Revisiting my Mazda obsession
04-03-2014, 08:00 AM
#1
V8 Miata Noob
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Revisiting my Mazda obsession
Hey everyone'! Sold my turbo miata 6 years ago or so, moved through a bunch of other cars (evo, turbo Porsche, another miata, and now a z06 corvette)' and I'm now back on a Mazda kick... Though I don't think I can leave the torque of an ls behind! I'm currently in the process of offloading my lingenfelter built c5z, and heavily considering an ls swapped miata or fd. At this point I haven't decided whether I want to build a car from the ground up myself, or if I should just bite the bullet and pay good money for an already built car that I can add to as time progresses.
Anyone here from the mid atlantic with an ls swapped car I could hitch a ride in one weekend? I'd like to get a feel for the characteristics of a well built car at this point, before really delving into my search for a donor or already built car. I know I've seen a swapped silver nb at cars and coffee in hunt valley md on occasion (hopefully he'll be around for their big spring event this weekend so I can pick his brain a bit)... but there aren't that many around to check out.
Happy spring top down season!
Ken
Anyone here from the mid atlantic with an ls swapped car I could hitch a ride in one weekend? I'd like to get a feel for the characteristics of a well built car at this point, before really delving into my search for a donor or already built car. I know I've seen a swapped silver nb at cars and coffee in hunt valley md on occasion (hopefully he'll be around for their big spring event this weekend so I can pick his brain a bit)... but there aren't that many around to check out.
Happy spring top down season!
Ken
04-04-2014, 08:04 AM
#6
Jim Stainer
Haha welcome back! Or better said welcome home!
There are several cars out your way whose owners are on this site pretty regularly. I can't think of one in MD but pretty much all the states right around you.
I think most guys will tell you the same thing I am going to say. It feels just like your other Miatas did just accelerates a whole lot faster. A friend of mine ran mine at an autocross last summer. I wanted him to try it because he has owned an NA for over 10 years. He was amazed at how it changed the attitude of the car. It turns and stops like his car but OMG does it go! I have a video of him at that auto cross if you want to see it.
Other than that just check out the common posters here and look at their location to see who you can connect with. If you don't get much response off this post feel free to post in other areas here too. Not everyone sees the intros. And if you ever get to Minnesota look me up!
There are several cars out your way whose owners are on this site pretty regularly. I can't think of one in MD but pretty much all the states right around you.
I think most guys will tell you the same thing I am going to say. It feels just like your other Miatas did just accelerates a whole lot faster. A friend of mine ran mine at an autocross last summer. I wanted him to try it because he has owned an NA for over 10 years. He was amazed at how it changed the attitude of the car. It turns and stops like his car but OMG does it go! I have a video of him at that auto cross if you want to see it.
Other than that just check out the common posters here and look at their location to see who you can connect with. If you don't get much response off this post feel free to post in other areas here too. Not everyone sees the intros. And if you ever get to Minnesota look me up!
Last edited by charchri4; 04-04-2014 at 04:51 PM.
04-04-2014, 04:24 PM
#7
V8 Miata Fanatic
Ken -- Welcome to the madness, obsession, fun, whatever you want to call it! I'm in NC and just got mine on the road about 2 weeks ago with a whopping 230 miles now... Please keep us posted as you get this going.
Jim -- W-O-W! I love that video. Your car looks so neutral going thru the course - and what a fast layout that appeared to be.
Regards, Pat
Jim -- W-O-W! I love that video. Your car looks so neutral going thru the course - and what a fast layout that appeared to be.
Regards, Pat
04-07-2014, 10:43 AM
#8
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Got a chance to talk to the owner of an ls swapped car at cars and coffee this weekend... cleanest swap I've ever seen. Have some interest in the vette, plenty of lowballers as usual unfortunately. Still searching for the right car to replace her with in the interim. Thanks for all the responses!
07-26-2014, 11:54 AM
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Well, the vette sold yesterday and my search is officially on! Give me a shout if you happen to find or know of a clean ls swapped miata for sale 
it would be greatly appreciated!
it would be greatly appreciated!
07-26-2014, 12:16 PM
#12
Jim Stainer
My first thought was don't be silly no one ever sells their LS swapped Miata! But it could happen... So what's your budget?
