Thunderbolt! My LS3 V8 Miata build
06-25-2015, 01:01 PM
#101
Awesome build! I too would love to have an LS powered Miata.
In regard to the CTS-V differential I have two suggestions.
1. Upgrade that front bushing to a polyurethane from either Creative Steel or RevShift. The stock bushing is far too spongy and can make shifting at slow speeds jerky and harder shifts tend to BANG a little harder than needed. It's a night and day difference and doesn't impart much if any unwanted vibrations into the chassis.
2. With the exhaust running that close to the aluminum differential case put some sort of heat shield or heat wrap around the adjacent pipes. This should keep your differential temps in check and thwart whining noises when it gets (too) hot.
In regard to the CTS-V differential I have two suggestions.
1. Upgrade that front bushing to a polyurethane from either Creative Steel or RevShift. The stock bushing is far too spongy and can make shifting at slow speeds jerky and harder shifts tend to BANG a little harder than needed. It's a night and day difference and doesn't impart much if any unwanted vibrations into the chassis.
2. With the exhaust running that close to the aluminum differential case put some sort of heat shield or heat wrap around the adjacent pipes. This should keep your differential temps in check and thwart whining noises when it gets (too) hot.
06-26-2015, 04:03 PM
#102
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Thanks man, yes it is very time consuming to say the least! Throughout this whole process, I usually get up at 3-4am and edit until it's time for work. I don't keep track of the time it takes per episode (in fear of my wife finding out, haha!) but it's substantial. The process of capturing video in the shop while working, transferring/managing that footage in the computer, planning each episode, writing the voiceovers, editing the footage, making/getting music, making graphics, updating my website, etc. ends up being a whole big dump truck full of work.
That said, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world! Sharing the process with everyone has been so much fun and the encouraging support and kind words have been incredibly motivating throughout the build. I have met so many cool people from all around the world who love cars and are working on way cooler stuff than I am. I feel that same way when I come on these forums- I feel like my project is pretty run of the mill compared to the awesome stuff I see on here every day! In fact I wish more folks would make videos. For example, there is a guy building an LS3 powered Porsche Boxster on a different forum who whips up simple update videos and I love 'em!
Oh and for video cameras, I use a small handheld Sony HDR-CX camcorder, my iPhone and my Canon T4 SLR sparingly. I've got a few tripods too. For music I use Garageband (along with a dollop of my limited guitar/keyboard talent) and I use the latest version of iMovie for video editing.
That said, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world! Sharing the process with everyone has been so much fun and the encouraging support and kind words have been incredibly motivating throughout the build. I have met so many cool people from all around the world who love cars and are working on way cooler stuff than I am. I feel that same way when I come on these forums- I feel like my project is pretty run of the mill compared to the awesome stuff I see on here every day! In fact I wish more folks would make videos. For example, there is a guy building an LS3 powered Porsche Boxster on a different forum who whips up simple update videos and I love 'em!
Oh and for video cameras, I use a small handheld Sony HDR-CX camcorder, my iPhone and my Canon T4 SLR sparingly. I've got a few tripods too. For music I use Garageband (along with a dollop of my limited guitar/keyboard talent) and I use the latest version of iMovie for video editing.
Keep up the badass work - you need to take this thing on Tail of the Dragon/Cherohala Skyway!
06-30-2015, 08:18 PM
#104
Awesome build! I too would love to have an LS powered Miata.
In regard to the CTS-V differential I have two suggestions.
1. Upgrade that front bushing to a polyurethane from either Creative Steel or RevShift. The stock bushing is far too spongy and can make shifting at slow speeds jerky and harder shifts tend to BANG a little harder than needed. It's a night and day difference and doesn't impart much if any unwanted vibrations into the chassis.
2. With the exhaust running that close to the aluminum differential case put some sort of heat shield or heat wrap around the adjacent pipes. This should keep your differential temps in check and thwart whining noises when it gets (too) hot.
In regard to the CTS-V differential I have two suggestions.
1. Upgrade that front bushing to a polyurethane from either Creative Steel or RevShift. The stock bushing is far too spongy and can make shifting at slow speeds jerky and harder shifts tend to BANG a little harder than needed. It's a night and day difference and doesn't impart much if any unwanted vibrations into the chassis.
2. With the exhaust running that close to the aluminum differential case put some sort of heat shield or heat wrap around the adjacent pipes. This should keep your differential temps in check and thwart whining noises when it gets (too) hot.
I'll be posting part 12, the finale of the "build" portion of the series this coming Friday, July 3rd. See ya then!
