The Mazda Miata has been a home run success for decades because of its simple yet effective philosophy: a small, lightweight, open-air sports car with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission. And while that formula will always be successful, this particular first-gen 1995 Mazda Miata Mx-5 M Edition J-Series Swap takes a cue from another all-time great, the Shelby Cobra. Carroll Shelby took a fun-to-drive A/C Ace and stuffed the biggest motor he could find between the front fenders to create what is arguably the greatest muscle car ever made. Sporting Merlot Mica paint, this droptop has aged like its exterior color's name suggests, thanks to its VTEC V-6 heart transplant.
Inside, we find a tan leather interior in fabulous condition. A four-spoke, power-assisted wheel sits just ahead of a five-pod gauge cluster featuring a 140-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tachometer. Power windows and mirrors, along with air conditioning and cruise control, provide creature comforts. At the same time, an original-looking AM/FM/Cassette/CD player head unit sits just ahead of the perfectly placed woodgrain Nardi shifter and matching emergency brake handle.
Under the hood, gone is the1.8-liter inline-four-cylinder engine. In its place, we find a J-Series 3.2-liter SOHC VTEC V-6 donated from a 2003 Acura TL Type-S. With nearly double the displacement of the motor it replaces, this motor was capable of producing 260 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque, more than double the original car's 128 hp and 110 lb-ft. Add to that a pair of shorty headers and a dual exhaust, and that number may actually be higher yet. That power is routed through what some have deemed one of the best-shifting (and numbers-matching) manual transmissions ever made, then out to the 15-inch BBS rear wheels via a 3.55-geared limited-slip rear end.
HIGHLIGHTS:
J32A2 VTEC V6
More Than 20K In Receipts
Tan Manual Top
Five Speed Manual
3.55 Limited Slip Rear
Front and Rear Coilovers
Four Wheel Power Discs
Power Steering
Power Windows
Power Mirrors
AC
AM/FM/Cassette/CD
Nardi Shifter
Nardi E Brake Handle
Owner's Manual
This 1995 Mazda Miata Mx-5 M Edition J-Series Swap rides on a fully independent factory-style suspension upgraded with Fortune Auto coilovers at all four corners. Power disc brakes also sit at all four wheels, ready to scrub off speed whenever called upon. With more than 20K in receipts, this modified Miata comes with plenty of documentation to prove it has been built. And while the original car's fun-to-drive level was already a ten out of ten, this J-Series swapped car ratchets up the fun factor off the charts. If you have been looking for one of these incredible sports cars, but always wanted one with just a bit (or a lot) more power, this is the one you've been waiting for. Don't wait, call today!
