Looking for someone who built a Miata 5.0 in PSL FLA

I’m thinking about doing something stupid and figure this is the best place to come since you people - my fellow lunatics- understand. I’m looking at a Miata with a Ford 302 conversion that is local - needs some work and the seller knows very little (shouldn’t have bought the car) but says the builder/seller (to him) was also in Port St. Lucie Florida. So I’m taking a stab in the dark here to see if anyone knows who built this car so I can get some more info before deciding what, if anything, this project is worth to me 

https://treasure.craigslist.org/cto/d/port-saint-lucie-miata-ford-302/6979176394.html

VIN is jm1nb3533x0101211

Thanks all - Adam 

That’s not Steve Brozniak’s car, is it?

Did Ford have a 7" rear end?  Mine started with a 7.5" open diff but swapped in a 8.8" LSD.

I'll never understand why people do so much work to swap in a V8 and keep the garbage factory seats, they need to go.  
 

Otherwise it's a hotrod, things are always gonna be a little more difficult than factory but it's a mating of two excellent halves so it should be a solid result.

Carbed. Meh. But hey its a harley double pumper.. 

looks nice.

In reply to KyAllroad (Jeremy) :

I’m assuming it’s a 7.5 since the seller doesn’t really seem to know much. I couldn’t agree more about the seats but there’s a lot it needs - suspension needs to be sorted, clutch needs some work, and who knows what else in addition to a brake upgrade. Just thinking if i can pick it up cheap enough it may be worth sorting out, learn a few things, teach my kid how to drive a stick on it, and serve as a great basis for an Exocet someday 

In reply to SVreX :

How would I find that out? Is he on here?

In reply to M3racer :

Since I literally bought a monster Miata last year and have a teenager I'm teaching to autocross I feel comfortable saying this:  no.

A V-8 swapped Miata is a recalcitrant handful and not easy to drive.   Even with a well sorted swap it's a lot for a new driver.  A stock NB for 4K would be 100% better to teach a youngster in.

In reply to KyAllroad (Jeremy) :

Oh I know you’re right about that. Actually looking for an E46 wagon with a manual for his first ride. Just thought I could use the Miata for teaching clutch control in a parking lot, but even then it’s probably still too damn much car. 

What’s your opinion after a year with your monster Miata? 

In reply to M3racer :

I didn't even keep it that long.  For autocross it needed a ton of suspension work (and seats, and a roll bar, and and and).  
 

I traded it for something else and sold that.  I ended up buying an STR prepped NC and the teenager has done FAR better in that.   He was initiated disappointed at getting rid of the Monster but now admits the NC is a better car and much quicker around the cones.

In reply to SVreX :

No Steve's was an NA Miata.  Rob still has it but the setup appears to be very similar.  

Should be a 7.5 thunderbird rear which is fine as long as you aren't planning on a drag car. There are limited slip diffs and plenty of ratios available for them. 

That's about as cheap as V8 miatas get with an actual kit (monster Miata in this case).  The rear end and headers are the only true tricky parts on these. 

The carb hurts the value but is simple. The efi system on my last 5.0 was never quite right even after a couple visits to local "experts". The tfi module never was happy leading to occasional bouts of sitting on the side of the road waiting for it to cool. If you are not happy with the carb stick a Holley sniper system or you can convert it back to factory fuel injection. 

They are a handful to drive but are truly a blast. I would have ended up in a ditch or a tree as a teenager and still feel like I might every time I drive one. The power is intoxicating. 

It is a monster kit. That is a good foundation to build a car upon. Looks clean under the hood and has AC so that is a bonus.Martin's kit uses a 7.5 diff.

While my V8 conversion is a bit unorthodox, it is still a Miata with a V8 and I have driven one other Monster to compare: They are not a handful to drive. They are actually very tractable and then you bury the pedal. And then you do it all the time cause the acceleration is like crack.

Price wise you cant go too far wrong. Someone spent $15-20k to do that conversion. The hood has to go because it is hideous. Buy it, see if you like it and move it on if you don’t bond. You will hate yourself more for not taking the risk than you will for incurring any small financial loss after you drive it for a season. I would be all over the offer if someone offered me their V8 Miata for a summer at $1500. Consider it a rental with an option to buy.

Learning to drive a clutch on a Monster is too easy. The torque makes it almost impossible to stall. A teenager would never be able to resist the temptation to unleash the beast, so not a great teenager car. High probability of a wreck.

Pete

TJL said:

Carbed. Meh. But hey its a harley double pumper.. 

looks nice.

That means you have to blip the throttle non stop at red lights and stop signs.