$500 Miatas

"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg) 07/25/2016 at 17:03 • Filed to: None

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So my buddy and I decided we want to participate in the Gambler 500, a 500 mile off road race for $500 cars. We want to enter a Miata. With mud tires.

So, what are the best sources for $500 Miatas? I tried Craigslist but they are all too much - like $700 for a shell with no engine or trans, hood, front fenders, or front bumper. So where does Oppo go for it’s cheap Miata needs?

MUSASHI66 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:15

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You want a running Miata for $500 or under? Maybe when hell freezes over.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:16

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There isn’t such thing as a cheap Miata now that they’ve entered the mainstream in such a big way. You have to either know people or get very lucky and find a car with no title or a car that won’t pass inspection in a state with mandatory inspections.

S65 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:16

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Try this

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/569839…

Bytemite > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:19

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Any running miata that’s worth race prepping should be at least $2000.

$500 will get you like 80s sedans, not running.

jasmits > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:36

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I can't believe I hadn't heard of this till now. It happened several weeks ago in my state(Oregon) and I currently own a $650 Alfa Romeo. It's over budget but in their rules you can get points back for something notoriously unreliable. Ugh, I was going to sell it but now I'm imagining the possibilities of a 164 rally car

Snuze: Needs another Swede > jasmits 07/25/2016 at 17:39

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Do it!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > S65 07/25/2016 at 17:41

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Thanks! I live right outside of DC, so when I saw your link I figured it was one of the ones I’d already looked at, but it appears to just have been listed today. I’m texting him now to see what he wants for it.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/25/2016 at 17:41

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I think you may be right, that’s my fear.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > MUSASHI66 07/25/2016 at 17:42

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I didn’t say it had to be running. I mean, that’s preferable but not a hard, fast requirement. But I’d at least like to have most of the body panels and stuff, vs. the $700 shell I mentioned.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > S65 07/25/2016 at 17:43

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And he wants $4300 for it.

S65 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:44

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Glad I could help!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Bytemite 07/25/2016 at 17:44

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I’m afraid you may be right. Though to be fair I don’t want to race prep it in the traditional sense. It’s going to an offroad race where it will probably end up being destroyed, so I’m fine with rust, no top, etc.

fourvalleys > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:45

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Miata with mud tires? Gotcha covered:

No specifics about the kit yet, but I’ve heard rumblings about a target price of $3000-3200. Very tempting.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > fourvalleys 07/25/2016 at 17:47

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Thats wild! But the kit is already 6x the budget.

Somebody, Flyin Miatas I think, makes set of 3" lift brackes for like $150. We were gonna do that and slap some BFG AllTerrains on a set of steelies and call it good.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:49

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$500 miatas are not-running Miatas. Depending on the style of off-road, I seriously do recommend FWD since you can get a small light econobox in better shape than a $500 Miata and it will be better for it. Really, I love me some RWD all day erry day, but you don’t want it for your first race on dirt.

S65 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:50

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Think you could talk them down to 500$?

https://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto/5700274445…

Scary__goongala! > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:50

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I can’t help you find a car....but I can tell you that FlyinMiata offers a 3in lift kit for $125.

jasmits > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:50

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I might have to. I wasn’t looking forward to selling it anyway, I’ve seen 164s better than mine sit on Craigslist for months without a buyer at very low asking prices.

Also I didn't really want to get rid of it but I couldn't think of a logical reason to keep it until now

Snuze: Needs another Swede > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 07/25/2016 at 17:57

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I will consider it, we are looking for alternatives as well.

