2003 MX-5 Miata

This will be a working document of all the research and modifications I'll be making to do a V8 swap on my NB Miata.

Purpose: this will mostly be a street car, but I want it to be track/autocross-capable

Philosophy: this is really a learning process for me. I'd like to do as much of the work myself as possible, and only resorting to a professional to do the work when either I don't have time or I know I'm beyond my skill level. This is about building/engineering something fun and not about my car being bigger than yours. As such, I'm attempting to avoid making cosmetic changes for superficial purposes. If it doesn't have a function, I likely won't include it.

About me: when I started this, I knew nothing about cars. I'm an engineer, a mathematician, I've got a little expendable cash, and I'm willing to learn the skills needed. Hopefully someone finds this blog helpful.

The Miata: this is a 2003 MX-5 Miata, purchased by me in early 2014. I bought it from the dealership in great condition and it already had an aftermarket Fast Forward Supercharger. This should theoretically put it around 190+ hp.

Because I don't have a lot of experience with cars, I'm going to follow the Flyin' Miata (FM) build as closely as possible and only deviate when I'm confident I know what I'm doing. Here's the list of parts and cost estimates by FM. It should result in a 430hp V8 Miata and I estimate it will cost roughly an additional $20k to do the full upgrade (minus the cost of tools and incidentals). Here are the installation instructions for the engine.

I intend to keep track of all modifications, their cost, and any research I did beforehand. So hopefully by the end, someone else could follow my blog and DIY. If I'm feeling ambitious, I may include videos.

To get started, here are some recommended links:
Flyin Miata
Miata.net Forums
V8 Roadsters
Goodwin Racing
Tire Rack
HowStuffWorks: How Engines Work
Engineering Explained
The Mantis Shrimp