SO Fast! - LS3 V8 Mazda Miata Track Review
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- We track test and review a LS3 V8 swapped Mazda Miata to see what 480hp feels like in such a small and lightweight Miata chassis.
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That LS3 looks so at home in that engine bay, was surprised on the amount of room that was still available!
It's almost the same size as the original nb 4 cylinder that comes in it. The ls is tiny in physical size for the 6.2L at 365 cubic inches it has.
Check out Toms Turbo Garage for the neatest mazda ls3 swap. The thing looks like it came from the factory.
@@SuperSilvi1990 ????? Wtf ummm theres alot wrong with everything you said haha
LOL fixed it bud thanks....it is almost the same size tho
photobucket.com/gallery/user/300bhpton/media/cGF0aDpDYXIgc3R1ZmYvR2VuZXJhbCBDYXIgUGljcy9NaWF0YS1JNC1lbmdpbmUtdnMtTFMzLVY4LXNpemUtY29tcGFyaXNvbi0wMi0xMDI0eDU2Ny5qcGc=/?ref=
I don't know about the LS3 but the LS1 is no heavy're than the 4 cylinder in a stock Miata either . Even a 5.0 Mustang engine is heavy and to big because of Dual overhead Cams and bla bla amount of valves , LS is perfect size and weight .
As a Miata enthusiast who had one and wants another, This is literally my dream car, A V8 Miata. I pray one day I can build this car for myself.
Same
Same
Did you ever get around to building it?
Same
@@Savii-Jo I hope they have. I’m tired of putting it off on my list
People keep forgetting that the Miata 1.8 is an iron block. An aluminum LS is about the same weight as the BP that comes stock. Some aero would probably help make it feel more planted especially with those hood vents letting all that air out of the front. V8 miatas are pretty well sorted for the setup being a track monster.
No. A complete 1.8 is right at 300 pounds. An all aluminum LS without accessories is just under 420 pounds. The lightest American V8 is an all aluminum Ford 302W which is just under 360 without accessories. The issue is most people use iron LS engines which are 550 pounds
@@meifert2 Uh no... L3 is 420lbs *with transmission*.
@@SteveC-Shaman wrong. I have literally weighed engines for shipping. What you said is just a blatant lie.
@@meifert2 That's why the 'about' before 'the same weight' is important, 100 lb is the same as a small person, like a 5 foot size eight woman like my Mum used to be in her youth, so saying that they are 'about' the same weight isn't incorrect.
@@timothydraper3687 35% more weight is considerably more.
next project: LS swap a corvette
hurry! before someone steals this idea
Would be cool with a C4
GM WANTS TO KNOW YOUR LOCATION.
the least commojn ls of all time
cleetus has got you brother
Gosh, that’s about as close as you can get to a modern-day 427 Cobra, n’est ce pas?
Taylor Ray just said something along the same lines of this about his LS swapped Miata that he just finished. Fairly similar build with the main major difference being he used a CD009 Transmission instead of a T56. and i would wager a guess that the gearing is a bit different between the 2 cars as well due to application(Taylor Drifts his Miata)
More like a Sunbeam Tiger
@@throwback19841 what was the hp in the Tiger?
That is a superb way of putting it
Big V8+small car= good combo😎
Not calibrated at all, its dangereus if you are not gentle with the acceleration and breaking..
@@PutinIsKing would a v6 be better?
@@PutinIsKing as with Dodge Vipers: respect the car and the power under the hood. Don't flat foot the fucker and you'll be fine.
it's a small v8, look how much space is left in the engine bay
BBC😎
2:33 "Even at part throttle it feels so torquey"...Welcome to Merca. Long live the V8!
Yeah you can put a corvette engine in a Miata, but can you put a Miata engine in a corvette.
Now that car review would be hilarious and have gear heads screaming in laughter. Hehe. Thanks for the laugh
Honestly mint idea that would be funny
You can put a whole Miata in the engine bay of a Corvette
You could, there are some built Miata engines making nearly that much power. Of course the torque curve would be completely different. So it still wouldn't drive quite the same. And it would probably screw up the handling too. Corvettes pretty well balanced with that LS engine in there. You'd be taking some weight off the front axle although not that much. I think I read the LS3 in the Miata only adds about 50 lb to the front axle of the Miata. The four cylinder engines in Miatas were iron block and not very light.. for there displacement.
Lol
Clean, not gutted or riced well build miata? I love it.
It's such a surreal experience when you're in a Miata cockpit but hear that Corvette sound
When you like Miatas but you want a Shelby Cobra haha
it is the same ethos and in silver reminds me so much of the Shelby Series 1
cant find something overlooked in this build, everything in the exterior and interior looks so well chosen. NB FL is the best MX-5, will never be surpassed.
