A Different Kind Of V8 Miata

This thing is so awesome.

I've been following the build thread for this car on clubroadster. While it will be a great promotional tool, its pretty clear that what Moti has been doing with Morpheus and Creampuff, are to push the boundaries, test his ideas, and see what actually presents a performance gain. This car was built to race and is now getting an engine that almost seems like it keeps many characteristics of the miata engine, just all greatly exaggerated and better.

Theres multiple tools for the job. LS is a great engine platform, but its not like a ferrari engine is not gonna perform.

Knurled wrote:

volvoclearinghouse wrote: In reply to Knurled: You'd need it, to keep the revs down with the Miata's 4.1 final drive ratio.

Well, I heard that with a four barrel carb, dual exhaust, and 4.11 gears, you can really get lost.

Well played.

jakebrewer wrote: LS is a great engine platform, but its not like a ferrari engine is not gonna perform in between its scheduled 5000km engine overhauls.

Fixed that for you.

NOHOME wrote: Name one thing this will do that an LSx wont do better?

Be Italian

In reply to volvoclearinghouse:

IOW, it's far more reliable than 95% of time attack cars

volvoclearinghouse wrote:

jakebrewer wrote: LS is a great engine platform, but its not like a ferrari engine is not gonna perform in between its scheduled 5000km engine overhauls.

Fixed that for you.

Its a dedicated track car owned by a shop. Also its a stock engine compared to every other stressed engine track car it'll be competing against. Aside from any other stock engined cars on track. It'll be perfectly fine. Hell, itll have less stress than it was designed to handle considering itll be pushing around less weight than the car it was originally built for.

Indeed, Morpheus will weigh about 1000-1200 Lbs less than the 360 Modena the engine came out of.

This is where we ask "what could go wrong?" isn't it?
Thanks for building this.

I think the interesting problems could come from vibration. The Gulf team had trouble with this when they tried to use the flat-plane DFV in endurance racing, and Ford's run across the same problem with the Voodoo. I'm looking forward to see what shakes out. Get it? Shakes! Ha!

Note that I said "interesting problems" and not "this will never work LS forever rah rah rah". There's a subtle difference. Interesting problems are ones you don't necessarily expect and lead to interesting solutions, which is more fun than obvious problems like "you'll never get that in there" or "but Ford is better".

The packaging and mounting will be an opportunity for much fabrication porn, which is a strength of Moti's

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Exactly.

I focus on what the flaws/problems to overcome will be. Guy I work with says I'm a pessimist. I don't see it that way, it's more like planning for the obstacles to overcome or at least minimize.

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. What's the fun in that?

Meanwhile I got my other car (AKA Creampuff) up and running again so I have something to drive while Morpheus is down for the swap.

I would like to see Loose C w/Pink Panther some how mixed up in all this speed infused insanity....

759NRNG wrote: I would like to see Loose C w/Pink Panther some how mixed up in all this speed infused insanity....

Or get it on track with Ryan Tuerck's GT-4586, his 458 Italia-powered Toyota GT-86. Had the pleasure of seeing that car in person this weekend, and, man, is that a crazy ride. Exhaust comes out the front bumper, intake manifold goes back through the windshield.