Endurance racing is hard. Doing it on a budget is even harder. Doing both while shooting for a podium finish? That’s nearly impossible, as we proved with our Miata.
After years of development, three turbos, four engines, and roughly a dozen depressing drives home from the track with a broken car on the trailer, we found success with our junkyard …
My ears just perked up. Listening intently.
There's also the Rocketeer kit with the Jaguar V6, FYI. I'm not sure if it's available in the US at the moment but it's pretty nicely done.
Awesome! Very much interested in anything about rehoming LFXen...
In reply to Keith Tanner :
You're not wrong, but it's not really possible to buy it yet.
Keith Tanner said:There's also the Rocketeer kit with the Jaguar V6, FYI. I'm not sure if it's available in the US at the moment but it's pretty nicely done.
There was just some traffic on Miata.net that Rocketeer has discontinued kits as of 1/2020, and will only be building turnkey cars. As far as I know, there is no US turnkey builder.
LFX is probably the best choice for racing.
It would be worth your while to spend lots of time picking Ryan's brain... 
Having followed the Hypermiata closely for several years, his results have been amazing, and he probably has more knowledge than anyone about making an LFX/Miata work on the track.
I'll be watching your progress with just as much interest!
Too many years as a GM tech makes me nervous around LFXs.
I really like this but I with it fit under the stock hood.
You coulda done a 3400 for challenge money....
The lfx has a good 120 horse on it though. And swapping the differential makes a huge improvement.
Tom Suddard said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
You're not wrong, but it's not really possible to buy it yet.
It was available, but the US distributor shut down. There is not currently a US one.
Rocketeer would bring the DIY kits back online with the right partner, I believe.
NickD said:Too many years as a GM tech makes me nervous around LFXs.
Maybe Tom will change the oil often enough to keep the timing chain in it.
That's one problem delayed, anyway.
The Honda lover in me wishes you went with the J series, but admittedly it seems that the LFX is a far more complete option, for not only the reasons you list but because making 300hp from an early gen 3.5 liter J series involves a fair amount of J family parts swapping and aftermarket upgrades.
Looking forward to future updates!
Looking forward to updates.
LFX is fun in a big first gen Camaro, can't imagine it in a Miata. One request, please open up the exhaust if it doesn't violate noise levels, it sings...
Love it! Will be watching this one very closely.
Hmmm.................LFX in a MGB/GT what could possibly be wrong with that?
Keith Tanner said:Tom Suddard said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
You're not wrong, but it's not really possible to buy it yet.
It was available, but the US distributor shut down. There is not currently a US one.
Rocketeer would bring the DIY kits back online with the right partner, I believe.
Sounds like an opportunity for FM...
The LFX looks very compact. Does anyone have dimensions and weight? Also, you don't mention engine management for the LFX. What's up with that?
miatafan said:Keith Tanner said:Tom Suddard said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
You're not wrong, but it's not really possible to buy it yet.
It was available, but the US distributor shut down. There is not currently a US one.
Rocketeer would bring the DIY kits back online with the right partner, I believe.
Sounds like an opportunity for FM...
I'd like to see it happen. US emissions laws are a problem. Not for everyone, but for us.
Keith Tanner said:miatafan said:Keith Tanner said:Tom Suddard said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
You're not wrong, but it's not really possible to buy it yet.
It was available, but the US distributor shut down. There is not currently a US one.
Rocketeer would bring the DIY kits back online with the right partner, I believe.
Sounds like an opportunity for FM...
I'd like to see it happen. US emissions laws are a problem. Not for everyone, but for us.
Understandable. Flyin Miata certainly isn't "everyone." And that's a good thing.
It's interesting that there isn't a Cyclone v6 swap out there being sold, too. Last I saw, it was getting 300hp w/o DI. Must be a much bigger engine....
For a different, and perhaps cheaper (but harder) option would be the Lincoln LS V6 with manual swap. It's been done before, and drives really nicely- but not 300hp...
This I like.
NickD said:Too many years as a GM tech makes me nervous around LFXs.
Working on Hondas makes me interested in the J-series kit.
But the LFX kit should make for a much faster car. The Hondas are not very acceleration prone, even in Accords.
alfadriver said:It's interesting that there isn't a Cyclone v6 swap out there being sold, too. Last I saw, it was getting 300hp w/o DI. Must be a much bigger engine....
For a different, and perhaps cheaper (but harder) option would be the Lincoln LS V6 with manual swap. It's been done before, and drives really nicely- but not 300hp...
That’s the Jaguar V6 used in the Rocketeer kit, isn’t it?
It’s a shame that GRM is doing a swap into a race car, because all the hard parts of a swap involve making it into a real street car. It’s the real way to test the R&D.
I would recommend reinforcing the steering rack mounts in the V8R subframe and putting a cross brace between the rear control arm mounting points to avoid failures - especially on a track car.
Keith Tanner said:alfadriver said:It's interesting that there isn't a Cyclone v6 swap out there being sold, too. Last I saw, it was getting 300hp w/o DI. Must be a much bigger engine....
For a different, and perhaps cheaper (but harder) option would be the Lincoln LS V6 with manual swap. It's been done before, and drives really nicely- but not 300hp...
That’s the Jaguar V6 used in the Rocketeer kit, isn’t it?
It’s a shame that GRM is doing a swap into a race car, because all the hard parts of a swap involve making it into a real street car. It’s the real way to test the R&D.
I would recommend reinforcing the steering rack mounts in the V8R subframe and putting a cross brace between the rear control arm mounting points to avoid failures - especially on a track car.
Dunno- I don't know what year of "Jag" engine they are using- if it's one from the early '00's, then it's really a Taurus engine- not an actual jaguar engine.
And for anyone considering this swap in the US- the Lincoln V6 with a manual is a better choice, since it has a 5 speed transmission attached- just like the Camaro choice that GRM made.
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