In which we find that the transplantation of a Ford V-8 much enlivens the Miata.
Before we got all kissy-kissy with the Russians, "throw weight" was a trendy bit of Cold War argot that gauged the ability of lCBMs the size of double-wide house trailers to toss megaton nukes between Minsk and Memphis. Thankfully, that entire mode of technology is becomingBut not with Dave Hops, the maestro of Monster Motorsports. His notion of throw weight is to stuff a 4.
Hops, a San Diego State engineering grad, a former Formula Atlantic shoe, and an accomplished builder of both ERA and Contemporary Cobra conversions, has built 30 of his Monster Miatas and has a steady stream of orders ahead of him.The basic unit is a miracle fit, as if somewhere in some secret Mazda scheme a V-8 the size of Ford's was planned.
Coupled to a Borg-Warner T-5 five-speed manual and a Mazda RX-7 differential, the completed package tips the scale at 2480 pounds, roughly 220 more than the stock unit. Hops explains that the Ford engine weighs about 170 pounds more than the Mazda, and the RX-7 rear end adds another 40 pounds to the package. Amazingly, the T-5 is 50 pounds lighter than the stock Miata unit.
Hop also adds larger sway bars fore and aft and stiffer Eibach rear springs, plus larger rubber . Our test vehicle carried Panasport Minilite replica mag wheels , a roll bar, and considerably more power than the base package. For $1995, Hops installs a 300-hp SVO package, complete with a GT40 manifold, larger injectors and throttle body, Flowmaster headers, and a less restricted two-chamber exhaust.Expectation that a vehicle with an 89.
Hops has done a superb job of mounting the engine in the Mazda's innards. The body remains taut, and there is no cowl shake, axle tramp, or unseemly rattles or vibrations, even at full throttle. The Mazda steering is more than up to the task, and the car tracks well even in bursts beyond 100 mph. Because of the short final-drive ratio, second-gear starts are recommended for routine driving, while 80-mph Interstate cruising forces toleration of a rather thunderous 3700 rpm.
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