If you want to go top shelf there is a factory built NC a few clicks north of you for sale. Flyin' Miata 1 800 FLY MX5s : Cars for sale
If you want to go top shelf there is a factory built NC a few clicks north of you for sale. Flyin' Miata 1 800 FLY MX5s : Cars for sale
Last edited by charchri4; 07-26-2014 at 12:20 PM.
07-26-2014, 12:28 PM
#13
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I'm really looking for an name or nb car (the nc's don't do it for me for some reason) budget is depended on the car of course. 20 or so for a really nice nb, 13-15 for an na. (Assuming that they're well built and rust free cars with clean titles.) Just shopping around during for now
07-26-2014, 12:45 PM
#14
Jim Stainer
Don't mean to be a cold shower here I think you are going to be disappointed with what you find out there. I have been watching this market very close for over 3 years and IMO the numbers you are looking at are not very realistic. I wasn't kidding about LS cars you rarely see them for sale and when they do go on the block 13-15 would get you a disaster like mine at best. I wouldn't even buy mine for that! At least 20 as a starting point for a clean LS IMO and there is not very much difference in prices for NA to NB that I have seen.
Fords are a little less and if you look long enough you might find a clean one for 15. But good ones of any brand and year are few and far between. I looked for 2 years with no luck and then started parting out a Camaro...
Fords are a little less and if you look long enough you might find a clean one for 15. But good ones of any brand and year are few and far between. I looked for 2 years with no luck and then started parting out a Camaro...
07-26-2014, 12:49 PM
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I understand, it's hard to find a good car in that range. I'm in no rush, looking at rx7's and supra as well (obviously a different price range) and I'm open to doing the swap myself if I find the right donor and swap candidate. Just itching for some fun for the rest of the summer at this point!
11-01-2014, 09:03 AM
#16
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Bit the bullet and bough my swap car yesterday! 2004 mazdaspeed with 35k and some fm goodies to hold me over until I can accumulate the parts to begin the swap next year! It's a car I wanted to buy last year but missed out on, the stars aligned and I found it back up for sale a few weeks ago
11-01-2014, 10:17 AM
#17
V8 Miata Habitué
When the purists hear you're cutting up a 35k mile Mazdaspeed to shoehorn in one of those crude, neanderthal, multi-ton lumps of American V8 pig iron, I envision scenes from the Exorcist...eyes rolled back in their sockets, heads turning 360 degrees while green bile drips from the corner of their quivering mouths.
Go for it!
Go for it!
11-01-2014, 11:15 AM
#19
V8 Miata Fanatic
When the purists hear you're cutting up a 35k mile Mazdaspeed to shoehorn in one of those crude, neanderthal, multi-ton lumps of American V8 pig iron, I envision scenes from the Exorcist...eyes rolled back in their sockets, heads turning 360 degrees while green bile drips from the corner of their quivering mouths.
Go for it!
Go for it!
11-01-2014, 11:35 AM
#20
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I'll keep my mouth shut about the swap on the other forums the goal for now is to keep myself from spending money on go fast bits for the current 1.8... I have some interior work to get done. Planning on a hardtop and removal of the soft top. I need to figure out a "safe" way to have our dogs with us in the car (15 and 25lbs respectively) that may involve some tabs for travel harnesses added to the roll bar, and a smaller console .
the goal for now is to keep myself from spending money on go fast bits for the current 1.8... I have some interior work to get done. Planning on a hardtop and removal of the soft top. I need to figure out a "safe" way to have our dogs with us in the car (15 and 25lbs respectively) that may involve some tabs for travel harnesses added to the roll bar, and a smaller console .
11-01-2014, 02:20 PM
#22
V8 Miata Fanatic
Very Nice! A MSM was my first choice if I would have gone the route of building one from scratch. And yes, when mentioned on a local forum there was green pea vomit spewed. Silly 4 banger cult. It's not our fault we prefer a perfected Miata.
02-22-2015, 07:52 PM
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Been playing with the car a bit while I save for my swap parts, have a bit more than half of my initial budget covered (saved about 9k so far) and I almost pulled the trigger on a wrecked gto last week but managed to stop myself since I still don't have a garage to do the work in and the wife would kill me if we had a parts car in the driveway for too long. Here's hoping other expenses don't get in the way!
02-25-2015, 11:23 AM
#25
