Call me crazy
 

I'm posting this pre research, so I may catch some flak, but screw it.

I'm considering buying a 1.6L miata for super cheap and swapping over everything from my 2000. (front/rear subframes/diff/engine/trans/brakes/steering rack/... basically everything under the car as well as the interior)

How much custom work will be needed? Anyone know of any build threads that have done this?

There's Mr. Hyde on the mazda-speed.com forums that's taking all the mazdaspeed bits and putting them in his NA. http://www.mazda-speed.com/forum2/in...topicseen.html

I think he might have a thread going on miataturbo as well... but I don't go there so...

This is just my opinion, but Why would you do this?
I feel the NB is way nicer than an NA, why don't you just buy a 94-97 NA and swap a 99-00 head on it? Then you pretty much have your NA with NB drivetrain...
I just don't see the point unless you're gutting the NB for a LSx swap.

NA chasis is a flacid dick.

Why do you love to give yourself so much work for no reward?

I don't think any custom work will be required really. I don't see the point and if you are thinking "weight savings", well thats just not true either. Most of the weight difference is in the parts you stated.

I'd think you would want to slap a V8 in if you were going to go through all the trouble.

Maybe his body is all rusted out and he has his eye on a clean NA body.

Pretty much the reason OP in the thread i linked did his. He bought a wrecked MSM and bought a clean NA shell for cheap.

Well the NB isn't that rusty. The body is fine actually. Just surface rust on all the bolts and ----. Annoying, but not really that big of a deal.

I've always liked the NA body better. I have a thing for pop-ups and I know 99% of the miata world thinks the barn doors are the worst thing ever. Personally I love looking out at the hood and seeing them. When I had my NA I kept them up all the time. I don't care what people think about them, as they are not me.

Another reason is no emissions. I will immediately assume you are retarded if you tell me to move somewhere with no emissions as that is probably the dumbest thing to mention. Yes I'm going to move because of it? Really? Plus I"m in the military and have no control over that aspect of my life.

The 2000 SE has the 6spd, better flowing head, and 3.909 torsen. Swapping over just the head onto a 94-97 is fail for all the reasons above, plus now I'm stuck with emissions again unless I get a 94'.

Anyways I'm just throwing the idea around. Picking up a rust free blown 1.6 for $500 and swapping it all doesn't seem like too terrible of a job to me.

Hell, I'll take a rust free blown 1.6 to fixup as well. Know of two?!

In TX? Quite a few actually.

ik where theres one. i got the front bumper off of it, (my old ones going back on it). ex spec car, ohio car with no rust on the rockers. needs paint like no tomorrow, and has the steel hood :bang:

Do it then. And put all of the 1.6 running gear in the NB and then sell it.

dude bought the car for the built 1.6 thats in it.

LOL that would be interesting.

Although I'm sure there is a market out there for a cheap NB shell.

I think I need a rust free NA with a bad motor this summer for $500. I shall be calling on you experts for assistance locating one.

he also has a black and tan chassis. nothing for it but body

I'm having a quarter life crisis.

sounds like its time for an LS powered NB

That's reserved for my midlife crisis.

I'm debating 3 things right now.

1. Finish current work on Miata. Sell MR2. Buy MazdaSpeed3 for massive torque steer and fail wheel drive.

2. Finish current work on Miata. Sell MR2. Buy beater daily. NB -> NA Swap. Turbo the ---- out of the NA.

3. Finish current work on Miata. Drive Miata for a bit. Sell Miata. Buy beater daily for cheap as possible. Turbo MR2.

4. Sell everything, get a bicycle.

2 or 4 ftw

So hard to sell this:
https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328976087
http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/1...3532611177.jpg

It's honestly one of the most fun cars I have ever driven. The inside is quite a bit more roomy too. The seats are better. The problem is the hard tops are even worse than the Miata. $2500 or so for one. It's terrible.

cant say i have ever seen an mr2 in person. not alot of them around here

If I was to base decisions only on how many looks I get, the MR2 would win hands down. I can't drive anywhere without someone asking about it. They are fairly rare and look good. Mine has a bit of a drop on it, which I think makes them look 100% better.

This does look really clean. I have never driven one, but I have heard really good things about them. I know a guy that really wants to get an older one as a track toy. I have also seen some cool track builds of MR2s.

VVT and COPS from the factory make it appealing. The 1ZZ is a bit sluggish, but responds very well to turbos. Also a fairly bolt on swap for a 6spd is nice as well. I'm going to finish up the Miata, drive it for at least a month before I make any decisions.

after youtube adventure. turbo mr2 ftw.

This is the kit I would get:
http://www.turbokits.com/Toyota/MR2_...Turbo_Kit/942/

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328977353

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328977353

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328977353

2jz swap it.

we have this local guy who drifts his.. saw it in person i thought it looked pretty wicked.

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328982829

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328982829

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328982829

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328982829

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1328982829

his blog: http://nachtmensch.blogspot.com/

Not a fan of the slammed w/ the ground effects stuff, but to each his own. If I kept mine, I'd keep the body how it is now.

Anyways I'm fairly certain once I get the miata back on the road I'll be selling the MR2. I just got done opening up all the packages I got while I was gone and I'm pretty excited to get to the shop today. Can't wait to finally update my build thread.

I am sad that one of my packages is at the Fedex facility and it's not open today. I'm also missing my moog ball joints, gonna have to go back to the leasing office and see if they have it there and it wasn't put with all my other packages.

definitely easier to choose to build one car. hope everything works out with your plans.

looking forward to the updates. with lots of pics

Heading out now. They will probably be crappy cell phone pics, can't find my other camera.

Today's work will be finishing up my differential mounts, mounting diff to rear subframe, mounting subframe. I might get to the front end, we will see. I'm waiting on another spindle and then I will have everything.