...Miata

[Koshin]

Hooker Trading Card Picture Is Awesome...That Is All...

yesh it is

TB, that car is hawt...Its been snowing like a mother here for like a week. The car is far away, and I just need to go look at it. They still have it

I think Ill prolly own a Miata within the next few days.

[duffman1278]

Miata's ftw

[Koshin]

I like these cars...it would be a great project, I miss my old S600. Makes me say F the Miata. Im a scatter brain when it comes to cars

http://indianapolis.craigslist....html

EDITED: Just found this as well...Im being teased

http://indianapolis.craigslist....html

[flohtingPoint]

I have personally never driven one but i have always heard they are a blast...for a convertible at least.

I've seen a car that looks a lot like that one in the VA Beach/Hampton area. With how slammed it is on those sized wheels, lord knows how pointless it would be on a track. I'm sure the lca's are several types of useless due to it's ride height and the angle they'd be at.

[Koshin]

cheap

http://indianapolis.craigslist....html

[flohtingPoint]

cheap

http://indianapolis.craigslist....html

Dont you live in the north east? Why are you digging at Indy stuff?

You have a Sprite right? I'd concentrate on that if you want a good trackable roaster. Those are excellent cars when built correctly.

[Koshin]

Im from there, but Ive live in Indy now...

The Healey has a destiny already. Imagine a matte black, gutted, slammed, 350whp SR swapped Sprite. No chrome, everything powdercoated flat black. Headlights, wheels, bumpers, tail lights, everything. Ive never seen anything the likes of which it will be upon completion.

I just want a simple roaster. Cheap, track oriented fun that I can drive to work without my kidneys bleeding. The S13 is great at the track, but just is not user friendly for a street account of chassis/suspension mods. Spring rates being the main thing.

I do like that Cosworth Merc though....those are cool cars

[flohtingPoint]

The Healey has a destiny already. Imagine a matte black, gutted, slammed, 350whp SR swapped Sprite. No chrome, everything powdercoated flat black. Headlights, wheels, bumpers, tail lights, everything. Ive never seen anything the likes of which it will be upon completion.

While it sounds neat, that SR is REALLY going to be sandwiched in there. The motor is already pretty tight in some places (exhaust manifold, turbo, intake manif) in it's native land of S13's, it's going to be quite the fit in a Sprite (and probably have to be yanked to do anything on it aside from change oil or spark plugs). Have you done the measuring work on it yet? I'm not even sure it'll fit vertically, you may have to get a special bonnet. Then there is always the case of cooling, how to fit a radiator and IC in there.

Like I said, it sounds interesting and if you have a thread for it I'd love to see your build ideas. What might be more plausable would be a 'Busa transaxle cut into the trunk, one knows the car is light enough.

[Mr1der]

I'd drive the wheels off one if I could fit in them.

that said, my knees are stuffed into the steering wheel

and my head hits the top. Great cars though and the cheapest way into competitive racing.

[Empty V]

My wife calls them TicTac's

[Koshin]

i thought about a rear mounted boosted 1340cc Busa motor.

I did some prelim measuring, its gonna be tight for sure. A stock SR radiator and a slim man will fit fine. Lots of work to get it in there (cutting), and youre right about the motor having to be taken out for nearly everything. Oil filter relocator is key. Im not planning on ever pulling the motor once its in. Ill do everything prior to the swap. I have also thought of a 13B just becasue of space. The body/suspension is first anyways so I have time to decide on exactly what I want to do before the time comes for that step. Any suggestions are welcome for the Healey as well.

[flohtingPoint]

i thought about a rear mounted boosted 1340cc Busa motor.

I did some prelim measuring, its gonna be tight for sure. A stock SR radiator and a slim man will fit fine. Lots of work to get it in there (cutting), and youre right about the motor having to be taken out for nearly everything. Oil filter relocator is key. Im not planning on ever pulling the motor once its in. Ill do everything prior to the swap. I have also thought of a 13B just becasue of space. The body/suspension is first anyways so I have time to decide on exactly what I want to do before the time comes for that step. Any suggestions are welcome for the Healey as well.

For competitive racing, they work great in the classes they're in, but in order to maintain that you cannot swap motors. The moment you go to a motor from a different make, you're eliminating that car from being competitive as your classifications will be all messed up. This said, if you were planning on using the car for motorsports, I'd keep the motor it has and work from there. My shop I keep my cars in is all British Leyland folk, so I can ping them for ideas on class building if you want.

Now, if your endgame is not motorsports at all and this is just a build for whatever reasons, I'd really look at that vertical clearance you have. Height will be the killer as it's not deep at all under that bonnet. Also, being an SR fan, you're very familiar with how oil starvation is a problem with them, check to see how much room below your motor mount you have for your oil pan (especially if you want to have the car slammed). To minimize room taken up, your build might be better off being an NA build, perhaps a Duratec like folks are doing with Lotus 7's or a 4AG (I'd build up a red top instead of going blacktop like I have). I know it doesn't sound exotic or cool and perhaps a little boring, but it'd still go like stink and you'd have a lot more room and a much simpler motor for maintenance reasons.

The cars weigh nothing and with that much HP you have planned and such a little contact patch offered, it just seems too much to be even practical. Dont get me wrong, I'm not trying to rain on your parade, I'm just thinking about it from an engineering and maintenance standpoint.

