12 replies to this topic

[nomoscrilla]

I am new to the world of miatas.  I live in San Diego and live a few hours away from Chuckwalla Raceway.  I'm looking to get a miata for weekend joy-rides on the local streets and also occasional track and autocross days.  The plan would be to gut it and add roll bar, spec suspension etc, while still keeping it street legal.  I have found a 1990 miata with 137K miles for sale from the original owner for $3k.  It comes with a hard-top, original paint is a tad faded as you'd expect.  It's never been raced or anything.  What's the consensus here...good deal, bad deal??  Forgive the noob question-new to Miatas and just wondering if the experienced folk on this site would consider this a deal.  Thanks!

[Glenn Davis]

OEM Hardtop?  If so, not a bad deal if no rust and straight body.  Others could tell you a zillion other things to look for.  Is any of the interior sellable?

[Bench Racer]

Agree with Glen, if nothig is screwed up or costly to make street legal. Take your $3,000.00 minus $1,000.00 you'd pay for a hard top (if the top is OEM) and the car is costing you $2,000.00.

[Johnny D]

I did a CL search in San Diego and nothing really, just another 95 donor for sale.

But for some reason this was there from AZ. I have no idea about this car, but it's cheap and street legal if you have any interest.

I'd really check how well the cage is built and if any log books.

Good luck

http://losangeles.cr...4665200758.html

J~

[fotostars]

"Street Legal": Last time I checked, it required a horn, a 3-point seat belt and a "quiet" exhaust that can pass SMOG

(those are only the obvious violations that a typical Spec Miata would fail).

[Johnny D]

"Street Legal": Last time I checked, it required a horn, a 3-point seat belt and a "quiet" exhaust that can pass SMOG

(those are only the obvious violations that a typical Spec Miata would fail).

 

Brandons "Sharpie" car is street legal and he drives to the track. He got pole in SSM yesterday, just saying.

 

On the AZ car ^^, not sure how much work it is to get a street legal AZ car to pass CA smog.

J~

[fotostars]

Hehe ;-)

Not arguing, just saying...

"Street Legal" and "Registered/Passed SMOG" are two different things... 

[Bench Racer]

Is CA, ALL cars must pass smog???

[fotostars]

Is CA, ALL cars must pass smog???

 

Pretty much, unless it's really old: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm

[George Willet]

The Miata Race Car in Arizona posted on Craig's List is mine. I've tried to post a link to it on this post but it won't transfer, So you can go to LA CL  and look for "Miata race car" $4700.

 

Cars to have to pass smog here and it is only the later cars that are designated "CA Spec", not "49 States", that have trouble meeting CA emissions checks.  This car is a NA (1991) car.

 

The car I listed as being street legal and titled/licensed has all the stock components from the factory including the smog equipment, with the exception of meeting the SCCA and NASA GCR safety rules added for the classes that I built the car for, which included one of Sean's Spec Miata roll cages with NASCAR door bars. The car currently has a stock exhaust as some of the Arizona tracks have a sound  limit.

 

This car is well built and I freshened it up for the 2014 season and then decided that after over 35 years of crewing, building, selling and driving race cars in most of the race organizations on the West Coast it is time to hang up my helmet and sell the car to someone I might be able to mentor.

 

Not being of the typing/texting era, I prefer a call if you have questions, Thanks, George. 520-374-2220

 

Monday 9-22-14 Car is sold, Thanks to all who were interested. George. See you at the run-offs.

[nomoscrilla]

Thanks for the feedback fellas.  The hardtop is OEM.  I checked the car on Sunday-interior is very nice.  The original owner had kept seat-covers on since he bought it so the seats are surprisingly new.  We pulled the hardtop off and the soft-top is also in great condition (apparently he never even used the soft-top)...it has always had the hardtop attached.  The only concern, however, was that it had no pep.  I was expecting a more revvy feel, but it felt kind of boggy.  I don't know if that's the way these earlier models feel, or perhaps bad combustion?

[Ron Alan]

If you didn't buy it can you let me know where it is at? peppy ness is fixable!

[Mark]

I'm surprised the car is still for sale if the hard top is OEM. Hard to see the downside at 3k as the hard top alone is worth 1k these days. A 1.6 is usually fairly lively. If not these cars are pretty easy to fix so I wouldn't sweat it too much. I'd buy it. If you don't, please send me contact info for the car. Stand back Ron!