Miata's - Help me!

[DocG]

May have the chance to pick up a miata from a family member for a pretty cheap price. Not sure on the year, but I'm guessing early 90's with pretty high miles. Not worried about how much its worth, but if I can get it for about $1k or so, might be worth playing around with.

Anyways, anyone know anything about Miata's? I've seen they have about 100hp, which I'm guessing isn't much even for such a light car. If the price is right, might could add blower or turbo which I'm guessing might make it pretty peppy.

Any thoughts, opinions on these cars? And don't tell me they're rice!

 

[jefferz]

I dont know much about them but if you want one to fly, put an 8 in it!!

 

[my95gtstang]

me and a friend were talkin about that a couple months back! drop a 8 in her!!!

 

[madmatt]

They are VERY light, so you dont need all the hp in the world to get them moving VERY quickly. Flyin' Miata makes turbo kits, Greddy has a turbo kit, or you could do like they say and drop a 5.0 liter in it.

 

[RedDaemon]

its possible to fit a 351 in it...do it

 

[DocG]

5.0 in it would be bad-ass, wonder how much it affects the handling since it changes the weight distribution. I've seen some stats on some FI'd ones running 200rwhp. I imagine that would be pretty darn quick for a 2000lb car. Hmmm.....new toy maybe? Still no stang though.

 

[nwapache]

dropping a v-8 in it would be like driving down the street with Jared on your hood (pre-subway)
There are v-8 conversion kits out there for the miata, buy you'll spend your right nut on all the mods that go along with it. Look at swapping a rotary motor in it...

 

[04GTMustang]

my moms got a 2000 miata they are fun lil cars especially on the back roads its rated at 138 hp but its also a 1.8l i think the year your talking about has the 1.6 and its somewhere around low 100s for hp and if you wanna get it to fly go to a website called flyinmiata.com and they sell turbo kits and supercharger kits pretty much anything you want and ive seen some miatas with 300+rwhp which is pretty insane for a 2400lb car.

 

[Shiroelex]

Miatas are the most outrageously fun small car ever to drive, with the exception of an old BMW CSL I used to drive. I was about to get this real nice anniversary edition blue 99 Miata, with a matching removable hardtop, before I got the stang. It looked nice and exotic, and cornered like you wouldn't believe. The Miata is also the standard for short throws in shifters. I have a 5.0 that has been sitting on a stand in my garage for a Miata swap for at least 5 years now...

 

[NyDon]

for $1K? hell yeah i'd get it. i used to have a '93 (black/tan) and it was fun as hell. not the fastest out there, but those things handle. get it!

 

[mity2]

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/markf/miata/engine.html

 

[BurningRubber]

Like said, not terribly fast but they handle like crazy and are hailed over the stock shifters.

BUT... DO THE 5.0 SWAP!!!

Heres my story... I was at a carshow once, and this little red Miata comes crusing by... heard a nice V-8 rumble that I thought was from the Mustang next to me, then after a 2nd glance realize it was coming from the Miata. The guy dropped the hammer and this thing squated like crazy and took off. I didnt expect that one, great sleeper right there.

 

[miller766]

Get it you will love to drive it. I have a 99 miata and the ride was exceptional. You want to pack some power into it? Then just do what I did. Get a Rotary and TWIN TURBO!!!! We built mine up to 800HP in the end. But even before the motor swap it was the funnest little car I'd ever driven.

 

[RedDaemon]

most turbos and superchargers are for the 1.8...its its a 1.6..good luck finding one..i know theres a company out there that either just released one or is releasing one soon for the 1.6

 

[jasonh_86]

screw the 351 and 5.0... Drop an LS1 in that bastard and call it a day

 

[BennyBlown2v]

Miatas are awesome! Very affordable, very fun, and SUPER easy to mod. A miata will be my next daily driver, either that or a Fiero, MR2, or Celica Alltrac.

 

[nwapache]

better yet, get the new LS-7 for 10k or so , you'd be the fastest car on the road

 

[jasonh_86]

better yet, get the new LS-7 for 10k or so , you'd be the fastest car on the road

Just gotta out-do my idea, huh?


.. That'd be pretty sweet actually! Kinda like the Solstice that they stuffed an LS7 into

 

[04GTMustang]

i remember when i test drove a mazdaspeed miata that thing was pretty fun only 178 hp but coming a light miata it was insane once that turbo spooled it threw you in the seat pretty good and took off. only thing that i didnt like is one too small especially for a car i was taking to college and the gear box was weird the shifts were all so close i tried to down shift from 6th on the highway and accidentally stuck it in 2nd. But other than that awesome car and they handle like they are on rails.

 

[Superhereaux]

i still have my '92 gt back home (RIP) with the drivetrain still intact. donor car basically


my choices for a swap are a 1st or 2nd gen rx-7, another 4cyl foxbody or a miata. whichever i find first

for $1k i'd buy it in 2 seconds