Rocketeer Jag 3.0 V6 conversion
Discussion
Just put deposit down after a go in the demo car at the weekend. Have also bought a brand new Jaguar 3.0 V6 engine - 6 Jenvey ITB's - engine will have same induction as the jaguar jp1 - which will necessitate 6 trumpets sticking out of bonnet covered with a clear perspex cowl - should sound sweet! Kit delivery should be early August.
Bought a friends eunos v special a month ago and had obligatory welding done on rear sills - but otherwise pretty clean - ultimate end game is to have a reliable unstressed 250 odd bhp - obviously with decent suspension/brakes - so it's fun on the road and will make a fun trackcar which i can drive to a circuit opposed to using a trailer. Yes - i know could have turbocharged/supercharged it for less money - but that's not going to sound the same and i like the idea of 6 trumpets sticking out of the bonnet - anyway already have a manic high maintenance track car - hopefully this will be more of a fun gt which can also cut it on the track. Also love idea if it is a wet track day of having the luxury of such refinements as a roof/screen/heater!
I had no real interest in mx5's before - other than being surprised how well-driven and track optimised derivatives go on track - but used this little car to come into work today and i am really charmed by it's sheer fun factor - it just needs a bit more go!
Anyone else on here buying a kit or done anything similar with a mazda/duratec v6?
Bought a friends eunos v special a month ago and had obligatory welding done on rear sills - but otherwise pretty clean - ultimate end game is to have a reliable unstressed 250 odd bhp - obviously with decent suspension/brakes - so it's fun on the road and will make a fun trackcar which i can drive to a circuit opposed to using a trailer. Yes - i know could have turbocharged/supercharged it for less money - but that's not going to sound the same and i like the idea of 6 trumpets sticking out of the bonnet - anyway already have a manic high maintenance track car - hopefully this will be more of a fun gt which can also cut it on the track. Also love idea if it is a wet track day of having the luxury of such refinements as a roof/screen/heater!
I had no real interest in mx5's before - other than being surprised how well-driven and track optimised derivatives go on track - but used this little car to come into work today and i am really charmed by it's sheer fun factor - it just needs a bit more go!
Anyone else on here buying a kit or done anything similar with a mazda/duratec v6?
scrwright said:
nice but out of my wallet range. Currently working on fitting this into mine - Long term project, but budget is around £1500. Have motor & lightweight subframe so far, plus a few other bits, spent £600
Cool - assume that is J series motor? - you can do the jag conversion for the something not dissimilar to your budget - if you fabricate your own subframe/use 2nd motor/budget ecu etc - or Rocketeer do a kit for under £1700 plus the dreaded if you just want key components. I want to do my conversion asap to get some summer use - ideally over a weekend excluding mapping and other bits - so have gone the easy + less skilled route!fido said:
Been following their progress on FB and it looks like a tasty upgrade for the Mk1/2. I'll probably go the turbo route on the Mk3 or 4 as it's probably lighter than a V6 albeit an alloy one - but no doubt this will sound fantastic in an MX-5.
I understand the alloy v6 is more or less same weight as the 1.8 twink in my mk1 (i will try to weigh during build) - and even with g/box adaptor plate the engine as a v6 is further back in the engine bay with commensurate handling upside. Anyway turbos/superchargers are all good - think i am still traumatised after a lengthy bmw m20 build with a roots blower years ago - and i now just something as "easy" - famous last words!scrwright said:
I keep looking at turbos for the J, it takes them well, and 380bhp is possible on stock internals....
- i don't doubt it - i am conscious of the fact there is probably a sweet spot of 250-270 bhp - after which significantly upgrading running gear comes into the equation and it becomes a more involved project - but if you are doing over time 350-380/ton is appealingJust received an email to say that my kit is no.20 and is scheduled for delivery for September 15th.
i have other cars to use but i have been using the eunos more or less daily unless i have a long haul trip - where the extra legs of the jag motor would come into it's own - can't wait!
i have other cars to use but i have been using the eunos more or less daily unless i have a long haul trip - where the extra legs of the jag motor would come into it's own - can't wait!
Sorry for radio silence guys - kit has just been collected by mate today - pallet is now in the back of his truck - which will be unloaded tomorrow with all the kit contents laid out - i will get a photo done.
