Interest in Miata-based kit cars?

RUSSOM wrote: In reply to Keith: Throw some Omni fender flares on that thing...DONE

I'm using Rabbit flares, I like the lines better. But you see my point - in that case, increasing the track width by 4" affected the body. This isn't the case for a Spitfire, which tells us that not all bodies will be affected this way. Based on the pictures, the highly encapsulated wheels of the Jaguars are liable to be a problem. The fact that the A-H is already pretty flush means the wheel wells may not have to be cut, but you'll need some sort of flares. Getting the wheel/tire package right is pretty important to making the kit look good.

Kokopelli did a decent job of scaling up the Lotus XI body.

Keith wrote:

RUSSOM wrote: In reply to Keith: Throw some Omni fender flares on that thing...DONE

I'm using Rabbit flares, I like the lines better. But you see my point - in that case, increasing the track width by 4" affected the body.

In most cases you are right. I agree with a previous poster that when making a kit it would make sense just to make it a little bigger than the original. I do think a 1 1/8 version of most classics would be a better fit for most people.

edit-and allow the original lines instead of a beefy looking flared version.

AWESOME!!

In reply to RandyS:

It has been given up on and cut up . I learned to weld on that car and many of my first welds broke. It was beyond starting over and too scary to finish and drive as fast as it should have been capable of. I have a GT6 that may get a similar build and hopefully better welds.

In reply to MrJoshua:

All I have currently is a stick welder. Talk about crappy welds, even when I can get a good technique going I still end up with the majority of the welds being crappy. I learned the key to crappy welding is to use lots of gussets

Keith wrote: I just checked a few numbers to see how the wheelbase and track line up - those being essentially fixed dimensions if the plan is to simply drop a new frame and body on the Miata parts. Not surprisingly, even a small modern car is wider than a vintage one. C-type WB: 96" track 51"/51" D-type WB: 90" track: 50"/50" AH 100 WB: 90" track: 49"/50.7" Miata WB: 89.2" track: 55.5"/56.2"

What's really weird is that even a fairly large (by modern standards) older car would have a fairly narrow track width compared to a modern small car. My Dodge Dart has a 111" wheelbase and a 55.6" rear track width - I can't recall what the front track width is as it's got a later front suspension on an early K-member, but it's slightly wider.

Yes, I did at one point wonder if a Miata rear suspension could be welded into the Dart. Couldn't figure out what to do for a diff, though.

MadScientistMatt wrote:

Keith wrote: Yes, I did at one point wonder if a Miata rear suspension could be welded into the Dart. Couldn't figure out what to do for a diff, though.

Flyin Miata offers CTSV and 8.8", both IRS, options that fit into a miata sf

bravenrace wrote: In reply to FlightService: That kit seems pretty reasonably priced. I wonder what the average build cost is.

Good question

There isn't kit out there, But there is a full body mold. We pull this off a 507 about 10 years ago, we were going to produce a kit but things stalled with new homes and then the dreaded divorce. we modified the windsheild area to take a Jag xke windsheild. My ex partner has a completed car for sale, I think he is asking around $100,000 and I have the mold in storage and not to sure what to do with it.

I really like the drawing of the concept car you did and would buy that body kit for my 93 miata any time. Especially the running board looking fenders in the front, great lines on that car. I too am looking for a nice change to my miata. There are a lot of miatas on the market & you can pick them up cheap. I also like the early corvette body style. Make the concept car body kit. I have had my miata since it was new.

MrJoshua wrote: Keith, I did it too. 5" wider track on the Miata suspension and 40 mm wider tires than a stock spit and I could have gotten away with a mild roll.

More info on this chassis? quite curious. Email me or post up here. I wanna know how you connected the frt and back half of the miata. Plans?

Thanks

The more I think about this, the more I love the old Spitfires. The shape and style was just awesome. I would seriously consider a Spitta or Miafire, etc.

This thread came back from the dead!

Ian F wrote: Not really. The front of a 356 wasn't designed to accomodate a radiator, for one, and when you start to make the changes required for the air flow, the overall design will be changed too much.

Plenty of Suby powered 356/550 spyders that have stock bodies.

I

CarKid1989 wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: Keith, I did it too. 5" wider track on the Miata suspension and 40 mm wider tires than a stock spit and I could have gotten away with a mild roll.

More info on this chassis? quite curious. Email me or post up here. I wanna know how you connected the frt and back half of the miata. Plans? Thanks

There's nothing special about the Miata drivetrain. Mount the rear diff like a rear diff. Mount the trans like a trans. Get a driveshaft made. Voila. Too many people get blinded by the PPF and feel it is required in all possible setups.

Oh, and I just realized that we were talking about the effect of a greater track width on an older body back in November. Here's how the MG turned out.

Keith wrote: Oh, and I just realized that we were talking about the effect of a greater track width on an older body back in November. Here's how the MG turned out.

I believe that qualifies as a +10000000000000000000

Sharp

I think dyintorace's modern spec racer seems like a hot thing that I would love to drive.

I'm in the beginning stages of building a Miata based car that I think might be able to be a successful kit. Attached are a couple of photoshop pics of what I am building. A photoshop pic isn't an exact representation of what it will look like but it is close.
I am building a space frame with a 95 inch wheelbase. The Miata cradles will be used. The engine/drivetrain will remain the stock length. So, I will fab motor mounts, have a new steering shaft made and new brake lines. The car has the stock Miata width.
The car will have half doors as the frame wraps around you. The body is inspired by the 1954 Lancia D24. I am hoping for a finished weight of 1400lbs. I believe this is possible as my C5 Vette based cars that I have been building are under 1900lbs.
If the car turns out good and there is a demand for it I am looking at selling the body and frame for $6990. I won't know until Spring of 2012 if I will set up to sell it.
I like building cars, this one will be fun. <img src="Http://s1143photobucket.com/upload/albums/jmcbigbelly/

OK, I've messed up and didn't get the pictures attached. Sorry about that. I am looking for a way to delete the post until I figure out how to attach pictures correctly.

I would like to put this body on it. (stolen form the cougar/veyron thread)

Or even better this.

I am not sure how to rectify the front engine versus mid engine issue but hay it would be a kit car not a clone.

MrJoshua wrote: Keith, I did it too. 5" wider track on the Miata suspension and 40 mm wider tires than a stock spit and I could have gotten away with a mild roll.

MOAR!!

I put the miata suspension under my midget, but the unibody prevented me from shots like this!

In reply to Keith:

Keith that turned out amazing...

Was wondering if a kit based on a 62 or earlier vette. I've seen the Cobra based body kit . I saw a miata with what I'll assume were stickers or paint that imitated the side coves on the early vettes. It looked good, just not detailed enough. Any thoughts?

Hey Richard - thats a cool idea. We had a real devin with racing pedigree scored by one of our members in a sale that almost didnt happen, so your plans are relevant to our interests.

You should definitely start a build thread for your current/future build(s).