The answer + vintage look

OldGray320i wrote: What about something like the Ginetta G4 ? Looks a like sorta Miata sized:

Definitely a cool looking car, but it has some substantial differences that would prevent that body from easily fitting on a Miata roller-skate. Note the location of the engine compared to the front suspension. In the Miata, the engine is farther forward and less into the firewall. THe end result is the hood of the car would need to be considerably modified to clear the engine, likely destroying the lines of the car.

Thinking about it more, something like this is what Mike/Curmudgeon was working on for somebody - a Triumph GT6 with some level of Miata mechanicals. IIRC, he was using the Miata up-rights and fabricating control arms to mount to a modified GT6 chassis. I don't recall what engine was planned.

Actually, Ginetta made a Miata-based G20. It wasn't a bad looker.

Keith, I really wish you hadn't posted that RevLimiter site. That thing is full of little retro-mods you can do for the interior!

I don't have a miata [again] yet, but I already want the vintage look HVac panels, guages, and the window switches.

MrJoshua wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: I need to dig up the pics. I put a Miata subframe under the rear of a spitfire with stock Daisy's and it barely stuck out beyond the fenders. So little that you probably could have given the suspension the 3-4 degrees camber spitfire's always have and had the tires clear. Miata subframes under the GT6 would be incredible

Found the best one I have: That car had a Miata Subframe in the rear only. The tires were 195/45/14 Toyo Proxes T1S.

Interesting. A triumph Spitfire has a wider track than an MGB? Miata has a 56" track and 89" wheelbase.

An MG Midget has a track of only 44.8" wide.

Spitfire Chassis Data

Wheelbase 83" (2110 mm)

Front track width (2 up condition): 49" (1244 mm)

rear track width 50" (1270 mm)

Front wheel alignment (2 up condition) 0 - 1/16" toe in (0 - 1.5875 mm)

rear wheel alignment (2 up condition) 0 - 1/16" toe in (0 - 1.5875 mm)

I suspect that rear subframe was narrowed. Or the Spitfire has a LOT of body outboard of the wheels.

That subframe was bone stock with the upper and lower eccentrics set neutral.

Spitfires tucked the rear tires well inside the body.
The tires I had on the miata subframe swapped one were very short (but still 2+ inches wider than stock spitfire) so they sat under the fender lip. Modification would have been required to not rub but nothing silly looking like that vette swapped spit earlier in the thread. Sadly I never finished the car. I was learning to weld and broke enough of my other welds I did during that time that I didn't trust it to be roadworthy.

IIRC it's about 62" to the outside of the tires on a normalish NA miata.

Keith Tanner wrote: Actually, Ginetta made a Miata-based G20. It wasn't a bad looker.

Does that mean you could build an LS-powered Ginetta?

Pity that the aftermarket never stepped up with a production kit of the Miata TS Concept

have you considered a fiat 124 Spider, the original one.

Wheel Base of the Miata: 89.2in Wheel base of the Fiat : 89.75

Width of the Miata: 65.9 Width of the Fiat: 63.5

So the spider is half an inch longer in wheelbase and 2.4 inches narrower. Both of those issues can be fixed with properly applied Abarth Fender Flares

In reply to mad_machine:

That is a brilliantly amusing idea.

Mad machine.

Despite having a passion for fiats I hadn't thought about that. I think that is my favorite idea so far.

In reply to mad_machine:

Also, kinda brings things full circle, with the new Fiat 124 Spyder being Miata-based.

so this, with Miata underpinings and a forced induction 1.8.... yes, yes I'm in love

I enjoy the idea considerably.

This is the best idea.

Don't know about Texas, but those cars are mighty common out thisaway. Still a good bit of work, but a mighty fine concept.

I'm just going to leave this right here.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

I really like that blue.

Tony Sestito wrote: Do what this guy did: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/beast-both-worlds/ Stick both of them in a garage and don't let them out until they are the same car!

I like everything in this thread, but most of all I like this guy contributing to the thread while pimping his own story.

Well done, sir. You've learned fast.

the shame about the spider.. they have a brilliant engine, but it was castrated by emissions. It's the Transmission and suspension that let the car down. The transmission shifts beautifully when new, truly one of the best shifting transmissions I have had the pleasure to stir, but make Saab transaxles look beefy. The suspension, being unequal length a arms up front works well, but the stick axle in the back tracks better and makes the car understeer terribly

In reply to JG Pasterjak:

Shameless self promotion is the American way.

In reply to icaneat50eggs:

Do it and you'll have first real FIATA

mad_machine wrote: the shame about the spider.. [snip] ...The suspension, being unequal length a arms up front works well, but the stick axle in the back tracks better and makes the car understeer terribly

I'm not sure what's going on here. You say the SLA front works well but the solid rear works better? Can any of this be tuned out easily?

Everyone wants to go European. Which is fine.

But why not keep it Mazda and put a Cosmo nose on it?

Because I don't know what a cosmo nose is. Let me google