After transporting this rotary Miata to Asheville, North Carolina, it was time to really get the project moving. After unloading, the first step was to remove the engine, transmission and subframe that we had just spent so much time and effort installing.
But there was no doubt about it. The engine had to be removed so that we could modify both the subframe and firewall to better accommodate the turbocharged, rotary engine. The drivetrain has to sit very far back in the engine bay.
After lots of more cutting, welding and painting, we finally had the space needed in the firewall to install the drivetrain without trouble.
As for the subframe, we had to completely cut the middle section out and replace it with an very strong angled piece of steel. That gave us the clearance on the oil pan we needed to smoothly slide the drivetrain into place.
At the end of the day we had a rolling Miata with a properly fitted 13B drivetrain.
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