OSULemon

Monster Miata - Ford V8 5.0 L

Overpriced? Maybe. Looks clean enough, tastefully modified, original Monster build. Throwing out there for anyone interested.



From the ad:

1994 Mazda Miata -- V8

ENGINE / DRIVETRAIN
Ford 331 Stroker block built with Scat forged internals
Ford Motorsport Y303 Aluminum heads
Koyo Mazda racing radiator with dual SPAL fans
Cam Research custom grind camshaft
Stock 94 Cobra upper and lower intake manifold and custom CAI
World Class T5Z transmission
Ford Aluminum 8.8 TrueTrak limited slip differential w/ 3.27 gears
Custom long tube headers / Flowmaster Super 44 Mufflers / QTP electric cutouts

CHASIS MODIFICATION
Koni Sport adjustable struts
Racing Beat front roll bar and endlinks
Mazdaspeed suspension bushings and diff bushings
Mazda OEM Manual steering rack
949 Racing Big Rotor Kit w/ slotted & cross drilled rotors, Hawk HPS pads
Boss Frog Clearview Double Diagonal roll bar W/ SFI padding and vinyl cover
Boss Frog Harness bar W/ G-Force Pro Camlock Harness, Pull up, 5 point
Boss Frog Frog Arms
Boss Frog Frog Rails

EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS
Monster Miata louvered hood
Moss Lo-Pro pop-up headlight kit
Moss TSI kit with LED turn signals, paint matched
Moss R-Package front air dam, painted black
Moss Rear lip spoiler, paint matched
Moss Shorty antenna kit
All chrome powder coated black
Robbins XT replacement soft top W/ new rain rails
Mazda OEM black vinyl Tonneau cover, modified to fit around roll bar
Advanced Autosport Lexan pop-out window vents
949 Racing 6UL Wheels, 15 x 8, Bronze
949 Racing forged alloy lug nuts, Black
949 Racing aluminum valve stems, Black
Hankook Ventus RS3 225x45x15

INTERIOR MODIFICATIONS
Momo Tuner Steering Wheel 350mm
Daikei steering hub and adapter
IL Motorsport Center console
B&M Pro Ripper short throw shifter
Inovative Wideband O2 sensor and gauge
STRI Motorsport oil pressure gauge
Electronic door lock/unlock with keyfob
Rev Limiter Retro window switches & Hazard switch
Rev Limiter Custom GT40 gauge faces, scaled properly for the engine/trans with custom font

Original build for monster Miata done around early 2006, car has had 2 previous owners, well cared for, garage kept car. Originally from New Mexico and has been in a salt free area for most of its life

Many people asking me if the car is for sale...so I decided to see if anyone is really interested...so no tire kickers, and no joy rides. Serious buyers only. Not in any hurry to sell...not even sure if I really want to sell....$$$ will persuade me.

mrmustang

Was on Ebay last week, no takers, no surprise

gt420hp

I dropped the price....$19,500 or best offers.

As we all know...price is based on availability of a car and what someone feels a car is worth...I had a buyer at $21,000 but they could not get the bank financing. That is the only problem with the V8 conversions....banks won't do the normal car financing...and buyers have to have "cash".

gt420hp

Finalized what I want to do on my Jeep project, so the Miata needs to be sold to fund the Jeep rock crawler I want to build. If you are interested...PM me and we can discuss pricing. The wife says I can't have both...already have 3 Miatas in the garage as it is

Here is the latest link Monster Miata - Ford V8 5.0 L

crsauto

is your Miata still for sale need contact info email me at pookiestoo1@msn.com

gt420hp

Car is sold. thanks

mrmustang

$13,500 on Ebay, long way from your $21,500 asking price on craigslist, or your drop to $19,500 above

Jeff Conner

I purchased this car on e-bay for $13,300.00. It was a very good deal. The engine is powerful and it's sound is intoxicating. has an aluminum 8.8" ford LSD. Too many upgrades to mention. I'm glad nobody saw fit to purchase this car. I don't think I could have built this car for myself at this type of money. I feel fairly certain that 11 second 1/4 mile times will be forthcoming.

crsauto

I was trying to buy the same car but he wanted 19500 If I knew he was going to sell the car for 13300 I would of bought it. I was going to offer him 15000 for it. You got a good buy

charchri4

Jeff I think you are right no one could build that for the money. Congrats on the great deal and I look forwards to seeing more of it and you here.

MRM331

As posted above my father built the engine and he and I sorted it out this last time. The car has a long and documented history which spans at least the last 10 years. I personally spent five days in it three years ago driving it 2500 miles with its old engine from NM where it was built to PA for the second owner. Its good to see it out and about although its sad that it sold for so little. The engine alone is worth at least $7k.

-Jason

Jeff Conner

Is there any way I can contact you via telephone? I haven't read protocol on this site, but I would be happy to send you my number? I have some questions about the car. I'm actually thinking about selling it. When I bid on the car on e-bay I really didn't think the reserve would be met. I feel like it was a great deal and the car is fast. The engine sound is so intoxicating. It lopes like a dragster.

rochesterricer

Just out of curiosity, was it ever strapped to a chassis dyno?