07-02-2015, 02:57 AM
#106
The Underdog,
I notice that you spend the time to do a awsome job documenting your build, do a video AND answer/respond to ALL comments within the thread. Its great to see ideas and replys . This is why LS1 tech is such a great forum.
Thanks for your time and effort.
Jim
I notice that you spend the time to do a awsome job documenting your build, do a video AND answer/respond to ALL comments within the thread. Its great to see ideas and replys . This is why LS1 tech is such a great forum.
Thanks for your time and effort.
Jim
07-03-2015, 08:34 AM
#108
Hello All,
It's time for the final installment of the "Project Thunderbolt" video series! As you all know, while this is the end of the build, the journey has just begun. There's still tons to do- engine/component break-in, bolt checking/re-checking, suspension tuning, engine tuning. In time I plan to carve up as many mountain roads as humanly possible, visit the dyno, visit the track and generally enjoy this little beast.
I truly can't thank you enough for all of your kind and encouraging words over the last six months, I hope you enjoyed the series and I wish you the best on whatever you're wrenching on!
-Tom
You can find lots more pictures and a parts list on my website at http://www.V8Mazda.com
It's time for the final installment of the "Project Thunderbolt" video series! As you all know, while this is the end of the build, the journey has just begun. There's still tons to do- engine/component break-in, bolt checking/re-checking, suspension tuning, engine tuning. In time I plan to carve up as many mountain roads as humanly possible, visit the dyno, visit the track and generally enjoy this little beast.
I truly can't thank you enough for all of your kind and encouraging words over the last six months, I hope you enjoyed the series and I wish you the best on whatever you're wrenching on!
-Tom
You can find lots more pictures and a parts list on my website at http://www.V8Mazda.com
07-03-2015, 10:48 PM
#110
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Tom,
Great project wrap-up, but now the real fun begins. Testing, tuning, and optimizing!
Also, that catch can is just out of place. I think if you painted with wrinkle black paint it would look really nice. I used the VHT stuff and it worked well. The brass fittings need to go as well. You can just paint them too or get some black anodized ones. Just my 2 cents...
Andrew
Great project wrap-up, but now the real fun begins. Testing, tuning, and optimizing!
Also, that catch can is just out of place. I think if you painted with wrinkle black paint it would look really nice. I used the VHT stuff and it worked well. The brass fittings need to go as well. You can just paint them too or get some black anodized ones. Just my 2 cents...
Andrew
07-07-2015, 01:13 PM
#112
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Wild ride from start to finish!
Your meticulous attention to detail is truly awe inspiring.
That is an amazing car you have there, and I sincerely hope you drive the hell out of it.
Your meticulous attention to detail is truly awe inspiring.
That is an amazing car you have there, and I sincerely hope you drive the hell out of it.
07-07-2015, 09:26 PM
#113
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Very impressive build. Top notch, thorough and meticulous.
What was the final weight?
What state are you located?
Will you be tuning the vehicle?
We finally got back to our build and its a bit in a different direction but very similar nonetheless. You kinda stole my thunder(bolt)
when getting back into this build. I will never have the time to produce such a build thread and you did it all in a very decent amount of time. Well done and not to be outdone.
In regards to power I wanted scary like 140mph 1/4mi trap speed car but for the road course and at the same very controlled and optimized Aero. still much learning on the later....
I have driven about 4 LSX Miatas and vowed to make good on all of their short comings, intake air temps,heat soak, small exh, weak header,coolant temps too high, lack of traction,etc. We have been learning a lot lately about controlling airflow in multiple applications and hope to put that to use.
Outstanding job and congratulations.
Thank you
Jeremy Formato
What was the final weight?
What state are you located?
Will you be tuning the vehicle?
We finally got back to our build and its a bit in a different direction but very similar nonetheless. You kinda stole my thunder(bolt)
when getting back into this build. I will never have the time to produce such a build thread and you did it all in a very decent amount of time. Well done and not to be outdone. In regards to power I wanted scary like 140mph 1/4mi trap speed car but for the road course and at the same very controlled and optimized Aero. still much learning on the later....
I have driven about 4 LSX Miatas and vowed to make good on all of their short comings, intake air temps,heat soak, small exh, weak header,coolant temps too high, lack of traction,etc. We have been learning a lot lately about controlling airflow in multiple applications and hope to put that to use.
Outstanding job and congratulations.
Thank you
Jeremy Formato
07-10-2015, 06:47 PM
#116
Haha, I would rather sell one of my internal organs at this point. Need a pancreas?
