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[QUOTE=LS2 V8 Miata]Everybody clearly understood your meanings using the words "stupid" and "american" whom you were addressing:rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
Everybody but you then. One of the few persons on this forum that I consider as friends is american. So it would be kind of stupid from me to say americans don't understand cars and are stupid. No. I meant that was a stupid idea from my point of view and that that kind of stuff is usually seen in America. From then on, think what you want.
I disagree with the mod, but I don't think who does it is stupid, unless someone proves me wrong.
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Yes, I said it's taken me two years to build this project.
There are a huge number of chassis strengthening mods and suspension work is fairly straight forward, AGX shocks, Ground control coil-overs, Eibach springs. ARP Corvette wheel studs, Mark Williams rebroached hubs.
Rear-end is Ford Thunderbird 8.8 IRS with 3:73 Ford racing gears, Detroit helical gear posi, custom forged axles.
It's insane from a cost perspective, I could of easily built a kit Cobra for the same kinda cost factors but I've already done two previously. The 1994 stock Miata was purchased from the original owner for $4000.00 US, the 2006Corvette LS2 crate engine was $5495.00, the T-56 was $1800.00 examples.
I'm doing this for fun, plan & simple.
Look at my photo site and also click on the sub-album "More high-performance projects" and it'll give you some insight into the things I enjoy building and playing around with.
[url]http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/LS2V8Miata/?sc=1[/url]
Thanks for your interest:)
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Hmmm... sounds like it could easily be turned into a sick drift machine.
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[QUOTE=LS2 V8 Miata]Yes, I said it's taken me two years to build this project.
There are a huge number of chassis strengthening mods and suspension work is fairly straight forward, AGX shocks, Ground control coil-overs, Eibach springs. ARP Corvette wheel studs, Mark Williams rebroached hubs.
Rear-end is Ford Thunderbird 8.8 IRS with 3:73 Ford racing gears, Detroit helical gear posi, custom forged axles.
It's insane from a cost perspective, I could of easily built a kit Cobra for the same kinda cost factors but I've already done two previously. The 1994 stock Miata was purchased from the original owner for $4000.00 US, the 2006Corvette LS2 crate engine was $5495.00, the T-56 was $1800.00 examples.
I'm doing this for fun, plan & simple.
Look at my photo site and also click on the sub-album "More high-performance projects" and it'll give you some insight into the things I enjoy building and playing around with.
[url]http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/LS2V8Miata/?sc=1[/url]
Thanks for your interest:)[/QUOTE]
In short, "don't do this at home"
You just proved what I always suspected, that it is not a matter of putting in the engine and create a "12 second" or whatever car. It is a sure thing that the LS2 is a relatively light engine, but it is not a panacea to improve performance of a car without applying a host of other improvements. It is a bit of a shame that asking such questions has condemned some of us to the ranks of European fanboys....
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[QUOTE=kingofthering]Hmmm... sounds like it could easily be turned into a sick drift machine.[/QUOTE]
two years and "easily" are something totally different...
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[QUOTE=henk4]In short, "don't do this at home"
You just proved what I always suspected, that it is not a matter of putting in the engine and create a "12 second" or whatever car. It is a sure thing that the LS2 is a relatively light engine, but it is not a panacea to improve performance of a car without applying a host of other improvements. It is a bit of a shame that asking such questions has condemned some of us to the ranks of European fanboys....[/QUOTE]
Assuming because it has an American V8 up front totally destroys the handling condemnes some of you to the ranks of European fanboys...
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[QUOTE=henk4]two years and "easily" are something totally different...[/QUOTE]
Working on a car for two years non-stop, and working on a car every now and then for two years is totally different.
Again, stop assuming things.
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[quote=Slicks]Assuming because it has an American V8 up front totally destroys the handling condemnes some of you to the ranks of European fanboys...[/quote]
Surely only if it were untrue.
Reading and looking at the pics of what's been done then it's fair to say that without that it would be bad ? :) After all he's not done all that because he had cash to burn :D
Have you checked it over -- or just matching a "fanboy" definition ?
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I'm not wanting to discourage anyone, I've had the great opportunities to spend a lot of roadcourse hours in my friend's Ford V8 Miata's. I've even campaigned my own modified 4 cylinder, lightened Miata against them.
These experiences motivated me, a confessed Chevy guy to do an LS V8 Miata. I've taken 2 years not just because I want to, but I must respect the daily operations of my son-in-law's business Howard Performance. I schedule my Miata's work not to interfer.
