Project Miata - Miata number 5 hits the Clown house.

[Zembonez]

Got the 97 Miata delivered to the house today. It's in the condition I expected from my buddy's description and has a dented left fender and some hail damage on the deck lid and hood. It's Montego Blue and has power windows and locks (silly I know). If I decide to do a full resto deal on it, the hood and deck lid are easily replaceable and the few other dings are easy fixers.

Engine sounds good at 113K but I'm probably going to tear into it and pull the head so I can shave it. Add a competition head job and gasket set, maybe a little flow work, a new water pump, new timing belt, and she should have a slight bump in power and be ready to go. Trans is quiet and the clutch seems very sound...

Anyway, the body is overall in good straight condition and doesn't show signs of any crashes... so I may have finally found a good project car! WOO HOO!

Here are the BEFORE pics. All I did was wash off a layer of dirt.

 

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Throw a turbo on that fWONker

There's something really wrong in this picture...

 

[PenguinLTZ]

Nice

 

[Shanks12]

Is this going to be a project car over a couple years.. or something you are going to throw money into now

 

[daddy]

Knowing Jim, it'll never happen or it'll happen fast.

 

[Darkanion]

...and it'll be gone 3 days after he's done.

 

[Shanks12]

 

[YellowEyes89]

Hey Jim.....if you need any ideas....here's a reference (even though it is a coupe)

 

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I wouldn't expect anybody who buys a Miata to do it, but doesn't look so bad at all. Just doens't make too much sense, because if there was a coupe Miata from the factory it would be supposed to be cheaper...

 

[Bowtie2Sierra]

Cool project Jim.

I look forward to see pics of the progress.