Thank you Jim and I appreciate the kind words! Yes, this is an excellent forum, I get loads of ideas and inspiration here. I get that same vibe from The Garage Journal forum too.
Well thank you and yeah, I think I'm going to lay just low and enjoy the end result for a good bit. The actual work on the car combined with the video production and all that goes along with it was quite a large commitment for a one dude band like me. I'm going to just drive around for awhile I think.
You're right and there is TONS of optimizing to be done. It is a great driving car as is and feels quite fast, but I am looking forward to making those small tweaks that when combined make a big difference. Thanks again for the catch can ideas, I'll likely get it blasted and powdercoated. Thanks again for the kind words Andrew and keep up the great work on your car!
Thank you for saying that! I grew up in a very neat service station and try to keep the place in order in a similar fashion. As for the swap, I tried really hard to make it look and perform as if the factory did it. Glad you enjoyed the videos.
Well thank you sir, I'm glad you enjoyed the series and I appreciate that! I promise I will! Haha!
Thank you Jeremy, I greatly appreciate the kind words! I haven't had a chance to weigh/corner weight the car but I plan to in the near future. As for tuning, I've always tuned my turbo cars in the past and would like to do the same with this car. That said, I don't have much time for that sort of thing these days and hooking up with an experienced LSx tuner would be nice, so I will likely go that route. I am located in Knoxville TN, by the way.
I wish you the best of luck with your car, I think you have some awesome performance goals! You're right about the typical shortcomings of these cars and I tried to learn from the discussions I saw about folks struggling with those things. So far my intake air temps are nice and cool thanks to the ZO6 intake setup, the radiator/fan setup has the coolant temps completely under control, even with the A/C on (I was very skeptical of this with the single fan setup). Right now during this break-in time, it thankfully just drives like a normal car with no issues. I do consider this a version 1.0 of this car and as I learn more about it plan to sneak up on traction optimization, better headers, handling, etc. Thanks again and have a good one!
I'm located in Knoxville, TN I just visit Ohio once a year when I attend The DSM/Evo/GT-R Shootout at Summit Motorsports Park.
Oh yeah, Knoxville! I'll be heading to Miatas at the Gap at the end of July, I'm excited!
The Underdog,
I notice that you spend the time to do a awsome job documenting your build, do a video AND answer/respond to ALL comments within the thread. Its great to see ideas and replys . This is why LS1 tech is such a great forum. Thanks for your time and effort. Jim
I notice that you spend the time to do a awsome job documenting your build, do a video AND answer/respond to ALL comments within the thread. Its great to see ideas and replys . This is why LS1 tech is such a great forum. Thanks for your time and effort. Jim
Tom, Great project wrap-up, but now the real fun begins. Testing, tuning, and optimizing! Also, that catch can is just out of place. I think if you painted with wrinkle black paint it would look really nice. I used the VHT stuff and it worked well. The brass fittings need to go as well. You can just paint them too or get some black anodized ones. Just my 2 cents... Andrew
Very impressive build. Top notch, thorough and meticulous.
What was the final weight?
What state are you located?
Will you be tuning the vehicle?
We finally got back to our build and its a bit in a different direction but very similar nonetheless. You kinda stole my thunder(bolt) when getting back into this build. I will never have the time to produce such a build thread and you did it all in a very decent amount of time. Well done and not to be outdone.
In regards to power I wanted scary like 140mph 1/4mi trap speed car but for the road course and at the same very controlled and optimized Aero. still much learning on the later....
I have driven about 4 LSX Miatas and vowed to make good on all of their short comings, intake air temps,heat soak, small exh, weak header,coolant temps too high, lack of traction,etc. We have been learning a lot lately about controlling airflow in multiple applications and hope to put that to use.
Outstanding job and congratulations.
Thank you
Jeremy Formato
What was the final weight?
What state are you located?
Will you be tuning the vehicle?
We finally got back to our build and its a bit in a different direction but very similar nonetheless. You kinda stole my thunder(bolt)
when getting back into this build. I will never have the time to produce such a build thread and you did it all in a very decent amount of time. Well done and not to be outdone. In regards to power I wanted scary like 140mph 1/4mi trap speed car but for the road course and at the same very controlled and optimized Aero. still much learning on the later....
I have driven about 4 LSX Miatas and vowed to make good on all of their short comings, intake air temps,heat soak, small exh, weak header,coolant temps too high, lack of traction,etc. We have been learning a lot lately about controlling airflow in multiple applications and hope to put that to use.
Outstanding job and congratulations.
