Miatle (Miata Beetle)

[TOOF]

So I have already posted some pics of this build in progress.

I have taken the donor parts (and more) off a 1992 Miata.

This started off as "lets put updated double A-arm front suspension on a bug".

Now, I am getting in deep. The new goal is to have the following from a miata:
-steering
-suspension
-brakes (from the brake pedal to the pads)
-e brake
-hydraulic clutch

..all while keeping the bug body as intact as possible.

In the end, I want a track car (not drag but street) that has the head room I need (6'4") and the handling to have fun. HP is not a concern for the time being.

After cutting up the miata I have all the parts I could want and mocking up the front subframe I realized that I need to the body back off the chassis, make a new plan (previous was just tube frame tie-in with roll cage) with an updated chassis (probably scraping the whole chassis and floor pan.

The plan now is to work on it every Sunday and an occasional Friday to have it ready by November 1st for testing and to be tracked November 10-12th at the 24 Hours of LeMons in Houston, TX.

[TOOF]

We are in the 3rd week since picking up the donor miata.

Here it is after getting the fenders off and starting tear down

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Here is the rear subframe waiting for room in the garage

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After cutting the frame head off (a pointless cut since I know the chassis is going to the scrap)

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The front clip of the miata sitting in a, very rough, mock up

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The cut out to let me move the subframe into position that would give me a wheel base of ~97". I would like to go down to be a hair shorter but that will be dialed in with new frame. The miata lower control arms are a problem here. They shoot back about 12 inches. If I would have used a Mustang II front suspension package getting the shorter wheel base would have been simpler and possibly I could avoid removing some of the bug firewall.

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I didn't know how much I would need from the miata so I used the torch and cut the entire firewall out. I do plan to use the miata pedals and I firewall should make it easy to mock up.

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I wanted something between me and the gas tank other than a speedometer gauge. I cut this out of 16ga.

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More to come....

[TOOF]

What do y'all think about this;

Retain the existing floor pan and chassis but reinforce it using 1"x2"x.125" rectangular tube from the torsion tube forward. Like this:

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I'll set the feet of my cage on the 1x2 rail.

This will let me get the car going with the Miata front subframe and I can come back later and add the Miata rear subframe in. Probably after the November race.

[michaelth]

like your ideers... i hawe been to the junkyard ..last week and got me a -92 miata front end..for my 1302 wert..
then i saw your post..
My plan is use BMW E36 front hubs.need a sleeve on spindle. konverted to Porsche wheels /studds and Porsche 944 alu rear svingarms..
and Subaru engine and transmission
i will make new shorter base, lower kontrol arms.
more pix please..

[TOOF]

Okay so I got caught up a couple weekend at work and then my daughter made her debut nearly 6 weeks early and I am just now getting back to the project. I should have more picture sup soon. I have some 2" square tube that I am going to use to fab up a simple frame jig.

More pictures coming soon.

[hg1027]

We built a beetle for chump and Lemons last year. Engine didn't work, but things to consider: we had a hard time getting a dash bar to fit behind the factory glass, above the dash, low enough not to block vision, high enough not to hit hands. We ended up bending it out, no windshield, which passed chump but Lemons made us put in lexan.

So I suggest making the seat mounts first (we used 4x4 steel box), then locate the dash bar, and basically build around that.

Also, I think there are rules around modifying the wheelbase and frame. As long as you're prepared to show exactly what you did and can convince them it's beefy enough, you should get away with it.

Finally, my bug is ready with its third engine rebuild in the year I've had it. If it works, I'll have it there, and at the Corinthian event if they let me, and the Scuda event around JSC if that happens.

If this build falls on its face again, I might be looking for a team to wrench/race with.

[TOOF]

We built a beetle for chump and Lemons last year. Engine didn't work, but things to consider: we had a hard time getting a dash bar to fit behind the factory glass, above the dash, low enough not to block vision, high enough not to hit hands. We ended up bending it out, no windshield, which passed chump but Lemons made us put in lexan.

So I suggest making the seat mounts first (we used 4x4 steel box), then locate the dash bar, and basically build around that.

Also, I think there are rules around modifying the wheelbase and frame. As long as you're prepared to show exactly what you did and can convince them it's beefy enough, you should get away with it.

Finally, my bug is ready with its third engine rebuild in the year I've had it. If it works, I'll have it there, and at the Corinthian event if they let me, and the Scuda event around JSC if that happens.

If this build falls on its face again, I might be looking for a team to wrench/race with.

I'll be there with a back up motor and trans. I'll be looking out for another bug.

[TOOF]

Got some welding in finally. My voltage switch was FUBAR and had to drop it off with Hobart and get it repaired.

I am using the existing front box frame. I preped is and welded in 1/8" plate to reinforce it and make it easier to mount 1.5"x0.125" square tube.

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I am using 1"x2"x0.125" rectangle tube for the back subframe mount. I am going to place a plate over the tube since I didn't weld in a bung. That should keep the torque from the bolt from squeezing the tube under stress. The lateral plates are 3/16" and the medial plates are 1/8".

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[TOOF]

Both

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[TOOF]

Cleaned up and boxed the VW chassis with 3/16" plate. Also, cut the forward support tubes.

[TOOF]

Got everything thing tacked into place and rolled it out of the garage. I'm going to take it to the shop and make sure the alignment is good before I complete the welds.

[TOOF]

Detail of the front

[panel]

This thing is pretty cool !

[itawolf]

Wow digging it

Updates??

[redneck_engineer]

Do you have an update??

I'm bringing up this old thread because this is what I want to do and I'm doing lots of research before I start. Thanks!