Lemme' hear your opinion
 

I recently aquired a 97' Miata with a lot of mods for little of nothing. I have been looking around for more mods and aftermarket parts and I found the V8 miata mods......I am from a muscle car family and I think its awesome....in a week or so I have aquired another 97' Miata with no motor or tranny but the body is beat. Also have picked up a 350 bored .030 and a 5 speed tranny. I am more of a carb kinda guy so I think thats the way I gunna go.

My question is with a beat car is it worth doing.....Ill post a pic but the body of the car has been beat with a sledge hammer....Everything else is good on it.

Does anyone have a ball park idea of how much re doing the whole body would set me back? I do plenty of fab work and body stuff so labor is a freebie...well in a matter of speaking.

So.....in a nutshell is it worth putting back together or would it be better to buy a straight body car?

Thanks -B-

How beat up is it? Mine was pretty rough when I started. You might be a good candidate for a fender flare kit.

Hey B I am in the very same boat. I have a ruff 96 that I am debating to convert it or not. My situation is a little more complicated because to do it I have to sell a Camaro SS that I really love.

Thoughts to consider:

At the end of the operation you want something you can be proud of. Something that when people ask (and they will ask!) you can say with pride that you built. Also you want something that when you walk up to it in a parking lot you will think wow that is really a cool car. A car that you look forward to going to work just for the drive in. It's the thrill we all get every time we hit the key and hear all those ponys come to life that drives every muscle car owner and what makes a proper American muscle car so special.

Now clearly walking up to Miata is not the same as walking up to a 65 GTO. But if the Miata is beat to death it's not going to help matters any. So I think you should take the drive train from the good car and put it in the ruff body for a rain car / winter beater / parts car / track rat or whatever. Then put that lovely V8 in the good car with the mods. Put all the best stuff you have in the same place and you will have the best car you are capable of building.

I totally agree with you. I am doing a similar swap. I found a pristine 94 Florida rolling chassis and am doing the mechanicals and fab work to match. Quality sound, performance and craftsmanship needs to look good.
Jim

It sounds tempting to swap to the good car but I picked it up for a daily driver...I have 2 Tahoes....Kinda the gas mileage thing.

The car was the brunt of a drinking fieasco which led to beating every exposed surface with a sledge hammer....The body is the only thing that is bad....everything else is sound.

I was gunna go aftermarket wide body kit if I could....Gunna be a slow project. I stay pretty busy with business.

Start with the best Miata you can afford you will be happier with the outcome!

So who would be able to give me a ball park figure to replace and/or repair body. I have looked around and it looks like about $2500.

Still no pic yet....too cold to go get car.

I just trying to justify it as a "fixer-upper" or a trip to the scrap yard.

$2500?? LOL!! you can buy a really nice Miata for that all day long. That is a complete and total no brainer. SCRAP IT!
Check out what 2500 will get you in my neighborhood.

1990 Miata MX5 - $2500 (St Paul)

What fun02se said, Times 2. Check this out, miata convertible 5 speed - $3000 (springdale ar )

My car was a back yard build, non driver when I bought it. One of the most time consuming parts of the project was body work. I cut out all the rust, welded in new metal then started on those small dents that don't look too bad. That is until you try to make the body as perfect as you can.

AVOID all that wasted time and get a clean (as in zero rust) dent free body, you'll thank me later.

Now if you're building a track car, different story.

Good luck, RR

Thanks...I guess you guys answered my question.

They go for a bit more around here....I wonder why.

Im willing to hook up the trailor and do some travling.

You are right for what ever reason they bring more money in the Mid Atlantic. But they can be had for sure as you will see. Watch real close for rust in your part of the world. Mine came from just a little north of you and the top drains are pretty bad.

I think you will agree this is the perfect car:

1999 Mazda Miata MX-5 (needs engine work) - $1500 (Richmond)

But if not there are plenty of options:

lowered mazda miata trade - $2100 (Appomattox )

1996 M Edition Mazda Miata - $2900 (Lynchburg)

1992 Mazda Miata - $1695 (Roanoke)

1990 Mazda Miata - $2900 (King George)

I wish that 99 was 1000 miles closer to me I would be on my way with a trailer!

I agree about the 99, man if that was in my area I'd have another project :)

Just one man's opinon. It's better to spend a weekend pulling a trailer for a rust free southern or western car than untold hours cutting and welding and then the necessary plastic work.

If you do consider another car, be especially attentive of the rockers, they're known tobe rust prone, bottom edge of doors and top of rear fender lips as well as lower rear of corners of the trunk lid. Check the front wheel well area at the point it transitions to the rockers as well.

ZERO rust is what you're after, the old "it's only a little bit of rust" is always much worst than first thought.

Good Luck whichever path you choose.

Check the link. It's pretty clean for the price of a NB. I really wish it was closer!!

1999 Miata - Imgur

Thanks.....I probably headed to richmond with a trailor tuesday. I have looked around and everything is a little steep. 1500......I can do.

As for the east coast rusty rockers.....my 97 has it too....from my family up north its called Rochester rust.

Ha! OK we found you the car so you owe us a sweet build thread!! :smilie_daumenpos:

FYI for you as you get started:
https://www.v8miata.net/general-miat...onversion-763/

K...so I didnt go to Richmond...Picked up a powdercoat job that will take a while....BUT....I am definatly gunna start soon. Thanks for the motivation guys.

Ill have pics soon

We will be keeping an eye on Stuarts Draft for the next great V8.