Thank you
Jeremy Formato
I wish you the best of luck with your car, I think you have some awesome performance goals! You're right about the typical shortcomings of these cars and I tried to learn from the discussions I saw about folks struggling with those things. So far my intake air temps are nice and cool thanks to the ZO6 intake setup, the radiator/fan setup has the coolant temps completely under control, even with the A/C on (I was very skeptical of this with the single fan setup). Right now during this break-in time, it thankfully just drives like a normal car with no issues. I do consider this a version 1.0 of this car and as I learn more about it plan to sneak up on traction optimization, better headers, handling, etc. Thanks again and have a good one!
Oh yeah, Knoxville! I'll be heading to Miatas at the Gap at the end of July, I'm excited!
07-11-2015, 10:46 AM
#117
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I have followed this build from the beginning and I just want to say I f@ckin love you man. When the first video was posted I thought "oh this is going to be good" and it just got better and better from there. I found myself yelling "YES!!" out loud multiple times during almost all of your videos, to things I have been trying to figure out in my head for years. Every aspect of this build, your shop, your attention to detail, the sequence in which you worked, your attitude, your responses here on the forum... just incredible. What an excellent job.
I bought a blown LS1, stripped it down and starting building it back in 06 with the intention of putting it in a miata or an s10 (wasn't sure which direction to go, road racing or drag racing). I struggled for years trying to understand the extent required to end up with a vehicle that wasn't a compromise. This build put the entire project in perspective for me and is exactly what I was searching for years ago. Life got in the way and my motor is still wrapped in plastic in my basement. You have certainly re-invigorated my LS miata dream by realizing yours in top notch fashion. Congrats, friend.
Please, please...PLEASE keep this thread alive and post updates with how the car performs, does over the long haul, lessons learned, even just to say hi and brag about how awesome the car is... its pretty clear that i'm not the only one who is interested in keeping up with you and this build. Thank you for the time and effort you put into this build and its documentation.
I bought a blown LS1, stripped it down and starting building it back in 06 with the intention of putting it in a miata or an s10 (wasn't sure which direction to go, road racing or drag racing). I struggled for years trying to understand the extent required to end up with a vehicle that wasn't a compromise. This build put the entire project in perspective for me and is exactly what I was searching for years ago. Life got in the way and my motor is still wrapped in plastic in my basement. You have certainly re-invigorated my LS miata dream by realizing yours in top notch fashion. Congrats, friend.
Please, please...PLEASE keep this thread alive and post updates with how the car performs, does over the long haul, lessons learned, even just to say hi and brag about how awesome the car is... its pretty clear that i'm not the only one who is interested in keeping up with you and this build. Thank you for the time and effort you put into this build and its documentation.
Last edited by SenorThumpy; 07-11-2015 at 10:46 AM. Reason: Edit-formatting sucked
07-29-2015, 10:48 AM
#119
Hello all, it's update time! This one is in photo/word form, so just imagine my nasally voice in your head as you read along. 
It’d been seven years since I attended the fantastic gathering that is “Miatas at the Gap.” Why the long hiatus? Well, it took me that long to get my hands on another Miata- and while taking a Miata to the three day event isn’t required, it is highly recommended. Back in 2008, I took my 1992 Sunburst Yellow Miata, dubbed “Sunflower” by some chiding coworkers. Sunflower’s turbocharged engine and superb chassis with just the right combination of mods was a fine little tool for carving up the legendary mountain roads found in Deals Gap.
This time around I would be taking my newly finished LS3 V8 powered Mazdaspeed Miata - Thunderbolt!
In case you haven't heard of it, Deals Gap is a world famous mountain pass along the North Carolina-Tennessee state line, bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the intersection of US 129 and NC 28. The area is popular with motorcycle and automotive enthusiasts alike, who make the trek from all over the country to drive the "The Tail of The Dragon.”
While impressive sounding, the tagline of “318 curves in 11 miles” doesn’t even begin to capture the experience of driving this road. It is an intense experience that requires focus and concentration at all times. Some of the Dragon's sharpest curves have intimidating names like Copperhead Corner, Beginner’s End, The Whip, Gravity Cavity and The Wall, to name a few. These names are well earned and give you a little hint as to the exciting driving experience that lay ahead. This road is the centerpiece of the “Miatas at the Gap” experience, but it’s just part of the appeal.
When I rolled in on Saturday morning, I was reminded of what makes this gathering so great- the diversity. Young and old gathering to talk about their love of these little roadsters and their passion to drive, personalize and enjoy them. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming and the variety of cars that you’ll see is amazing. As you walk the parking area and talk to each owner, it’s crystal clear that each car is a direct reflection of it’s owner’s personality and everyone is having a great time.
