but looking to change that. I'm adam, 26, worked as a mobile/independent mechanic for a few years, dealership for a little while, currently manage a few commercial accounts for advance (parts guy). Been into cars since forever, always worked on my own cars and have modded a few, but never anything too exciting/outside of stock parameters. Dad has done some wilder builds so I've been around heavily modified cars. Why am I here? I'd like to find a miata to turbo running standalone ems for fun/personal challenge. Currently drive a 1985 Volvo 740 turbo diesel (when I'm not on my suzuki 650), but I've driven mostly turbo fwd volvos. Once you go turbo, you never go back. I also have a 94 taurus sho i've been getting on the road for ***** and gigs (who am I kidding, it's a pita), which I'll probably sell once I find the right miata/get it running properly. Why miata? I've actually never sat in one, so I should probably do that. Other than that, miata seems like an attractive choice due to ease of information (I mean, we're on a forum dedicated to turboing miatas, so) relatively cheap parts and entry cost (sort of, hard to find under 4k-ish in my area, actually), and rwd, lightweight, available with manual transmission. Any other car in my price range (under 3k) compromised one of those. Up until now I've been daydreaming about putting the volvo 5cyl turbo (whiteblock) in something, but rwd trans are hard to find and expensive (stock: only in europe, domestic: t56 with adapter). Building a car with aftermarket ems in a car is also a personal goal. Anyway, I saw a turbo miata on youtube and that got me thinking. I like volvos, but I want a small, fun car that's less of a hassle and has a proven track record (rhetorically and literally). Why have 4 doors and a backseat, it's not like I have kids. I've owned a few obscure cars (I mean, I daily a diesel volvo and an SHO. Have you ever tried to find parts for a diesel volvo?) and have enjoyed that, but it will be nice to follow a recipe for horsepower that others have done before. Not that each build doesn't have it's own unique challenges, but it's not reinventing the wheel.

TL;DR semi experienced miata n00b looking for leads on a 94 miata in downstate NY. Or other miata suitable for turboing. First +t, ems build, so bear with me. Excited.

 

Welcome to the forum. There's a lot of experiences and information housed within this forum. The build threads are full of do's and don'ts and practical experiences. There are some sticky threads that contain very good information, some of it a bit dated because we are lazy.

Definitely buy newer than '93 car to avoid some of the shortcomings of the earlier models.

We are inherently very cheap bastards and many of us are track rats so the easiest and cheapest ways have already been explored. Locals tend to get a little pissy when new guys ask questions that have been rehashed and re-asked hundreds of times over the years. Don't be afraid to ask a clarifying question but don't ask something that they consider to be obvious and you'll be good.

Welcome.

 

welcome, adamdrives. I hopped in this thread to show some Volvo love. My first long-term car was an 1994 850 sedan. It was a GLT, and it was slow as *****. But you already knew that. I had big plans of course, I wanted to add the factory turbocharging parts to it. It seemed worth it at the time, the 850 is a surprisingly good chassis for a heavy front driver. My limited means as a young bro didn't allow for messing with my dd too much, so I only got around to chopping out the giant mid mounted muffler for a section of flex pipe. Oh yeah.

Loved that car, but I love the Miata more. You are going to really appreciate how easy they are to work on. Good luck with your EMS tuning goals. It looks like a lot of fun. And the margins for error are wide on a iron block, closed deck engine, so go nuts. lol

 

Is baltimore too long of a drive?


Easy fix:
https://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto...217713032.html

or one you can drive away:
https://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto...211397744.html

 

"Has borla exhaust fast car has 210,000 miles" lol
Good price though, has potential.

 

We had a RWD Volvo for a minute. 740 Turbo I think it was? It was actually fun. We straight piped it and cranked the boost a little bit. Fun for a flying brick. Welcome!

 

Where in NY? Greater NYC area?

 

Welcome. I have a friend with Volvos. His are money pits even without mods.

Looking forward to your build thread.

 

I had a 1994 850 Turbo (high pressure), and a 1999 S70 Turbo. Why did put myself in that sad situation? I was hoping that either one would be as much fun and as reliable as the 1989 740 Turbo I bought from my parents, whose engine died out of carelessness.

OP, welcome!