Friday 23rd March 2007

Mazdatona

How to make your MX5 look Italian. Sort of.

---

Italia

Manta Ray

Miami

Apparently, the Lotus Elan was a large influence on the original Mx5. It’s kind of obvious really when you look at the styling. However, if you wished those original hardcore Mazda engineers back in Japan – dedicated to simplicity, respectable kerb weights and rear-drive thrills – had taken more exotic influences, an American company may have the answer.

Simpson design has come up with the ‘Italia’, a kind of trad 1960s Italian look. You can even get wire wheels, if you really insist.

There’s also the Manta Ray kit which is a bit more American – named after and influenced by the Corvette Stingray presumedly. And then there’s the ‘Miami’ which seems to ape the Ferrari Daytona.

A kit, including painting, will set you back under $8000 in the States. Rumours that Simpson’s next MX5 project has Jaguar XJS influences, and a 5.3 V12 engine conversion from the old British warhorse, remain unfounded…

Links

• www.simpsondesign.net

[jmatras]

There's a guy here in the States who grafted the rear end of a '59 Cadillac onto a Miata. We're not talking fiberglass, but the real thing, narrowed of course, but the fins are so long that the leading edges had to be merged into the doors. It was a first class job, but it was the answer to a question that never should have been asked. (Actually, the builder/owner was having a lot of fun with it at car shows and such).

Be that as it may, there is/was a company that was making BMW Z3 snouts for the Miata, but the cost was such that by the time you finished the "conversion" you had as much money in it as if you had just bought the Bimmer in the first place. Again, who's asking these questions?

[fuoriserie]

I think body conversions will become more mainstream, once we get more stringent regulations in Europe.

So let's all prepare for a modern future with rebodies, just check what Zagato has done lately with, the Aston Martin Db7, or the Ferrari 575 GTZ, and Pininfarina with an Enzo, the great looking P4/5.

An Mx5 lends itself to a lot of different rebodies, somo good some bad, but these look nice.

Isn't :

www.retroforza.com

related?

[cy88]

jmatras said:

There's a guy here in the States who grafted the rear end of a '59 Cadillac onto a Miata. We're not talking fiberglass, but the real thing, narrowed of course, but the fins are so long that the leading edges had to be merged into the doors. It was a first class job, but it was the answer to a question that never should have been asked. (Actually, the builder/owner was having a lot of fun with it at car shows and such).

[FestivAli]

I quite like the Manta Ray one, though I'd probably just leave it alone. Cheap, red, 1993 MX5 for around $12k AUD. Gonna convince dad to buy one so I can drive it and he won't need to get the new one and sacrifice his company car. There's a guy in Australia who turns MX5s into a vanquish clone. Unfortunately, it looks hideous.

Ali.

[alfanatic]

Wow. The only one of those that works for me is the, um, Mazdillac effort, and only because its crazy looks seem intentional.

Still, to each his own of course. There are some kits or conversions that tempt me, but not these ones.

Edited by alfanatic on Friday 23 March 17:54

[little bill]

One Word...............

WHY?

[Bigglesworth]

At the risk of insulting some .........whatever you do to it.....it's still a (very competent) hairdresser's car. Though admittedly a good one! Sorry Guys and Gals!

[604]

Bigglesworth said:

At the risk of insulting some .........whatever you do to it.....it's still a (very competent) hairdresser's car. Though admittedly a good one! Sorry Guys and Gals!

Yep I find that insulting ...

[cy88]

my hairdresser drives a TVR

Edited by cy88 on Saturday 24th March 11:25

[Furyblade_Lee]

Looking at the Caddy conversion, if I had not have just been to the toilet I would be p****** myself right now. I hope in 20 years time people will look back and think what the hell were they thinking about, f****** around with mk1 mx5'S, the last great PURE (slightltly underpowered) sportscar.

[neilboyd]

cy88 said:

my hairdresser drives a TVR

I suspect you're paying too much for your haircut......

N.

[cazzer]

cy88 said:

jmatras said:

There's a guy here in the States who grafted the rear end of a '59 Cadillac onto a Miata. We're not talking fiberglass, but the real thing, narrowed of course, but the fins are so long that the leading edges had to be merged into the doors. It was a first class job, but it was the answer to a question that never should have been asked. (Actually, the builder/owner was having a lot of fun with it at car shows and such).

If thats a real caddy rear end I'm surprised it's not pulling a wheelie

[swoll]

FestivAli said:

There's a guy in Australia who turns MX5s into a vanquish clone.

Found it....

[heelantoe]

WHY OH WHY OH WHY????

Is it me or do these conversions just make them look like little kiddy versions of the real thing.
Just leave them alone or you'll regret it later ;-)

[drgp]

That Aston Mx5...... does the guy drink a lot?

my hairdresser also drives a TVR - and at £8 I dont think I am overpaying - though those who've seen me would probably argue that I really should invest more!

As Chad McQueen said "Whenever I see a man driving a Miata, I sort of feel bad for him"

[ATG]

The caddy effort is magnificent. If they did do the XJS version, I wonder how they'd replicate the bubbling paint and rust? Would they lever apart the body panels to get that authentic Grand Canyon quality finish?

[tinman0]

swoll said:

FestivAli said:

There's a guy in Australia who turns MX5s into a vanquish clone.

Found it....

[bencollins]

I long for an MX5, a proper car, got a barchetta, now that IS a hairdressers car.

[Wigeon Incognito]

bencollins said:

I long for an MX5, a proper car, got a barchetta, now that IS a hairdressers car.

Heres an idea, sell it!

[risotto]

Here's a few I've come across, I'm sure there must be loads more (I can't find the one with the long nose and fixed round headlights for a start):

Think this was an official Mazda creation:


As was the Speedster - shame they never went ahead with it:


Then there was the NA Coupe concept:


The Type A NB coupe:


Hopefully there's only one of these:


The Retroforza kit:

Edited by risotto on Thursday 26th April 17:18