Topless 1991 Miata in Detroit: $1900

I bought this car off this board back in December 2011. I've put a lot of work into it since then. I Wish I could keep it but 7 cars is just too many and I'd rather remain married so I'm selling a few toys.

Vital Info

1991 Mazda Miata

177,xxx miles

1.6L long-nose crank engine and 5 speed manual transmission

Manual steering, no A/C, no cruise, no radio, no windows, no top

Modifications:

light weight 14" wheels with Bridgestone race tires

Hard Dog roll bar with padding

Bilstein sport dampers with adjustable coil-overs. 450 lbs/in springs up front and 350 lbs/in springs in back. Lowered about 2" and corner balanced.

Lexan windscreen (1/4" thick)

Summit Racing dune buggy seats

new muffler

two new brake calipers and all new pads and rotors

new alternator and battery

Features on which you could improve:

Turn signals don't work, I just use my hands

Its rusty. You're not going to fall out the floor but the rocker panels are generously ventilated.

It has a small exhaust leak but doesn't sound too bad. I've really grown to like the sound, more racy than trashy.

Its missing the passenger seat belt buckle

It might need another mirror to be 100% road legal (hasn't been a problem yet.)

I've turned this Miata into a true roadster that has no provision for a top. The small lexan windscreen provides a little wind protection but not much. You'll feel the wind in your hair and never have to look through the windshield frame again. Since its always exposed to the elements the "interior" has been weather proofed by removing all the carpet and upholstery. Instead you get bed-liner below your feet and hard plastic dune-buggy seats. Car has a few small issues but runs strong and turns heads. Weighs 1,934 lbs with a half tank of gas.

I'm asking $1900. Car is located in Farmington, MI.

i have been a passenger in this car. it is more fun than any other car i've ever ridden in, because it's so ridiculously not what everyone else is driving. the rocker panels are easily salvageable via GSB ("Great Stuff and Bondo"). and i can vouch for the seller as being both a stand-up guy and a completely sick car freak.

AngryCorvair wrote: i have been a passenger in this car. it is more fun than any other car i've ever ridden in, because it's so ridiculously not what everyone else is driving. the rocker panels are easily salvageable via GSB ("Great Stuff and Bondo"). and i can vouch for the seller as being both a stand-up guy and a completely sick car freak.

Do you want to make it a challenge car?

Add forced induction and you have the making of a challenge winner.

I like this more then I should.

3 words from floridians. Love bug season...

Spinout007 wrote: 3 words from floridians. Love bug season...

I've got a sweet half helmet with bubble face shield I'll throw in. Makes high speed motoring more comfortable.

I put up a short video driving the Topless Miata and condensed my thoughts about driving it on BB.

Topless Miata road test w/Video

I so want this It is exactly how I thought all Miatas should have been. Add some sort of bikini top for when it is parked and some how add a cover over the passenger seat

Reminds me of the FP class cars in SCCA

Like this

Or this... (I also want one of these)

Its rusty. You're not going to fall out the floor but the rocker panels are generously ventilated.

You need to market this as "flow through ventilation" borough-ed form the 60's T birds.

I heart this concept in so many ways. I'd thought for years that a stripped out Miata would make a more practical raod car than a '7', but this take it to a new level of awesome. If it were mine I might add another inc of so to the windshield, then make side windows/curtains that tapper from the top of the windshielf at the front, to nothing at the back edge of the doors.

How low are the seats? Did you bolt them to the floor? I see no details in your blog?, could you get them lower to get your further out of the wind?

Imagine this with a bikini top from the top edge of the screen to the roll bar and covering in the area behind the seats. So cool, so so cool.

I like this enough I copied all your blog posts into one Word doc and have it saved to my hard driver as 'Miata Roadster', you should throw up a quick build thread on it.

One last thing, why are you selling it so soon after finishing it?

Quick and dirty

Marginaly less crappy idea. Possibly need to add some small racing mirrors to the top ends of the windshield frame

In reply to Adrian_Thompson:

rollbar tubing below min thickness...

AngryCorvair wrote: In reply to Adrian_Thompson: rollbar tubing below min thickness...

Nnnhhhhaaaaa, it's eerrrrr an FIA approved metric chromoly frame, that's it

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

AngryCorvair wrote: In reply to Adrian_Thompson: rollbar tubing below min thickness...

Nnnhhhhaaaaa, it's eerrrrr an FIA approved metric chromoly frame, that's it

I would put the mirrors on the fenders

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Quick and dirty

Like this?

EvanB wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Quick and dirty

Like this?

Build thread, details? I love this as it even has the cut down side windows

http://clubroadster.net/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=54910

Adrian, The driver's seat is bolted to the floor, I wanted to get the seat low for clearance to the roll bar. The passenger seat is attached to the factory sliders. I was originally going to have them both on the stock sliders.

I'm selling it because I'm moving abroad. When the move first seemed possible I listed the car immediately because the weather was still warm and it seemed like a good idea to see what it could fetch.

Anyway, I've still got it and it really needs a new home. All offers considered.

David