[Koshin]

no track (circuit) time for the Healey. I know its going to be stupid. But it will be so much fun, and so scary all at the same time. Awesomeness.

Ill worry about it later, I just want to have a new track toy this season. I just got my new track bike a while ago, and need a new car to beat on. The Silvia needs some attention this year, no more beating her up. She needs a year off to gather herself..

Miata is the way to go I think

[flohtingPoint]

no track (circuit) time for the Healey. I know its going to be stupid. But it will be so much fun, and so scary all at the same time. Awesomeness.

Ill worry about it later, I just want to have a new track toy this season. I just got my new track bike a while ago, and need a new car to beat on. The Silvia needs some attention this year, no more beating her up. She needs a year off to gather herself..

Miata is the way to go I think

You have a bug-eyed sprite right? If you dont have your car on hand, the next time I go to the shop I can get you some preliminary measurements, as we have three bug-eyes there. I dont have any SR's on hand, so you'd have to take a tape measure to yours. I do have a Duratec 2.3L on hand if you'd like me to grab measurements from that, just in case you change your mind.

About the suspension, have you taken a look at how Sprites are setup? It's very archaic and slamming one isn't as simple as loosening a coilover.

Anyway, I have access to three folks who circuit their Sprites, so if you need me to pick their brains about something too, feel free to hit me up.

[Koshin]

There are a couple of different options as far as suspension goes. See what your guys are running/doing and relay that to me if you could. Im open to suggestions as I have never messed with a British anything other than my old T100 cafe bike. I know guys do full susp swaps from different cars. I have access to it, its just a ways out and its snowy as hell here. I will measure my SR as well. I do appreciate you help buddy. This is going to be my long term project, I love Sprites!

Info is King

[flohtingPoint]

There are a couple of different options as far as suspension goes. See what your guys are running/doing and relay that to me if you could. Im open to suggestions as I have never messed with a British anything other than my old T100 cafe bike. I know guys do full susp swaps from different cars. I have access to it, its just a ways out and its snowy as hell here. I will measure my SR as well. I do appreciate you help buddy. This is going to be my long term project, I love Sprites!

Info is King

Yea, no problem. Next time I'm down at the shop (probably this weekend if the apocalypse that's going on in DC doesn't kill us all) I'll grab some pics of the suspension and grab some measurements on the sprites there. If you can email me james(dot)newman(at)flohtingpoint(dot)net and send me a reminder (also so I have your email addy), I'll shoot you the pics as I take them and get you the specs.

Hopefully when the weather takes a turn for the better, the Sprite owners will return to the shop and I'll get some info on other options for suspensions on the bug-eyes.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

For any real suspension modifications you'll really want to convert to a tube shock. The armstrong shocks react way too slowly.http://mossmotors.com/Browse/P...ID=15

[Bwana]

If you're serious about suspension modification there are companies making coilover front and rear setups. I have a tubular coilover IRS in my mg and the front has shorter, firmer springs, revalved shocks, and upgraded bushings.

[Pieceofsand]

I don't know, it's something about a Miata that I don't like. It just seems nerdy to me. That goes with the Honda Del Sol too.

I like the MR2 better personally.

[Koshin]

Bwana, I didnt even think to ask you about your MG. I bet they are a similar stock setup to one another. I dont know what I should do with the HEaley. Body first, suspension second. Drivetrain last.

Yeah, turbo MR2 is cooler than a miata but they are mad monies. Ive always wanted a JDM one.

[Bwana]

When you consider that a sprite and a midget are essentially the same car with minor differences you get the idea. BMC is BMC is BMC... They didn't change much lol.

[Koshin]

Ive never owned an MG, but I assumed that era British roadster would be somewhat similar suspension wise.

Im not getting that Miata. They are trying to yank me around on the price, even though one guy confirmed that it was for sale for $1200.00 bucks. The sale manager is trying to say its a misprint and that it is $1900.00 now. I hate how car dealers try to yank people around about stuff. I told them Id buy another one.

[Bwana]

I got mine for $1200 with the timing belt way off. I fixed that and it ran for about 8 months. A couple weeks ago it blew the hg and when I pulled the head I found someone had cracked one of the headbolt seats, making it un-torquable. I picked up a used head in Irvine and had it on the road the next day. About $300 total for repairs. It's really one of the easiest to work on cars I've ever had.

[flohtingPoint]

Ive never owned an MG, but I assumed that era British roadster would be somewhat similar suspension wise.

AFAIK, youre Sprite is just a rebadged MG Midget. Bwana's is over a decade younger than your Sprite and I've never tinkered with the suspension on something that new from BL, so I cant confirm or deny similar suspension.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Yeah the Mg uses the same armstrong lever-arm shock as the spridget. Even if you dont want to upgrade your suspension...switching to a tube shock is cheaper than replacing the OE lever shock anyways lol.And the spridget and the MG have different pick-up points...some of the sprites even use a 1/4 elliptic system. The MG uses a rear sway bar...etc.

[Koshin]

this is very good info boys...it is appreciated

keep it coming

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Um...how are you on rust ATM? I know the metal beneath the heaterbox and underneath the transmission tunnel rot like a sonfab****. And being central in the car...causes problems.If you need parts...my old boss deals in Healeys and has a big barn full of em.