KOZA Performance Unveils 1,500 Horsepower Stick-Shift Miata

KOZA Performance Unveils 1,500 Horsepower Stick-Shift Miata

It looks like Cleetus McFarland’s Leroy the Savage Vette kart may have some competition. The gang over at Koza Performance have been working on a pretty wild project of their own with plans to debut it this weekend at Street Car Takeover in Bradenton, Florida. What started out as a Miata has been stripped of everything not needed, and we mean everything, including the body, doors, and anything attached. All that’s left is a 1,500 horsepower LS engine, some of the unibody, and roll cage. Even the Miata’s drive train and suspension has been replaced. 

The Engine:

Koza started with an LS3 block, which was machined by AES and assembled in house. The block is filled halfway and also sports a billet main girdle for added rigidity. A Callies crankshaft was installed in the block with Wiseco Boostline Rods connected to a set of “high compression” Diamond Pistons. A custom 9,000+ rpm capable camshaft designed by Martin Smallwood is also nestled in the short block. Other upgrades include re-worked M311 Frankenstein heads by AES and Martin Smallwood, a Ron ShearerFab air-to-water intercooler, Holley Hi-Ram Lower, Johnson Lifters, SCE Vulcan Ring Gaskets, and a set of Brian Tooley Racing (BTR) billet valve covers. 

Transmission

Since this Mazda was built for the stickshift class, an automatic was out of the question. The team opted for a Tick Performance with their Ultimate Drag 4 Speed Faceplated T56 with a Black Magic Clutch. The transmission is connected to the rear axle by way of an SDR one-off chromoly driveshafts.

The Chassis:

The chassis on this car, or what’s of the vehicle, is a work of art. Koza removed the road race cage that was installed originally and built a new one specifically for drag racing. The Mazda’s entire rear was cut off and replaced with a Camaro SS rear cradle and ZL1 differential. Thomas Hendrix is responsible for a set of “one-off” solid cradle and differential bushings to ensure the perfect pinion angle. Koza didn’t stop there with the in-house fabrication either. The front of the ex-Miata was modified with a Fox Body K-member and complete Mustang style suspension. The guys then altered a set of QA1 shocks by disassembling and shortening them to maintain the correct geometry for the car. 

Turbo Kit:

Like the chassis, the turbo kit is a work of art as well. Koza used their own Ls Turbo Manifold kit built in house by their employee Zack Keller. They then re-worked a set of Borg-Warner borg warner 69/7X turbos, with Precision Turbo & Engine wastegates and blow-off valves. Street Carr Fabrication took care of the turbo flanges, and the cold side merge. The team then topped it off with a killer set of titanium downpipes.

On The Dyno:

With the car or kart, in this case, strapped to the dyno, the Koza team managed to make just under 1500 horsepower at the wheels nearing 100-percent injector duty cycle with a set of Fuel Injector Clinic (FIC) 1650cc injectors. This problem has already been fixed with a set of FIC’s new 2150cc injectors. 

Headed Out

Earlier this week Koza, said via its Facebook page, “We have arrived in Florida a bit early to make some shakedowns and button up a few loose ends. We will try and keep everyone updated!”

While we don’t know what this little monster weighs yet, we’re willing to bet it’s lighter than McFarland’s ‘Vette kart. It will be interesting to see how fast the ex-Miata can go in the 1/4-mile. Stay tuned, and we will keep you posted. 

 

About the author

Brian Havins

A gearhead for life, Brian is obsessed with all things fast. Banging gears, turning wrenches, and praying while spraying are just a few of his favorite things.
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