Ford 'badged' vehicle built on Miata frame?

Hi everyone,
I was driving "Maggie Mae" (My 'new' '01 Miata) this evening and my best
girl posed a very thought provoking question. She asked 'with all the
crossover (Rebranded / rebadged) cars that Ford & Mazda make
(Explorer-Navajo, MX6-Probe, 323-Laser, Escape-Tribute, etc etc) why haven't
they built a Ford 'branded' Miata. Call it the Ford Miara or something.
It realy made me think that with the way Ford's numbers are in the
crapper... why aren't they on their knees begging Mazda to let them do it.
They could make an economy Shelby or Cobra replica built on the Miata frame.
Something like this: http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/cobra.jpg

But knowing Ford, if they did it would probably look like one of these.

http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang1.jpg

http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang2.jpg

http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/stretch.jpg

http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/aston1.jpg

http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/camino2.jpg


Just my 2 cents worth.
:-)
KN

PS Many Thanks to Paul Davis.. His Miata page rocks!

The Miata has stub frames and should be considered a "unibody" Even so, what
you suggest is possible, but not probable.
Interior room is too small for one thing.
If you are saying that a rotary engine convertable sport car should be built
using the Miata as a base, I could not agree more.

"Karl North" > wrote in message
...
> Hi everyone,
> I was driving "Maggie Mae" (My 'new' '01 Miata) this evening and my
best
> girl posed a very thought provoking question. She asked 'with all the
> crossover (Rebranded / rebadged) cars that Ford & Mazda make
> (Explorer-Navajo, MX6-Probe, 323-Laser, Escape-Tribute, etc etc) why
haven't
> they built a Ford 'branded' Miata. Call it the Ford Miara or something.
> It realy made me think that with the way Ford's numbers are in the
> crapper... why aren't they on their knees begging Mazda to let them do it.
> They could make an economy Shelby or Cobra replica built on the Miata
frame.
> Something like this: http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/cobra.jpg
>
> But knowing Ford, if they did it would probably look like one of these.
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang1.jpg
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang2.jpg
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/stretch.jpg
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/aston1.jpg
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/camino2.jpg
>
>
> Just my 2 cents worth.
> :-)
> KN
>
> PS Many Thanks to Paul Davis.. His Miata page rocks!
>
>

In article >,
"Chuck" > wrote:

> The Miata has stub frames and should be considered a "unibody" Even so, what
> you suggest is possible, but not probable.
> Interior room is too small for one thing.
> If you are saying that a rotary engine convertable sport car should be built
> using the Miata as a base, I could not agree more.

Oooh... Talk about breakin' out the "zoom-zoom"!

--
Don Bruder - - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info

Chuck wrote:
> The Miata has stub frames and should be considered a "unibody" Even so, what
> you suggest is possible, but not probable.
> Interior room is too small for one thing.
> If you are saying that a rotary engine convertable sport car should be built
> using the Miata as a base, I could not agree more.
>
> "Karl North" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi everyone,
>> I was driving "Maggie Mae" (My 'new' '01 Miata) this evening and my
> best
>> girl posed a very thought provoking question. She asked 'with all the
>> crossover (Rebranded / rebadged) cars that Ford & Mazda make
>> (Explorer-Navajo, MX6-Probe, 323-Laser, Escape-Tribute, etc etc) why
> haven't
>> they built a Ford 'branded' Miata. Call it the Ford Miara or something.
>> It realy made me think that with the way Ford's numbers are in the
>> crapper... why aren't they on their knees begging Mazda to let them do it.
>> They could make an economy Shelby or Cobra replica built on the Miata
> frame.
>> Something like this: http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/cobra.jpg
>>
>> But knowing Ford, if they did it would probably look like one of these.
>>
>> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang1.jpg
>>
>> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang2.jpg
>>
>> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/stretch.jpg
>>
>> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/aston1.jpg
>>
>> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/camino2.jpg
>>
>>
>> Just my 2 cents worth.
>> :-)
>> KN
>>
>> PS Many Thanks to Paul Davis.. His Miata page rocks!
>>
>>
>
>

