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 Banshee

So, we've got a whole bunch of people sitting around in lawn chairs, polishing their "baby" with a diaper and talkin' about the "good ol days". What fun is that? To make matters worse, there are a lot of gearheads out there who would love to get their hands on a classic muscle car so they could really DRIVE and enjoy it, but they just can't afford it. So, I decided it was time to go back to the original mindset of Carroll Shelby and the Cobra, and stuff a high horsepower V8 into a tiny, late model sports car and call it "the Banshee", because it is going to be a screamin' machine.

The first generation Mazda Miata was a perfect choice for this kind of transformation because just like the AC Ace that Carroll Shelby used, it's generally considered a gir, sissy car - and about the farthest thing from a macho, hot sportscar as you can get. Bit, if you dig past the Miata's image, you find a pretty serious sports car platform under the skin. Perfect to tweak with...

The best part is, by using a mid-90's Mazda Miata, you not only have a car that is readily available... they built a billion of 'em.

...they are not so old that they are all rusty, requiring a complete restoration to get 'em back on the road, (you don't have to build a whole car).

...they have a good top, (something the Cobra only dreamed of).

...they have power windows, power brakes, power steering, air conditioning... all the good stuff that you want in a modern daily driver, and the potential to be WICKEDLY FAST!!!

...and finally, they are CHEAP! I got mine with a bad engine off eBay for $2500 with no rust. It has all the above options, and I've seen 'em even cheaper than that - so you can't beat the price.

 Specifications

VEHICLE: 1995 Mazda Miata

ENGINE CONVERSION KIT: Headers, Custom front subframe, Axles, Numerous adapters and hookups, Radiator, etc. Monster V8 Miata 760-510-9682 www.monstermiata.com

ENGINE: 302 Small Block Ford Keith Craft Performance Engines 870-246-7460 www.keithcraft.com Crank: Stock Rods: Eagle I-Beam Rods Pistons: Mahle Forged Flat-top Pistons Cam: Comp Cams Heads: Brodix Aluminum Heads w/202 intake and 180 Exhaust Stainless Steel Valves Rockers: Roller Rockers Intake: Weiand Stealth Intake Carb: Holley 750 Street Avenger Ignition: MSD Distributor and Box

ENGINE ACCESSORIES: Positrack System with Polished Aluminum A/C Compressor, PS Pump, Alternator, Brackest and Pulleys ZOOPS Products 909-922-2396 www.zoops.com

CABLES AND ENGINE ACCESSORIES: Lokar Throttle and Hood Cables and Brackets Lokar, Inc. 865-966-2269 www.lokar.com

FUEL LINES AND FITTINGS: Earl's Braided Stainless Steel Fuel Line and Fittings Holley Performance 270-780-1836 www.holley.com Mallory Fuel Pressure Regulator Mallory Ignition 216-688-8300 www.malloryperformance.com

SHOCKS: Koni Gas-adjust Adjustable Shocks Koni Industries 859-586-4100 www.streetperformance.com

SPRINGS: Eibach Performance Coil Springs Front and Rear Eibach Springs, Inc. 951-256-8300 www.eibach.com

STEERING WHEEL: Nardi Classic Wood Rimmed Steering Wheel with Polished Horn Button BBS of America 800-422-7972 www.bbb-usa.com

SEATS: Original Seats Reupholstered in Black Viny l B&G Automotive 615-254-5055

WHEELS: Complete Custom Wheel (CCW) 16 x 8 "Classic" Wheels Front and Rear with Custom Backspacing to Fill out the Flared Fenders Complete Custom Wheel (CCW) 888-577-0144 www.ccwheel.com

TIRES: Toyo Proxes T1R245/35ZR16 Front and Rear Toyo Tires 714-229-6111 www.toyotires.com

EXHAUST: Custom-built Dual Exhaust System with Crossover Pipe Cherry Bomb High-Flow Catalytic Converters -Vortex Performance Mufflers -12: Polished Exhaust Tips Cherry Bomb/Maremont 866-869-9704 www.cherrybomb.com

FUEL INJECTION: Oh, you're gonna have to wait to see that!

TRANSMISSION: T-5 World Class 5-speed, Mcleod Blowproof Bellhousing Summit Racing 330-630-0270 www.summitracing.com

CLUTCH: Clutch, Pressure Plate, T/O Bearing, Aluminum Flywheel ZOOM Performance 704-799-0577 www.zoomperformance.com

SHIFTER: GearZ Billet Shifter with Custom Handle and Knob GHSP 616-842-5500 www.ghsp.com

REAR END: 7.5 IRS out of '88-'94 Ford T-bird or Mercury Cougar Shrum's Auto Salvage 615-859-5497 www.shrumauto.com Limited Slip Differential Ford Racing 800-FOR-D788 www.fordracingparts.com

BRAKES: Baer Eradispeed Brake System

FRONT: Eradispeed Drilled and Slotted Rotors, Dual Piston Calipers

REAR: Drilled and Slotted 10" Rotors with Stock Calipers and Performance Pads Baer Brake Systems 602-233-1411 www.baer.com

BODY KIT:"Italia" Kit Simpson Design 360-321-4122 www.simpsondesign.net

ROLLBAR AND HARNESSES: Hard Dog Fabrication Dual Hoop, Polished Stainless Steel Rollbar and Willens 5-point Harnesses Hard Dog Fabrication 800-688-9652 www.bethania-garage.com

CARPET: Complete Miata Carpet Kit Including Rear Shelf and Panel Stock Interiors 866-868-4577 www.stockinteriors.com

SIDE MIRRORS: Early Cobra or Mustang Style "bullet" Side Mirrors Year One 800-932-7663 www.yearone.com

PAINT: PPG Custom "Banshee Blue" created by Ron Payton and Stacey David Silver Stripe is PPG "Silver Star" Auto Body Color and Supply 615-366-6383 www.autobodycolor.com

PAINT AND BODY WORK: West Kentucky Collision in Hopkinsville, KY Malcolm Pritchett and the Boys West KY Collision 270-866-3649 www.westkycollision.com

HOOD SCOOP: Keystone Restyling Products "Boss 302" Shaker Hood Scoop Keystone Restyling Products 614-870-5090 www.keystonerestyling.com