Why You MUST Put a Jaguar V6 in Your Mazda MX5 - The Rocketeer

The MK1 and and MK2 Mazda MX5 is a wonderful car, BUT the engines could always have done with more power to properly exploit the wonderful chassis. Rocketeer put in an all alluminuim V6 with 250-290hp from the S-Type and it makes for an almost perfect conversion!

[@resnonverba137]

I'm amazed that this V6 is lighter than the original engine. Sounds like an interesting drive.

[@paulthomas6609]

Iron block 1.8 variant was sourced from turbo'd unit from the 323...

[@aussiebloke609]

It probably puts the weight balance just a touch rearwards also, as the engine is only 3 cylinders long. WHich can't hurt. 🙂

[@Ashfielder]

The variety of engines home-brew engineers have managed to shove into MX5s is truly remarkable, but I think this must be up there as one of the most perfect matings.

[@Number27]

Agree!!!

[@Number27]

Agree!!!

[@paultasker7788]

Sounds lovely and hasn't affected the styling. The combination of that engine and the MX5s simplicity and handling sounds a compelling mix.

[@a20axf]

Or a compelling mx 😜 have to agree.

[@nikjames2965]

I have a 94 MX5 with the 1800 BP engine. I fitted a turbo from an Evo3 and a link computer. Using only 11psi boost, power at the wheels is 154kw - that's around double the standard power. Apart from bigger injectors the engine is stock, and has been totally reliable for 30,000 kms Suspension is upgraded with 20% stiffer springs, Koni adjustable shocks and much stiffer swaybars. Total cost was around NZ$5k. An excellent conversion

[@dmanww]

did you have issues with the LVV cert?

[@freespeech3673]

The wokesters at Waka kotahi (that's the nz transport authority by the way who have gonefull pc) won't like it.

[@Engineerd3d]

The Ford/Jaguar V6 in that car is an excellent piece of engineering. Mazda should have put that in that chassis from the factory and charged a premium. I bet it would have sold very well. Mazda used a similar lump on their SUVs and pickup during the same era.

[@peterbonnez]

Ford USA did build a V6 MX-5 mK2 for evaluation. Sadly nothing became of it.

[@JustBadly]

The V6 was developed by Ford/Porsche and is a very good engine. I'm not sure about the Mazda being the best donor car.

[@danmac6185]

@@JustBadly Yeah, it probably wouldn't be for a non driving enthusiasts. Any car that the average person would deem worthy of this engine probably already has a sufficient power plant. This is essentially a go-cart with a v6 engine. The only other car I can think of is the 86/BRZ. There aren't many rear wheel drive cars that fit the underpowered description. And the only thing worse than wrong wheel drive is an Barfamatic. The only good front wheel drive cars, are cars that get everything else perfect, including the engine. The MX-5's only flaw (depending how you look at it) is the engine. Honestly, if the engine was quicker to rev, and had a higher redline, it would be perfect. In the real world, it's more exciting to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. I like being able to rev out my engine without going to jail, or being on a race track. I wish sports cars were accessible to more people. Most people simply don't have the real world experience to appreciate different types of driving experiences.

[@Engineerd3d]

@@danmac6185 my own vehicle has a fairly high redline. the problem is even with the track oriented gearing your deep into going to jail speeds by the time your in second gear and nearing the 7000rpm redline.

[@InsaneBimmer]

Not really. We just put Honda J35's in them and keep them reliable.

[@MrGrumpydriver]

Nice review, the £10k is a bit optimistic try adding in Vat, plus the cost of a decent donor car, suspension, brakes etc…😉 I finished my Rocketeer about 7 months ago and it’s been a blast, availability of custom parts for the mx5 platform means you never really finish a project like this. I also went 5 speed but with much lower diff to take advantage of the torque. For the money you spend on a Rocketeer you could have a decent 987 gen2 Boxster or Cayman but they are completely different cars to drive. It’s hard to describe but the car is definitely more than the sum of it’s parts, you have to drive one to appreciate that. The fact that you end up with a bespoke desirable car at the end of it is also a bonus 👍

[@Number27]

Thanks.. when I said £10k that was just for the kit! Not including donor!

[@locky1227]

Hi there out of curiosity what would be the ideal donor model in your opinion, l have considered a MX5 in the past but always considered them a bit underpowered - but now on the cusp of 60 looking for something a bit different. The website shows £15,000 for engine conversion and l would think suspension and brakes would need to be addressed too - as an experienced MX5 owner l would highly value your opinion- thank you Dave L .

