What to do with a Free Miata? A project path discussion.

I had a co-worker who had a Miata.  He has owned and loved this Miata for many many years an put many many miles on it (190K+).  Where we worked is about 5 miles of country roads around a wooded lake from his house so He has also Hit MANY variable sized animals with this car.  A deer rolled down the passenger side, A racoon took out the drivers side, and Finally a Fox went Through the Radiator.   Unfortunately he was on the interstate a few miles from home and the car was running ok so he drove home.  It would not start the next day.

What does the fox say?  berkeley your head gasket is what the fox says.  

So with the Miata battered and the engine DOA and a Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio in the garage he decided what all good people eventually decide to do..  Give the car to me.  

So now I have this Free Miata.  I got it for actual real $Free, but obvious no Miata is of real $0 value.  This isn't likely to ever be a challenge build so that that doesn't bother me.  This also isn't a build thread because it's going to be an incalculably long time before I actually do anything with this.  And there is a real non-zero chance I just part it out.  

But because it's the Sad long dark time of year, I waste way to many hours late at night on Sketchup,  I recently learned how to render, and we all could use a cheer-up, lets talk about the bad ideas I have to do with a free Miata.  I'll present them in inverse order of my preference.  

First a picture of the $Free.95 Miata.  

Option 1:  Part out or Sell.  Lame.  Not very original.  

Option 2: MiataLine Van or Truck.  I've talked about this one before.  1st gen Ford Econolines weigh 2400lbs and have a 90" wheelbase.  looking at the doghouse the engine in an Econoline is in roughly the same spot as a Miata engine meaning the PPF could likely be used.  This would be Hilarious because could you imagine driving a Miata sitting on the headlight bucket?  The issues with this one are Econoline shells are $$$ at like $3500 for rough shells in my area.  Would be hilarious but not sure about this idea.  This one is the least developed but you could imagine what a Econoline in the weeds on 15x10's would look like.  

Option 3: Mazda Type 35.  A Miata Based 1930's Monoposto in the early grand prix style.  Use as much of the original Miata exterior sheet metal as possible but narrowed.  Build a custom frame to support Miata F/Rear subframes with the engine offset to allow for the driver to sit just inside the frame rail.   This one is mostly developed in Sketchup, though there is no suspension, just wheels in the right spots.   Some of the aesthetics on this one are a bit weird but I'm sure could be cleaned up "in the flesh".   I'm honestly shocked how good the Miata side profile worked for this.  

Option 4: Mazda MX120.  A Miata modified in the style of a 1950's British Roadster.  The Miata is clearly designed to evoke the excitement and fun of the British sportscar.  I thought lets take that connection to the extreme and try to replicate some style elements of the greatest Britian had to offer.  The front clearly calls back to the XK120 while the side profile with low cut doors and bulbous fender are a blend of MGA/TR-3.   Around the rear simple vertical bumpers with a smooth rear fascia are reminiscent of a early Spitfire.  Again here the NB side profile really works with the front fender line flowing down the side of the door.  Ironically enough this door treatment would work excelently with the current ND, the lines are already there in the body.   I'm not 100% convinced on the front.  I think it would work well with something a little more TR-2.  I tried a sketch of something more like an early car with fenders cut up from the grill and that looked suprisingly decent.  I think final style would be developed again once the car was built. 

So there you go.  That's what's been rolling around in my head for what to do with my Free Miata.   Again at this time it's just a thought exercise but I thought I would share with you nutjobs.  

I really like the doors on the MX120 concept.  I think that would be so cool to have a Miata with that kind of openness.  the cut would come just down to the actual latch on the stock doors.  The rear fenders would be cut and blended.  If it worked an enterprising individual could probably make a simple door/fender kit to let others have their own fun.    I am working on a version of that concept that would ditch the windshield entirely and use brooklands type screens.   

#3 

Double vote for #3

Option 3 looks appealing to me as well.  Though I like the doors on option 4, sorta Z1-ish

You could make it look like a Lotus Elan.....  nevermind.

