'06 Miata NC with odd mod. Your thoughts

This week at the Cleveland, OH IAA auction there is a 2006 Miata

It is stated as having 111k miles. The keys are present but it wont start. It is also listed as a "Remarketing" sale. In my experience these are usually cars put up by other dealerships who just want out of the car or they have realized the price to fix is greater than the return to be gained. This is a clean, original title car. Not a salvage title. What drew me to the car was what I see as an odd modification to the hood. I am versed in NA Miatas but know nothing of NC Miatas.
Why would someone cut this hood vent?
I thought maybe top mounted intercooler but I see none.
Cold air intake? But now it has stock air box.
To those that are more versed, what do you see in these pictures?

Almost looks like hood vents up towards the cowl too.

If you really zoom in on the washer bottle you can see a red wire that has an in-line fuse that seems to be hooked to nothing and maybe used to be hooked to the hot side of the battery??? The car does have an aftermarket radio but could this have been for something else?

I hope to go look at the car in person on Monday. My only interest in it is to get it cheap enough to flip (or Challenge.)

Broken hood latch fix?

They likely had another intake in place and vented the hood to improve cooling/underhood heat.

They put the stock one on to sell/trade it and the dealership didn't want to replace the hood or were able to explain the hood to potential buyers.

The fact that it doesn't start, could be concerning, but that could also mean it's one step closer to a 2.5L or a V8 swap :)

I just helped a friend sell a 2006 Miata. There is no comparable red wire to be found in the under hood photos of her car. The car you pictured is also missing its battery cover, so somebody was doing something in there.

That airbox is also missing one of its clips.

Aside from the usual smartass "All '06 Miatas are NCs" comment:

That reminds me of moxnix's Miata lightbar in placement.

Also, you should buy that so I don't. There's enough people putting LSgacks into RX-8s that I could probably finagle enough parts to Renesisize an NC on the cheap. And use the NC's Duratec parts to put a 2.5 in one of my RX-7s. I'm kind of perverted that way.

Yeah, they cut it up towards the cowl too. I'm guessing some kinda cooling scheme. There's very little room between the valve cover and the hood as is, so a top-mount wouldn't make much sense, also never heard of anyone trying it. Most of the Intakes run into the nose behind the bumper cover so venting for that is another odd choice. Light bar makes some sense, might explain that stray red wire by the washer fluid reservoir.

Also from the first picture it looks like it needs a new top. The vinyl ones rip and leak just above/behind the window where some straps are to tuck the top in. Something to consider if you're thinking of a flip.

There was an electric supercharger available for NCs... not sure if it's still out there. Don't know much about them, but could be a possibility. Might explain the wire, but not the hood...??

Here's a pic I found on M.net

Edit: it's also missing the shock tower brace... the mounting plates are there, but no brace... just like the one in the photo I posted.

The red wire looks like possibly a cheap amp wiring. Not a big amp given the size but with the aftermarket radio it would make sense.

Lower trim level NCs equipped with 16in wheels like this one didn't come with a shock tower brace, iirc.

JeffHarbert wrote: Lower trim level NCs equipped with 16in wheels like this one didn't come with a shock tower brace, iirc.

This is true. The car that I just sold (one owner, no modifications) had no brace.

Chopped hood, dented fender, needs a top.

Given how cheap NCs have become, anything more than 75% of what you could part it for is a bad idea.

Unfortunately, due to schedule, I will not make it to the auction lot today to look this over. I'll just have to continue to wonder but I'm passing on the whole thing if I can not see it in person.

Bidding went to $750 though that is then plus "fees" that would have resulted in the need for a check for $1,098.

No way yet to know since I did not see the auction online "live" if there was an undisclosed reserve and if that was met. Actually, the easiest way to know if the reserve waas not met will be if the car show up on next week's sale list also.

The Miata has been relisted in next week's auction

Seems that a bid of $750 was not enough.