[@nigelk780]

Funny you mention it but I couldnt get past the 987.2 s for similar money so went that route. I appreciate this is bespoke but I always felt the MX5 chassis to lack torsional stiffness which the 987 does also but to a lesser degree. Once it got to 981 then stiffness in a different league. I have had many modded cars but big mods always came with a downside. Is there a downside on these ?

[@MrGrumpydriver]

@@locky1227 If you go with an early mk1 then you'll need to add bigger brakes, and the chassis strengthening that came with the late mk2's as well as a decent LSD. I drove my car without an LSD and the "one tyre fire" was comical! Some late mk1's (96, 97) have a few of these components, but the late 2.5 sport has more sound insulation, slightly stiffer chassis, better brakes, ABS, airbags, LSD, glass rear window rather than plastic, and 16 years of small improvements. Most of these will bolt-on to a mk1 (apart from airbags) but it all adds up ££. But for most people the attraction of the mk1's popup headlights is too great. If you can get past that then the 2.5 is a far better donor car for a Rocketeer. Whichever you go for, the standard "big brakes" on a mk2.5 sport are more than enough for the Rocketeer when they are working properly. Definitely add a decent suspension, Miester or similar.

[@MrGrumpydriver]

@@nigelk780 I added frame rail strengtheners to the underside of my car and a rear roll bar. These make a big difference to the torsional rigidity of any MX5. There are lots of bolt-ons that can address the stiffness and they are relatively cheap. Downsides? well you have a modified car so when a component goes wrong then it's you that has to fix it (like all modified cars) Bruce at Rocketeer is a great guy, and will always help with advice if he can. But the real knowledge base is the FB Rocketeers private page with 100+ owners, most of which have completed the conversion so know what you're talking about. Owners are all over the world, Europe, US, Australia, so if you post a "help" message usually someone replies within the hour!

[@Genjokoan]

Nice comments. I have had the kit for a couple of years now. Many obstacles to getting it started have now been dealt with and will be able to start the conversion in a few months. I am really looking forward to driving it.

[@ivostarmans1199]

Very nice build. Imagine a 3.2 Busso engine in a Mx5. Would be my dream car.

[@aussiebloke609]

Oh my. That sound, in that car? Bellissima!

[@Christographer_UK]

Lovely car, lovely roads. Those roads look remarkably like those Harry Metcalfe uses for his road tests. It's a small world. 🏎

[@tonymoreton7166]

They are. Just North of Burford in Cotswolds.

[@CaesarTjalbo]

At 1:20, it's Harry's compression!

[@iDayno]

I think this is the only way it makes sense to justify the cost of conversion, a super low miles, like new example as this one is. Very nice!

[@aussiebloke609]

I've also heard of the Chev LS V8 being shoehorned into a MX5. They reportedly handle surprisingly well, all things considered...but in my book, it's just too much power to effectively use with any degree of control, and I still like a car that I can thrash a bit without spending a grand or so in tyres every stop light. This V6 idea seems a nice balance of performance and usability for those of us with average talent.

[@038Dude]

The V6 almost became a standard option backkwhen this car was developed, Mazda decided not to go with it in the end thinking it would go against the whole idea of the car. Man I wish they weren't so wrong, in my opinion, these would've sold like hot cakes.

[@eyeofgumbo9610]

@@038Dude its a je-ze motor i got 1

[@scottjohnson4319]

Lovely bit of kit Jack. Thanks so much for sharing such a well sorted and useful car.

[@MasterMalrubius]

Hello Jack. Quite the treat today. At 6’2” I’ve had issues being comfortable in the earlier versions but this sounds like a real joy to drive. As you said; you love days like this. It helps balance out the days with the Influenze when it’s acting up.

[@johngreen8693]

I'm a similar height and I'm ok in one(a friend's) - until I put a helmet on at a track day......

[@drewwagar]

I don't dare drive a rocketeer, I think I would like it too much. I'll have to stick with my supercharged car from the previous vid. That said, the cost of this conversion is very high in comparison - the conversion alone costs way more than my car+supercharger+mods did, but it's probably amongst the best engines available for the mx5. I think a lightweight v6 is pretty much spot on. Totally agreed on the 5 speedbox - much nicer than the 6 speed!

[@jayrusty2012]

Can you expand on the last sentence, please ?! why 5 vs. 6 speed ??

[@eze8970]

I enjoyed Jacks vid on your car too! What's a rough MPG for yours please?

[@drewwagar]

@@jayrusty2012 The 5 speed really does have the clichéd "rifle bolt" action and snaps between gears in a fast and fluid manner. It's up there with the best ever gear changes. By comparison the 6 speed is notchy and slow.

