LS-Powered Mazda Miata Build Will Knock Your Socks Off
After driving a friend’s LS-powered Mazda Miata, YouTuber goes to work on his own LS1 Miata project.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is the best British roadster to ever come from the Land of the Rising Sun. The GM LS family is the best family of V8s to ever come from Detroit. Put them together, and you’ll have one of the most hardcore machines ever built since the Shelby 427 Cobra.
But it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n roll, as YouTuber Taylor Ray knows very well. He’s been hard at work with his own LS swap on his NA Miata for quite a while, inching ever close to the day when its V8 roar can be heard at last. In this video, Ray says he’s got “a lot of stuff to do” with the engine, from repainting the valve covers to installing a few new parts to the budget build.
But not before a quick drive around the neighborhood in his friend’s own LS Miata in order to “give [them] motivation to do something” with Ray’s own LS Miata for the day. This blue beauty has trick hood pins to make it easy to reveal the “crown jewel” under wraps. Though its growl reveals the demon within the Miata, Ray’s friend says he “really wanted make it a streetable, comfortable-driving car.” Ray agrees with the assessment, saying the build is very “OEM-ish” in quality.
ALSO SEE: Camaro RS Turbo Review: Waiting for the V8 Swap
Back home, Ray and his friend go to work installing a steam port kit on the LS so things remain cool under the hood. We also see why one shouldn’t use white masking tape to keep the holes covered, and in turn, why it’s better to use a residue remover like Goo Gone over brake cleaner (brake cleaner will eat the gaskets and give you cancer. Maybe).
A few hours after installing the steam port kit and LS2 intake, the valve covers were removed, wire-wheeled and media-blasted to before respraying the formerly “wrinkle red” covers “wrinkle black” to better complement the red rail fuel injectors. While they dried, Ray and his friend attempt to vinyl-wrap his copper-painted door bars to protect the finish, which goes well, if a bit on the ugly side.
All in all, we can’t wait to see this budget LS Miata tear it up at the track!
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