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 very best NB Miata, and the outcome was spectacular. Let’s revisit Mike and Larry’s 2014 function…
2014 Function
To me, cars is perhaps essentially the most emotional objects on the planet, and if you’re studying this I’d say there’s a great probability you’d agree. For us, automobiles are far more than simply gadgets to get from level A to level B, and the emotional responses they convey out in us will be overwhelming.
What sort of responses do they set off? Effectively, that is dependent upon what kind of automotive it’s. Some automobiles can blow our minds whereas merely standing nonetheless. A Lamborghini Miura for instance, is an vehicle so stunning that it needn’t transfer to make us fall in love.
Different automobiles win our favor by way of unbelievable feats of engineering – whether or not it’s a contemporary race automotive designed in a high-tech laboratory, or one thing created by the palms of a talented yard fabricator.
A basic automotive would possibly attraction to our curiosity in historical past, after which there are these automobiles which might be so quick that they instill real worry in us. The purpose is, automobiles 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 fundamental, than the one that claims, ‘I need to drive this!’ The automotive in query may not be essentially the most stunning you’ve ever seen, nor the quickest, but it surely makes you need do nothing greater than hop behind the wheel and drive it. It’s a sense that’s onerous to place into phrases, however you actually understand it when it occurs.
This brings me to a automotive we just lately 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 instructional facility that’s turned out a few of the world’s greatest automotive designers.
It’s cheap to say that most of the college students that go by way of the halls of the Artwork Heart are enormous automotive fanatics 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 enticing aesthetics of the automotive allowed him to go in any path he wished. A real designer certainly.
An Train In Design
Actually, a giant a part of Jeremy’s aim was not simply to have a automotive that he may take to native observe days or SoCal’s nice mountain roads, he wished to make use of it as a take a look at topic for varied styling concepts that handed by way of his thoughts.
A giant a part of his inspiration got here from classic Japanese race and avenue automobiles – specifically the distinct look of extensive fenders and fats tires. Mix that with the Miata’s authentic aim of being the fashionable British roadster, and also you’ve obtained 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 automotive is operating an Autokonexion fastback onerous high that provides the automotive a totally totally different look from the usual Miata. There’s actually some Datsun 240Z and possibly even just a little Corvette in there…
With its distinctive, sweeping roof many individuals mistake the automotive for being one thing aside from a Miata – and it’s solely the true Roadster nerds that may shortly establish the automotive’s origins.
Except for the altered bodylines, the as soon as female NB Miata form is made extra aggressive by way of a set of Autokonexion fender flares, Challenge-G G-Fuser aspect skirts and Challenge-G vented quarter home windows. If you happen to wanted a refresher on Challenge-G and what they do, ensure you try 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 automotive, 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 automotive is operating a set of R-Kind 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 this time’s Miata scene is stuffed with folks that 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 whenever 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 little 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 fashionable equipment.
Except for 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 Sequence plug cowl, oil cap and dipstick deal with. On this shot it’s also possible to spot the Cobalt three-point brace.
Model Plus Perform
Having the fitting footwork is a big a part of having a correct Miata expertise, and Jeremy’s automotive 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 skill is enhanced by a set Hawk HP Plus pads with DBA X-Gold rotors and StopTech braided brake strains.
As with a whole lot of the world’s nice Miata builds, the inside on this automotive 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 fashionable retrofit modifcation for Miata homeowners world wide.
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 supplied the chrome steel shifter which lends a uncooked and useful look.
Different little particulars within the cockpit embody cool gadgets like a set of rev limiter gauge faces and a uncommon Mazdaspeed lap timer.
General, the design cockpit simply begs you to strap in and discover a cool highway. 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 all the time in search of methods to alter and enhance upon the automotive’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 question spectacular each on paper and whenever you see it in individual, the automotive itself is only one a part of Jeremy’s Miata expertise. Much more beneficial are the reminiscences and the buddies he’s made throughout his journey with this automotive. It’s an inventory that features every little thing from late-night canyon classes, to lengthy highway journeys and many hanging out in parking heaps.
Jeremy’s Miata is a automotive that’s quick, useful, cool and distinctive. Greater than something although, it’s driver-oriented nature simply makes you need to hop in and discover an open stretch of pavement to wind it out on. The way in which I see it, there’s actually no higher reward you possibly can throw on an vehicle than that.
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia
Pictures by Larry Chen
Instagram: larry_chen_foto
