Photo: Screenshot from YouTube video by Drag Racing and Car Stuff
A joke on the internet that has gone past the status of meme and became a motto claims that Miata is the answer to everything. Those who were about to type “42” in the comments section have a different opinion, though, which we respect and salute. But what about an LS-swapped Miata?
The result is the creation of someone who goes by the name of Mr. Mattman on social media. He is the one who swapped an LS motor in a 1992 Mazda Miata and then turbocharged the V8 for good measure.
With it, he became 2021 Drag week SSSBPA Champion and recorded a personal best time of 8.22 on the quarter-mile with a trap speed of 168 mph (ca. 270 km/h).
In an ironic twist, he calls his green 1992 Miata "Turtle Miata," which seems to be a nod to the old fable of The Hare and the Tortoise, but that is just our opinion.
Once the cropped hood is raised, you will spot a massive turbo, accompanied by a generously sized wastegate (he could rock one of those "my wastegate is bigger than your turbo" stickers). The exhaust goes straight through the hood and has a screamer pipe as well, while the engine compartment is clean and tidy.
The turbocharger in question is a 92-mm street series turbo from Bullseye, which feeds an aluminum-small block V8 engine, also known as a Vortec 5300. Its internal designation is LC9, and the owner has retained the stock bore. The crankshaft has remained stock, but the pistons and many other internal components have not.
The owner of the Turtle Miata does have a sense of humor and irony, as he took it to the drag strip with a Santa Claus inflatable doll strapped to the passenger seat, as well as festive lights, a full-size Christmas tree, and even a set of those red-nose-and-antlers that people put on their cars during the holidays.
If you are wondering about the Christmas tree race, you should know that rules mandate that it must be lit and that it must not fall off during competition. It is organized by Cleetus McFarland, in case you were unaware.
The tree in question must be a minimum of six feet (182 cm) tall, and the vehicles must come with factory quarter panels. No drag radials are allowed, though, but there are no restrictions on engines or the use of nitrous.
Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland. Full profile
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