While the event spans three days of fun events, I was only able to attend on Saturday. Even then, I was treated to a fantastic day meeting Miata enthusiasts from all over the country and enjoyed a delicious lunch and big helping of ice cream courtesy of the event’s sponsors. I had a great time and enjoyed talking with so many interesting folks. Also, I was amazed at how many people had watched the Project Thunderbolt video series. The outpouring of kind words and support was overwhelming and it was fun sharing the end result with everyone.
This trip was yet another test for Thunderbolt. I had about 400 miles on the newly-installed drivetrain, so I was incredibly relieved when everything performed perfectly on the 2.5 hour drive and then 11 mile roller coaster thrash through the Tail of The Dragon. Even in the 90 degree heat, the car never got hot, the brakes never faded and everything performed beautifully. I think there is some room for improvement in the suspension settings, but I was blown away by how balanced and predictable the car felt. If it weren’t for the V8 rumble tickling your ears, it would be easy to forget what was hiding under the low-slung hood. It was a good way for me to get more comfortable with the car’s capabilities too, although being tailed by a 600cc sport bike through the eye-crossing curves may have been a little nerve-wracking at times. On the ride home I was already planning my trip for next year- I hope to see you there!
Thank you for reading and for more information about this excellent event including how to attend, please visit www.GapMiatas.com
I've got some more pics up at my website if you would like to check 'em out: http://www.V8Mazda.com
It’d been seven years since I attended the fantastic gathering that is “Miatas at the Gap.” Why the long hiatus? Well, it took me that long to get my hands on another Miata- and while taking a Miata to the three day event isn’t required, it is highly recommended. Back in 2008, I took my 1992 Sunburst Yellow Miata, dubbed “Sunflower” by some chiding coworkers. Sunflower’s turbocharged engine and superb chassis with just the right combination of mods was a fine little tool for carving up the legendary mountain roads found in Deals Gap.
This time around I would be taking my newly finished LS3 V8 powered Mazdaspeed Miata - Thunderbolt!
In case you haven't heard of it, Deals Gap is a world famous mountain pass along the North Carolina-Tennessee state line, bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the intersection of US 129 and NC 28. The area is popular with motorcycle and automotive enthusiasts alike, who make the trek from all over the country to drive the "The Tail of The Dragon.”
While impressive sounding, the tagline of “318 curves in 11 miles” doesn’t even begin to capture the experience of driving this road. It is an intense experience that requires focus and concentration at all times. Some of the Dragon's sharpest curves have intimidating names like Copperhead Corner, Beginner’s End, The Whip, Gravity Cavity and The Wall, to name a few. These names are well earned and give you a little hint as to the exciting driving experience that lay ahead. This road is the centerpiece of the “Miatas at the Gap” experience, but it’s just part of the appeal.
When I rolled in on Saturday morning, I was reminded of what makes this gathering so great- the diversity. Young and old gathering to talk about their love of these little roadsters and their passion to drive, personalize and enjoy them. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming and the variety of cars that you’ll see is amazing. As you walk the parking area and talk to each owner, it’s crystal clear that each car is a direct reflection of it’s owner’s personality and everyone is having a great time.
While the event spans three days of fun events, I was only able to attend on Saturday. Even then, I was treated to a fantastic day meeting Miata enthusiasts from all over the country and enjoyed a delicious lunch and big helping of ice cream courtesy of the event’s sponsors. I had a great time and enjoyed talking with so many interesting folks. Also, I was amazed at how many people had watched the Project Thunderbolt video series. The outpouring of kind words and support was overwhelming and it was fun sharing the end result with everyone.
This trip was yet another test for Thunderbolt. I had about 400 miles on the newly-installed drivetrain, so I was incredibly relieved when everything performed perfectly on the 2.5 hour drive and then 11 mile roller coaster thrash through the Tail of The Dragon. Even in the 90 degree heat, the car never got hot, the brakes never faded and everything performed beautifully. I think there is some room for improvement in the suspension settings, but I was blown away by how balanced and predictable the car felt. If it weren’t for the V8 rumble tickling your ears, it would be easy to forget what was hiding under the low-slung hood. It was a good way for me to get more comfortable with the car’s capabilities too, although being tailed by a 600cc sport bike through the eye-crossing curves may have been a little nerve-wracking at times. On the ride home I was already planning my trip for next year- I hope to see you there!
Thank you for reading and for more information about this excellent event including how to attend, please visit www.GapMiatas.com
I've got some more pics up at my website if you would like to check 'em out: http://www.V8Mazda.com