Saleofcar.com :Mazda

Mazda MX-5 Miata (1991)
for sale

Price: US $14,995.00

Description:

Hello, and thank you for viewing my sale.
My name is Brian and I am a retired Master Automobile Technician of 25 Years.
I have a deep passion for watches and automobiles. Using my life long repair and technical skills I built this car for myself 5 years ago. I've owned it for 8, and it has always been a garaged, nice weather car.
I know of at least 4 examples that were built in the U.S.A.
2 are manuals and 2 are automatics.
The automatic you see here is one of 2 that my friend and I built, as well as 3 other highly trained craftsmen in the automotive business.
I cannot take all the credit for this car. It took 2 years working about 16 hours a week and 1663 total hours in all to create.
If you look at the engine bay, you will see I am fussy and very detail oriented. I wanted it to look like the factory built this car. Everything under the hood as well as 96% of the car is all Japanese parts.
I spent a fortune restoring the engine and drivetrain for this swap. Everything is Lexus. All the key engine parts, electrical and mechanical have been replaced. Including the ignition wire harness and all sensors. I wanted a brand new look, and the ability to use this car without reliability problems. I have driven it over 10 thousand miles and have never had a problem with it.
Everything had to be thought out, and there is so many pictures and documents that I could write a book about it.
I will cover all the important highlights in my description. If you have questions and a serious interest, please send me a message with your phone number and will be happy to talk with you via phone.
I'll start with the (CAR:)
I wanted a clean, complete automatic equipped Miata with a rust free body. I show this car a lot over the summer, and no one busts chops. The show is all under the hood.
The paint is shiny and looks good. If your fussy about dents it has them. 2 are on the drivers side door as you can see in the pics. It has some tiny hail dents on the trunk lid, left side rear top quarter and some on the hood. In white they are so hard to see and photograph.
The lower rear rockers, wheel houses and the entire chassis are rust free. I had this car completely disassembled except the dash and found NO collision damage in the front inner structure or rad support. If so, I would have aborted the mission. I was not about to precision build a car with a damaged chassis. The top is now 3 years old and looks excellent. It is the zip out rear window type. This car is always kept in a climate controlled garage and does not see rain or bad weather.
(Interior:)
Its in really nice shape. I keep it super clean and its still original to the car. The seats have some fade from the sun. The passenger side seat has a small cig burn on the lower left inside bolster. (Not from me) I have a nice spare seat if you want it that I never installed.
The carpets are in good condition and it still has the original Miata passenger floor mat. The driver side was not included when I bought the car so I replaced it with a new one. The gauge cluster cover has a crack in it. I have a perfect spare that goes with the car as well as 2 black parade boots. One is brand new in the bag, and the other I use when driving. I have a spare set of the yellow euro style front turn signals that also go with the car as well.
(Engine/Trans/Wiring) I bought a 92 SC 400 Lexus with a bad trans for the swap. The Engine had about 92K at the start. I disassembled it all the way to the long block, and checked the bores and spec'd the lower internals. Rebuilt the heads and valves to stock specs. All the sensors, gaskets, seals, plastic covers, wire harness and hard ware are all Lexus OEM. Its a full restoration and it looks and runs like new. All the intake parts and valve covers are bare metallic aluminum finish.
The transmission is a stock Japanese import under 30 k that was used in a lot of Lexus and Toyota products. This application is from a Twin Turbo Supra. I had to use the V8's bell housing. Shifts perfect. This trans uses ECT which allows 2 modes of driving. Normal for smooth shifts. Power mode which will chirp the tires. Similar to a factory shift kit from back in 1992. Its a cool feature. If you notice in the pics, I integrated a Mark 2 Supra Norm/Power switch in the console, to the right of the Miata factory automatic shifter. No check engine lights are on, and all the diagnosis functions from Lexus are wired and are used. You can also diagnose trans codes from the same system, without the use of an expensive scanner. The car is using the factory Lexus engine wiring mated with (Lexus plugs) for ease of service. Its also using the stock Lexus ecu. A/C is ice cold and has held its charge for 5 years. All Emission controls are intact and working. All the factory gauges work with this engine.
Power out put is 250HP/260 torque. Exhaust is a custom duel 2 Y pipe into a duel 2 inlet converter out to a 2 1/2 full exhaust. Borla XRS muffler is used with a 2 1/2 stainless tip to look sleeper stock out the back.
(Drive Train/Suspension:)
Custom driveshaft made by The Drive Shaft Shop that goes into a stock 97 Miata 4.10 Diff and axles. Heavy duty 300 lbs front springs, metal master front pads and all the struts have been replaced. The entire chassis, floors and suspension have been restored.
(Builders notes and frequently asked questions:)
The goal of this car was an emissions legal show stock sleeper driver. Its not a garage queen, and can be used without the worry of problems that plague big engines stuffed in small cars. It has cold A/C, gets 20 MPG and you will never see one at a car show. It draws so much attention and is unlike any V8 Miata that roams the roads. The level and attention to detail I put into this car was a big part as to why it turned out so good, and why its so reliable and fun to drive, or show.
(1) Automatic...Oh my god why?
I'm a purist at heart. Automatics can take away driver fun. In this car it does not. I prefer to say its a proper automatic. I think it makes it a better car. I'm getting older, and I have grown to embrace that the stick is threatened by the automatic now. For Federal Emissions reasons, this car is illegal to drive on any public road as a 5 speed. Drivetrains are tested in the U.S.A to comply to the rules, and Lexus did not make a 5 speed stick to mate to a 1UZFE V8. If you want to convert this car to a 5 speed, it can be done. The parts are readily available, and a bell housing is produced to accept the Toyota W58 transmission.
**You might be able to get around the emissions inspection in your state if this was converted to a 5 speed by registering this car as an antique, or classic. That is something you would have to ask your emissions inspector.**
(2) How did you fit that engine in there?
Its to within 3/4 of an inch. Less than that, the trans would have to been installed after the engine. Custom front cross member designed to fit the engine. Engine block and pan are not modified.
(3) I bet it fly's. What's it like to drive?
Drives like a stock Lexus V8 powered Miata. Super smooth, shifts positive and smooth. The engines runs so quiet at idle (You will be asked to start it at car shows) Its amazing. When the engine reaches 4000 RPM its time to get on deck. It then pulls really hard until its 6, 500 redline. I've scared my self a few times and it will chirp 3rd gear at WOT. I've run it to 100 at WOT and that's as fast as I want to go in this little car. I think it would probably run low 13's high 12's at 108-110. Given its gearing, and power to weight ratio.
(4) What does it weigh?
2, 600 lbs with a full tank. A/C, spare tire and tool kit.
Serious inquire only. Have funds in order please. I thought I had this car sold twice last year only to have a great deal of my time wasted with buyers that needed to get loans first.
Non refundable minimum deposit of $500 dollars within 3 business days of sale. Clear Pa title in hand. Car is sold as is.
I will help you with shipping in any way I can. I would consider helping the new buyer export this car if you are from out side the U.S.A.
Check out my other item for sale if you like vintage Omega Flight Master Pilot's watches.
Regards, Brian

_{update: 2015-08-30}