Challenged NA Miata - located near Worcester, MA - $1000

Mine, and sad about it, because it used to be a loved member of the family, but now it is severely challenged.

Price: $1000. Think of it as a soft top, roll bar, and wheels for sale, with a Miata-shaped bracket holding those bits together for the journey home.

Car is a 1990 Miata with a 1.8 swap. Swap was done 15+ years ago after an original 1.6 crank failure. A combination of factors led to it getting (mostly) parked in about 2005. Was last driven around 2010, just an around the block exercise to prove that it was still a car... and then it sat again. I picked it up and brought it to my house late last year to see if I could put it through rehab, but the time to work on it just isn't there so I'm trying to be honest with myself about moving it on to another home (or worse). Won't start (and doesn't have a battery in the trunk), so you will be trailering it home.

Details:

*No idea about the history on the paint, or how it started to shed its skin, but it's not getting better by wishing alone.

*approx 165k on the odometer; definitely less on the engine, but I'm not signing up to how much less.

*LSD

*Black Robbins top with zip out glass window, installed around 2004-2005. Unfortunately, since it was parked under a blue car cover, the top is stained with blue.

*White Snugtop aftermarket hardtop - as you can see, the backglass is broken, and the headliner is coming unglued.

*Missing driver's door panel, driver's (manual) window regulator inop.

*Someone tried to break into the trunk by drilling out the lock. I removed the lock cylinder and have a pull cord in place at the moment.

*Aftermarket head unit and fog lamps, amp dangling under the passenger side glove box, Voodoo knob and ebrake handle. Seats have headrest speakers.

*Kosei 15" wheels - right rear tire holds air very questionably. All tires are rather "vintage". Also includes a set of original Miata wheels.

*KVR Python front calipers over 94+ front rotors (I think the original calipers and 94+ brackets are in the trunk)

*Original top boot and spare tire are in the trunk, along with the 4th Kosei center cap.

*Act now, and you'll get a Hard Dog roll bar that's sitting in my basement, too. Bar was chosen to work with this particular Robbins top.

*Clean NY title in hand.

Come and get it today (Tuesday 4/19) or tomorrow (Wednesday 4/20) just outside of Worcester, MA, or I'm probably going to have to have it hauled away. With respect to why it won't start, I didn't even get as far as basic air/fuel/spark diagnosis, but I did temporarily borrow the cam position sensor from this car to diagnose the CPS on another Miata, so I am confident the CPS isn't the issue.

(the hood does close, I just didn't slam it for the pics, for fear of the mechanism being sticky)

http://worcester.craigslist.org/cto/5546510233.html

Contact me through the CL ad, tell me you're from GRM, we'll go from there.

I didn't see a link to the Craigslist ad you refer to....

If you weren't a 14 hour drive away, I would be REALLY tempted to act on this.

Torsen? Or a viscous limited slip?

This is gonna go fast.

IndyJoe wrote: I didn't see a link to the Craigslist ad you refer to....

http://worcester.craigslist.org/cto/5546510233.html

cmcgregor wrote: Torsen? Or a viscous limited slip?

Been trying to find any documentation, but I'm coming up short. Thought I might have had a picture of the gauges while it was cruising in 5th so I could calc the rear end ratio, but I'm coming up short there, too. I remember it being geared shorter than my other NAs.

So a hardtop with a ton of free parts.

Sadly I'm 14 hours away as well or I'd be there in a heartbeat.

im afraid to ask, but why the sudden rush to get rid of it?

Oh gosh, right down the street and a better tub than mine....

email sent.

Ok, I actually sent 2 emails, as I forgot to include my number on the first.

apexspeed, I am quite interested. I have a truck lined up, and will have cash in hand for Saturday if that will work for you...

I was contacted last night by apexspeed. I plan to swing out there this morning to check it out. I was budgeting for a roll bar anyhow, so this seems like a no brainier. :-)

So, yup. Picking this up Thursday.

Done. Transaction completed, and the Miata is sitting in my driveway. Now to get it running...

In reply to borf42:

BUILD THREAD ! please.

I should. It would be my first.

borf42 wrote: I should. It would be my first.

Roll with it!

Hi, I hope y'all have had a pleasant 6 years. I ended up with this car about a year ago and would love it if I could get any more information on it. If you know how many miles were on the 1.8 when it was installed and anything else that would be incredibly neat to learn! She's in great running condition now after a whole lot of TLC.

- Evan

In reply to raceinstinct :

I'd try to PM the OP.  They only posted 3 times and all in this thread.  Maybe they still have the same email address.  Now borf42 being a GRM+ is more likely to still be around.  Maybe try PM'ing them also?

What was the issue??

Stampie said:

In reply to raceinstinct :

I'd try to PM the OP.  They only posted 3 times and all in this thread.  Maybe they still have the same email address.  Now borf42 being a GRM+ is more likely to still be around.  Maybe try PM'ing them also?

I bought the Miata from borf42, got it running (fuel tank swap) and drove it some, then sold it on Facebook marketplace to some else. Evan bought it from that person and really brought it back to life.

I had found some paperwork I had from the car, an old Notepad document that one of the original people had. It did briefly mention when the swap was done and parts used (80s Toyota Celica intake parts I think meaning MAF) Already forwarded to Evan.

I just popped in the challenge forum to ask a question and saw this thread. Figured I'd share more of the story.