Project PeeWee

1991 Miata with some upgrades…

A few years ago we bought this tired old Miata for some track day fun. Miatas are great cars for anyone to learn how to race in as they force you to learn how to keep speed up. They’re referred to as a “momentum car” by seasoned track veterans. That’s a polite way of saying “keep the speed up, ’cause you’ve got no steam to accelerate with should you slow down.” And that’s true. With a walloping 116 hp at the crank, our little Miata moved decently (as it weighs only 2100 lbs), but certainly not quickly. Some upgrades were in order to eliminate that “momentum car” talk. When we bought this little car, we already had a track day scheduled at Daytona International Speedway, so we were in a mad rush to get it built in time to take to Daytona and run it on the Speedway. For those who’ve never been, you can easily do over 180 mph at Daytona while looking out the top-left corner of the windshield to see where you’re going as you make your way around the 31 degree banked turns. This is what speed is all about! Enjoy the transformation below…

The starting point. Fun, but could be more so.
We acquired a hard-top (in sexy smurf blue) and got the cage going.
The interior installed around the new roll cage.
Looking good toward the back. Test fit the seat and move on to the running gear.
Bodywork has to come off front and rear.
The wiring harness for the engine was pulled in one piece so that it and the engine could be sold to someone who may need a replacement for their lawn tractor.
All of the non-essentials and parts that will be replaced get pulled out.
Our new light-weight wheels came in with the slicks.
This should buy us some more grip. These are 245/15s.
Getting ready to drop the driveline.
Remove the bolts and pop the body off.
Maybe we should shorten it and make a 116 hp bar stool.
These Miata bodies are so light that we had to strap the rear onto the lift as any time someone leaned on the front rad support, the body would tilt up.
We sand-blasted and powder-coated the suspension sub-frame and the new rear diff mount.
We reconditioned the uprights and coated them as well, installing new wheel bearings all around as well as the usual suspension and steering parts (bushings, tie-rods, ball-joints, etc)
The rear-axle housing mount with new poly bushings
We sand-blasted and powder-coated the suspension control arms that weren’t being replaced and installed new poly bushings
Test-fitting the rear subframe.
With new bearings, adjustable shocks, 580 lb/inch springs and custom half-shafts, things were coming together in the back.
May as well see what the wheels will look like when installed.
The Ford 8.8″ IRS after powder-coating is now ready for re-assembly with a new Posi-trac unit.
Looks good. Clearances right where they need to be.
Time to mount this puppy in the car!
The rear is just about finished.
C5 Z06 power. Needs a cam.
A dual disc clutch keeps things moving.
Using a 6-speed gives you great fuel economy. Compared to the Miata’s original 5-speed manual, this new setup should actually give us much better highway fuel economy. The original rating was 25 city, 30 highway. We’ll beat that easily.
In it goes!
Yay! The new front upper control arms with new ball joints. Sweet!
Assembling the new brake rotors onto the hats and safety-wiring it to keep things where they belong.
Back on the ground you go, PeeWee!
The top came back with a fresh coat of paint.
Back up in the air to install a new short-throw shifter and fabricate an exhaust.
The new aluminum driveshaft will come in handy now, too!
4-piston calipers up front, for now. These will get upgraded later when the car comes apart for a complete paint job. New 6-piston calipers will go up front and these 4 piston jobs will go out back.
A bigger clutch requires a new master cylinder.
The electrical system and wiring coming together.
Power steering is going back in, too!
We also have to get a new fuel cell built up in time for the track day. Don’t want to miss Daytona!
The original fuel tank was cut out and new metal welded in to create a cavity for the fuel cell.
After some long nights, we finally have it together and running. Time for some dyno work!
It’s a little more than 116 hp now!
Good morning, Daytona!
Top off the fluids, final walk around, nut and bolts, then suit up!
PeeWee at a local car show.
The next generation of techies. Great fun!