[@drewwagar]

@@eze8970 Mine manages 35mpg on a cruise (off boost) but drops into the 20s if you start hooning around all the time. :) However, you have a choice as to what fuel economy you want, as the mp62 supercharger has a clutch, which means there's no parasitic loss when you're just cruising. It's just as good as the standard car when you're not driving fast.

[@eze8970]

@@drewwagar Thank you for your reply & information.🙂

[@KarelBeelaertsvanBlokland]

AJ30 engine was originally developed by Porsche for the Cayenne but sold to Ford (who owned Jaguar at the time) when the Audi 3.0 lit was chosen. Ford asked Cosworth to finish the head development and used the engine mutually by Jaguar and Mazda.

[@richardharrold9736]

Cayenne wasn't even a dream when the AJ30's 2.5 litre predecessor was sold to Ford in 1991...

[@Marine475]

The cosworth heads are used in Fords and X- Types, The AJ30 from S type has heads that look like Mazda design, same engine was fitted into Mazda 6 in US I think.

[@eyeofgumbo9610]

@@Marine475 mazda 929 je-ze

[@oscoe]

Jack…your reviews and drives are head and shoulders above others with more subscribers, because a) you actually drive the cars properly and b) you can very clearly communicate what is/isn’t happening as you do so! Keep up the good work!

[@Number27]

That’s really kind, thank you!!

[@autoavids]

That sounds sweet! There is a guy here in the Detroit area with an LS swapped gen 1 MX5. That things just mean! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@Number27]

Thank you chap!

[@iainbagnall4825]

in the US that is an almost no-brainer swap due to the amount of support/kits designed for it. LS's are cheap and plentiful here, parts for them at every auto zone. Same with the GM V6 swap actually, except the GM v6 sounds a bit crap compared to either the LS or the jag v6. The other nice thing with a GM swap is you get to keep air conditioning... there is no AC solution for the rocketeer last time I checked (about 6 months ago). Not a problem in the UK most of the time, but I've driven my MX5 back from sacramento in 105 degree heat and even when the OEM AC worked it couldnt keep up. Had to pull over to find somewhere air conditioned otherwise my dog would have been in real trouble. Putting heat insulation on the trans tunnel makes a big difference to cabin comfort though. That's the other side of the keeping cool equation - dont let heat into the passenger space in the first place.

[@gazzafloss]

Wow Jack, lovely conversion, looks factory or even better, that would be one sweet ride, thanks for taking us along.

[@Number27]

Cheers chap! Thanks for watching as always!

[@Reno-yi5br]

@@Number27 My NA Rocketeer done 259.2HP on dyno !!! How he get 290hp ? Different cameshaft ?

[@global_nomad.]

have always been intrigued by the rocketeer over the years....your great review just reinforces the idea..

[@Number27]

Thank you mate.. and for your continued support!

[@Fudders]

Very nice. Of the most popular engine swaps/mods, that looks like a nice compromise of power and reliability over a V8 swap or a turbocharged/supercharged standard engine. The install also looks spot on, like it really belongs in there. BTW nice roads, which look familiar. If you spent a little longer there, you might've had Harry Metcalfe chasing you down in his Jaguar XJ Coupe!

[@garybrown4854]

Yes I thought that lol

[@Whiters8]

Great vid - Wonderful car and conversion. Gearbox 5 or 6 speed choice is an interesting on. I have heard plenty of people say the five speeder is the sweeter shifter but from driving plenty of 5 speeders, NA and NB, and owning an NB for many years, I think the 6 is the slicker, more satisfying unit. Each to their own.

[@garethwilliams976]

Really enjoyable and a great combination. I had the same engine in my old S Type and really liked it in the 240 BHP version. Adequate power for the car and really smooth. I always wondered why Mazda did not design the MX5 round one of their small V6 engines. The 2 litre from the Xedos 6 was the smoothest 2 litre engine I ever owned and superior to the BMW 2 litre straight six of which I owned 3.

[@johncoops6897]

Yeah, those 2L V6's were awesome. They were so nice to rev... not underpowered, not toque monsters, but just "nice".

[@eyeofgumbo9610]

je-ze ever heard

[@bretkaiser7355]

Great video; I have loved Mazdas since my pop had his old RX-7. Dont turn off the cameras when you finally get pulled over and we fans will chip in to pay the ticket. Take care, Jack! Bret

[@hannchris2762]

Jack you should build one of these MX5s it would make great content

[@liquidflorian]

That is so amazing. You see V8 chevy LS swaps in the states, but that Jaguar V6 sounds incredible!

[@christophernoto]

Oho! Jack you are having some good fun, these days, aren't you! Thanks for bringing us along!

