are those APC tail lights?
That's Lee and that car has been around a long time. I don't think he will get $36k even with the ton of work he has in it
If I were in the market for a new Miata..
Is it worth even half that?
I'd want better than AGX dampers for my $36k.
But, it DOES have a positrac just like a big block Chevelle. That's got to be worth something, right?
Maybe he hit the 3 by mistake? 
Teqnyck wrote: Maybe he hit the 3 by mistake?
Hand one slot too far. Should be 24.
The market will determine - but it's a good example. It's not bodged together out of junkyard parts, and he did a good job of the build from what I remember. Yes, some better suspension would be good, I'd put in non-solid motor mounts and there are some aesthetic choices a new owner might want to change (grille and APC taillights are the first two). But I've seen top-quality LS-powered Miatas sell on the secondary market in the $30's.
He's definitely off on what it would cost to duplicate, though. $40k+ is what it costs if someone else does the wrenching. He's pretty proud of it not being a kit, but the fact of the matter is that the kits mean that it's a lot easier to build the car now than it was in 2005.
Holy poop dolla!! On the price.
For 36,000 I think I could do better....
It would make a fun toy for say, 10k but when you crest the 25k mark you are no longer in toy territory to me. You are in more like house and 3 acre territory around here.
The GRM forum is simply not inhabited by the kind of people what will buy a car like this.
bgkast wrote:
. . . ya crazy Dutch bastard!
Nathan JansenvanDoorn wrote: I'd want better than AGX dampers for my $36k. But, it DOES have a positrac just like a big block Chevelle. That's got to be worth something, right?
I'd wan't better than JAZ poly seats for my $36k.
Whoa he's running more ground clearance than Keith's rally setup 
And after he goes on about what a legit track car this is he's running the LeMons Special suspension setup? He could at least slap a set of D2/Ksports on it for that price...
Keith Tanner wrote: The GRM forum is simply not inhabited by the kind of people what will buy a car like this.
Even if I had $36000 to dispose of on a toy it would not be that. That's one of the ugliest looking Miatas I've seen in a while for some reason. The only pretty part is under the hood.
The GRM forum is simply not inhabited by the kind of people what will buy a car like this.
Idiots? The main problem here is the price. I think any number of GRMers would be willing to buy that car for what it's ACTUALLY worth minus the cost of replacing the egregiously stupid or mismatched parts on it.
But i think regardless of the absolute dollar figure, my general rule holds true: I won't even consider talking to someone who thinks something is worth twice what it is, even if i want it. Too much bullE36 M3 trying to make people accept reality into their hearts and minds and place their life in reality's hands when i could be buying from someone that isn't crazy in the first place.
Vigo wrote:The GRM forum is simply not inhabited by the kind of people what will buy a car like this.Idiots? The main problem here is the price. I think any number of GRMers would be willing to buy that car for what it's ACTUALLY worth minus the cost of replacing the egregiously stupid or mismatched parts on it. But i think regardless of the absolute dollar figure, my general rule holds true: I won't even consider talking to someone who thinks something is worth twice what it is, even if i want it. Too much bullE36 M3 trying to make people accept reality into their hearts and minds and place their life in reality's hands when i could be buying from someone that isn't crazy in the first place.
Hmm sounds like the kid that bought my trans am. Some people have a hard time accepting reality and all the misery that comes with it.
Two used C5's and one could be a ZO6. . . Keith if that is really the market value for those that is crazy.
Holy piling on Batman!!!
If y'all don't think it's worth that, then don't buy it!!!
It's likely not worth that, but not everybody has the skills to build it themselves. Some people have skills to make money and buy the stuff other people build. They look at us and figure we're backwards because we try to cobble everything together for next to nothing from junkyard parts. Different strokes for different folks. Hey that's good, I should coin that...
(sadly I'm not really in the "make money" OR "build cool stuff" category)
Keith Tanner wrote: The GRM forum is simply not inhabited by the kind of people what will buy a car like this.
This is VERY true. The forum readership tends to be more cheap/poor and more DIY than the general magazine readership.
The forum readership tends to be more cheap/poor and more DIY than the general magazine readership.
Being more DIY leads to being cheaper, you know. Once you know what goes into something, you can recognize the difference between that amount, and what someone is trying to sell something for. I've been an ASE Master Certified tech for most of a decade now and ive done countless hours of labor that got billed at $85-100/hr. I can guesstimate how long it would take me to build that thing, double it just to be safe, bill it at full pop, and still not see how you could spend 35k just BUILDING the thing (counting the car and the parts), and it's not like the work that goes into it translates into dollar value at a 1 to 1 ratio when you're done.......... FAR from it. 
The parts to duplicate that car - assuming you're buying new, not junkyard (like this car was built) and using the available kit parts on the market - would be in the $24-28k range for the conversion. Labor not included, and not counting the roll bar, the seats, the suspension, control arms, etc. Cut that number in half if you buy a 100,000 mile salvage GTO. If you want to include your $100/hour labor, you'll easily spend $36k duplicating this car even assuming you have a Laguna/tan Miata in the garage to start with. That's based on actually building a few of these.
He's wrong saying that it would cost $40k to "even attempt to build another V8 Miata", though.
I agree the price is a bit aggressive, but it's not double the market value. There are some questionable aesthetic choices, but that's always subjective anyhow. I've seen good LS-powered Miatas sell used for over $30k. I've seen crap sell for a lot less. From what I know of this car, it's at the higher quality end of the range.
You guys must hate the stuff we build for our customers. Heck, you'd pop a gasket if you saw the track car that's on the lift right now. But it's a great deal compared to a new 911 GT3.
There are people who prefer cars like this to a used Z06.
Keith Tanner wrote: You guys must hate the stuff we build for our customers. Heck, you'd pop a gasket if you saw the track car that's on the lift right now. But it's a great deal compared to a new 911 GT3.
Nope, we love you guys! I learned everything I know about racoons and ninjas because of Flyin' Miata. 
BTW, I don't even own a miata, and I still bought your targa video and locost book.
Nice car overall but I'd do something different with the taillights, wheels and grille. But as noted that's subjective. Looks well put together.
I have to agree that with the DIY kits now available $36k is a bit optimistic, though.
$BLAH, BLAH in parts, $BLAH, BLAH in labor. . . How often do you ever recoup that on resale?
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