Serendipity

Alright i found a 1990 mazda miata for sale for $1000.. it actually still runs but like crap.. so i was thinking of maybe doing something sick to this car.. and really i'm just looking for some ideas right now.. my idea is putting a sbc 350ci 350hp 350tq in it.. i'm not looking for air conditioning even though it is possible, no power steering, ect.. just a little car with alot of power.. what are your ideas? one of my friends keeps screaming 2jz-gte from a supra but i've already said no to that (as i hate supras/toyota and everything relating)

sales

The reason it is running crappie is most likely due to a crankshaft problem. You can get a salvage engine for less then putting a 350 in it.
The 350 will fit, it is a smaller and lighter block then the Ford 302 (Monster Miata) for which there are kits.
It is my guess that some one can sell you the parts to make it work.
But if I was going to throw money at it a super charged 1.8 would be my choice.
Added:
To each his own opinion, owning a 90 Miata, I too have thought about power swaps. I have even driven a few of those that have been modified. I prefer the turbo charger for the simple reason that I drive on the type of roads for which the Miata was designed. The ones with V8's were great on the straight of ways, but the longest one that I have on most of my drives is .31 miles. I can hit that stretch with a enough lead on a V8 powered one to keep them behind me going into the next turn. I can get enter that turn at 80 mph and accelerate through it while the V8 Miata is fighting the heavy nose in the turn. Now the turbo charged ones, I just can't seem to out finesse.

ScrollWolf

wtf-ery to the other guy.. he's asking for an idea to make a little car with a lot of power not a little car with mediocre power only made in high rpms.. supercharged 1.6l and 1.8l miatas are garbage.. but to get to the point

their are more than a handful of companies that make swap kits for a sbc into a miata.. even monster miata makes a swap kit.. i personally would try to get a lightweight LS1 into the car.. but thats just me. You could always do a 13b rotary swap (decent power to weight) the 2jz is a heavy monster of an engine as would be a nissan RB enigine.. however have you thought of doing a v6??? like a nissan VQ motor from a 350z.. their pretty light, can make good power, external dimensions are wide but short (perfect for a miata swap) but you would have to do a bit of fabrication yourself.. also you could do a 3.8l buick motor into the miata this has been done before.. matter of fact i've seen pictures of a 3.8l motor from a v6 camaro swapping in a miata with a m62 supercharger and custom fab supercharger manifold swapped into a miata with relative ease

Redbuller

The most absolute power will obviously come from putting a properly configured V8 in the car. Your straight line power will be massive if you can get it to the ground. A supercharged 1.8 will make quite a bit less power but it will be much more manageble and easier to actually use. Keep in mind the handling implications - the marked increase in torque of a good V8 will result in handling that is markedly worse than you have now. You'll find yourself more reluctant to apply power in corners for fear of losing the rear end and therefore your exit speeds are likely to be slower. Also - you'll be more likely to break trannys and rear ends unless you put more money there to beef them up.

LS1's insults not withstanding there are merits to both approaches. Depends on what you want your driving experience to be.