I'm considering buying a Miata as another car, i've got my 13b laying in my garage in pieces to be ported, but say i find a 1.6 miata with a blown motor. What will be involved? I've heard Miata transmissions are the same, but Miatas had 2 motors. I'd probably carb it for simplicities sake or possibly a megasquirt ECU, i'll think that when the time comes. I just want some input and ideas, thanks.

 

No clue how to do it, but would *love* to see it done.

Miatas, rear wheel drive or front? Me dunno

Jon

 

A 12A would perhaps be even easier?
I don't recall what size exactly, but I know the engine bay on the miata is tiny!

 

A Miata (MX-5 as we call them) + Rotary has been done a few times in Australia. It's basically a full custom job.

If you ask about it on the Miata forums, expect a similar response to V8+RX-7 on here...

 

They're rear drive...

 

There are alot of miata enthusists that have roots in the FB, and bought them because they handle so similarly (read fun). I expect that the reponse is much more supportive than V8's into RX-7s... especially when you consider that the engines have similar wieghts, more power potential, and they are both from the same make, Mazda. The only downsides I perceive them having with the swap are cost and reliablity.

 

Mazdatrix has a badass rotary turbo Miata.

 

www.rotarymiata.com

~T.J.

 

I have allways wondered why Mazda Never offered the Miata (MX-5) whatever with an optional rotory, but this has been discused befor. When Manntis was talking about putting a miata subframe and suspension in an FB, then he had his accident and disapeared

Neat, and industryus Idea tho

 

I know Mazda itself built a one off hard top rotary power MX-5. I remember seeing it in Car and Driver or Road & Track many years back.

 

The color they used for the car was the same yellow they painted the 3rd gens.

 

Depending on who you ask, it was either because the rotary has a bad reputation in the US (in general, obviously, not with enthusiasts) OR because Mazda (or bwob [0] ) felt that a simple 4 cyl engine was more in keeping with the character of car they/he were aiming at.

[0] bwob is Bob Hall, who was somewhat responsible for Mazda actaully making the Miata. He posts semi-regularly on the miata.net forums.

 

might be easier to make a "Monster Miata" Its a V-8 ford swap. They even have a MEGA Monster that is a supercharged Ford V-8. Really sick but I love it. Do a search and you can order one up or get the info you need

 

I've done the full conversion before. I have a 490rwhp TII powered 90 Miata. The swap included the TII tranny and rear differential. The stock miata tranny can be used to make the conversion easier. You'll have to swap the front half of the stock tranny for that of the NA RX-7 one. For the swap you'll need the GSL-SE oil pan. You'll have to intsall it in the reversed position( sump in the rear position) which requires drilling some new holes to mount it and also fabricate a new oil pickup which basicaly involves increasing the length to pickup the oil from the rear instead of the front. The factory crossmember would have to be notched a little in rear part mostly to accomodate the wide oil pan of the rotary.
The stock steering rack can be a problem if it's the powered assist version because there's an oil line that exits right at the top of the rack that would not allow the motor to sit low enough in the right position. The non-power rack clears without any problems. As for mounting I used the front cover from the 1st gen RX-7 and made a custom crossmemeber to attach it too.
My conversion included the stock TII trans which required a custom mount to be fabrictaed. I also used the TII half-shafts and differential which also requires a custom mount for the front of the diff. but the rear mount is the same as that of the RX-7. The outer hubs had to be resplined to accomodate the larger splines of the RX-7's outer cv's.
BTW. Best time the car ran back in 1995 with 350rwhp was 11.20 at 125mph with serious traction issues!
I'm presently installing a MMS E-production wide body kit!

 

pictures my friend, pictures

 

Sounds like my only problem will be wiring then, good to hear. Is using an Rx-7's non-power steering box compatable?

 

Theres an article in the newest Grassroots Motorsports about a V8 Miata. I haven't gotten to it yet but it looks interesting.

 

I've heard about the V-8 swaps, but i've already got my GSL-SE's motor laying in my garage ready to be ported, 190hp should move a miata nicely.

 

190HP with a completely different powerband.

 

My buddy and I were tossing around the idea of a 13BT Miata as well. Hes got a 92 that he was thinking about turboing, and I told him to just put a 13BT in there, but we kinda got scared off, lol. Although, Crispeeds writting almost makes me wanna talk him into it...

~T.J.

 

MPEG

Rotary Powered Miata running 11's.

This is Ginny's car from T & R Racing

It basically has a 3rd gen engine swap..

 

3rd Gen in Miata

 

Thats just plain cool. I want one.

~T.J.

 

so if I put a V-8 out of a new Toyota Tundra in my RX-7, you guys wouldn't flame me for a V-8 swap? What gives?