An LS3 only weighs ~40 lbs (18 kilos) more than the stock BP-Z3. It barely shifts the weight distribution from 50/50 to just under 52/48. Any understeer is a result of the suspension setup.
A stock miata never had 50/50
That LS put the *"Yah!"* 🐴💨 in that Miata, taking it from MX5 to an MX5000! Lol! Good call not to push that last lap DP, stopping is nice. ✌😎
Yes they keep the Mazda steering. But the torque in these little cars is just fantastic.. ppl don’t understand how well these work. Really gives the Miata that badass sports car feel.
You can stuff some 275 Hoosiers on the 15x10.
949 Racing has 15x12's out now. Even better for those 275's.
I would think 12's are way too wide for 275's. I'm running 275's on 10 inch wheels and they're perfect
James Fox i agree, however, is there anything wider than 275’s in an overall height that can fit on a miata? 275mm equals 10.8”, so 15x11s would probably be the goldilocks set-up for them.
@@Chilicharger665 Hoosier is making a 295/15 now in the same diameter.
Totally missed when it happened, but congrats on the 200k subscribers lads👍
My favorite part is at 8:40 when you almost can't here him from the Porsche banging the limiter in the background
Thats awesome! Finished building my v8 NB Miata on my channel too, What a perfect combo!
I LOVE IT!!! TOTALLY AWESOME BUILD!!!! PERFECT FOR AUTOCROSS, DRIFTING, AND DRAGWEEK!!!! THERE IS AFTERMARKET SUPPORT FOR THIS SWAP. SOMETHING TO CONSIDER!!! GREAT VIDEO AND EDUCATION. THANKS FOR SHARING!!!!
Thank you for the C to F conversion.
I had a stock 1990 Miata and pondered the transformation a 302 Ford would deliver…years ago I had corvette 327 V8 in my Austin Healey 3000…never lost a race :) my Sunbeam Tiger is powered by a mild 289 Ford V8 however that little NB would probably blow it away. Gotta Love throttle induced oversteer! Thanks for the ride!!
Hey @cbrbimmer1 , don't give up on the idea of an LS3 Miata street sleeper. I currently drive a Flyin' Miata built '01 with the LS376/525 that showed 457 at the wheels. Yes it's a handful if you hammerfist it, but it's actually manageable on the street. Power delivery is very linear so it does exactly what you expect it to do. Use a light foot and it's docile enough to run errands around town. But on the right road, driven hard, the performance level is shocking. So these can be very fun all around.
Needed more footage from trackside to really hear that beast!
Gears aren't that short.. It's just that fast. Lol
I really would like to see Mazda RX-8 231 6MT Track Review
There's really NOT "that much weight over the front axle with an LS3" in these swaps. The total engine/trans weight difference is around 70 lbs. The weight distribution goes from 50/50 to about 52/48, so the driver was speaking in a clueless sort-of way.
I understand the perception - it’s double the cylinder count, looks physically massive in the engine bay, and the motor is that much more effective. The LS is a really light package considering its layout, and the early iron-block Miata motor is heavy, especially for how powerless it is, meaning that this swap makes so much more sense.
But we can’t expect someone who drives different cars all the time to know the car’s nuances all the time. I wouldn’t say he was clueless, he was just describing what he felt in the car and associating it with what he figured was the cause. And, honestly, maybe that extra little bit of weight did contribute to the understeer! We don’t know, we didn’t drive it, he did.
Yeah, I understand that many don't know the weight difference, which, by the way, is between a Miata engine/trans and an aluminum LS/T56. If someone went with an iron LS, it'd be a good deal more.
In terms of the handling, there are simply far too many setup factors to attribute the difference to the engine/trans swap alone. Additionally, with cars, there's often a placebo effect. By this I mean the reviewer thought that the car was going to be much more nose-heavy due to the V8 without knowing the actual figures, so it becomes much more likely his subjective interpretation will be colored by this expectation. In performance automotive driving, a 50/50 vs 52/48 weight distribution would very likely be entirely imperceptible; it's a very small difference, assuming suspension settings are comparable between the two.
Only if you use an all aluminum LS. If you pick up a cast iron version it's over 550 pounds....200+ over stock.
