It’s time to delve into the Speedhunters archive for an additional 10-year throwback submit, and this week we’re heading again into the Southern California canyons for a take a look at a really cool ’99 Mazda Miata.
Jeremy D’Ambrosio chosen a wide range of elements to construct his best NB Miata, and the consequence was spectacular. Let’s revisit Mike and Larry’s 2014 function…
2014 Characteristic
To me, cars is likely to be essentially the most emotional objects on the planet, and in case you are studying this I’d say there’s a superb probability you’d agree. For us, vehicles are far more than simply gadgets to get from level A to level B, and the emotional responses they create out in us might be overwhelming.
What sort of responses do they set off? Properly, that relies on what kind of automobile it’s. Some autos can blow our minds whereas merely standing nonetheless. A Lamborghini Miura for instance, is an car so stunning that it needn’t transfer to make us fall in love.
Different vehicles win our favor by unimaginable feats of engineering – whether or not it’s a contemporary race automobile designed in a high-tech laboratory, or one thing created by the fingers of a talented yard fabricator.
A traditional automobile may enchantment to our curiosity in historical past, after which there are these vehicles which might be so quick that they instill real concern in us. The purpose is, vehicles aren’t simply machines to us – they’re objects that produce highly effective emotional reactions.
And of all these emotional reactions, none is extra highly effective, or extra primary, than the one that claims, ‘I wish to drive this!’ The automobile in query won’t be essentially the most stunning you’ve ever seen, nor the quickest, nevertheless it makes you need do nothing greater than hop behind the wheel and drive it. It’s a sense that’s laborious to place into phrases, however you actually understand it when it occurs.
This brings me to a automobile we not too long ago had the prospect to spend a while with within the mountains above Los Angeles. It’s a 1999 Mazda Miata constructed by Jeremy D’Ambrosio, and I’m not exaggerating one bit once I say that this one of many coolest and most well-rounded Miatas on the planet.
Jeremy picked up the NB-chassis Miata 4 years in the past when he relocated from Pennsylvania to Southern California for varsity. USC? UCLA? No, Jeremy got here to SoCal to attend the Artwork Heart of Design in Pasadena – a academic facility that’s turned out a number of the world’s greatest automotive designers.
It’s cheap to say that most of the college students that cross by the halls of the Artwork Heart are big automobile fans and Jeremy is not any exception. He selected a Miata not just for its famend dealing with, however as a result of the straightforward and engaging aesthetics of the automobile allowed him to go in any path he wished. A real designer certainly.
An Train In Design
In truth, a giant a part of Jeremy’s objective was not simply to have a automobile that he may take to native monitor days or SoCal’s nice mountain roads, he wished to make use of it as a check topic for numerous styling concepts that handed by his thoughts.
An enormous a part of his inspiration got here from classic Japanese race and avenue vehicles – specifically the distinct look of broad fenders and fats tires. Mix that with the Miata’s authentic objective of being the fashionable British roadster, and also you’ve bought a reasonably good thought of Jeremy’s theme with the construct.
When it comes to styling, essentially the most excellent function is the roof line. The automobile is operating an Autokonexion fastback laborious prime that offers the automobile a totally completely different look from the usual Miata. There’s actually some Datsun 240Z and perhaps even a bit Corvette in there…
With its distinctive, sweeping roof many individuals mistake the automobile for being one thing aside from a Miata – and it’s solely the true Roadster nerds that may rapidly establish the automobile’s origins.
Apart from the altered bodylines, the as soon as female NB Miata form is made extra aggressive by a set of Autokonexion fender flares, Challenge-G G-Fuser aspect skirts and Challenge-G vented quarter home windows. In the event you wanted a refresher on Challenge-G and what they do, be sure to take a look at Taryn’s story from final 12 months.
Different particulars that add to the retro racer look embody a set of Storage Range nostalgic taillights, a Storage Range entrance lip and a set of carbon staggered mirrors from Japanese Roadster speciality store Zoom Engineering.
