the staff of Motorsport Marketing
the staff of Motorsport Marketing Writer
12/6/16 3:33 p.m.

Stuff a V8 into a Mazda Miata? Sure, why not? In reality, a lot of these conversions produce cantankerous, ill-tempered beasts that suffer from a lack of refinement. Flyin’ Miata has been developing their V8 swaps for years, though, and we recently took one of their house cars for a spin: a fully loaded 2009 Power Retractable Hard Top model. …

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mazdeuce
mazdeuce UltimaDork
12/6/16 3:55 p.m.

I can't quite believe anyone would pay for the swap and NOT spring for the 525hp motor.

OldGray320i
OldGray320i HalfDork
12/6/16 4:05 p.m.

Flyin' Miata V8 math for me: $50,000 + Hospital bill < $50,000 + $1,780 + much bigger Hospital bill.

I'm gonna hurt myself either way, so...

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/6/16 4:27 p.m.
mazdeuce wrote: I can't quite believe anyone would pay for the swap and NOT spring for the 525hp motor.

It's a relatively recent addition to the line. But more importantly, it has a very different personality. The 430 has production car manners, great for a GT style car. It feels like it came from the manufacturer that way. The 525 is feral but is a bit more of a hassle in low speed driving and it is very obvious at idle. Bill at FM prefers the 430, I'm a big fan of the 525. We have the 430 in our NC PRHT and the 525 in the Targe Miata and the ND. All have the correct engine for their station in life.

mndsm
mndsm MegaDork
12/6/16 4:32 p.m.

So when are you strapping a pair of Nelson mirror twins to one?

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/6/16 4:34 p.m.

That's an Internet Special kind of question. Forum racing. Nobody has ever got out of one of these and asked that question.

paranoid_android74
paranoid_android74 SuperDork
12/7/16 3:18 p.m.
Keith Tanner wrote: That's an Internet Special kind of question. Forum racing. Nobody has ever got out of one of these and asked that question.

Hmmm... Would that put you at plaid speed?

einy
einy Reader
12/7/16 4:46 p.m.

Keith ... are you guys going to be at PRI this week?

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/7/16 9:02 p.m.

We don't sell B2B so we don't exhibit there. A couple of the guys will be walking the show, though.

captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
12/8/16 7:14 a.m.

I can't help but think that the targa car needs a pair of those mirrors (preferably of EFR variety) and another trip to a certain maritime Canadian province.

Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
12/8/16 7:22 a.m.

At this point you guys really need to apply for manufacturers status. You are doing as much as Saleen ever did to a Mustang.

pinchvalve
pinchvalve GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/8/16 8:13 a.m.

I found this online...

12/8/2016 - Hiroshima - Japanese Automaker Mazda announced today the Zoom Zoomiest car in the car manufacturer's history, the Habu Edition Miata featuring an LS3 V8 from Chevrolet Performance. The Habu is a collaboration with Flyin' Miata out of the United States who provides the parts and engineering expertise to transform the playful MX-5 into a well-sorted - if tastefully overpowered - beast for the street. The Habu edition will be sold in Mazda dealerships with full factory warranty with an MSRP of $43,500, although a 20% discount is available to forum members of Grassroots Motorsports who have achieved "MegaDork" status.

...on a fake news site run by a Trump appointee.

captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
12/8/16 8:15 a.m.

In reply to pinchvalve:

I'm dying over here.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/8/16 9:59 a.m.
captdownshift wrote: I can't help but think that the targa car needs a pair of those mirrors (preferably of EFR variety) and another trip to a certain maritime Canadian province.

Lack of power was not the car's weak point in that race (well, lack of HORSEPOWER, lack of electrical power was a totally different problem), and it's packing about 50% more than it was last time already Turbos would only make it less reliable so the internet nerds could more easily fawn over the broken car in the parking lot.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/8/16 10:00 a.m.
pinchvalve wrote: I found this online... 12/8/2016 - Hiroshima - Japanese Automaker Mazda announced today the Zoom Zoomiest car in the car manufacturer's history, the Habu Edition Miata featuring an LS3 V8 from Chevrolet Performance. The Habu is a collaboration with Flyin' Miata out of the United States who provides the parts and engineering expertise to transform the playful MX-5 into a well-sorted - if tastefully overpowered - beast for the street. The Habu edition will be sold in Mazda dealerships with full factory warranty with an MSRP of $43,500, although a 20% discount is available to forum members of Grassroots Motorsports who have achieved "MegaDork" status. ...on a fake news site run by a Trump appointee.

I learn the coolest things about our company on the internet!

Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
12/8/16 10:03 a.m.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

You gonna honor that price AND the 20% off?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

mazdeuce
mazdeuce UltimaDork
12/8/16 10:15 a.m.

I don't even care about the discount, you sell me a new ND with a V8 for $43k and I'm camping out in front of FM like a concertgoer waiting for tickets to go on sale. First guy in line.

captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
12/8/16 10:21 a.m.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

I figure with EFRs, drinking corn syrup and some water/meth that though horsepower isn't the problem, that 900+HP could be the answer. The answer to likely having a Formula Drift team campaign a Flyin' Miata and possibly not much else other than how to die smiling with poo coming out.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/8/16 10:25 a.m.
Flight Service wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: You gonna honor that price AND the 20% off?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I'm assuming that if it has a factory warranty, that you have to order it through your Mazda dealer. Let me know how that goes...

NickD
NickD Dork
12/8/16 10:57 a.m.
captdownshift wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: I figure with EFRs, drinking corn syrup and some water/meth that though horsepower isn't the problem, that 900+HP could be the answer. The answer to likely having a Formula Drift team campaign a Flyin' Miata and possibly not much else other than how to die smiling with poo coming out.

Danny George did campaign both an NA and an NB in Formula Drift with 700+hp LS engines (Although not built by FM). Neither was particularly successful. And then recently Mike Whiddett built an NC (with ND front and rear bodywork, RX-8 suspension parts and RX-7 widebody components) with a 1000+hp twin turbo, quad wastegate, 4-rotor. It too has struggled to find a place in the sport.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/8/16 11:07 a.m.

Danny's putting that drivetrain in an E36 right now. The Miata is just not a great drift car. Although Danny did have a run in our ND V8 for Top Gear Magazine...

Trackmouse
Trackmouse Dork
12/8/16 2:50 p.m.

What is the origin of the name "Habu"? Is it a precursor to when I have to go to re"habu"?

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