9 replies to this topic

[wera44]

So I did a bit of Spec 944 racing with NASA but now I want to try my hand at Spec Miata. I found a donor car (2002 80k miles) with some damage and have questions. The driver front was hit on the wheel and bent the subframe and everything attached to it on that side. I don't know enough about the car to know how strong the attachment point is. Im worried that if I buy it and replace the subframe it still may not be straight. Really looking for a little guidance. Id be buying it cheap enough that if it was a total loss I could still part the car and be ok but Id rather not waste my time and effort. As you can see in the pictures the right front wheel is almost straight ahead and the left is not even close haha. Thanks for any advice or input.

 

 

 

 

 

[Marc Cefalo]

plan on replacing the frt subframe and all the control arms and spindle from that side along with all hardware.

 

look at the front sway bar mount to the front frame rail.  make sure it is NOT rotted.  NOT puffy, NOT blistered at all.

 

feel free to call us if you need any help during the build.

[davew]

What Marc said.

 

Replace everything on that corner for sure. We sell a set of subframe checkers that will tell you if the subframe is bent or not. Usually you can see if the actual frame rail is bent by looking from the engine compartment for wobbles in the steel.

 

Any car from the rust belt (Tennessee and up) has the potential for front frame rail rot. The rust is in the area where the sway bar brackets attach to the chassis/unibody. Check both sides and inside and outside of the frame. Although the rot is beyond the subframe mounting point, it will cause severe damage the first time you have a front end contact.

 

dave

[FTodaro]

I would say the biggest concern is how solid those front frame rails are, as Marc pointed out, it can be difficult to detect the amount of rust, The problem is we have a tendency to hit things in this class and if those front frame rails are not solid, the first time you drill something with the nose they will deform. replacing those front end suspension parts is cheap, replacing the frame rails is not.

[callumhay]

This looks like a good parts car. For as much time, money and frustration in a new build, if it were me I would go for a running non damaged car from the south for about the $ 2500-3500 range. A true spec Miata without motor work is going to need 8-10k+ in parts and "free" (if it's you doing it) work. Definitely want the reward to be a trouble free car. Really interesting to hear about the sway bar attachment area rusting. Being in Florida have not seen that.

[Johnny D]

Just a FYI, there are race ready cars up in the classifieds up top ^^

 

http://mazdaracers.c...sort_order=desc

 

J~

[wera44]

Thanks for all the input guys. I think I'm going to pass and either wait for a low mileage street car or buy one that's already done. Half the fun for me is building the car but I don't want to take the chance of more problems down the road.

[FTodaro]

Thanks for all the input guys. I think I'm going to pass and either wait for a low mileage street car or buy one that's already done. Half the fun for me is building the car but I don't want to take the chance of more problems down the road.

I think you are on the right path now. If you have never built an SM, its more costly that buying used and you will not know all that you would need to know to do it right. better to buy an built car save money, learn the details and then build a better car after you have learned the car. Just a less costly way to get into the class, IMO

[38bfast]

The rust problem is due to there being two pices of sheet metal laminated together in the front frame rails. Moisture gets between the laminates and corrodes from the inside out. Once you see signs of it on the outside it's pretty much done on the inside. We use a boarascope inside the frame rails when looking for a suitable candidate for build.

My advice is never start with a turd car. Low initial price might be compelling but can cost way more further on in the build.

[wera44]

Found a car that I pick up tomorrow. Its essentially a spec car without the cage. Already has the suspension and exhaust done etc. I still may buy the car above for parts. Thanks again all.