LS swap of course.

Something along the lines of concept #3.

Oh man, do I have some pictures you guys would drool over. I cannot share as it is a top-secret project by a third party, but let's just say there is much potential for a pre-war monoposto with a central seating position to work. Just be prepared to do some interesting things with the shifter. An offset engine is an interesting idea but you're going to start having to deal with stuff like interference with suspension points and having to get custom halfshafts made.

So what we have is a rollerskate with a bad engine. It's got a 6-speed and a 3.9 LSD, so that's good. Big brakes too. There's a bunch of stuff that will have to be removed to get to it.

I'd start by pulling the head off just to see how easy it might be to fix the engine. That's going to have a significant effect on what you have at your disposal and how much effort it will be to do anything useful with this wreck.

For Challenge purposes, I would back up the claim that this Miata has $0 value. You can part some of it out for financial gain, but that takes work and it doesn't make the Miata in its current state valuable in any way. 

I am looking for a set of NB2 seats if you decide to part it out. Or use some other seat in the project.

Or lotus or other tall back seats that fit in an NB Miata in case anyone else reads this.

Option 2 but truck, not van.

Just get it running and then bring it to a local autox. Get as many people as possible to 'grudge match' it. Ie, who is the fastest person in the same car? Maybe charge $20 to each driver to cover running costs.

Obviously would need to work with the event organizers. 

Being a 60’s Ford fanatic, I should vote for the econoline. Mr Asa posted a link to a decent deal in the last several week, too. But I really like the MX120 renderings. And that’s probably a more realistic project. 

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Just get it running and then bring it to a local autox. Get as many people as possible to 'grudge match' it. Ie, who is the fastest person in the same car? Maybe charge $20 to each driver to cover running costs.

Obviously would need to work with the event organizers. 

His group literally has grudge match events. But there is no need, we all know that either DNFenbaugh or Emanuel would win, the latter complaining about it the entire time. 

I vote #3, or #4 if #3 doesn't work for whatever reason.

Type 35

Option #3 is ehhhh, because Miata subframes and control arms just do not look good on something open wheel or attempting to resemble an early special or hot rod. Subframes are too wide and control arms too short and ugly to look correct on something approximating a prewar race car.

Gotta go with #2(or similar), that reminds me of the old Lotus shop van. 

Sorry, I am still stuck at just how bad of a driver your buddy is. That thing is shelled.

Go find an old tri-hull runabout in some field and drop it over the Miata Kart. Would that be Challenge eligible?

Mazda already made a miata that looks like an Elan 

I am definately planning to see what it takes to get it running.   Because that could require a motorswap which would tip the balance towards part out.  

I also agree the appearance of the subframes is not the best and that would challenge making the Type 35 work.  But that's part of the draw to see if I could do it with that limitation.  And a Monoposto would just be fun.  And since I have the Miata Title..  Street Legal??

Even if I deiced to part the Miata out, before it gets parted the doors are getting cut and modified just to see how it looks.  It might just be cavities filled with spray foam at that point but I just really want to see what that looks like in person.  

I think I probably just need more Miata's.  

I strongly prefer Option 4 but I am not sold on the grille.

Whatever option uses the most sawzall blades is the answer.

#3 is the answer for your answer. 

I vote option 3. 

The stock front suspension would look like crap but if you declutter it by moving the shocks/springs and swaybar inboard, it could be passable.

Another for #3.

My vote is for #4 but I think I may have already communicated that.

It's too bad my/your/Basil/my Falcon is gone. Free Miata would have been the perfect subframe donor for that car.

In reply to karplus2 :

All of my falcon’s (and siblings) were back before us common folk were doing anything like chassis mods, much less body swaps On to a different chassis. But I think I’ve heard that even a Miata would be too wide for a falcon. If not, that would be way cool. 

4 for me.  Probably because I thought of the same project.  

But for either 3 or 4, I will be interested in seeing how you do the interior.