Jeff Conner

Car is for sale, and it is a good value. I've had to rent an indoor storage facility to keep the car indoors, as I don't have space for it. Quite frankly, I didn't think I was going to win the car on e-bay as I thought the car was worth far more than my bid. It feels like a race car more than a street car (my opinion). It is fun to drive, although I'd hate for it to be my daily driver. I've got about $14,500.00 in the car at this point. It's worth more than that. Open to offers. The closest tracks to me are two hours away. I'm also new to the 5.0 Ford format and am probably not qualified to maintain this car.

gagoft

Can't see any previously posted pictures of the car.

Post up pictures, and elaborate on your concerns of daily driveability and maintenance.

mrmustang

Purchase to up for sale in under two weeks, that's faster than Jason and I

Anyway, pictures can be seen for those interested by CLICKING HERE

Jeff Conner

Yes, I might need a divorce lawyer at some point! My friends take polls and bet on my car buying/selling habits, which self-admittedly are crazy. I am an attorney, not a car dealer. I need to consider a cheaper hobby for sure. I recently sold an e39 M5, which I am comparing the Miata to. (Don't attack, I know this isn't a fair comparison and that they are totally different birds.) The Miata is hands down faster, but more, well, Monsterish. It does not have ac or power steering, but the heater appears to be in working order. The car takes high octane fuel, which is in limited supply here in NWA. There is a problem with burning oil smell in cabin. I've redone the PCV system as there was oil in the vacuum line, and incorporated an oil separator. Smell persists, wife refuses to ride in it. Oil seems to be coming from the left valve cover but not sure. Has what appears to be stock Cobra valve covers. I have not tried to tighten the cover, but looks like the intake would need to be removed in order to remove the cover for inspection. I'm not even sure that is where the oil is coming from. There is a CEL (Check Engine Light) and I am completely unfamiliar with OBDI. The car starts, runs, and idles fine. The AFR is right where it should be, according to what I've read. This is a car for an avid hot rodder, not a semi-retired fat guy (no offense intended to other semi-retired fat guys!) Worst case scenario, I keep the car, find some kid with the local Mustang club who wrenches on these things, and make new friends.

mrmustang

The beauty of a 5.0L powered Miata is that any local mechanics shop can work on it. Valve covers leak, changing the gaskets is an hour or twos worth of labor at a service garage, PCV valves go bad, located on the back center of the intake manifold, takes about 2 minutes to change without any real hand tools. I'd start with those two items to get rid of the oil smell.

Bill S.

Jeff Conner

I took the pcv valve out and replaced it. Couldn't find new seal locally, so used the old one with a small amount of RTV. Changed the vacuum to a single source underneath the intake with new lines and incorporated a "Husky" oil separator from Home Depot, something I read on a thread on this wonderful website. Spent almost two days recovering from bending over the hood of his low car (I have a bad back). It has a detonation type sound under hard acceleration, which I had read can be caused by too much blow by, which is more prevalent in a power enhanced 5.0. I thought about putting PCV valves in the intakes, but that's when I decided that I really didn't want a project car. I had this fancy idea of just getting in and driving it ridiculously fast. It is fast and seems like a solid, well built car.

Jeff Conner

Oh, and I also cleaned the metal screen below the PCV with gasoline, as I couldn't find one locally.

Jeff Conner

There is no way replacing a PCV valve is going to take care of my blow-by problem. I ran a vacuum to the breather on the oil filler tube and it makes a funny noise under load, like metal popping under the intake. I found the most comprehensive site on PCV and blow by here: Pulling oil thru pcv - Ford Mustang Forums : Corral.net Mustang Forum

I'm going to a Mustang club meeting this week and going to bounce this off some 5.0 guys. I might try to find a 5.0 mustang guru willing to take on this project. I think it's the PCV system is completely inadequate to handle this built 331 stroker, which literally sounds like a race car. I'm thinking the guy who sold it may have known these problems. How could he not, I mean it blows the PCV valve out of the grommet. Blows the dipstick up and oil through the dipstick tube. Frustrated in Northwest Arkansas with my good buy. I can't help but want to get this thing dialed in, because it seems beastly.

mrmustang

Do you have a fresh air line from the Throttle Body to the oil filler neck?

Have you done a compression test yet?

Excessive blow by can also be caused by worn or cracked oil rings on the pistons.


Bill S.

charchri4

You guys really need to take this to a couple of new threads. Jeff if the car is for sale again its' really confusing to be selling it through OSUlemons thread. He gets all the notifications and it's getting way off track with mechanical issues you probably don't want in a sales thread anyway.

I suggest a new thread in cars for sale with the sales details and another new thread in Ford Engines to discuss the mechanical issues you are having. You will get a lot more people seeing the mechanical issues and be able to offer help from the engine section than you will here.

And if I may make another suggestion give the car a chance and put some miles on it next spring. These cars make fantastic daily drivers and lots of guys here enjoy them that way. I'm 3 1/2 hours to the closest track and nearly 2 hours from the nearest autocross and even if I never raced it again would not sell my car. The true joy is hitting the key and feeling your heart rate quicken just a little and the involuntary smile come across your face. The magic is in the car not the track and it's what makes Mondays trip to work just as good as a pay day Friday going home.

Jeff Conner

$14K. Any interest send me a PM.

gt420hp

Jeff,

Just reading this post, sorry to hear about the issues. The car did not have this problem when I sold it. I am actually surprised, because the one thing I expected to not be any problems with this car was the engine. It was professionally rebuilt with the 331 stroker kit. I am no mechanic and did not see any oil on engine, nor on the floor while I had the car. Hopefully things work out on the sale for you.