Let's see now. The 2.3L from the Mazdaspeed 6 puts out something over
270hp and from what I've seen it isn't all that large and is probably
not prohibitively heavy and, given the cost of the the two vehicles
utilizing it, it isn't all that expensive. Just a bit of work with the
shoehorn in Hiroshima and you'd have some _serious_ Zoom-Zoom.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

On Sun, 05 Nov 2006 10:15:38 -0500, John McGaw wrote:

> Let's see now. The 2.3L from the Mazdaspeed 6 puts out something over
> 270hp and from what I've seen it isn't all that large and is probably
> not prohibitively heavy and, given the cost of the the two vehicles
> utilizing it, it isn't all that expensive. Just a bit of work with the
> shoehorn in Hiroshima and you'd have some _serious_ Zoom-Zoom.

I would not be surprised if this is the next Mazdaspeed MX-5. This car
would have a power-to-weight ratio rivaling some very serious, expensive
sports cars. Should be interesting.

Karl North wrote:
> Hi everyone,
> I was driving "Maggie Mae" (My 'new' '01 Miata) this evening and my
> best girl posed a very thought provoking question. She asked 'with all the
> crossover (Rebranded / rebadged) cars that Ford & Mazda make
> (Explorer-Navajo, MX6-Probe, 323-Laser, Escape-Tribute, etc etc) why
> haven't they built a Ford 'branded' Miata. Call it the Ford Miara or
> something.
> It realy made me think that with the way Ford's numbers are in the
> crapper... why aren't they on their knees begging Mazda to let them do it.
> They could make an economy Shelby or Cobra replica built on the Miata
> frame. Something like this:
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/cobra.jpg
>
> But knowing Ford, if they did it would probably look like one of these.
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang1.jpg
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang2.jpg
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/stretch.jpg
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/aston1.jpg
>
> http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/camino2.jpg
>
>
> Just my 2 cents worth.
> :-)
> KN
>
> PS Many Thanks to Paul Davis.. His Miata page rocks!

Thank you very much - my eyes are now bleeding. <g>

Iva & Belle.)
'90B Classic Red.)
#3 winkin' Miata

I'm not saying it can't be done but you know, the MS 3 using that powerplant
is FWD and in the MS 6 it's AWD so I'm not sure if it lends itself to RWD in
a small package. I am in agreement that a rotary rocket Miata would be very
"mazda" and I mean that in the best way. The Solstice / Sky have hi-po
versions already and now I'm hearing that the Solstice's pretty much handed
the Miata's their rear-ends at the SCCA autocross nationals. It's time to
get serious MAZDA!

Chris
99BBB

"Carbon" > wrote in message
news
> On Sun, 05 Nov 2006 10:15:38 -0500, John McGaw wrote:
>
>> Let's see now. The 2.3L from the Mazdaspeed 6 puts out something over
>> 270hp and from what I've seen it isn't all that large and is probably
>> not prohibitively heavy and, given the cost of the the two vehicles
>> utilizing it, it isn't all that expensive. Just a bit of work with the
>> shoehorn in Hiroshima and you'd have some _serious_ Zoom-Zoom.
>
> I would not be surprised if this is the next Mazdaspeed MX-5. This car
> would have a power-to-weight ratio rivaling some very serious, expensive
> sports cars. Should be interesting.

Supposedly one of the best engine conversions was an aluminum small block V8
originally made by GM and then sold to Aston Martin.
The Aston Martin version was a very good engine, and used for quite a few
years. Since that engine is a bit long in the tooth these days,
some of the small block engines can be used. Unfortunately, major surgery is
involved. Not much will be left of the original drive train.
(300+ HP does very nasty things to a stock Miata drive train.)
In fact, I doubt that the stock Miata drive train would withstand the torque
produced by the V-6 in our impala sedan.
To meet the basic EPA requirements, the new engine must be no older than the
Miata it's going into.

All that aside, a company in Australia was making a stretched and widened
Miata version (Bullet?) for a chunk of change. Naturally it has up to a
turbo'ed V-8.

