rest of my shop equipment. Tig welder, soda blaster, powder coating system, press, spring compressor and some other things. Then I have to rent a drill and put the bolts into the floor for my frame rack. Set up my ventilation fan for paint and stuff like that also.
Then I'm building an auto rotisserie so I can put the car in the air and spin it around to work on any side.
Then I take everything off the car, soda blast it and put it all together with reworked or new parts. I'm not starting until I've got it all ready either. Don't want it sitting around for years while I work on it.
Well atleast a few months then......
:lol:
Holy crap, thatsalottastuff!
I just got home from Florida not 30 minutes ago. So now it will be time to start buying some more stuff to start this thing.