RE: Mazda MX-5 Rocketeer V6 | PH Private Area
Discussion
Sway said:
Yep, designed by Porsche, bought by Ford. Tweaked by Cosworth!
It's a messy, pre-internet story; Porsche and Cosworth seem to have done a fair bit of front-end consultancy work, but lion's share of making the engine a production-ready unit was done in-house. Probably not a bad way to do things; your bods might not be terribly outward looking, whilst external consultants won't know the hard limits of your plant. Sway said:
Not a rocketeer conversion. It's very professionally done.
Of course, it's possible to knock up a subframe and gearbox adaptor plate reasonably cheaply, but even the ECU and mapping alone is going to take a decent chunk out of £2k.
It might be what they evolved into. It was a cheap conversion, good bang for buck.Of course, it's possible to knock up a subframe and gearbox adaptor plate reasonably cheaply, but even the ECU and mapping alone is going to take a decent chunk out of £2k.
Frankychops said:
Sway said:
Not a rocketeer conversion. It's very professionally done.
Of course, it's possible to knock up a subframe and gearbox adaptor plate reasonably cheaply, but even the ECU and mapping alone is going to take a decent chunk out of £2k.
It might be what they evolved into. It was a cheap conversion, good bang for buck.Of course, it's possible to knock up a subframe and gearbox adaptor plate reasonably cheaply, but even the ECU and mapping alone is going to take a decent chunk out of £2k.
The only thing his first prototype had that didn't stay was ITBs, but there's just not the room for proper trumpets, hence the carbon manifolds with dual throttle bodies.
There were issues with the original ECU supplier, so that got sorted later too.
I did this swap a while ago (in fact it is my build thread referenced near the start of this discussion).
My car is less original than the one for sale here or must be said. And the paintwork is less good too!
However, I really enjoy driving it. I like the fact that it still wants to rev, and doesn't have a massive hit of torque all of a sudden. It drives like an mx5, but faster.
Financially it makes little sense. But it was fun doing the work on the swap (if not all plain sailing), and it's fun driving it now so I take that as a win!
My car is less original than the one for sale here or must be said. And the paintwork is less good too!
However, I really enjoy driving it. I like the fact that it still wants to rev, and doesn't have a massive hit of torque all of a sudden. It drives like an mx5, but faster.
Financially it makes little sense. But it was fun doing the work on the swap (if not all plain sailing), and it's fun driving it now so I take that as a win!
Sway said:
The only thing his first prototype had that didn't stay was ITBs, but there's just not the room for proper trumpets, hence the carbon manifolds with dual throttle bodies]
I took his itb's from his prototype on my kit - wanted them exposed under perpex cover on extended trumpets - so has bonnet bulge - wanted it to look/sound ridiculous - dyno'd and rolling roaded on 2 locations at 300 bhp - has pulled 7500 rpm in top which equates to 158 mph. Conversion done at 152k kms - now on 179k kms after 28k kms of trouble free motoring. OP's car looks great value and a real bargain for someone. They are a riot to drive and the sum is greater than the parts from an ownership experience. Half the fun is that when you are pressing on - other enthusiastic road users struggle to reconcile your pace and the glorious sounds emanating from a diminutive humble mx5Edited to shorten
Edited by 1573 on Monday 7th August 16:32
I built a ford 5.0 V8 Mk1 MX5. Looking beyond the inaccurate and ill informed cries about the massive weight of pushrod V8s and nose heavy weight distribution etc. you would find that this is a very capable package: Small, mechanically simple and relatively light (2700lbs), which is a rarity. However, the T5 transmission wasn't the light and precise enjoyable change of the original Miata box. Given the above context I think that the Rocketeer V6 is an excellent solution, retaining the great transmission and more of the character of the original car.
An early Boxster S or one with with the mechanical throttle cable early 3.4 from the 996 would be another great option although possibly too neutral to be as much fun as an MX5 V6.
An early Boxster S or one with with the mechanical throttle cable early 3.4 from the 996 would be another great option although possibly too neutral to be as much fun as an MX5 V6.
ShortBeardy said:
I built a ford 5.0 V8 Mk1 MX5. Looking beyond the inaccurate and ill informed cries about the massive weight of pushrod V8s and nose heavy weight distribution etc. you would find that this is a very capable package: Small, mechanically simple and relatively light (2700lbs), which is a rarity. However, the T5 transmission wasn't the light and precise enjoyable change of the original Miata box. Given the above context I think that the Rocketeer V6 is an excellent solution, retaining the great transmission and more of the character of the original car.
An early Boxster S or one with with the mechanical throttle cable early 3.4 from the 996 would be another great option although possibly too neutral to be as much fun as an MX5 V6.
Well before Rocketeer came along, I was seriously looking at the Flyin Miata LS conversion kit - Project Thunderbolt was incredible to watch. The issue was that really it meant an IVA.An early Boxster S or one with with the mechanical throttle cable early 3.4 from the 996 would be another great option although possibly too neutral to be as much fun as an MX5 V6.
The FM LFX V6 swap avoided that - and if I could track one down, I'd love to have a go in one.
VladD said:
Xcore said:
TheJimi said:
£15k on a Boxster S or this?
I'd have this car, every time.
Boxster s. I'd have this car, every time.
Mk1 mx5 chassis are as rigid as a flipflop.
There's also the argument about 'capability' versus 'enjoyment'.
A boxster is far more capable, but can also be pretty dull and anodyne in normal driving.
A MX5 can be immense fun at 30mph... There's a reason they've been so well regarded for driving for over 30 years, and killed off all competition in the market.
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