@@meifert2 well, this is aluminum so.....also the difference between aluminum LS and iron is only 105lbs MAX....and getting rid of the jack/spare/stock seats, and other stock junk in the bay of the Miata will replace that weight
The Iron block is 40 pounds more. It can be less than that if you take an Iron 5.3 and bore it to 5.7. I've done this swap twice. The LS is a great motor. The real issue with why the car has a lot of over-steer has nothing to do with weight distribution and everything to do with way too much power and incredible torque for a very light car. Better tires help.
Maybe bigger intakes for the brake ducts or an additional duct?
An aero kit (front splitter/rear wing)can also help by allowing you to go faster through the corners so less brake required and also it increases drag acting like an airbrake. I think it will gain like 2s+ per lap
Would love to see this come back with fixes to the brakes! Or even better- a smaller LS in a miata!! Would love to see what a more realistic-for-me swap would be capable of
Beautiful build though, this is so well done
“Don’t wanna go into turn one and have no brakes- been there, done that.”
RIP K swapped Swift
The v8 make the nose heavier but the sound is so cool, and power and torque are several classes higher. It still looks fast through the corners.
This is the best Miata video on the internet
That was a great and candid review. The car is a handful. OK, so now I know that it would be ridiculous to make an LS3 sleeper for use on the road. I'll go back to my Miata turbo project. :)
With the Corvette going mid-engine GM and Mazda should link up and make this a regular thing.
Super clean build !
This is a swap i want to do down the road!! Miata ls3 monster!
If I was gonna build a budget track car, this is it.. I've heard even though it gains front weight its not much more front bias, bigger brakes wider fenders and wider tires 275 square... aero and some comfy seats it would be a great car.. I've heard the new Miata with the LS is even better balance.. great content love it..
That yellow rx7 sounds like it has been ls swapped 😞
Hah, yup it's LS swapped too. Owner is a super nice guy, offered us some brake fluid for the Miata :D
RIP magical dorito
Would love to see it go around Mosport! I think this fulfilled my curiosity of an LS na/nb and seems like a real modern day Shelby 427 cobra. I think I'll save my future LS swap for something different.
Love to see a LS350z on the track 👍
Warmer day, faster lap?? Nothing like a V8 Miata!! Nice!!
Great review! Kudos for having the skills to extract a good lap time out of such a monster! It goes to show that high powered Miatas are a force to be reckoned with in capable hands. It also shows an interesting conundrum: For about the same amount of money as the owner has into this Miata (assuming ~25k), you could have a C5 Z06 with close to the same power plus some track oriented mods. Which car would put down a faster lap time? The Corvette is arguable a better platform to handle so much power (longer wheelbase, stiffer chassis, larger tire capacity). It would make for a great comparison review.
You can run 15x10's with just a fender roll on the NB chassis. Since this guy is already running flares, he can run 15x11's or even 15x12's and put much bigger rubber on.
You sure can! I have an NB myself, albeit much lower power and run 225s on a 9" wheel. The question is, once you get the Miata to the point of running a 275/35 or larger tire on an 11" or 12" wheel, is it still a car you can balance on the limit in a corner or are you turning it into a point and shoot straightaway missile? The higher the grip level, the faster the breakaway. In a short wheelbase car like the Miata that can get hard to handle!
TankRust power corrupts all. The reason for swapping so much power into such a small chassis is the weight loss. The visceral feeling of so much power in such a small car is also pretty awesome.
That’s sick. You guys should do a v8 swap.
Their black S13 240sx with LS3 was so clean back in their modified magazine days.
If I'm correct, they have a LS engine laying around in their shop. They are just busy with other projects and haven't gotten the perfect car to swap it in with.
Ya maybe drop Pete’s ls in the badass2000!!!
@sneeky7, a Miata has a weight advantage on a Corvette, a forth gen Miata with an LS3 has similar power to weight ratio to C7 Corvette Z06
sneeky7
the miata in this video is a second gen miata not a 4 gen like i said
more track tests , love these !
what a badass miata, nice vid. a quick and easy way to deal with all the radiant heat of the header heating the brake fluid would be DEI reflect a gold tape. it's the best out of the consumer reflective tapes, unless you want to go for the commercial stuff nasa/race teams use, which is about ten times more expensive.
What and awesome angry little machine. Reminds me of the Gidi dude.
The 240 should've been a 240LS. But the provision for a turbo k240 is just as good.
Can't wait for the dyno run. Don't care about the numbers, just want to see it running.
looks like a fun car and project well done
Always finding things wrong for people free of charge. Free racing reliability consulting 😀
Thanks for lunch DP!
Haha, worst Thai ever ;)
More LS swaps!!
Thank you!! I've been wanting an LS swap, but I had misgivings about the altered handling... I haven't been able to find straight answers about how drastically it'd be affected. So now I'm thinking I should just do a supercharger. Someday, I'll get a second Miata, and swap that one. I love the idea of a V8, but I don't want to kill the fun, or myself for that matter.