[@Number27]

Thanks for watching Chris!

[@tomasjones3755]

Love it. I’m a fan of Rocketeer, as well I recently saw an Maz RX-8, with it’s rotary engine blown. Since the RX-8 is (essentially) a long MX-5 chassis, I thot the Rocketeer would be a great fit.

[@jjchockey]

The Rocketeer kit is only for the NA/NB chassis which is completely different than the RX8.

[@villiamo3861]

Excellent vid. Well done all involved on the one hand in getting this car to drive as well as it obviously does and on the other in telling us about it so nicely. Thanks!

[@johnhahn2367]

Nice miata. Owned 2. Loved them on the backroads to the lake for a swim in summer.

[@planetoftheapeman251]

5 speed is a great choice. Recently I drove a friends classic mini with a 4 speed box and it’s an absolute joy to drive. You arnt forever changing gear. And it holds the gears brilliant for so much more joy of driving. All cars should be 4 speeds!!

[@russcooke5671]

Why not just use 4 gear on a 5 speed box

[@waynepantry7023]

@@russcooke5671 Different gearing on a 4 speed. Most of us know that . . .

[@russcooke5671]

@@waynepantry7023 I was joking. Obviously you didn’t get the joke.

[@g0fvt]

I seem to remember that Mazda had a hand in designing that V6, many years ago I had the Mondeo V6, it did sound good at high rpm.

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

It came full circle !

[@jamieduff1981]

Mazda, Jaguar and Ford each designed their own set of cylinder heads. The Jaguar heads were more like the Mazda ones than the Ford ones and the Jaguar ones may even have started with the same unmachined castings as the Mazda ones, but Jaguar really went to town on them by dumping the hydraulic tappets in favour of solid buckets and variable valve timing. Fully dressed up with factory cast inlet and exhaust manifolds and catalytic converters the Jaguar 3.0 only made 20bhp more than the Ford 3.0 but the torque curve is much more wholesome across the rev range so it's not just more powerful at peak, it's just more powerful everywhere. One thing not mentioned in the video is that the 3.0 litre is quite over-square so whilst it can feel a bit lacking in torque when in a big Jaguar saloon car, that's why it absolutely loves to rev.

[@pgtmr2713]

@@jamieduff1981 Before that Mazda had a better 2.5l V6 to Ford's Duratec 2.5 v6, lasted twice as long, sounded better. Had Ford developed that engine with larger displacement and VVT they'd have had less complaints from Jaguar owners. Also A 12 cylinder version made from 2 engines like they did with the Ford for Aston Martin would've been amazing. Oh well.

[@iainbagnall4825]

@@jamieduff1981 yeah Jag like doing that... the jag v8 is a revvy number too, and actually if not choked with smog equipment/cats/crap intakes etc the jag v12 revs very happily too. I am learning over time to love Jag engineering, they very much build cars designed to be fast and comfortable in the real world, not on a track/specific conditions/etc but rather, fast, everywhere, all the time.

[@johnbaetke4556]

If mazda made this as an option for an ultimate MX5 it would sell out for sure beautiful conversion.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

I was looking at doing this conversion to my MX5 a few years ago, unfortunately I never really got to grips with the rust, despite much money spent, and couldn’t bring myself to spend that money on a car that was trying to return to the earth. Turns out I made the right decision, less than a year after selling it, it was off the road due to rust, and still is.🤷‍♂️ I ended up buying a V8 Audi instead, no regrets at all.

[@DouweBuruma]

You don’t expect that amazing six cylinder sound from an MX5!

[@bispal]

Its strange, the NA MX5 is one of my favourite, if not favourite cars of all time. And I love a V6 engine but I have absolutely no desire to do the rocketeer conversion. Its interesting but as the MX5 is a momentum car and most of the pleasure is derived from the lightweight feel, steering and peach of a gear change I don't know what else you can get apart from a bit of extra go / overtake security. When I drive mine I really enjoy having to 'plan' an overtake, get the revs up and then position yourself to go for it. There is so much more skill, anticipation and reward to getting it right than just pressing an accelerator in any gear and letting the power / torque do the job. I like to be part of the equation. A standard MX5 sounds just as good with nice induction or even better with ITB's and from your video it didn't look that's much quicker than standard. However I would love to try one for myself. After owning a BBR turbo, 2 standard MX5's (A 1.6 & 1.8) and having done over 100k miles in all 3 I am very much of the opinion a standard 1.8 NA MX5 without power steering is almost motoring perfection. And that's quite a compliment coming from someone with the cars I own, and have owned (as you know) Cheers Jack, great review, I will watch it a few more times, just for research :-)

[@richardharrold9736]

Your 1.8 on ITBs will make no more than 200bhp, this being 50% more powerful and even more than that in the torque department means the 1.8 wouldn't see which way it went. Four-cylinder engines sound boring anyway, even on ITBs.

