Hell Kitty: 1999 Mazda Miata 

What would you do if you had $30,000 to spend on a car? Some might want to buy something new, others may opt for something a little older, but for some, custom built is the only way to go. 

At the price point, custom-built might seem impossible, especially if it was created by someone with a large following on YouTube. But someone got lucky during Barrett-Jackson’s 12th annual Las Vegas auction, held at Mandalay Bay, and snagged this 1999 Mazda Miata for $36,300.00

You might be thinking, $36K on a Miata? That seems a little high… I agree, however, this isn’t your average Miata. 

This 1999 Mazda Miata, known as “Hell Kitty” sold during Barrett-Jacksons Las Vegas sale.

Unlike some sleeper cars, there’s no hiding the fact that this Miata is a monster. The body features an eye-catching Tangelo paint job, and the hood only covers about three-quarters of the 6.2-liter V8 Hellcat engine. 

YouTuber Karr built the car for fun and liked to take it to the track and do other shenanigans as well as entertain people on YouTube. 

Karr estimates the car could reach 650 horsepower to the wheels on a dyno.

According to Karr, the engine for “Hell Kitty” came out of a wrecked 2017 Dodge Challenger Hellcat. Karr noted how challenging it was to get it to fit in the Miata, and shared that the entire transmission tunnel and part of the firewall had to be removed. It took multiple tries to get the engine placed just right. 

A Tremec TR-6060 6-speed manual transmission backs the Hellcat engine. 

Additionally, the Miata received a Fore 8.8 rear differential and a 3.07 welded final drive, Driveshaft Shop axles, an all-new V8 Roadster suspension, and a Mopar powertrain control module (PCM) with HPTuners’ tuning and data systems. 

Other modifications include Frozen Boost heat exchanger, Rywire CSF radiator, AN steel-braided lines throughout, Fore fuel pressure regulator, Stef’s oil pain, custom headers built by Sideways Fab, and a new intake. 

Karr built the car for fun and to do burnouts on YouTube. 

Interior features include an AEM CD5 display, Sparco steering wheel, new Sparco seats, and a  BSI Racing roll cage for safety.  

Wilwood brakes tucked behind new Konig 15×10-inch wheels allow it to stay in one place for massive burnouts. 

Once complete, Karr dyno tested the Miata to see how much horsepower was going to the wheels, but the Miata was unable to get traction on its runs. The car laid down 565 wheel horsepower on its best run on a Mustang dyno with bags of concrete in the trunk, but it still had some wheelspin and was unable to get an accurate result. Karr estimates the car could reach 650 horsepower to the wheels on a different dyno without the wheelspin. 

It took Karr multiple tries to get the engine placed just right.

According to Karr, the entire build took two and a half months and documented in a series of videos on YouTube. The “Hell Kitty” Miata has been featured by Gas Monkey Garage and on Hoonigan’s Daily Transmission. 

This custom Miata was one of the wildest vehicles of the 677 vehicles sold on the Barrett-Jackson auction block in Las Vegas. The final event for 2019 brought in $34.8 million total in sales with a 100-percent sell-through rate. 

Next, Barrett-Jackson holds its 49th Annual Scottsdale Auction, January 11-19, 2020, at WestWorld of Scottsdale. For more information, see Barrett-Jackson. 

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Nicole Ellan James

As an automotive journalist and avid car enthusiast, Nicole Ellan James has a passion for automotive that is reflected in every aspect of her lifestyle. Follow Nicole on Instagram and Facebook - @nicoleeellan
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