There's not much difference in weight in an LS miata, a couple hundred pounds over the entire length of the car, trans and diff included. It's aluminum vs iron block so despite the change in displacement it doesn't weigh much more.
Flyin Miata out of Colorado
m.ruclips.net/video/SLONL8ax9CI/видео.html
My 5.7 ls miata weighs 2450 with half tank of fuel
A car like this is not for the faint of heart.
It"s funny how most people are always referring to US V8 engines are 'a big V8'..,when in fact it's more compact & lighter than a 911 flat six of the same gen..and fits pretty much anywhere..!!
well done. good descriptions. sure beats the youngins' reviews (who talk about the sound incessantly!).
I watched this with my brother and before starting the vid I said 'Here's my review: it's fast, but has crap traction'
Too much power for the tires with no aero for a DP level driver.
I'd also put blanking plates around the brake ducts; they're likely not doing well with all the air passing around them (which also causes needless drag). The front tires are like air dams sticking out that far at the leading edge... but not much you can do about that without a bumper or custom canards.
Time for you guys to do LS swap in a BMW E30. You have already been to Sikky.
Ha! We've thought about it.
I would LOVE to have an LS swapped NB Miata but would gladly settle for a K24 swapped one.
I second that
that car is awesome and the gauges/ inside is hella swick
There is a video you can find easily of a ls3 miata beating a aventador sv in a roll race. So it's safe to say this is a serious car
Needs some aero
We all know its going to be fast with acceleration, what I wanted to know is how does it compare handling and balance wise to a 4 cylinder miata. how much does the increase of the weight in the front effects things and steering feel.
Cool car, how does it compare to the c6 corvette in price and which would you buy?
Robert and Mandy Wallace I’ve never owned a V8 Miata however I grew up with a manual 95 mx5 with an lsd in Seattle. That being said I contemplated later in life putting my built ls1/t-56 out of my z28 into my Miata. Finally decided that would be financially inefficient as every aspect of the car would have to be reengineered, the coefficient of drag is actually crap, no brake ducting, no oil cooling, no trans cooling, no downforce, inadequate tread width, inadequate braking system etc. Bought a used C6Z, got my race license and never looked back. It’s simply designed and engineered as a track car so you don’t need to modify anything and can easily handle 20 min sessions on course. (With fresh brake fluid🤨) Not to mention insurance will actually cover the car. Good luck getting the extra 25k you’ve got in the Miata out of them. I suppose you could tell them you’ve stuffed a V8 in it😂. Corvette is a little behind with its transverse leaf spring suspension (crosstalk) and transitional response, however it’s still a natural progression from a Miata as far as driving dynamic, and steady state turning (sweepers) isn’t even comparable especially at speed with tire temp. Maybe just a touch more push on corner entry (I tend to hold the brakes too hard for too long as a late breaker and don’t give the car enough time to settle and bring the nose up) = great way to induce oversteer in a Miata in the rain though😅. Don’t mean to run on blathering like an idiot, just my 2 cents.
dream car
Really wanna do this on an NC prht
What front bumper is that? it looks amazing
Where did one find the vent "balls" in the dash?...love those!
Want to LS swap my RX8 once the engine dies.
no you fuckn dont
Juha Juaranen because the Renesis is such a great engine?
the renesis isnt really good just put a "normal" 13b to it
Do it.
So any day now
I see an m2 back there!! that should be next!! hah
Yeah that or the j35 with a blower definitely turns the shoulder
This car needs aero ASAP!
Hi, what brand are those hood vents ? they look very nice ...
I love the interior!
I feel like the power is too much for that small of a chassis. You have to brake more since you have to scrub off more speed. I think a boosted miata around 230hp or so would be better and easier to handle. That's just how i feel
Ejike Okpa Also, weren’t NC miata’s about 54/46 weight distribution? With the big LS motor having much more displacement and mass than the stock mazda four cylinder the balance would be definitely be affected. Unless of course they tweaked other areas of the car too like a heavier exhaust for the rear
It could be possible to balance is off. This an NB miata so it should be 50/50. Short wheelbase and a lot of torque lead to a lot to handle
dont know about the NC miatas but im pretty sure the older ones had a iron block and aluminum heads, where as the LS's come in all aluminum (they also have iron block LS's found in trucks) so the weight isn't too much different, i think the Iron blocks are around 400lbs and the aluminum ones are around 300-350lb so really not a great deal more than most iron blocked 4 bangers with turbos
Josh Mac a Miata 1.8 fully dressed in that year weights 280lbs.
didnt know that thanks for the info, now i wonder how much more would that engine weigh if it was built for 400hp with a turbo or supercharger, cause i think thats where the LS swap would shine compared to what it would take to make it work with the 1.8
those headers need to be wrapped and the brake lines need a heat shield and wrapped as well that would really knock down that heat.