[@bispal]

@@richardharrold9736 You have comprehensively misunderstood the point i was making.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@bispal you said that a standard MX5 on ITBs sounds as good as this (it doesn't!) and that this doesn't look much faster than stock (it does!). This thing sounds a million times better than any farting four and it is so much more powerful. The MX5 has always been a nice-handling but ultimately gutless disappointment. This fixes that.

[@bispal]

@@richardharrold9736 All your opinion. For me I like the sound of a 4cyl with good induction, which does not make 'farting' noises. Which is my personal opinion and can't be changed or argued. Likewise I said the MX5 is a momentum car, once its up to speed the handling remains the same with 120bhp or 320bhp. (Assuming same suspension set up).I also said I like the MX5 slower. I have owned faster MX5's and much faster cars and I like the preparation and planning to overtake and being part of the process rather than letting the power make all the decisions. I also like my MX5 standard as its a contrast to my other much faster cars and a different experience. I also said I would need to try a rocketeer to understand it properly. TBH I don't care if my car didn't see which way another car went, I am not interested in beating other cars on the road, only in my own enjoyment and experience. If there is a faster car behind I indicate left and let it pass and it doesn't bother me one bit.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@bispal "it's a momentum car" is a bullshit excuse for a lack of power, be it in the MX-5 or any other comparably gutless machine. That 292bhp V6 is what it should always have had to compete effectively against the Porsche 968, TVR Griffith/Chimaera etc. A bog standard MX-5 is too soft, too slow and too boring sounding to be considered a real sports car. The V6 is much, much faster, contrary to your observation, and everyone but you thinks it sounds miles better too.

[@astonmartin4360]

You really need to review an Aston DB9.They are brilliant.

[@pw191164]

I bought a new MX5 1.8is back in 2001 and found it under powered, I much prefered the MR2 1.6 twin cam I had previously, that was a superb little sports car.

[@TheMuzikall]

Toyota has a Secret about Gear Ratios that they are hiding from other Manufacturers hence their ability to make 1.6 and 1.8 engines punch above their weight.👏...Lotus Exige can testify ✅

[@throwback19841]

Yep, although these really do liven up and get a lot revvier with an intake and an exhaust, I still regularly get trounced in the traffic light grand prix by moms in V6 Honda people carriers. That said I'm a bit of a hooligan so it's been in my own best interest not to be faster. I'm picking up a jag XKR this weekend. I will probably have no license in a month.

[@nikjames2965]

@@throwback19841 A turbo BP engined MX5 will eat an MR2

[@pgtmr2713]

@@nikjames2965 4AGE over BP any day. Before you get to turbo, the 4AGE has ITB as an option. You can go with a Silvertop or Blacktop 5 valve per cylinder 160-175 NA hp. 4AGE is a legend. Throw both lumps out for a Mazda KLZE v6, 200hp 170Tq NA 2.5l and turbo that. The heads for the KL look just like BP heads except for square intake ports, all aluminum, weighs about the same as the BP. So shouldn't ruin an MX-5 there's a handful of swaps out there. I always thought a MKII MR2 with a KLZE would be perfection.

[@GM-fh5jp]

@@pgtmr2713 A well set up Rev 3 3SGTE in the SW20 is hard to beat. I've seen all the conversions and not many are as good as the Rev 3 engine with an Apexi intake manifold and filter and a Fujitsubo stainless exhaust system with de-cat pipe. I agree with your comments about the Mk 1... the supercharged 1600 is an absolute hoot to drive.

[@steffydog]

Have to love the MX5, lovely to see, thanks guys.

[@TheKsharm]

Expected to hate that, but so tastefully done. Nice... Very nice. And that sound ... Wow

[@HAFBeast91]

I liked it all but the part about it having 841 miles being the car you selected. Stock clean cars aren't being made anymore, so we have to preserve the nice ones so people can always know what a Miata originally was.

[@robertbcope]

That sounds amazing. The engine looks pretty good, too!

[@kuutti121]

Mazda made a small V6 engined car in the 90s it was called MX-3, fwd coupe

[@stuwilsonrallying]

not a bad video, but I was expecting to see/hear a bit more about the actual conversion and a bit more in-depth look under the bonnet. It does seem a bloomin good conversion though.

[@francistucker9709]

10,000 sounds to me like money we'll spent. Would love to try something like that on my NA but I'll settle for a supercharger at the moment.

