BGordon

While you are driving it around there are a few small projects you can do to prepare the car for the V8 swap.
Shocks, brakes, and tires/wheels come to mind right off.
Also, any interior stuff that might need fixed.
I am doing a similar thing on my car while trying to locate a donor Z28 or TransAm

What path will you be following for a suitable rear end?

Anonymous D

Yea it needs a few things on the interior. The hinge on the console is broken, one of the door handle bezels is missing, and the door pull on the passenger side needs a screw. Pretty sure one of the speakers is shot too. Ive already got a Pioneer touchscreen double DIN radio to put in it. I'm pretty sure I need an extra adapter since its got the Bose sound system. Ill probably look for a new steering wheel while I'm at it. The leather is ripped on the top. Just gotta decide if I want to go with a replacement, or eliminate the air bag and get something else. Probably keep the air bag for safety's sake. Overall, the interior isn't too bad. Just a few parts will get it back to really good shape.

For the rear end Im probably going to look for the 7.5" from a Tbird or Cougar.

The tires on it are good enough for now. I need to check the brakes, but it stopped well enough. Im off tomorrow, so Ill probably spend most of the day messing with it. I noticed its got locking lug nuts too. And I see no key for them anywhere. They look like the ones on the donor Mustang though, so the key for that will hopefully fit.

BGordon

Sounds like you have a good plan.
The guy in Florida that parts out Miata's will probably have all of the replacement parts you will need. I got several parts I needed from him and they were real cheap. He just parts out Miata's so he knows all about the different parts. He posts on the regular Miata website in the Parts for Sale area.

One area you will need to work on is the headlights. Even when new and clear the housings don't put out much light. Mine were dingy and worthless so I did a shine and clear coat paint like some YouTube video shows. Better but still not up to modern car standards.

Does the car you ended up getting have an automatic or standard?

Anonymous D

Ive actually been looking into the headlights. Ill probably end up getting a new front bumper cover. The one on it has some pretty bad cracking and they drilled two holes for a license plate holder, and the paint is cracking all around that. Plus there's a hole in it too. You can kind of see it on the driver side. Looks like someone had a sticker over it at one point.
Now since I need a new bumper, I can also try to get my hands on some '01+ headlights. Seems like projectors would work much better. All id need besides the bumper and the lights are the plugs themselves from what Ive seen.

And its a 5 speed. I'm really happy about that. Its been a while since Ive gotten to drive a standard.

BGordon

So what is your plan for the 5.0 engine?
You already have the donor car, right?
Will you go with a Tremec T5 or an automatic?

Anonymous D

Right now I'm just freshening the engine up. I plan on keeping it stock so I have less to worry about to get it up and running in the Miata. I am also PROBABLY going to get a Megasquirt 3 off the bat. The donor car I got is an automatic, so I either have to get the computer chipped, buy a computer for a 5-speed ($200), or I can spend $400 on the computer I know Ill eventually need. So Ill probably just go that route.

Once I get it up and running and have some time behind it, Ill probably pull the engine and add heads and all tha jazz.

Definitely going wth a T-5.