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David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/16/17 8:07 a.m.
feature_image

How about a V8-powered Miata built by the experts? It’s based on a 2004 Mazdaspeed chassis and has the ability to warp time itself. Plus it looks good, too.

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Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
5/16/17 8:13 a.m.

How soon till someone posts that you'd be better off starting with a Corvette?

Jerry
Jerry UltraDork
5/16/17 8:16 a.m.

At 3x the cost.

Even has a hardtop. Damn now I want it.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/16/17 8:17 a.m.
Jerry wrote: Even has a hardtop. Damn now I want it.

The color is perfect, too.

Blaise
Blaise Reader
5/16/17 8:17 a.m.

We just had a thread about this... it's not even past page 2.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/someone-near-me-buy-this-and-give-me-a-ride/129117/page1/

mtn
mtn MegaDork
5/16/17 8:50 a.m.
Blaise wrote: We *just* had a thread about this... it's not even past page 2. https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/someone-near-me-buy-this-and-give-me-a-ride/129117/page1/

This is posted to the website, not the forum. It shows up on the forum, but will reach a much larger audience on the website.

killjoy7
killjoy7 New Reader
5/16/17 8:52 a.m.

I like it but that's what I paid for my '08 Z06 with 14k miles.

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
5/16/17 8:56 a.m.

6 posts.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
5/16/17 9:32 a.m.
David S. Wallens wrote:
Jerry wrote: Even has a hardtop. Damn now I want it.
The color is perfect, too.

Funny thing is, that's probably the most common color for these cars. We've done more Ti MSMs than any other.

killjoy7 wrote: I like it but that's what I paid for my '08 Z06 with 14k miles.

And I paid $8k for an E39 M5. This is not a Corvette.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/16/17 9:42 a.m.

Keith's right, it's not a Corvette. I could buy a sport bike for less that's faster.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
5/16/17 9:50 a.m.

Here's another way to look at it - it's about the same price as a new Miata RF. Which is also not a Corvette.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/16/17 9:53 a.m.
Keith Tanner wrote: Here's another way to look at it - it's about the same price as a new Miata RF. Which is also not a Corvette.

That is true, too.

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
5/16/17 10:00 a.m.

Look at it this way: there are neat 69 Camaros made by GM, but attach a shop name like Yenko, and it becomes something else. Better, faster, and definitely more collectable.

Flyin' Miata is the same thing.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/16/17 10:00 a.m.

And a question for Keith, since we have him on the phone: Any advantage to converting a Mazdaspeed to V8 power? Or is that just what the owner already had?

Jerry
Jerry UltraDork
5/16/17 10:48 a.m.

In reply to David S. Wallens:

I was curious about the MS origin myself, not knowing a lot about Miatas.

Blaise
Blaise Reader
5/16/17 11:08 a.m.
mtn wrote:
Blaise wrote: We *just* had a thread about this... it's not even past page 2. https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/someone-near-me-buy-this-and-give-me-a-ride/129117/page1/
This is posted to the website, not the forum. It shows up on the forum, but will reach a much larger audience on the website.

Oh, I had no idea that's how it populates on the board. My bad.

Shaun
Shaun HalfDork
5/16/17 11:25 a.m.

I could buy 8,446 burritos for the same money.

mlprater
mlprater New Reader
5/16/17 11:28 a.m.
Appleseed wrote: 6 posts.

I am absolutely inactive on here, but wanted to log in to record that this made me laugh out loud.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/16/17 11:31 a.m.
mlprater wrote:
Appleseed wrote: 6 posts.
I am absolutely inactive on here, but wanted to log in to record that this made me laugh out loud.

Then our work here is done! And welcome back.

Toebra
Toebra HalfDork
5/16/17 12:47 p.m.

Mazdaspeed Miata has a stronger transmission, I think they swap a Ford differential into the Ubermiata

David S. Wallens wrote: The color is perfect, too.

Perfectly invisible, ask me how I know.

Zomby Woof
Zomby Woof PowerDork
5/16/17 1:16 p.m.
David S. Wallens wrote: Keith's right, it's not a Corvette. I could buy a sport bike for less that's faster.

I could buy a Corvette and a sportbike that are both faster, and neither the would be a Corvette wannabe

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
5/16/17 1:32 p.m.

Sorry, slow reply because I had 15 Miata owners drop by on their way from Ohio to California.

I'd love for these cars to be viewed in the same manner as Yenkos. I've used that as an example many times in meetings, as my beleaguered coworkers will confirm.

Good question about the donor car. The Mazdaspeed does not have any specific attributes that make it better than another Miata of the same vintage. We see two types of people coming for these conversions. One, people who have owned their Miata for a long time, and it's time for it to take the ultimate step in its evolution. Two, people who dig the idea of a light, powerful, small roadster.

The initial conversions tended to be the first kind of customers, but the second group has become prevalent. These guys don't care if it's a Mazdaspeed or whatever, they look at the final result - and the body parts, interior and general accoutrements of the Mazdaspeed attract them. So they go buy a MSM and ship it to us.

This particular car is the first category. The owner bought it new.

In terms of the best car for the conversion, the 2001-05 cars (including the MSM) are the best of the NBs because they're stiffer. Basically, the later the car the better, although the NC has a different feel than the NA/NB.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
5/16/17 1:35 p.m.
Toebra wrote: Mazdaspeed Miata has a stronger transmission, I think they swap a Ford differential into the Ubermiata

Either Cadillac or Chevy diffs, depending on the model year. None of the stock drivetrain parts remain, not even the rear hubs on the NA/NB. We keep the good stuff from the Miata - suspension geometry, steering, etc - and swap out the parts that are endangered by horsepowers and torks.

SEADave
SEADave HalfDork
5/16/17 1:51 p.m.

I don't know, this price doesn't seem all that bad for pretty much ANY vehicle that has been professionally LS swapped with all new parts.

I deal with mostly muscle/pro-touring type cars, but I have seen a lot of owner swapped cars cobbled together with junkyard parts, iron-block truck engines, generous use of underhood diamond-plate, etc. with asking prices way higher than $34k.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
5/16/17 2:07 p.m.
Keith Tanner wrote: Here's another way to look at it - it's about the same price as a new Miata RF. Which is also not a Corvette.

Can I get 1.9% financing like an RF?

"Need" vs. "want" ... such a difficult debate at times...

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