You may look at this black Miata and think that the molded headlights are tacky and that it's heresy to replace the legendary pop-up setup. But, underneath the skin, this car follows a well-known path: that of V-8 swapping done using the kits from Monster Miata, one of the oldest in the business of V-8 swapping the NA and NB roadsters. This example has been modified extensively beyond the huge engine up front, and this is why it's about three times the price of your regular Miata.

If you're looking for a little runabout that can also humiliate some much more expensive rides at the drag strip, this black Miata could be the answer. It has a Ford Cleveland V-8 with a stroker kit that increases the displacement from 5.8-liters to 6.7-liters for extra oomph. How much? We don't know, but we do know it can run low 11 seconds on street tires, and that's impressive considering this thing can't weigh more than 1,980 pounds.

A V-8 powered Miata that deserves its pop-ups back

The world of tuned Miatas is huge. So big, there's a whole lot of them that've received big, thumping V-8 engines. Monster Miata is one of the companies that have been converting and offering V-8 conversion kits for NA and NB Miatas for over two decades. Their aim was, according to their website, to produce an "easy to understand" V-8 conversion kit that "the average person with a toolbox " can figure out on their own.

This Miata found lurking on Craigslist is one of the many that received the Monster Miata treatment that was applied by Street & Strip Performance of Louisville, Kentucky. The owner claims that this is the only NA Miata in the world to have a 6.7-liter stroker V-8 under the hood.

As mentioned, the ad doesn't tell us how much that Ford pushrod V-8 is making although it should be anywhere between 450 to 550 horsepower.

That's also because the owner, who apparently spent $25,000 on parts alone, has modified the car from end to end. It now has an aluminum fuel cell, a remote oil filter kit, a Ford T5Z 5 Speed Transmission with a Steeda shifter, an aluminum flywheel and driveshaft, an exhaust system with electronically-controlled dumps, and a custom 4-link suspension setup with QA-1 coilovers up front and a Mustang 7.5-inch live axle, shortened with modified axles in the back. The brakes are from Goodwin Racing with 11-inch two-piece rotors with 4-piston calipers up front.

The result is a car that can run low 11 seconds on the quarter-mile which is about as much as a Challenger Hellcat with its 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque from that 6.2-liter V-8 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed automatic.

Still, this is a comprehensive build and, if we are to believe the owner, it's also usable as a daily driver since it doesn't overheat in traffic. The $20,000 asking price is a bit steep but if this car is as clean as the owner suggests, ignoring some dubious details inside like that steering wheel, it could be a good deal, as long as you've got some extra cash hanging around for tires as this little thing will eat them in a jiffy.

Further reading

Read our driven review on the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata.

Read our driven review on the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata "Turbo Smurf" by Flyin’ Miata.