Hi, my names john. new to the miata forum. soooo ill just get striaght to the point.

I am building my early 90's escort gt. and have decided to do something extremely different. im converting it from the weak FWd to a more fun and interesting build of rwd. decided to kill 2 birds with one stone and venture into miata which i also have wanted to play with. im about to purchase a few major parts to my project in a few weeks, like a rear end out of an early miata for a few hundred bucks. yet my final planned goal is at least 300hp range with a supercharger. but i dont know if it would be in my best interest to buy a already supercharged engine for somewhere or buy piece by piece (trans, engine, etc) or just buy a normal miata to use entirely. im asking for any advice, most of what i know comes from the 1.8l bp05 engines the escort gts came with. i know that they are in the same family for the miata motors, what i dont know is stock power capabilities, reputable aftermarket parts suppliers, or much about the power capabilities of the stock transmission.

Also im really thinking of just looking for a wreck miata, use it all for mock up, then buy someother guys already built and ready supercharged engine from a project partout.

my ears are open.
and if you're thinking "this kid is crazy" or that i dont realize what im getting myself into.... i can prove you wrong.

 

Do not get a rear end from a 90-93, they grenade under stock power for some. You want one out of a 94+. Turbo are way easier to get 300+HP out of then a supercharger.

 

thanks for the info. i will not be picking up this one ive had my eye on now. turbochargers are the cheaper route, but ive always wanted to play with a supercharger. what kind of numbers are typical out of these motors? i know with the 1.8l gt engines we can only really look at 300? would 400 be too much of a goal.... reasonably talking?

oh and any and all links that i could get knowledge from would be greatly appreciated

 

This is a supercharged built engine @18ish psi dyno plot, with alot of work

turbo car built bottom end + gt2860rs with a .64 ar turbine housing.

 

the second picture was a hard read, but okay. i see your point. i will keep this in mind. the first step for myself that i should of realized the second i drew up the thought of using a miata powertrain was i need to learn more about them. so thats why im here.

so realistically i should look at maybe 350hp. and that i should prolly get something thats 94+

How are the transmissions? tough?

 

granted i've always been the "build not bought" kind of guy but ive come to the realization that buying is cheaper than building and will prolly just buy an already boosted and modded miata to use as a donor.... i know to you guys that sounds horrible to use it just for parts. but ill prolly end up keeping whats left and using it down the line as a Drift project.

 

94+ if you can get an 01-05 with the vvt head on it you will be ahead int the power/torque department. At 350 horse the 5speed transmissions break easily, the 6speed (hard to come by for less than 6-900) hold up. But an engineer made a adapter plate for the rx7 5speed which will hold all the power easily.

 

very interesting. ill keep all this in mind, granted my budget isnt very big atm but i am working on it. like i said i think ill look for an already boosted miata the was either someone else's project or buy a wrecked car off someone cheap. my biggest concern at the moment is buying something like just a rear end and running into something like not being able to figure out how to fabricate it in, even though i prolly have the intelligence to figure it out.

 

Don't even bother looking at superchargers. The dyno posted above is not typical and I can guarantee the drivability is less then poor.

Just about everyone here will agree that buying someone elses project is not the best idea. You'll get all their parts and perks, as well as all their mistakes. Unless you can find a super clean and well documented car (such as one with an online build thread), I'd start fresh with a stock car.

 

i understand the drawbacks of buying someone elses project, but if i can find a 94+ turbo miata with stuff already done to it for under 4k then score from me. seeing as this whole project car ive got ive had for several years, ive come to the realization its time to finish it, going turbo at least 300hp of an ending goal. as soon as i get said donor car, im just gonna make it run and drive. if i want to get more power, then ill look into it. so far got 2300 saved up. maybe by next summer until then, research research research.

Any tips on which part of this forum i should be sticking my nose in? this place is alot bigger than FEOA.net