Once you can use the power in the corners will be a killer car.
Aero and suspension tuning. Could be a sick car. Looks like it's being built the right way. Just takes time
Thats pretty quick...wow
agreed, and on a cold day as well; really wondering what it would do on a nice hot day, and also maybe with some better brakes as well
I am watching this and when my Hellcat swapped 240z is finished...i am thinking holy crap
It has more hp than my C7GS but has tires almost 100mm less rubber on the ground and much lighter. Pretty cool but not for the faint at heart.
I think for this car Ford EcoBoost motor in a Miata would be more than enough obviously sport-tuned traction control heavy duty sway bars strut bars as well maybe some camber
Lol over a ls3 wtf
Better Brakes 'NEEDED'!! ...would 'make it' 'PERFECT'!...
What a car! Thanks..
Seems the chassis can’t allow the driver to fully unleash the engine. Needs something with a longer wheelbase and wider tires to unleash it
I always wanted a v8 but I also want a lightweight vehicle. This is probably the perfect solution for me. Can anyone tell me what the conversion may cost in Ontario?
Him: complaining about the car trying to slide out
Me, watching this because I want to drift an LS Miata: 🤔🤔🤔
This is why I say people should go with the ls1 over the ls3 for track racing.
You can get the same power but with just a little less torque, it's lighter on the nose which helps car balance, it's just much better if you not going for drag racing. Plus they don't sound like a Camaro once you cam them.
Have you seen the 5.6L hot rod magazine put together? LS3 with a 4.8 crank and custom rods to make it work? 600hp at 8000 rpms pretty awesome.
@@sigmaprojects no I haven't I'll have to look that up cause that sounds amazing. That would be WAY TOO MUCH for a little miata tho. Maybe a s15 or a 350z. In a miata that would be a drift beast lol.
Yea I bet, haha. Just figured it's more manageable in a lighter car because of the power band being extended and lower starting TQ.
What do you mean by lighter on the nose? Both engines have an aluminum block. Both engines have a 4.4" bore spacing. I am not seeing how an ls1 is lighter.
+luke thompson its like a 20 lbs difference. gm did some stuff to the block of the ls3 to fix windage and oil starvation issues that the ls2 had. also the intake is larger as well as the fuel rails. I think it was 460 to 480.
You guys are gonna hate me for this, but is 480 too much power for this car? I'm all about big engine small car, but keeping that thing on the track looks tough.
Lol How about some bigger brakes, and some aero at least. Let's jam a big engine in a Miata and not really upgrade much else. I know he said they did something to the brakes, but it couldn't have been much. 15 inch wheels don't leave much room for big brakes though.
Well, like they were talking about, the damn engine is probably boiling the master cylinder, to heck with the actual calipers/rotors/etc. Heat shield that sucker and see what happens.
Gingium here on youtube has a boosted NA Miata with 6-piston front brakes that fit pretty well in his 15" wheels. There's not much room for anything else in there but it fits.
@@ViperKillerWannabe Yes! Big calipers and a lot of pistons. That'd work
Kenny K some aero would help keep the rear planted. Miatas are somewhat limited in wheel size if you want to keep the nimble balance. Brake options have been pretty sorted, the problems are probably with the brake fluid getting boiled.
It’s very very cool, but it’s not easy to drive like a original Miata around a small technical track
I wonder who will win if this car vs lotus with honda 2.7 NA 400 whp.
What front bumper is that?
The cake guy reviews cars too!?!
MEEEEEWOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!
They did a nice job, just needs a little refinement.
Cool car!! Anyone know what vents that car has?
I heard if you put wings on the sides it will fly, has anybody tried this?
I so have to build one ,,,,, closest I’ll ever be to owning and driving a Shelby Cobra without spending a million
That shift lever though...
Please test ls or k24 swapped frs
When it rains does the water get in the air vents ???
If money was not an issue and also I had the ability to just take my car apart in my apartments parking lot I would want a v6 in my nb. Nothing against v8s but it seems a bit excessive for me. I know myself and with that much power under my foot I would get countless tickets and spin off into a tree within the first 4 months of swapping it
#MiataGang
Grab the shifter lower and the throw will be shorter
Time for an LS3 FRS or BRZ ??