"Iva" > wrote in message ...
> Karl North wrote:
> > Hi everyone,
> > I was driving "Maggie Mae" (My 'new' '01 Miata) this evening and my
> > best girl posed a very thought provoking question. She asked 'with all
the
> > crossover (Rebranded / rebadged) cars that Ford & Mazda make
> > (Explorer-Navajo, MX6-Probe, 323-Laser, Escape-Tribute, etc etc) why
> > haven't they built a Ford 'branded' Miata. Call it the Ford Miara or
> > something.
> > It realy made me think that with the way Ford's numbers are in the
> > crapper... why aren't they on their knees begging Mazda to let them do
it.
> > They could make an economy Shelby or Cobra replica built on the Miata
> > frame. Something like this:
> > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/cobra.jpg
> >
> > But knowing Ford, if they did it would probably look like one of these.
> >
> > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang1.jpg
> >
> > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang2.jpg
> >
> > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/stretch.jpg
> >
> > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/aston1.jpg
> >
> > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/camino2.jpg
> >
> >
> > Just my 2 cents worth.
> > :-)
> > KN
> >
> > PS Many Thanks to Paul Davis.. His Miata page rocks!
>
> Thank you very much - my eyes are now bleeding. <g>
>
> Iva & Belle.)
> '90B Classic Red.)
> #3 winkin' Miata
>
>

Actually the GM engine was sold to Rover, not Astom Martin--My mistake--
replace Aston Marti with Rover where ever found below.
"Chuck" > wrote in message
...
> Supposedly one of the best engine conversions was an aluminum small block
V8
> originally made by GM and then sold to Aston Martin.
> The Aston Martin version was a very good engine, and used for quite a few
> years. Since that engine is a bit long in the tooth these days,
> some of the small block engines can be used. Unfortunately, major surgery
is
> involved. Not much will be left of the original drive train.
> (300+ HP does very nasty things to a stock Miata drive train.)
> In fact, I doubt that the stock Miata drive train would withstand the
torque
> produced by the V-6 in our impala sedan.
> To meet the basic EPA requirements, the new engine must be no older than
the
> Miata it's going into.
>
> All that aside, a company in Australia was making a stretched and widened
> Miata version (Bullet?) for a chunk of change. Naturally it has up to a
> turbo'ed V-8.
>
> "Iva" > wrote in message
...
> > Karl North wrote:
> > > Hi everyone,
> > > I was driving "Maggie Mae" (My 'new' '01 Miata) this evening and my
> > > best girl posed a very thought provoking question. She asked 'with all
> the
> > > crossover (Rebranded / rebadged) cars that Ford & Mazda make
> > > (Explorer-Navajo, MX6-Probe, 323-Laser, Escape-Tribute, etc etc) why
> > > haven't they built a Ford 'branded' Miata. Call it the Ford Miara or
> > > something.
> > > It realy made me think that with the way Ford's numbers are in the
> > > crapper... why aren't they on their knees begging Mazda to let them do
> it.
> > > They could make an economy Shelby or Cobra replica built on the Miata
> > > frame. Something like this:
> > > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/cobra.jpg
> > >
> > > But knowing Ford, if they did it would probably look like one of
these.
> > >
> > > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang1.jpg
> > >
> > > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/mustang2.jpg
> > >
> > > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/stretch.jpg
> > >
> > > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/aston1.jpg
> > >
> > > http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/camino2.jpg
> > >
> > >
> > > Just my 2 cents worth.
> > > :-)
> > > KN
> > >
> > > PS Many Thanks to Paul Davis.. His Miata page rocks!
> >
> > Thank you very much - my eyes are now bleeding. <g>
> >
> > Iva & Belle.)
> > '90B Classic Red.)
> > #3 winkin' Miata
> >
> >
>
>

On Mon, 6 Nov 2006 13:11:38 -0500, "Chuck" > wrote:

>Actually the GM engine was sold to Rover, not Astom Martin--My mistake--

....and was used in my beloved 1980 TR-8 ...

-- Larry