Miata has just as much capability to be a beast as the s2000, if you ask me the miata has a larger capability, specially the older miatas. I realize the new miatas and larger and wider and blah blah blah, but the new ones have all this stupid s*** on them and the front looks like a retarded baby.
They both a run a pretty close weight distribution (48/52- miata, 49.3/50.7). The issue that comes here is that the miata (1st gen.) is 900lbs less than any s2000 coming in at about 2k for the miata and 2.8-2.9k (depending on hardtop and options) for the s.
This is were the s2000 starts to slip a little. lets say you loved that s2000 engine (all that TORQUE, jesus i love it, haha) and dropped it into the miata. I gaurantee that would be one sick ass car to drive. Plus the older miatas are a fav. for autocrossers and they still have a large set of mods for it. I just checked protege garage and found they still carry the mods for the 1st gens (just make sure my ass is covered, not that I doubted mods still being made for it).
check out the colors, I found this dudes car domain, I don't like his weird tires and s***, but the classic red is nasty
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2574658
THe Mariner blue w/ black top is a beauty too. but the hardtop takes the cake for me.
http://www.mx5gallery.net/thumbnails.php?album=5
Lastly, I went out to autotrader and checked out some prices I found a low mileage (40k, 93 miata) for 9-10k and a few s2ks with about 20-30k miles for about 21-23k.
At those prices you get to have 11k spending money on the miata, plenty for whatever concotions you have in stock for the miata.
Just so you know, my plan is do something like this in the next few years. I am going to grab me some bad ass miata with no rust, high miles and completely turn it into a beast.
I havent finished working out details, but its not a bad idea!
as for the s2000, it has one ridicoulous interior, I tell ya honda has that interior all pimp and s***.