Jeremy says he’s utterly okay with having an overstated automobile, and different exterior touches – just like the polished aluminum hood and outsized rivets – assist give the Miata a tough, in-your-face look.
As for wheels, the automobile is operating a set of R-Sort RS Watanabes measuring 14×8-inch within the entrance and 14×8.5-inch within the rear with sticky Toyo Proxes R888 rubber throughout. In my thoughts there’s simply no beating the look of 14s and meaty tires on a Miata.
At the moment’s Miata scene is stuffed with people who construct their Roadsters merely to look cool and cruise at a leisurely tempo. However Jeremy is not a type of guys. This turns into instantly obvious once you open the hood and discover that the Mazda’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine is fitted with a Rotrex C30-74 centrifugal supercharger.
Different engine work features a Mazdaspeed consumption cam, a Racing Beat header and mid pipe, together with Mazdaspeed engine mounts. As for electronics there’s a full Megasquirt DIYPNP engine administration system together with an AEM UEGO wide-band controller. When every thing is dialed in, the arrange sends a powerful 235 horsepower and 183lb/ft of torque to the rear wheels – greater than sufficient to permit the featherweight NB to maintain up with extra highly effective trendy equipment.
Apart from the efficiency upgrades made to the motor, Jeremy has additionally approached the Miata’s engine bay with a similiar eye for aesthetics. Visible upgrades embody a Storage Star cowl cowl and Challenge-G Precision Collection plug cowl, oil cap and dipstick deal with. On this shot you too can spot the Cobalt three-point brace.
Model Plus Perform
Having the appropriate footwork is a large a part of having a correct Miata expertise, and Jeremy’s automobile doesn’t disappoint on this space. It’s operating a set of XIDA Clubsport coilovers from AST, together with Flyin’ Miata sway bars and 949Racing adjustable finish hyperlinks.
Braking capability is enhanced by a set Hawk HP Plus pads with DBA X-Gold rotors and StopTech braided brake strains.
As with lots of the world’s nice Miata builds, the inside on this automobile is simply as spectacular as the outside. Beginning on the protection aspect, there’s a Blackbird FabWorx GT3 roll bar and Bethania Storage door bars.
The seats are manufacturing facility buckets from a Lotus Elise mounted on RyokuRob brackets – collectively a very talked-about retrofit modifcation for Miata house owners all over the world.
The steering wheel is a custom-trimmed 375mm Nardi mounted with a Storage Star hub extender, which matches completely with the old fashioned theme.
Additional retro fashion is added by a {custom} self-upholstered heart console with RyokuRob trim rings. RyokuRob additionally offered the stainless-steel shifter which lends a uncooked and purposeful look.
Different little particulars within the cockpit embody cool gadgets like a set of rev limiter gauge faces and a uncommon Mazdaspeed lap timer.
Total, the design cockpit simply begs you to strap in and discover a cool street. That is one thing that goes again to that ‘I have to drive this’ feeling I spoke of earlier.
Being a design scholar, Jeremy is at all times searching for methods to vary and enhance upon the automobile’s setup. For the time being he’s engaged on wider, extra aggressive bodywork and in addition contemplating stripping down the inside even additional.
Whereas this Mazda is little doubt spectacular each on paper and once you see it in particular person, the automobile itself is only one a part of Jeremy’s Miata expertise. Much more useful are the recollections and the chums he’s made throughout his journey with this automobile. It’s a listing that features every thing from late-night canyon classes, to lengthy street journeys and many hanging out in parking heaps.
Jeremy’s Miata is a automobile that’s quick, purposeful, cool and distinctive. Greater than something although, it’s driver-oriented nature simply makes you wish to hop in and discover an open stretch of pavement to wind it out on. The best way I see it, there’s actually no higher reward you possibly can throw on an car than that.
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia
Images by Larry Chen
Instagram: larry_chen_foto
