VMP Performance's Hellcat-swapped Miata

https://www.youtube.com/embed/DjCi6yVRvN4

Submitted for your viewing pleasure, a Miata with a Hellcat heart. Beautiful. 

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Over 500 ft-lbs just off idle. Narrow track width, 89" wheel base. Nah, I can't see anything going wrong here. =P

It's not that I don't get it (I'm all for crazy for the sake of crazy, and hey, it's just one Miata, there are still thousands of them in every flavor imaginable), but it's definitely not for me. I wouldn't say no to putting an LS or Coyote (or even Voodoo, for that matter) in my NB, but when you have to cut holes in the hood to clear the power adder on such a light car...

This thing was at hyperfest or superfest or festfest recently making scary burnouts. Maybe it was cletusfest?

Mndsm said:

This thing was at hyperfest or superfest or festfest recently making scary burnouts. Maybe it was cletusfest?

It was definitely at a Cleetus & Cars and they let him do burnouts in it. It seemed to scare even him, and he's driven some fast E36 M3.

Idk, I don't hate it. It's silly and nonsensical and that's good. People in the car hobby tend to get too serious sometimes. 

Mndsm said:

This thing was at hyperfest or superfest or festfest recently making scary burnouts. Maybe it was cletusfest?

Definitely Festfest. I'm copywriting that. 

NickD said:

Idk, I don't hate it. It's silly and nonsensical and that's good. People in the car hobby tend to get too serious sometimes. 

This is exactly what I appreciate about it. This is up there with Rob Dahm's four rotor FD, but maybe not quite on the level of the guy who made a custom V12 using two Toyota 1jz's. Either way, still cool to see, and I really do like the orange on the NB, it's a good fit.

Watching them build it was scary enough..

Talk about “all motor”. (Yes I know it’s blown.)

Looks like this car was sold at Barrett-Jackson's recent Las Vegas sale.

Hammer price? $36,300.

Woke up to see this on Facebook. Honestly, not that surprised.

Only took six weeks for the buyer to wreck it... That's longer than most Hellcats!

What is (was?) the power to weight ratio of this thing and how close is it to a shifter kart?

i think it was mid 800ish and like 2600lbs

te72 said:

but when you have to cut holes in the hood to clear the power adder on such a light car...

And why is that a problem?    

Anything with that weight distribution deserves to die. It's a clickbait build, it's fate kinda suits it.  The worst part is that a mechanical failure keeps getting blamed for the crash. Sure, the caliper stuck, we believe you. 

I didn't hate it, but I'm not terribly surprised this happened. I am surprised that it appears to have been operating on a public road. This seemed like the kind of car that would just get trailered to show after show after show and rarely get driven.

Carbon said:

Anything with that weight distribution deserves to die. It's a clickbait build, it's fate kinda suits it.  The worst part is that a mechanical failure keeps getting blamed for the crash. Sure, the caliper stuck, we believe you. 

This is why we can't have nice things. 

OHSCrifle said:

What is (was?) the power to weight ratio of this thing and how close is it to a shifter kart?

You may be surprised to know that shifter karts don't have impressive power to weight ratios. My 250cc shifter kart makes 50 hp and weighs 400 lbs with me in it for a weight to power ratio of 8 lbs per hp. My autocross car weighs 1750 lbs with me in it and makes 350 hp, or 5 lbs per hp. The shifter kart feels faster because I'm an inch off the ground with nothing around me.

That happened near the Gainesville raceway I believe. It was in town for the import face off yesterday. 

So who's anxiously awaiting it to show up on Copart?

Where's the "A Florida Man..." news story?

dyintorace said:

That happened near the Gainesville raceway I believe. It was in town for the import face off yesterday. 

That explains why I encountered an trailed drag honda on I75 south of the bushnell exit, a modded 3rd gen prelude, and some guys in a truck giving me a thumbs up in my integra all within a span of 10 minutes on my way home from an autocross. 

Carbon said:

Anything with that weight distribution deserves to die. It's a clickbait build, it's fate kinda suits it.  The worst part is that a mechanical failure keeps getting blamed for the crash. Sure, the caliper stuck, we believe you. 

I dunno, the weight distribution on my Mini is pretty front-biased.

A caliper locked up? Man up and take ownership of your mistake, buddy. You were hooning and poor judgement has consequences.

Last sentence says it all

Keith Tanner said:

Man up and take ownership of your mistake, buddy. You were hooning and poor judgement has consequences.

When you have more power and more confidence than talent things go wrong quickly. Not that I blame him, that car would outrun the talent of most mortals. You just have to recognize it. I am almost 40 and grew up in a time when 250 hp was a lot and I thought I was Mario Andretti. The first time I drove an S197 shelby mustang I learned I definitely wasn't. Luckily I didn't wreck, but it showed me how easily it could get out from under me.