[@danielthomas8507]

I recently supercharged my 1.6 NA and it's the perfect mix of low end power and rev happy ,I'd recommend a S/C as a cost effective way of getting the most from your mx5..cheers mate 👍 😀

[@matthewlok3020]

The six speed box was built by Aisin but also used in Gen 1 Altezza/Lexus IS and S15 Silvia/200SX

[@creakid]

Wow, all that power/torque & even less nose heavy -- I'm jealous! I like those optional hardtops with panoramically wide rear visibility, So I tried to decide between the NB & the BMW Z3. My final decision collected the latest Z3 3.0 5-speed, which got more room for taller driver like me & the suspension can be be tuned comfortably soft like a Ti. Inline 6 is cool, but can't keep the nose that light.

[@paulb4uk]

I always wondered why mazda never used the v6 from the mx6, the jag v8 sounds superb .

[@manofknowledge1000]

This car with rocketeer motor, my choice body kit and white alloy wheels. Vents on bonnit. Some work done to give car my own unique touch , my own design . This is my project . I have one and the engine is kaput original lump the dreaded rod knock. As far as the car goes other than that it is solid it passed mot with not one issue. Perfect for this. Can’t wait to make it a reality. I don’t think it could be beat in terms of enjoyment as a driver . For sure this is a great choice

[@manofknowledge1000]

Gearbox and all else is faultless

[@punkymontana]

The S type Jag variant of the Duratec v6 is a great engine.I put one in my Lotus Esprit. If you do a search on KZbin for punkys esprit you can take a look 👀

[@carlharvey7098]

What a monster! I like 👍

[@michaelpegasiou4531]

Looks like a really great job,like factory 👍

[@paultaylor9652]

It must be that good you fluffed your lines Jack, never seen a car do that before. A beautiful car with a great British built engine from the looks of the engine bay.

[@jibbyjabby7499]

One thing i learned from a Mazda MX5... Don't lift off mid corner! 😅

[@maclachj1]

Brilliant conversion. Mega

[@Levenstone132]

I'd love this in our mk.2 but until then I'll console myself with the understanding that our little 1.6 has the same power and torque as an MGA Twin Cam . Just need that six pot sound though!

[@keithb4158]

The five speed box is weaker than the 6 speed, it'll be interesting to see how long it lasts with the extra torque. They tend to break second gear.

[@GuernB2]

Yeah i had a bit of a lol when he said they could take 400hp. Thats pushing the upper limit of a 6 speed, 5 speeds tend to crack the housing at 300.

[@_Jonez_]

@@GuernB2 Ive heard 5 speed are safe up to 250

[@LateNightCable]

Fallacy.

[@samcourt6228]

That looks’ like a wicked little thing.

[@SHOdown13]

never would have thought of a Jag v6 in Miata MX5. interesting. Have thought about dropping the S-type R supercharged mill into a 00's Ford Thunderbird with the manual box. I think that would certainly liven it up a bit.

[@charliegardner6804]

Have always regarded the mx5 as a bit of a hairdresser's car but would love one of these. Great video thanks for sharing 👍.

[@mattagnew206]

I was always a bit "meh" on the MX5 until I took one for a fang. Even without the V6 they're a great car.

[@chrisgreen1094]

I’m sure it’s great to drive and lighter but if I have to engine swap an mx5 I’m going the whole hog and getting an all alloy LS V8 engine swap.

[@JxH]

First 12s: HEY !!! That's Harry Metcalfe's corner.

[@jordanlamb8963]

Great video. Are you driving around in West Oxfordshire near Charlbury? These roads look very familiar.

[@benbuchanan672]

Performant 👌🏻 Respect!

[@teutonalex]

I was planning to get mine done by that Rocketeer company in Oregon but they closed that location before I had the chance. What a bummer.

[@swecreations]

I'm wondering how well a 2.3 Volkswagen VR5 would work with a Miata, it would sound absolutely amazing.

[@vwaudiwelder]

Yes indeed! I am getting ready to swap a 2.8 24v VR6 into my 1968 Triumph GT6. How glorious the Wookie noises will be!

[@swecreations]

@@vwaudiwelder Personally prefer the noise of a VR5, but that will probably turn out amazing either way.

[@reallynotpc]

Every time I see that bit of road, I wonder how many of the other cars are also making KZbin material.

[@freespeech3673]

If I still had my mk1 eunos vspec I would seriously consider the v6

[@richardcarter1000]

Great conversion

[@MOSSFEEN]

Your man from Car Throttle, Alex has a MK1 with a Jag engine in his as well

[@sputumtube]

Maybe you could have put a similar engine in your Austin Healy Sprite? Would've been interesting.!!

