Flyin' Miata Co. ceases all V8 swaps

[Cobra Jet]

Flyin' Miata has been in business since 2001 and has been doing V8 swaps since 2008 - they are well known in the automotive world for their V8 swaps.

Recent news is they have ceased all V8 swaps due to Govt. regulations bearing down...

Flyin' Miata No Longer Offers V8 Swaps For The Mazda MX-5 https://carbuzz.com/news/flyin-miata-no-longer-offers-v8-swaps-for-the-mazda-mx-5

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Why is the above news important?

Because if this continues with the current legislations and restrictions being implemented, it has an overall impact on any other such Co. that does engine swaps, offers such engine swap kits and the overall Automotive Enthusiast Hobby.

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[Inthehighdesert]

Not good. They’ll be after so much more with our hobby.

 

[offroadkarter]

I'm sure many of you know Icon, the people who build the super restomod early broncos. Their sister company (and where they started from) TLC4X4 said due to recent new government regulations they can no longer install the GM E rod LS crate engines in 80 series land cruiers (I imagine this is related to some kind of OBD II & emissions compliance thing)

 

[RagmopInKona]

Been like this for decades in cali.
A mazda comes with a 4 banger, putting a v8 of a v6 for that matter is a no no. No one cared as it only was a cali issue. Everyone should have cared but the old, I'm doing fine, why me worry/care.
Then are OMG! When it then, down the line, affects them.
Today it make more sense for them to put the mazda 2.5ltr turbo 4 in them anyways. less weight on the nose and in the car.

 

[Torinate]

That stinks!

I’ve been in one of the Flying Miata’s and that was a complete blast!

see, I don’t quite get it. The hobby world and people who do these sorts of things is such an incredibly small percentage overall compared to John Q Public. Tuning cars for example, what do you think the percentage of people that do this? 0.0005%? Is clamping down on them (us) actually going to make an impact in air pollution? Does the money that we pump back into the economy for these things not outweigh the so called negatives? Now, if the real percentage is much higher (doubt it!!) then maybe?

 

[offroadkarter]

Been like this for decades in cali.
A mazda comes with a 4 banger, putting a v8 of a v6 for that matter is a no no. No one cared as it only was a cali issue. Everyone should have cared but the old, I'm doing fine, why me worry/care.
Then are OMG! When it then, down the line, affects them.
Today it make more sense for them to put the mazda 2.5ltr turbo 4 in them anyways. less weight on the nose and in the car.

AFAIK in CA, an engine swap is legal if the drivetrain you're installing is newer than the car its going into, and you keep the emissions system working 100% as intended, including the catalytic converters from the donor drivetrain in the same place (this is why the GM E rod kits were popular with restomodding in CA). You could get the car BAR certified and would pass emissions no problem after that. So it wasn't as black and white as "ya just can't do engine swap in CA"


It sounds like companies are bailing out on this kind of work due to Federal regulations. I'd be willing to bet all of this can be traced back to the coal rolling trend which got the EPA off their asses and going after the aftermarket car scene.

That stinks!

I’ve been in one of the Flying Miata’s and that was a complete blast!

see, I don’t quite get it. The hobby world and people who do these sorts of things is such an incredibly small percentage overall compared to John Q Public. Tuning cars for example, what do you think the percentage of people that do this? 0.0005%? Is clamping down on them (us) actually going to make an impact in air pollution? Does the money that we pump back into the economy for these things not outweigh the so called negatives? Now, if the real percentage is much higher (doubt it!!) then maybe?

Whatever it takes to get people out of awful, gas guzzling polluters and into government mandated electric ride share transport pods. One step at a time.

 

[compprep]

Also kinda explains why FM sold their shop car on BAT for close to $100K this week.

 

[Paul McWhiskey]

I always say, "What happens in California is coming to your state soon!" Many of those that are running from here to other states are going to continue to vote for the very things that are ruining this one. Either intentionally or out of ignorance.

So, another saying borrowed from our beloved Scout Snipers "Don't run, you will only die tired". At some point we (car enthusiasts, racers, businesses that cater to the car community, etc.) have to make a stand. I mean look at the world's elite who are meeting now to determine our future and "Save the Planet". It only took 400 private jets to fly their pasty asses in so that they could eat gourmet meals, drink wine and liquor that only the 1% can afford for free and God knows what they are doing to the sex workers there with the money that they are supplied with from their governments. How long will we be burdened by regulation and mandates while the very ones that want to "Save the Planet" fly around in their private jets and travel from the airports to the meeting places in 80 vehicle motorcades to stay for free in well heated and airconditioned palaces? At some point WE will have to call them on their hypocrisy and take away their power. Let's start with Gore and Kerry.

So, the answer is not running to a place that appears to be better than where you are. I believe that it is making a stand where you are. I am not saying that it will be easy, but none of the good things in life are easy. Paying for an illegitimate smog cert is more like ignoring the drug dealer in your neighborhood than it is getting things done. Is that smog tech going to stand by you? Likely not. Is he or she doing anything to change the regulations (They are not Laws since they are not voted on by the legislature) handed down by CARB? Likely not. Just getting the cash while they can.

OK, I am off of my soapbox. Now back to regular programming.

 

[sk47]

Hello; I will follow this thread for now. Do not feel like writing a lot today. I have been wondering for a few decades when the alphabet agencies ( ABC's) would start after hobbyist modified vehicles. I figured only the pre 1968 made vehicles were sort of safe as they never had any emission devices when new. Always thought the ABC's would make us put a vehicle back to stock emissions at some point, but guess engine swaps are easier picking.
I had sort of hoped a sensible approach might work. Such as a modern engine swap which runs cleaner than a factory original might get a pass.

 

[RagmopInKona]

AFAIK in CA, an engine swap is legal if the drivetrain you're installing is newer than the car its going into, and you keep the emissions system working 100% as intended, including the catalytic converters from the donor drivetrain in the same place (this is why the GM E rod kits were popular with restomodding in CA). You could get the car BAR certified and would pass emissions no problem after that. So it wasn't as black and white as "ya just can't do engine swap in CA"


It sounds like companies are bailing out on this kind of work due to Federal regulations. I'd be willing to bet all of this can be traced back to the coal rolling trend which got the EPA off their asses and going after the aftermarket car scene.





Whatever it takes to get people out of awful, gas guzzling polluters and into government mandated electric ride share transport pods. One step at a time.

Whelp, When I was there, you could not swap an engine family that was not offered in the vehicle from the factory.
So, a 1985 Big Block Chevy was a no go in a 1984 Caprice,camaro,etc As it was not factory offered in that vehicle(s)
So, unless this part of the law/rules changed.
I learned the hard way, after having installed the Big block and all the 1985 emission control parts, only to be denied.

 

[sk47]

Whelp, When I was there, you could not swap an engine family that was not offered in the vehicle from the factory.
So, a 1985 Big Block Chevy was a no go in a 1984 Caprice,camaro,etc As it was not factory offered in that vehicle(s)
So, unless this part of the law/rules changed.
I learned the hard way, after having installed the Big block and all the 1985 emission control parts, only to be denied.

Hello; Your experience is real so is an example which proves the point. What happened to you has been the way my take is with regard to the various rules. These agencies have at least two things working currently. One is the general blanket of fear surrounding the climate change agenda. Perhaps a "never let a crisis go to waste" sort of thing. To me the climate change agenda is more a turning of largely natural events with a sprinkle of human involvement into a crisis.

Another aspect being the power structure at high levels is ready to back them up.

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