$4500 for a car that doesn't run? You're crazy if you pass that up.
Anyways, for the new project car, Miatas are definitely a great bang for your buck. I got an M edition in great shape, with hardtop, for $6000. $3500 will bu you a '90-'93 in pretty good shape. All you need to hit the track are tires and wheels and a roll cage. But modding them is pretty cheap. If you do springs and shocks instead of coilovers, you can have a new suspension for under $600. But don't worry about Spec Miata unless you plan to go race. A CSP Miata is faster and cheaper. Plus, there's no turbo SMs.
