Miata - V8 or Turbo?

Keith Tanner wrote: Actually, Brandon's a nice guy who's polite. Most people confuse that with a Canadian accent.

That made my day. It's funny because it's true :).

From a Yank living in Canada to a Canuk living in the USA..

Happy Canada Day!

Flyinmiata website says 24k with a new ls3 and ready to drive home

Keith Tanner wrote: I have a tendency to always end up babbling like a born-again convert when it comes to V8 Miatas. But they really are special.

MY car^ the only time i have had traction issues is when i had 195/50r15 excudo economy tires. leftovers from a honda of mine. it would brake loose at 4000rpm on 100% throttle. after that i replaced them with some 205 toyos and never had a problem since. i DD it on 215 falken 615k's and i'm making somewhere in the 420hp range. they brake loose when i tell them too hahah

With all this talk, you guys are making me think.

I plan on installing a miata rear subframe so suspension and all into my Mustang II. I shuoldnt look into putting 18x10.5's onto it then??

C5Z.

Thinkkker wrote: With all this talk, you guys are making me think. I plan on installing a miata rear subframe *so suspension and all* into my Mustang II. I shuoldnt look into putting 18x10.5's onto it then??

Sounds like a good way to improve things and a fun project!

According to the Internet, a Mustang II with a 2.8L original engine weighed 3100 lbs with 59% of that over the front wheels. The Miata subframe package is certainly lighter than the Mustang II's ass end, so let's say 60%F and 3050lbs.

A good LSx Miata is ~53.5% front with ~2500 lbs, which puts about 1160lbs on the rears.

The Mustang II with a Miata ass would put 1220 on the rears. I would hazard a guess that you should probably run a good compound on 255s. With napkin numbers, you're only going to have 86% of the grip of the Miata available from a start, and you'll have worse weight transfer characteristics. Compound is your only hope here.

How much power are you planning to make?

A mustang 2 with a miata rear subframe running 18x10.5 C5Z wheels :) that would be awesome

Wow, the information available here is amazing. And I only notice Keith's accent on certain words, but it's the same with other's noticing mine (and generally the same words).

Jaynen wrote: Flyinmiata website says 24k with a new ls3 and ready to drive home

No, it says north of $33k. Click the box that says "$24k" (for the turn key option) and notice all the other options that get included. For example, you're not going to get a turn-key car without the engine electronics or the cooling or the exhaust. Then look at the total. The $24k is the cost to have us supply the GM parts and put them in the car, over the cost of the other parts that you'd have to use. I'm going to be making that more idiotproof soon.

ea_sport wrote: Wow...some excellent..excellent input...I guess the moral of the story is get a well done V8 conversion, some great suspension and sticky tires to get all those power to the street.. The nex question is what is the fair price/range of prices of an early NA Miata with a well done V8 conversion? How can you tell a good conversion job vs. a bad one? How much typically a conversion to V8 cost, labor and parts including the engine? Can a V8 conversion pass Emission inspection? I live in VA so bi-annual emission inspection is required hence the thought of getting an early NA to avoid emission inspection for historic (read: more than 25 year old) car... Thanks all...

The price range for used ones goes from $5k to about $40k. I've seen both.

How do you tell a good conversion job? Use your eyes and your ears. First, look at it. How much of the car was sacrificed? Does it have a interior? Front sway bar? Power steering? AC? Does it retain the factory geometry, or was it messed around with? What's the ground clearance like? How about wiring - is it clean or hacked up? Cooling routing? Quality of the exhaust work? Quality of the wiring?

Basically, does the engine look like it belongs in its home?

Now you start asking questions and listen to the answer. The builder should be able to tell you why various things were done. Things like the choice of radiator, what kind of rear end, etc.

A project that is 95% complete still has 50% of the work to do, and it's the hard 50%.

A V8 car CAN pass a tailpipe or an OBD-II emissions inspection. Or it can fail. But it's possible to make them pass.

Warren v wrote: How much power are you planning to make?

The engine is a Lincoln Mark VIII with a T45 behind it. I have a 3.73 LS aluminum 8.8 diff to go in too. Right now its making 300-320hp.

I have seen builds with 351's with just an aluminum intake, C4, 9inch, full interior hit 2750. So 2800 or less is the weight goal.

The front should have 50% or less weight. I plan to move the suspension 4" forward.

I dont want to steal the thread too much. If I can get a place, and get the car moved in Ill start a thread over it. Unless I am inundated with PM's to get me to do something sooner. :)

Nice, can't wait to see that happen!