My friend Tim did his LS6 V8 Miata entirely in his garage at home but if you visit his photo site and see video of his car in action you recognize he's an exceptional technician.
See LS6 V8 Miata walk around on:
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ROf-ehSRT0[/url]
There is an Auto-X video of his car in there too I believe.
Also check out this video of a clean 240Z with an LS2 testing traction issues.
[url]http://videos.streetfire.net/search/LS2/0/32d65122-0d75-436a-bf5f-987901562b65.htm[/url]
The LS2 240Z walk around start-up video is above average too
[url]http://videos.streetfire.net/search/LS2/0/82a51bc5-ab66-405c-a86b-98ae0148dd77.htm[/url]
It gives you a real good idea why an LS2 is a good match for a 2500 Lb car with an experienced driver.:cool:
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CHeeres, LS, gotta respect the work in these :)
Vid at [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxFDtDwBVN0&NR[/url] seemed to be relevant.
The handling is pretty hairy and that's not a very tight course either. See 1:09 and 2:02 in. You got some posted results timesheets from events ?
What kind of weight transfer do you get under breaking ? That example certainly looks like it's losing most of it's rear braking :(
Gotta love the V8 growl tho' !!!!!
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Damn, and I thought MX-5 turbos were common ;)
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Tim's in his later 20s and is a novice driver, first Auto-X in the recently completed car. I'm an old guy 55 comp licensed in NASA and Pro AutoSports with quite a few years of Roadcourse and Auto-X experience.
Also, each of our cars are built so completely different in our individual approaches to rear-end work suspension, firewall mods, the list goes on and on. Look at Tim's extensive photo site and look at mine. You'll see drastic differences. So, even though I'd love to answer your "Handling" questions it'd be like comparing Apples to Kiwi fruit with both cars and drivers.
The most on track experiences I have to relate my personal handling opinions / experiences are in Corvettes, Cobras, Porsches and lastly my highly modified 4 cylinder Miata (before V8 conversion) and in my two different friend's Ford V8 Miatas. Both of those Ford V8 Miatas are radically different. Ernies is around 380 HP Cobra with AFR heads, bigger injectors and unique suspension. Bill's is a 377 Cu inch stroker with about 415 RWHP Konis G/C coil-overs on Kumho competition tires.
Again, how to compare? Dramatic driver experience differences exist. Ernie's merely competitive, Bill regularly passes Porsches, Viper GTSs, BMWs and Ferraris in various states of race prep via his years of skill as much as his car's strengths.
A lot of information, but I still don't know if I've told you a definative thing!!!
Thanks again for your interest.
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[QUOTE=Slicks]Assuming because it has an American V8 up front totally destroys the handling condemnes some of you to the ranks of European fanboys...[/QUOTE]
again you seem to miss the point that putting in ANY V8 will affect the handling of the car which needs to be compensated for. You have been given ample proof of that via LS2's posts, but you apparently failed to read and/or understand them.
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[QUOTE=LS2 V8 Miata]
Also, each of our cars are built so completely different in our individual approaches to rear-end work suspension, firewall mods, the list goes on and on. Look at Tim's extensive photo site and look at mine. You'll see drastic differences. So, even though I'd love to answer your "Handling" questions it'd be like comparing Apples to Kiwi fruit with both cars and drivers.
The most on track experiences I have to relate my personal handling opinions / experiences are in Corvettes, Cobras, Porsches and lastly my highly modified 4 cylinder Miata (before V8 conversion) and in my two different friend's Ford V8 Miatas. Both of those Ford V8 Miatas are radically different. Ernies is around 380 HP Cobra with AFR heads, bigger injectors and unique suspension. Bill's is a 377 Cu inch stroker with about 415 RWHP Konis G/C coil-overs on Kumho competition tires.
Again, how to compare? Dramatic driver experience differences exist. Ernie's merely competitive, Bill regularly passes Porsches, Viper GTSs, BMWs and Ferraris in various states of race prep via his years of skill as much as his car's strengths.
A lot of information, but I still don't know if I've told you a definative thing!!!
Thanks again for your interest.[/QUOTE]
Basically what you are telling is how to turn the Miata body into various stages of a silhouette racing car and using a V8 engine is just one of the many things to do. Thanks for all the clarifications.
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[quote=LS2 V8 Miata]A lot of information, but I still don't know if I've told you a definative thing!!!
Thanks again for your interest.[/quote]
Cheers, any pics/vids of you competing would interest me and other UCPers :)
And YES we do have a "definitive" .... confirmation that us "old farts" can drive just as fast and faster than all these youngsters :D
[ ducks down and hides behind keyboard ......... ]