[@paullacey2999]

Not gonna lie,I love that MX5😍😍😍

[@TheWahab2002]

I would love to see a side by side of this and a j series vtec

[@parrotraiser6541]

From experience with a Fiero, there are 2 reasons to avoid pop-up headlamps. One is that the deployment motors tend to fail, (especially if they're originals, > 25 years old). The second is the disruption they cause to the airflow, usually experienced as buffeting in the cockpit. YMMV, but I would expect the problems to be fairly generic.

[@MrManBuzz]

The NA popup motors are very reliable. They don't fail very often. And the motors are easily rebuilt if and when they fail.

[@pgtmr2713]

@@MrManBuzz Same popup motors for the RX-7 and Probe. No issues with reliability. GM used plastic gears for the Trans Ams probably the same for Fiero. Aftermarket has brass ones available or did. Ronald Finger had to fix the ones on his Fiero resto. Good watch if you haven't seen it.

[@GM-fh5jp]

Not if they are made by Toyota.

[@celliott16]

'...avoid pop up headlights' Said noone everrrrrrrr!!!!!!

[@scottbrown7415]

It's really a natural marriage. When you think about what makes a Jaguar and a Mazda Sports car it's actually the same philosophy. Maximum lightness, great balance, thoughtfulness in countless details. The only thing that separates the engineering and design intent on Jag and Mazda is the price point.

[@theburias]

Those V6 cars look like a lot of fun. Gives me ideas for my Stock Engine NA8 hehehe…

[@MarttiSuomivuori]

Looks and sounds right.

[@unlikelymechanic9829]

I went the opposite way and put a 6 speed in my 1990 rocketeer as I liked the fact you couldn’t get a 1990 with a 6 speed

[@psircos]

The Japanese are famous for over-engineering their Chassis and inviting the owner to apply more power as required. I imagine the MX5 was no different in their thinking. I had a shot in one but didn't have it available in a B-road situation. Sounds bloody lovely! How does it compare to the Busso Jack? It's obviously more powerful in this guise, but the torque you mention, happy in 5th at 30mph and easily pulls from there...sounds a very similar thing that I'm used to and find very impressive!

[@dominicwebb8000]

So it’s a Ford engine, a V6 Duratec which was also used by Mazda. Even in an S Type these really performed well so in a MX5 it must be a great combination.

[@christianolsson834]

In jaguar only the block was the same. Head was VVT. I have driven both ST220 and I own a S type and they are different.

[@flemit35]

god that's beautiful, test drove a turbo running 250bhp not long ago, car was too tatty for me to buy, amazing to have the speed with such a great handling car it takes it to level of a Boxter, obviously a V6 is going to be smoother and sound nicer.

[@bobhill3941]

This is cool, what are your thoughts on the V8 conversion Miatas?

[@robertgoodwin5393]

Look at the Thornton chip for this car. HP from 175 stock to about 225 HP with a level 3 Thonton chip. Cost $85. Plug it in, thats it! It works amazingly well. Milage better, except it's so much fun to jump on it, the milage suffers. Tha 6 speed auto and stock suspension and brakes all work well, and are not overstressed. Bob It's the REAL DEAL, and doesn't cost $10,000 Bob

[@cdpgbc-mw2kz]

Check out Miata Monster. V8 powered Miata conversions.

[@tim.iteland.9447]

Put a Mazda MX3 V6 with a turbo charger . If you can find one (: circa 220hp but much lighter than the Jag engine .

[@markzawada5927]

Seems like a dream mx5 but I just couldn’t justify that spend.

[@tomf4547]

I'd love one of these.. I had this model, standard 1.6, was gutless but you could throw it around and it was bullet proof. Call me fussy but I'd like this version to sound better!

[@somervillearron]

