MX5 Bronco Miata/Baby Bronco

houseofdiesel · Jan 16, 2011

Okay so for the past few years I've been thinking about building a rig for my kids. So the idea was to find the smallest rear wheel drive, auto trans, platform I could for starters. Then around the end of 09 I found out there was a company called Buster's Broncos that made golf cart fiberglass bodies. So I bought one and started doing my research. I decided on the Mazda Miata cause Ford owns a portion on Mazda therefor having at least a kinship to Ford. So I looked long and hard for a 99-05 Second Gen MX5. Always missed the good deals by a day or two. Suddenly early last year I picked up a salvaged 07 3rd Gen for about $1500. It just sat for a long time until I around Thanksgiving. I wasn't really feeling up to doing something for myself so instead of trying to finish up Red Label the 4.6 Bronco, I felt extremely motivated to start building the rig for the kids. Now I'm about 2 months into it and pretty much have everything just about lined out. I've got a lot of photo's to upload so it'll take me a few days to catch ya'll up to date. Mod list is:

'06 Mazda Miata MX5
Early Bronco Golfcart Body
35"-38" Rubber
CHP 9" front and rear
4.86 Gears
2.0 16" Travel Fox Air Shocks
One Link Front and Rear
4 Adjustable bushings @ Axles
70 Degree Ballistic 1.25 Billet Joints Centers
Stack 3 Speed
5:44 Low
HYdro Steer W/Hydro Boost
3 Seat Configuration

Here's the idea!

clarrance · Jan 16, 2011

"WOW" and I thought my project was a big one. Thats is awsome. Your kids are going to love you.

Heus33 · Jan 16, 2011

WHAT!?!?!?! THIS. IS. AWESOME. That first pic is just too cool!

ponyracer · Jan 16, 2011

OMFG!!!!!! Will you adopt me??

houseofdiesel · Jan 16, 2011

ponyracer said:
OMFG!!!!!! Will you adopt me??

lol I'm pretty sure that if your over 12 you won't fit. The seats are only 13" at the outside of the bolsters.

houseofdiesel · Jan 16, 2011

Cutting her down to size. The tunnel will have to be bucketed a bit to fit the Stack Monster Box.

houseofdiesel · Jan 16, 2011

Okay so next I decided to chop the entire rear section off. Had to take over 9" off each side and straighten the front driver rail to get the glass tub on. Figuring out how to strengthen the frame rail was different but I'm pretty confident what I came up with will work. So the biggest issue with a unibody is attaching new sections or metal to the frame and tearing. So because the sub frame was not really much to even start with 1.5"x3" I decided to sandwich it between a piece of 2"x4" welded to a 3"x.1875" plate on the bottom and a piece of 8"x.25" plate on top. The crappy part is the subframe isn't even straight either. It tappers from about .5" at the rear to 2" up front. So I used 3/8" bolts down the inside and outside to sandwich the sheetmetal. The entire outside seam will get welded and I'll use 9/16" or 3/4" bolts on the inside to mount the skid/one link crossmember.

sprdv1 · Jan 16, 2011

Look forward to this one. Very unique.

houseofdiesel · Jan 16, 2011

So next I had to modify the dash support to tuck it as low and as forward as possible to get it in front of the glass dash. If your wondering why I decided to keep it, I wanted to retain the paddle shifters on the OE steering wheel. Also threw in the main roll cage. Had to turn it in in the rear to clear inside the glass rails. So far clearances have came out nice. The motor actually sit just off level both stock and in the car. Works out nice cause the air intake just clears the rail. Pushed the motor back as much as possible to try and leave clearance to shoe a radiator back in front. Just enough clearance so nothings rubbing.

houseofdiesel · Jan 16, 2011

Motor Mounts. They will slide into a girdle crossmember.

Shiner · Jan 16, 2011

You never cease to amaze me! Keep it up ;D

broncomitch · Jan 16, 2011

ya could have just made a tube chassis rather then doing that to the car.....

ya it was wrecked but could have turned it into a mx5 racer....

nice work tho..

Pflyboy · Jan 16, 2011

There's nothing better than an experimental fab project. Fantastic.

4lofun · Jan 16, 2011

Out of the mx5. A motor. Trans.harness column.gastwell
Should have made tube chassis for those components.way cool though and coming along well.

cobralee · Jan 16, 2011

looks like they are going to have one very sweet toy

Ratch · Jan 16, 2011

4lofun said:
Out of the mx5. A motor. Trans.harness column.gastwell
Should have made tube chassis for those components.way cool though and coming along well.

Looks like it will be mostly tube anyway. All that is left is cowl, foot wells and parts of the front frame rails. I can see why he did it that way. Easier than to have to fab those components.
I have built VW sand rails, but this is more than I could have thought up on my own. Well done Sir, and good luck with the build. Looking good so far.

houseofdiesel · Jan 16, 2011

broncomitch said:
ya could have just made a tube chassis rather then doing that to the car.....

ya it was wrecked but could have turned it into a mx5 racer....

nice work tho..

4lofun said:
Out of the mx5. A motor. Trans.harness column.gastwell
Should have made tube chassis for those components.way cool though and coming along well.

Thanks Ratch and every one else for the motivation.

First I'm just not a car guy. I've had a few Mustangs but I'm more of a truck enthusiast than a car enthusiast. Besides if I used the drivetrain for this build then I'd have to find another drive train for the Miata. I thought about doing a tube chassis and decided this route for two reasons.
1. I had to rebuild 80% of the floor in the Red Label Build and I'm in no hurry to ever do that again. Looking at how to lay out sheetmetal to keep the elements out and go around the drive train just seemed like it'd be a pain and the rear and take a ton of extra time.
2. There are a lot of aftermarket parts for a Miata but as far as shift cables, or stand alone harness' it was a lot easier for my to just build a chassis and cage around the drivetrian and cabin. All I have to deal with is rerouting all the wiring.

So it's going to save me a lot of time and money for other things.

houseofdiesel · Jan 16, 2011

So one more and then the next post will be up to date. Kept going back and forth with if I wanted to attach the rear tub from the top or bottom. Finally laid it all out and decided to hang it under the rear cage. All that will have to come off to pull the rear glass off will be the shocks. I could cut more of the tub out but I want to keep as much of it as possible to keep it stiff and still be able to run the rear tailgate. So tacked in the rear hoop and taped out the rest of the cage. Not sold on the interior or top yet. I actually already changed the B to C today and figured out a bunch of different ideas for the interior. Biggest achievement though was getting the body on and level. Until now I wasn't 100% that it would even work right. Still a lot to overcome, but I think I've got a good game plan.

englewoodcowboy · Jan 16, 2011

This is really cool. I am anxious to see this thing when it is done but I am also anxious to see some pics and hopefully vids of ur kids wheeling. I bought my kids ATV's and took themn wheeling with me when they were little and it will bring some great memories for you and them!

markperry · Jan 16, 2011

englewoodcowboy said:
This is really cool. I am anxious to see this thing when it is done but I am also anxious to see some pics and hopefully vids of ur kids wheeling. I bought my kids ATV's and took themn wheeling with me when they were little and it will bring some great memories for you and them!

I agree but lets get that bada$$ real Bronco done?

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