I'm just going to leave this here...

JMC - we don't ignore the structure on these. First, we started with a car 14 years newer than yours. There have also been quite a few changes in the unibody in that time.

Then we seam welded it. Then we attached a number of other reinforcements underneath, both longitudinally and laterally. Finally, we added a roll bar. It's a stiff little critter, and more low key than a Cobra.

They really do hook up better than you'd think. The diff has a lot to do with this, and we only use good tires.

Brandon reports this one is a particular sweetheart. We still have some things to fix, but nothing huge.

jmc14 wrote: I built this car from scratch.

I like scratch builds. You should put up a thread on that so we can see some of the build pics.

Keith and his co workers are supposed to build a really good product. I don't have a miata , but if I did I would definitely install one of their racoons.

I was in no way implying that the car you built was anything but spectacular and sorted out. Sorry if I came across in a negative way. It looks beautiful. I was more relating to loving the LS engine/ T56 combo in a short wheel base, light car.

I am a car freak and love seeing what is built around here.

Keith wrote: JMC - we don't ignore the structure on these. First, we started with a car 14 years newer than yours. There have also been quite a few changes in the unibody in that time. Then we seam welded it. Then we attached a number of other reinforcements underneath, both longitudinally and laterally. Finally, we added a roll bar. It's a stiff little critter, and more low key than a Cobra.

Blah. That doesn't sound as fun as, say, a 260Z that you can watch the back of the hood overlap the fender because of the body twist when you lay your foot in it

I used to autocross with the local Corvette club, and there was an older 'Vette (C2, if that nomenclature can be extrapolated backwards) with a big engine that would visibly twist on every straight section. It was fantastic.

jmc, I took that the wrong way - sorry. I read too much into the comment about the flimsy unibodies. I think you'll find the cold air intake helps your car quite a bit, we were shocked at the intake air temperatures and what it meant to the power level. It's a fairly new addition to the cars we're building, and the first one went on the Targa Miata. On my MG, I have the intake in the wheel well and it's nice and cold.

It's not always super-fun testing of high horsepower cars at FM. But this one turned out sooo pretty I had to share. The next one (currently in full disassembly) is going to basically be a clone of this.

Now that you mention the MG . . .

haven't seen an up date for a while. Or that car in the metal yet.

If you'd been to the track day where I was blowing fireballs, you would have seen it Turns out the fuel cap would spit a bit of fuel under sustained hard cornering, and it's right above the exhaust. Quite exciting when it all lit off!

Right now, it's parked until I pull the fuel tank to fix the pickup. Turns out some of the pickups in those cars are poor, and the car just dies spontaneously. It can't be trusted. I'll narrow the tank by a couple of inches while I have it apart, build my own baffling and work out an anti-fuel-spit modification. The Targa got in the way, the MG is waiting. But it's on deck now, it's the next one for attention. After the Mitty.

Keith wrote: It's not all sunshine and daffodils, though. The AC isn't charged yet. And it's supposed to be in the mid-80's this weekend.

Hmmmm. It was 100 here yesterday....

tuna55 wrote: OK, I'll bite - suppose I handed you guys the keys and wanted that - how much are we talking? I am fairly certain I could jam a V8 in there and make it run, but making it look like that is another thing altogether.

I'm with Tuna. Any of us can cram something big into something small, its keeping things looking pretty thats the hard part.

N Sperlo wrote:

tuna55 wrote: OK, I'll bite - suppose I handed you guys the keys and wanted that - how much are we talking? I am fairly certain I could jam a V8 in there and make it run, but making it look like that is another thing altogether.

I'm with Tuna. Any of us can cram something big into something small, its keeping things looking pretty thats the hard part.

Resisting the urge to make that dirty...

I know, it's a terrible temptation.

Keith wrote: If you'd been to the track day where I was blowing fireballs, you would have seen it Turns out the fuel cap would spit a bit of fuel under sustained hard cornering, and it's right above the exhaust. Quite exciting when it all lit off!

So... how much extra is this new feature you're describing?