Three Easy Steps to Improving an NC Miata

1. Make it a Track Car
2. Steal the heart of an RX8
3. Allow Aussie Mad Men to work

http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=30796

I found out about that car about a week after I got back from my trip to Oz - turns out I was probably within spitting distance of his shop.

Turns out the RX8 front subframe will bolt straight into an NC. The transmission tailshaft and shifter end up in almost exactly the same place as in the Miata, so you can use the existing driveshaft - this guy swapped in the RX8 rear due to his high-power plans. The mechanical part of the swap is actually surprisingly easy. Electrically, well...

Frankenmazda!

Wowak's 4 simple steps to improving the NC Miata.

1: sell NC

2: buy 5 NAs

3: ???

4: profit.

Blimey, that is one cool project...

Keith wrote: Turns out the RX8 front subframe will bolt straight into an NC. The transmission tailshaft and shifter end up in almost exactly the same place as in the Miata, so you can use the existing driveshaft - this guy swapped in the RX8 rear due to his high-power plans. The mechanical part of the swap is actually surprisingly easy. Electrically, well...

so...how long until mazda wakes up and gives us a rx-5?

In reply to 2.0dohc:

I want one of these, bad, but RX-5 would be the wrong designation. The RX-5 was a larger, more luxurious car back in the day, something like a T-Bird in concept. To keep consistent nomenclature, a rotary MX-5 would have to be either an RX-7 (sports car) or RX-9 or something else.

Then again, nomenclature consistency didn't keep Chrysler from calling a 4-door sedan a Charger.

In reply to billy3esq:

yeah, but chrysler have been crapping all over their past greatness for some time now.

"maybe if we put a really great name on it, people won't notice that its a total e36 m3box"

"Yeah! that's brilliant!"

This is one of the coolest projects I've seen in awhile.

I would sell my wife for one.......

2.0dohc wrote:

Keith wrote: Turns out the RX8 front subframe will bolt straight into an NC. The transmission tailshaft and shifter end up in almost exactly the same place as in the Miata, so you can use the existing driveshaft - this guy swapped in the RX8 rear due to his high-power plans. The mechanical part of the swap is actually surprisingly easy. Electrically, well...

so...how long until mazda wakes up and gives us a rx-5?

It's not going to happen. Doesn't fit with how they position the car.

Strizzo wrote: In reply to billy3esq: yeah, but chrysler have been crapping all over their past greatness for some time now. "maybe if we put a really great name on it, people won't notice that its a total e36 m3box" "Yeah! that's brilliant!"

You're right, but I hate to see Mazda jump the shark too.