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Hayden's big ass project

ohsixspeedsix

ohsixspeedsix

Owl Exterminator!!
So I am leaning towards a 1.8 swap as it would be the easier and much more cost effective way to take care of the engine rebuild. And there should be enough money will be left to stap on a supercharger or turbo kit.

Thought everyone?

The mx-5 I drove had good potential and was in great shape for 3k. But damn it cannot get out of its own way.
 
dmention7

dmention7

Hater
The BP is a great platform, no doubt. I still think it'd be awesome to do something more unique, but I'm not the one footing the bill :)
 
ohsixspeedsix

ohsixspeedsix

Owl Exterminator!!
Yeah. LSx is way out of the question. It's too expensive. If I did it i would make no money on the car. But I can purchase a rebuild 1.8 crate motor. I can put a stoker in it, turbo/supercharge it, or both for much cheaper than an lsx. I think that would be unique in it's own way.
 
AJ

AJ

110 HP of FURY!
Yeah, I'd leave the motor alone, the 1.8 is more than enough to move the Miata around as a daily or Auto X car. The car is a Great drivers car out of the box, so you need to consider what you can change, that would appeal to someone in a way that Mazda didn't already think of. Flying Miata has some solid engines, or your could have the 1.8 built locally if wanted. Otherwise a stock motor with as simple as a SC and supporting bolt ons and a tune will leave a Miata at 175ish, the issue is making that power stick. Help that, while keeping the weight down, and solid solid solid.
 
N

niterydr

Legendary Status!
Supercharged or properly sized turbocharged 1.8 should be plenty as long as the weight is kept down on the vehicle.
 
dmention7

dmention7

Hater
I think you've got something going, but the swoop on the rear doesn't seem quite right to me. With how pronounced it is, I think I'm expecting a bit of a larger ducktail spoiler or something.
 
mndsm

mndsm

I'M OFFENDED!
+1. maybe i'm missing something, but the swoop still doesn't look right. Maybe i'm just not seeing it. DO IT IN CLAY!

Also, the headlights. I like the permanent popup treatment you have going, but with all the round lines of the car, i'd round those housings out to more of a twin bubble shape if you will... follow the lines of the car a lot better.

Last but not least... nice choice in wheels. I feel like i've seen those before....in my garage.... on my car. They actually really work for this design though.
 
ohsixspeedsix

ohsixspeedsix

Owl Exterminator!!
Lol the wheels were just the best i could find thats looked right.

I agree. I know what i "want" that swoop to do but just can't figure it out. I was trying to base it off of my last design which looked like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29439052@N08/6025487505/in/photostream

And I am planning on doing the bubble ones like these: http://www.miata.net/products/hot/images/gomiata_2021_35159707.gif

I am probably going to make a model out of clay while I am waiting for parts to come in. I've done them before.
 
ohsixspeedsix

ohsixspeedsix

Owl Exterminator!!
The Journey Begins

Well folks here it goes. Yesterday morning Steve (my girlfriends dad and my business partner) signed off a check and I went and picked up this 92 mx-5 miata. http://www.flickr.com/photos/29439052@N08/6031850500/in/set-72157627282996467/

So I drove it back to Eagan from Ramsey with the top down and a big smile on my face. It made it back and drives and rides great for a 190k mile car. Plus it's in amazing shape. So the project is officially underway. :happydance:

I will put up a list of what is going to be done to it. I am still Going to do some of the serious body changes i designed... but after thought between my dad, steve, and I, they are starting to convince me to fix the beat up rag top and keep it a roadster rather than my origional idea of a permanent hard top. I think they would be around the same price to do, but I have to make the choice of expressing my design, or open air freedom.

What do you guys think?!
Which would you rather have? Which do you think has a better market? Which do you think is the way to go? It's the only thing that's really got me stumped.
 
AJ

AJ

110 HP of FURY!
You need to make the call. I love having the ability for a top down drive, but when performance comes to mind, a solid hard top will perform better as it keeps the front and rear of the car together better. The current Miata design has aftermarket options already :

Hard Top:


Bikini Top:


Fastback:


So you have to think, is it even worth changing the top, when the end user already has several options on the table to do so themselves? Maybe keep the top as designed, and look at how not having a top hurts car performance. While companies like Boss Frog have parts to help with that problem as well, maybe you can work out a design that incorporates some fixes there.
 
dmention7

dmention7

Hater
I think that restyling the exterior of the car would be more of a challenge if you stayed with the rag top. You may not be able to do a whole lot for structural rigidity if you are going to be incorporating a solid roof yourself (I'm no chassis engineer, so I don't know...) but I think going that route will give you the most freedom with your design, and the opportunity to shed some weight with a fiberglass roof. Plus, I think that the fastback route adds a more aggressive appearance, as well as practically begging for some fender flares and wide meats. :)
 
mndsm

mndsm

I'M OFFENDED!
I think if you're going for a clean sheet design, think of what car you're trying to make it competetive with (IE Lotus Elise/Exige) and go from there. Top down does 0 for performance, so if it's a hardcore track car you're trying to build, a hardtop could be the way to go.
 
ohsixspeedsix

ohsixspeedsix

Owl Exterminator!!
dmention7 said:
I think that restyling the exterior of the car would be more of a challenge if you stayed with the rag top. You may not be able to do a whole lot for structural rigidity if you are going to be incorporating a solid roof yourself (I'm no chassis engineer, so I don't know...) but I think going that route will give you the most freedom with your design, and the opportunity to shed some weight with a fiberglass roof. Plus, I think that the fastback route adds a more aggressive appearance, as well as practically begging for some fender flares and wide meats. :)
Click to expand...
Well the whole idea was to take a miata and use my design to make people say "wait, that was a miata" I love my design (with a few tweaks) mostly because of the widebody aspect and the swooping and flowing body lines that make it look like that is the way it should look and not just some half assed body kit on a miata. And I think the hard top does that.

mndsm said:
I think if you're going for a clean sheet design, think of what car you're trying to make it competetive with (IE Lotus Elise/Exige) and go from there. Top down does 0 for performance, so if it's a hardcore track car you're trying to build, a hardtop could be the way to go.
Click to expand...
And I am not really going for a "hardcore track car" the goal is a car that is both track capable and comfy and slightly more practical. And I want it to sort of hide the fact that it is track ready (mold the roll bars into the fiber glass roof, keep a comfy interior, and that aggressive yet refined) whichI belief is where it would made the most money on sale.

P.S. I realllly like that fast back miata.
 
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