hi mate have you ever drove a peugeout 407 coupe 2.7 hdi twin turbo? mine has a map its running 250hp and 400 lb/ft I fell into buying mine and I'm so glad I did as I didn't realise how such a good looking driving and high quality car it is basically I have a jag stype r that I was doing a manual swap on and realised the sills where rotten(thank god I noticed as they where extremely bad) ANYONE WITH A S-TYPE PULL YOUR SILL COVERS OFF AND CHECK AS MINE WAS A DEATH TRAP AND LOOKED GREAT UNTIL THE COVERS WHERE OFF) well I got the Peugeot for £800 in Glasgow I was just wanting something cheap to use till if ixed the jag and that was in 2020 going on 2021 and I still have it! the car was in amazing condition in and out although it had some running issues that I sortred out easily I've had loads of pugs but this its as if it was designed for a premium company and had a pug badge stuck on!! its white leather and even the front seats don't slide manually to let people in the back!! you pull the handle and the seat folds and slides forward on its own!! but honestly in the blue colour its such a pretty big car they are totally different to the estate or 4 door I think its the long front end you don't notice that on the 4 door etc but because of the short back the long bonnet stands out more!!! they drive great to if you look at the doors even they have bits sticking out that lock into the sills when closed mine has every single option available apart from the electronic suspension (GLAD I DONT HAVE THAT!) I think the optional leather dashboard is what makes the interior that and the lovely seats!! they are nicely shaped front and rear plus the leather is really nice its so strange how different the car is inside compared to any peugeot I've ever driven I've never understiid why but I'm glad it is so nice!!! the only thing that lets the car down is the satnav screen is not touch screen and is very low res,you do get android units for them but the issue is they have JBL AUDIO from factory with a amp and from what I've read the android units mess up the sound system which is a very nice system. So I'm looking into how I could have the android touchscreen completely separate from the radio and climate control system I think people are realising what these cars are because the value has shot up!! mine is worth a minimum of £3000 could most likely ask closer to 4k but I'm keeping it for now BUT IM WANTING TO GO A ROAD TRIP IN THE SUMMER SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ARRANGE TO MEET FOR YOU TO DRIVE THE CAR AND REVIEW IT I WOULD REALLY LIKE THAT!,I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE ELSE TO EXPERIENCE THESE CARS AND SEE HOW GOOD THEY REALLY ARE!! I WOULD DRIVE DOWN AND MEET YOU SOMEWHERE TO ALLOW YOU TO REVIEW IT AS I THINK IM GOING TO TAKE A TRIP TO LONDON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT MID SUMMER ITS JUST running a map just now but I'm hoping to add a bigger intercooler and hybrid turbos I'm going to look into the larger single turbos they used in the land rovers with the same engine and I would like to add a intercoole sprayer and maybe water injection I don't know yet but id like closer to 350hp and 500 lb/ft and tbh I think that's doable the gearbox is probably the weak link but id really like a manual swap but I don't know how realistic that is financially but there are manual versions of the different engine sizes

[@mcjjordan]

Until the crank snaps

[@Eddieboote]

For me the 6 speed box is better. The most important thing is to change the diff so to have that long 6th gear. 1-5 is as it was, but with an engine like that it needs a long cruising gear which you get with the diff mod…. I have this in my 1.8 Turbo MEV Exocet kit car. I think the cost is super crazy from Rocketeer but it’s a business so normal. I have the same engine 3.0 v6 twin turbo’ed in my Esprit…I will reach out to you in time if you want to do a feature. Sorry I don’t do instagram. But you can get me here. It’s a 1998 GT3 car but in a V8 body kit. The car has a 6 speed Audi A6 gearbox. The whole install was done in Poland. I get the car back soon. Let’s keep in touch

[@LateNightCable]

The 6-speed is not better, the 5 is the choice of any sprint racer worth his beans, and naturally more engaging.

[@jamest5149]

Was this filmed by Harry’s farm? Roads looked familiar?

[@bombardierboerboels]

If they did a kit for the NC I would be all in

[@jonathanknight8251]

Did you prefer that V6 transplant to the supercharged stock engine in the NA? I can see liking one over the other depending on which side of the bed I rolled out of that morning.

[@leewilliams4541]

Hi Jack. I think Harry's Garage films around there, have you seen him out and about filming?

[@Number27]

Yes but never spoken! So far..

[@tomoday4450]

Great car 👍🏻

[@chappy2121]

I always thought a bike engine would suit one of these. A 1.3 Hayabusa motor or 2 in v8 configuration?

[@csjames69]

So the engine is the Ford built AJ series from the Cleveland USA engine plant?

[@asgerms]

Not familiar with UK car prices. Just wondering how this stacks up against an older BMW M roadster thing in terms of handling, sound, performance, grins-on-the-face and cost. Very interesting video!

[@Number27]

If you mean a Z3M or Z4 roaster I would say that as a drivers car this is my preference..

[@Jonoponomono]

I am considering an engine swap on my NB after seeing this!!

[@Number27]

Do it!!! Fabulous thing, transforms it

[@baggierols73]

I know it's somewhat unloved but a MX5 NC with folding hardtop, with one of these engines could be great

[@ro63rto]

I like it but I think I prefer Tom's Turbo Garage V8 version. No difference in weight either.

[@rhydianharris]

How does this compare to the TVR chimaera you recently drove? Would I be disappointed novo from my TVR to this?