zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
Here's A Miata In A Volkswagen Suit For You To Buy
Here's A Miata In A Volkswagen Suit For You To Buy-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:14

Image for article titled Here's A Miata In A Volkswagen Suit For You To Buy

What do you do with a patina-laden Volkswagen Rabbit diesel pickup and a mostly-complete Mazda Miata fall into your lap at the same time? You both it! It’s a Miata chassis wearing a Rabbit pickup hat! And you could

The pickup’s wheelbase is three inches longer than the Miata’s, but the width is basically identical. So dropping the body on the Miata’s backbone chassis wasn’t too difficult. I mean, it was difficult enough, but not impossible.

Image for article titled Here's A Miata In A Volkswagen Suit For You To Buy

Look at that. The engine looks like it belongs in this car. It’s a stock 1994 Miata 1.8-liter, and the standard 5-speed Miata gearbox remains as well. The 130-ish horsepower from the Miata engine is a whole lot more than the diesel Rabbit’s original 50-ish, so it’s more than enough to move the truck around. And with a decent amount of the original chassis cut out, including the rear wall separating the bed from the interior, it might be a good bit lighter than it was in 1980 as well.

Image for article titled Here's A Miata In A Volkswagen Suit For You To Buy

Dubbed the Maple Bar, this wild machine is rough and ready. Here’s what the listing has to say:

Rwd Body swapped Rabbit Pickup! 1994 Mazda Miata drive train. 1.8, torsen lsd. All miata sheet metal underhood and in passenger compartment. Uncut miata harness, except to hook up to the rabbit lights and fuel tank. All gauges work, besides fuel. Put whatever swap you want into it. K24, ls, turbo, supercharger? Awesome project, and people love it. Definitely not a car for introverts. Motor and trans are tired but runs great. Just showing the abuse of drifting and donuts. Willing to partially trade for a 400hp+ LS (iron or aluminum). Registered as the diesel rabbit, so no biannual smogs. Featured on Hoonigan, search for VW Drift Missile!

Don’t worry, I went and found it for you. You don’t have to search. The Hoonigan boys kinda sorta broke the car, but it seems to have been put back together alright. Just be aware you might have to fix a few things. Still probably worth it.

If you’re a California driver, you won’t have to smog this thing, because it’s old enough for diesel exemption. Just make sure you bring your sunscreen when driving this thing, because there’s no roof whatsoever.

Image for article titled Here's A Miata In A Volkswagen Suit For You To Buy

They’re asking $7,000 for this wild ride. Considering the amount of fabrication work that went into this, you probably couldn’t build one for less than that. Grab an LS swap kit for Miatas, and you’ll have a 400-horsepower Rabbit pickup in no time flat. Wouldn’t that be a sight to see?

Image for article titled Here's A Miata In A Volkswagen Suit For You To Buy

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
I Need Something Fun, Interesting And Reliable For Under $15,000! What Car Should I Buy?
I Need Something Fun, Interesting And Reliable For Under $15,000! What Car Should I Buy?
Jeffrey lives in Washington state and has played it pretty safe with his car purchases. He has had some solid rides but never really enjoyed any of them. It’s time to break free and get something that puts a simile on his face for under $15,000. What car should...
Jul 5, 2026
At $7,800, Is This 1976 Toyota Corona As Refreshing As Its Namesake?
At $7,800, Is This 1976 Toyota Corona As Refreshing As Its Namesake?
While most Coronas are served with a slice of lime, today’s Toyota Corona comes in lemon yellow. Let’s see how much green you might think it’s worth. On the Periodic Table, Cobalt is classified as a transition element, meaning one that bridges the span between the active metals and...
Jul 5, 2026
At $4,000, Could This Supercharged 2006 Chevy Cobalt SS Prove A Super Slick Deal?
At $4,000, Could This Supercharged 2006 Chevy Cobalt SS Prove A Super Slick Deal?
Small sporty cars are few and far between these days. Ones like today’s Cobalt that really push their econobox envelopes are even rarer. Let’s see if this supercharged Super Sport comes with a price tag that could make it a far more common sight in your driveway. I think...
Jul 5, 2026
Are Those Lifetime Warranties From Dealers Any Good?
Are Those Lifetime Warranties From Dealers Any Good?
As Jalopnik’s resident car buying expert and professional car shopper, I get emails. Lots of emails. I’ve decided to pick a few questions and try to help out. This week we are discussing lifetime warranty offers, big luxury sedans under $25k, and a complex multi-car situation. I recently purchased...
Jul 5, 2026
This 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback On A Ford Bronco Frame May Be The Most American Car Ever
This 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback On A Ford Bronco Frame May Be The Most American Car Ever
If you’re not spending your Saturday scouring , then you probably have a life. I, however, do not, and that means I get to make you look at this amazing 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback that has been grafted onto a 1973 Ford Bronco chassis. The Frankensteinian result may be...
Jul 5, 2026
At $8,750, Is This 1995 GMC Yukon SLT The Four-By-Four For You?
At $8,750, Is This 1995 GMC Yukon SLT The Four-By-Four For You?
The Yukon Gold potato is neither from the Yukon nor actually gold. It is a fitting reference however for today’s GMC, however, since it is both. Let’s see if the price on this old-school two-door 4X4 comes across as fully or only half baked. Picking the right name for...
Jul 5, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved