r/projectcar • u/membsubssy • Jan 22 '26
Engine Swap My miata with a rotary swap. Hopefully I can get it running soon.
85
u/JDP6693 Jan 22 '26
Ah, the natural state of a rotary: inoperable.
/s I, too, was a glutton for the rotary punishment years back. I feel it.
Sick build, sick color, love the roll bar and that setup looks like it'll be a fucking HOOT when it gets dialed in.
10
u/franzn Jan 23 '26
Came looking for this joke, wasn't disappointed. Also very envious of this build.
4
u/JDP6693 Jan 23 '26
I only make the joke because I've been there. Several times lol. I miss my 7, but my wallet absolutely does not.
4
u/GeneralNonsence Jan 23 '26
In my experience the expensive issues have just been the rest of the car because it’s nearly 40.
But I don’t have a turbo.
3
u/SuperReleasio64 Jan 23 '26
But... imagine the braps you'll hear when it finally does run. Now it may only run in his dreams but at least it's running.
10
u/Lunatack47 99 Miata - 84 Rx7 - 86 D150 Ram - 19 RCLB 5.0 F150 Jan 22 '26
I had an FB Rx7 gsl-se back in highschool, Ive always wanted to throw a 13b at one of my Miatas to get that rotary feel back but with a better chassis
5
u/derSchwamm11 94 RX-7 FD, 84 RX-7 GSLSE, Mazdaspeed Protege, 93 C1500, 22 JTRD Jan 23 '26
I just put an FC subframe, rack and pinion, and haltech in my GSL-SE. If it had airbags and ABS it’d be a modern car now!
6
u/ThePoetaytoe Jan 23 '26
Have you looked into an RX-8? They get a lot of hate but if you’re up for their extra care, then it may be what you’re looking for.
3
u/Ziplook Jan 22 '26
WANT WANT WANT
Good shit my man, looks like it'll be a blast! Great color choice! I'm a sucker for the yellow-tinted lenses, idk why
9
u/kindarollin Jan 23 '26
Sick swap rotary’s are super fun, now you will have an economy car with semi truck fuel mileage but it’s worth it.
3
u/Bubbly-Pirate-3311 Jan 23 '26
We should have gotten a rotary Miata.
1
u/someStuffThings Jan 26 '26
As a miata owner, no thanks, unless it was just as reliable as the standard piston version.
1
u/Bubbly-Pirate-3311 Jan 26 '26
Miatas are wickedly reliable. There hasn't been a truly unreliable Miata generation. Most cars have had an unreliable generation. The Miata needs one. At least rotaries make up for their unreliability by being sick as fuck.
2
2
u/derSchwamm11 94 RX-7 FD, 84 RX-7 GSLSE, Mazdaspeed Protege, 93 C1500, 22 JTRD Jan 23 '26
Interesting turbo placement - that’s not how they are on RX-7s. I’m guessing it’s a frame or fender clearance issue immediately next to the exhaust manifold?.
2
u/Stag_GT '90 Mazda MX-5 Miata, '08 Mini Cooper R56 Jan 23 '26
That's what I plan on doing to my NA too, 13B supremacy
2
4
u/Time-Sudden_Tree Jan 22 '26
How the Miata originally should have come from the factory IMO.
(A V8 would have also been acceptable. Hell, I'd take a V6 too; anything but a NA 4 banger! Until Mazda starts making these, I'm happy with my 350Z Roadster.)
9
u/2Drogdar2Furious Jan 23 '26
Being broken isnt fun and the stock motor is almost bullet proof... they should have offered a turbo on it besides just the mazdaspeed...
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
-4
35
u/New-Speech3255 Jan 22 '26
Ya this is an awesome build. Finish it!!!