Brainstorming - Miata Coupe

Has anyone ever grafted an FB RX-7 roof and hatch to an NA Miata? Are the sizes compatible? Grafmiata, you have both, don't you?

Thanks!

I always thought that the Escort ZX2 had a really close body line to the Miata.

Randy Zimmerman is who you want to contact about this

Popcorn popped.......now I'm watching attentively .

I grafted a ZX2 upper body on to a Miata years ago in Photoshop for a thread just like this in GRM.

Unfortunately, I had to cheat on the scale. The lines might work, but there's a size discrepancy.

We also discussed the Opel GT at that time, I believe. I may have even done some measurements.

Ah: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/miata-fastback/19238/page1/

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/miata-fastback/15844/page1/

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Scaling wise was the length the issue?

In reply to Keith Tanner:

I know of the aftermarket and the factory coupes. I'm just wondering of a DIY/GRM type solution with junkyard parts.

Also, I wonder if an MX-3 would also make a good donor?

Well, the yellow factory coupe was made by hand. So that's GRM Honestly, I'm not sure that duplicating it would be any more difficult than trying to graft on another car's top by the time you had everything merged. Pictures of the build were posted in this thread: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/miata-fastback/15844/page1/

We've been trying to talk Mazda into letting us take care of that car. It needs love. And not "big hairy V8 from Brand X" love, but someone to keep it from deteriorating and keep it in the public eye.

The scaling problem with the ZX2 was that the Ford is bigger in every way. Wider and longer. Again, read the thread: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/miata-fastback/15844/page1/

You know, I have a spare Miata. Maybe it's time to do this. If only I still had that spare MGB GT shell.

CGLockRacer wrote: Has anyone ever grafted an FB RX-7 roof and hatch to an NA Miata? Are the sizes compatible? Grafmiata, you have both, don't you? Thanks!

Yes I do, and they are conveniently parked for doing some measurating...

I won't be out there until Sunday, if you are in no big hurry.

We have an FB parked in the middle of our Miata pool as well, I'll see if I can grab some measurements at lunch.

Looking at the FB and with the personal preference that I'd like some sort of trunk, a shooting brake with the hatch brought almost all of the way back to the rear of the car might be the most functional.

In reply to grafmiata:

This is just an idea at this point. Not even sure if it would look good. Photoshop anyone?

If I were to to this it would be a loooonnnnggg way out. It is something I have pondered for a while though.

The yellow concept is still my favorite. Looks great in person. Mazda should have made it. Anything else is just not quite right.

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--eLFSo8Z3--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/ohdjv5gvghhdtsk8tpjy.jpg

Roof from a Volvo PV-544? I think somebody here suggested that awhile ago as a joke but I couldn't find the thread. It wasn't quite right though. In fact it was quite wrong.

Is there any reason you could not just take a OEM hardtop, clip it above the rear window lay that back and mold it to the car like you want it to. That solves the most difficult issue of the interface with the windshield and windows. Plus with everything mounted rigid in the front and with a good roofline the rest is a cakewalk from a fiberglass perspective.

In reply to wearymicrobe:

That sounds pretty reasonable.

Does my two door Miata Station Wagon count?

In reply to NOHOME:
Right after the Volvo is done I'll be nominating you to start building a Miata coupe. Get your thinking cap on.

Keith Tanner wrote: I grafted a ZX2 upper body on to a Miata years ago in Photoshop for a thread just like this in GRM. Unfortunately, I had to cheat on the scale. The lines might work, but there's a size discrepancy. We also discussed the Opel GT at that time, I believe. I may have even done some measurements.

^^^ That's seriously cool!

Potential donor roof?

Pulsar nx + miata

In reply to wearymicrobe:

They make a hard top add on like that, pop the bacl glass out of a factory hard top, add on the new piece that takes over the trunk

In reply to chiodos:

So instead of re-inventing the wheel, why not take the factory top (like weary said) or the aftermarket top you talk about and use as is or make permanent? Like weary said, interfacing with the windshield and doors is the hardest part.

alfadriver wrote: I always thought that the Escort ZX2 had a really close body line to the Miata.

One book I saw on the development of the Miata showed a design study where Mazda had weighed different layouts for a Miata - they had considered FWD and mid engined in addition to the front engined / RWD layout. The FWD model looked suspiciously like a truncated ZX2 - I have to wonder if that was where they got the styling.