My 2 counter arguments are, its not our first rodeo, at least not his, and also the terrain looks quite varies, and we are going to need ground clearance, and FWD cars don’t lend themselves too well to lifting, but we can get a 3" lift kit for a Miata for $150.

facw > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 17:58

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$500s really doesn’t buy you anything in today’s market. These $500 events need to up their floor to compensate for the state of the current used car market.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 18:02

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Has he raced on dirt though? There’s a trick to FWD on dirt. It’s fast-in fast-out. You lift as you turn in, get all of the oversteer you need and let that wax of speed, and use the front wheels to pull you out without having to worry about going into a spin into a tree if you give it too much gas. For $500, I’d be looking at 323s.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > S65 07/25/2016 at 18:04

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I think I could. Just texted my buddy about it, this may be our winner. That fix looks easy enough, though I’m not sure if they are interference engines or not (my guess is they are), so it could have had some piston-to-valve contact, which means you may need head & piston work.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > jasmits 07/25/2016 at 18:05

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Well there ya go, gut it, cage it, and put it on some mud tires and you’re ready to Gamble!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Scary__goongala! 07/25/2016 at 18:05

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Yeah, we saw that, which is why we want a miata!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > facw 07/25/2016 at 18:06

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Agreed. Damn Cash4Clunkers! But you’re right, I think these things needs to be at least $1000. Not to mention I think most people cheat anyways, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot of $1000+ cars with $500 bills of sale.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 07/25/2016 at 18:09

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Yeah, he’s done some rallyX and stuff. Also the way this event is structured it’s more like a rally with check points over it’s 500 mile distance, and some of the roads are public so you won’t always be going balls out. And as I said, there appear to be some tricky obstacles which could make it as much of a rock crawl as a race.

daender > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 18:58

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You’re going to have to settle for a salvage titled and wrecked Miata, probably a 1.6L model that’s got rust issues on the body. You could buy for one for a few hundred over 500$ and then make money back by selling off whatever is intact, worth selling, and isn’t necessary for racing purposes. You’ll abso-fucking-lutely want a Hard Dog or Blackbird Fab Worx rollbar, racing belts, and proper seats if you want to survive Murphy’s Law offroad in a Miata.

Needmoargarage > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/25/2016 at 21:32

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Non interference engines. Should be good.

fourvalleys > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/26/2016 at 08:42

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Yep, that’s a good compromise - but it is just a body lift. And I do know that they pulled those from the shelves due to something that needed to be redesigned. I’m not sure if they’re selling the spacer kits again yet.

There was a Miata running the body lift kit (the 3" spacers you’re talking about) at rallycross, it was pretty spectacular. I support this 100%.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > daender 07/26/2016 at 12:03

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So I’ve been reading up a bit on the rules, and they view $500 as more of a suggestion (since I don’t think its feasible to actually buy a worthwhile car for $500), so that ups my budget a bit.

I found one with a blown motor for $1000 which would be perfect, but now my partner in crime wants to hold off as he doesn’t think the garage is up to snuff yet - he’s been talking about doing some work in it (new paint, floor coating, etc.) and wants to do that before we start the project.

Also, we’re definitely doing a rollbar, more than likely a cage before we take take it off road. We’ve also been looking at suspension seats meant for jeeps, etc. and definitely some harnesses.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Needmoargarage 07/26/2016 at 12:04

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Awesome. Sadly my partner kind of backed out on me temporarily - he’s the one with the garage and decided he wants to repaint and do a floor coating before we start a project. So i guess we’ll see where we’re at in a few weeks if/when he gets all this done.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > fourvalleys 07/26/2016 at 12:05

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Yeah, I noticed they are still listed on the site, but not available. I’ll have to do a little more digging to see if/when they will be available again.

And thanks for your support. I thought I found a good donor car last night but my buddy has decided he’s going to redo his garage before we start the project. But once we kick things off I’ll keep Oppo posted on progress.

Gambler500 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/31/2016 at 12:01

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Found your ramblins bout Gamblins, any lifted Miata or two door roadster would be accepted, we’d to have you out to Oregon. Message the FB page.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Gambler500 07/31/2016 at 12:49

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Thank you! Will do! I just messaged my partner in crime and told him that we are now officially required to attend the Gambler.