That means these tall Jenvey air horns & inlet manifold for the 6 ITB's - pictured above - will soon be vacating my desk space and re-united with the rest of the kit. Probably going to start in February but might start sooner...
All motivated again now
ok - apologies - life got in the way - but the engine is in and in about 10 days can collect the exhaust system and the injectors. Quite a few installs have been done in the US and here now - hard to believe i've taken a year to mess about! Anyway when all dry assembled will need to cut hole in bonnet bulge and have to then do dimensions to make a mould - so i can have a clear cover vacuum formed for trumpets. Not sure yet if i want intake aperture at the front or at the back? I am not suggesting ram air effect is relevant - just not sure what is best - which i guess will be trial and error
for reference - here is a pic of the actual ITB's with the shortest trumpets available fitted on the original demo car (which were too short to enable bonnet to be closed - but resulted in insufficient airflow/clearance for trumpets) - i have gone for long trumpets - same dimensions as per the JP1 application - to give all the air needed - but means mx5 bonnet needs cut out.
...really do plan to have it on the road before christmas - (this year!) - should sound good - missed driving the car over the summer to be honest - absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder!
for reference - here is a pic of the actual ITB's with the shortest trumpets available fitted on the original demo car (which were too short to enable bonnet to be closed - but resulted in insufficient airflow/clearance for trumpets) - i have gone for long trumpets - same dimensions as per the JP1 application - to give all the air needed - but means mx5 bonnet needs cut out.
...really do plan to have it on the road before christmas - (this year!) - should sound good - missed driving the car over the summer to be honest - absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder!
well only a mere 3.5 years later(!) Got engine running on the dyno yesterday and although we need to fit bigger injectors next week to get the magic number.... 
Video of it running here - not the best run but does not sound too bad
Should go alright with 300/ton and at this rate might be finished before the end of the year!
Video of it running here - not the best run but does not sound too bad
Should go alright with 300/ton and at this rate might be finished before the end of the year!
Galsia said:
Probably a dumb question but what made you go for velocity stacks? I know that the demo car used to have them but Bruce from Rocketeer said that carbon fibre intake plenums increased the airflow due to the lack of space in the engine bay for the stacks to breathe properly.
Obviously if you're having them poking out of the bonnet then this isn't an issue but apart from looking awesome, are there any other benefits?
Also, how on earth is 300bhp achievable? Watching this with interest.
The stacks are fitted to 6 individual jenvey throttle bodies - which is quite a different fuelling proposition to 2 plenums. 6 itb's have been proven not to work with a closed bonnet and short stacks - simply is not enough space/suitable environment to get enough air in - cut out in bonnet with longer trumpets solves that problem. (these are the 6itb's from Bruce's original demo car) I wanted the ultimate power/aesthetics and sound that 6itb's provide - it is more or less the set up on the Jaguar JP1. For most who want the closed bonnet/no extra expense and not chasing final power numbers - twin plenum is a better option. As for 300 - well it reached 293.5 before fuel capacity of stock injectors was reached. Larger flow items are now going on it - coupled with fact from the power curve you can see power was not tailing off at 7- suggests there is more to come. Engine was run to 7800 on another run - it's a new old stock engine and seems a good one - so its fair to assume there might be more to come.Obviously if you're having them poking out of the bonnet then this isn't an issue but apart from looking awesome, are there any other benefits?
Also, how on earth is 300bhp achievable? Watching this with interest.
PushedDover said:
£12k is a lot dough isnt it..- I'd want a V6 Mk1 personally
No affiliation to vendor and not seen the car but just looked at the ad - it is probably a definite plus re residuals that Rocketeer have done the conversion. Unless you want to do the conversion yourself and have the time - this for a turnkey car all done ready to drive is a lot of car for 12k. Bruce's demo car is a Mk2 and goes really well - he uses it as his daily and although I have mk1 - the mk2 is growing on me. New address for Rocketeer web site is www.rocketeercars.com/ - features Bruce's silver Mk2 on video intro
SpeedWeasel said:
I don't have a build thread on here but I do have a blog here on Wordpress (I hope the link is OK Mods!?)
Great build thread - bookmarked! Ohlins...v.exotic - drove mine gently for a brief shakedown - dampers were shot tbh - got me thinking Anyway video of car on first drive here - still work to do but first impressions are v.encouraging!
Gassing Station | Mazda MX5/Roadster/Miata | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff