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The Italian Job California’s Favorite Sports Car Gets a
New Skin Jim Simpson has long been an admirer of the great car designers of Europe. Some of their designs are more than 30 years old, and they still look fresh and appealing today. Jim also loves what the Japanese have done to the sports car -- the RX-7, the Z-series Nissans, and the Mazda Miata. In fact, it would be safe to say that Jim fell in love with the Miata. He decided to give it some European lines, and make a few changes here and there. When the smoke cleared, Jim showed up with his Miata Italia, and he could see that it was good. With the reliability of a fairly new car and its classic design, it really is the best of both worlds in the sports car arena. At 42, Jim Simpson has been involved in designing and modifying cars for more than half of his lifetime. He refers to his education as a "European apprenticeship." As a young man, his first love had always been automobile styling. But after recognizing the need to make a more practical living, he began a three-year study program under the scrutiny of two difficult Saab and Mercedes factory technicians – a German and a Swede. This was followed by two years in a Ferrari garage. During this time, he became discouraged with the poor quality of body restoration he saw on European performance cars. So he decided to open his own restoration shop. This was the beginning of a 25-year business -- Contemporary Classics International. Jim’s background with European performance cars, as well as his reputation for quality, boosted his success and gave him the time and capital to pursue his dream of styling his own creations. At one time, Jim had a close working relationship with several Mazda Corporation executives. Though the Miata is the focus for most of his creative talent these days, it is a relatively new love affair. About six years ago, Jim designed a car for the Nardi Company to help celebrate its 60th anniversary. The car was a steel-bodied design called the Blue Ray III, and was displayed at the Concours Italiana during the Pebble Beach weekend in August 1992. Jim is currently working on two new designs. For many years, Jim lived in the Houston area. Then his best friend talked him into helping his friend move his sister from Calgary, Alberta (Canada) to Seattle. She had accepted a position as a teacher at the University of Washington. Jim stayed in Seattle for six months, and ended up getting married. For financial reasons, the newlyweds returned to Texas. But Seattle became part of a longtime dream, and 13 years later, they returned for good. They now reside in Langley, Washington, which is located on Whidbey Island, 40 miles north of Seattle. "I really like the country and the way of life here," says Jim. "I’m out a ways, but I am still close enough to the big city to do everything I need to do." Jim considered several other sports cars to use for project platforms, "but I just kept coming back to the Miata." It’s no wonder – the car comes from the factory with a 1.8L engine for good performance, an adequate handling package, and an all-around fun ride. This is the kind of car that makes you want to live at the end of a winding road and never ride the bus to work. But after driving the car for a short time, Jim decided there were several things he could do to elevate this humble creation into the classic status it deserved. In addition to the classic body and interior parts – that will be mentioned later – Jim added Koni adjustable shocks, Halibrand Sprint wheels, and BFGoodrich HR4 Comp T/A radials. The front tires are 195/55-14s and the rears are 205/60-14s. The interior has the look of one of the richer sports cars of the 1960s. The Nardi steering wheel is accented by a beautiful Daytona dash, made from walnut burl. Extra VDO gauges have been added to give the driver complete information on what’s happening under the hood. The seats of Scottish leather and the English wool carpeting complete the package. Mike Prater gets well-deserved kudos for the Miata’s interior. As with many kits or conversions, this one is offered in three different packages. The basic kit includes only the four main body panels for about $3,800. The complete package, including the lights, epoxy (to mount the panels), hardware, etc, runs about $5,500. "I’m getting a lot of calls for people wanting a turnkey car," says Jim. "They are fun to own and drive, and everyone seems to want one right now." Turnkey cars run about $8,800, in addition to the cost of the original car. Mazda made about 400,000 Miatas, so no shortage of cars exists, and used ones are not real expensive. The engines are strong, and even a high-mileage car can be used as a donor vehicle. Plenty of hop-up goodies are also available to make the little car perform even better. We’ve even seen a small-block Ford in the engine bay of a Miata. For those who prefer to build their own, the assembly process is not difficult. Most of the items removed from the stock Miata are simply unbolted – the hood and front fenders, headlight assemblies, bumper covers, etc. The inner fender apron in the front, and a small section of the inner core support, are trimmed to allow for the required headlamp clearance. Then the one-piece front body panel is bolted in. The new hood bolts are now in place, with the original factory hinges. With some minor bending of the trunk lid, the rear spoiler is ready to be glued in place, and the new look is prepared for minor filling around the seam points. Simpson’s rebody of the Miata changes the whole character of the car and will surely endear it to a new group of sports car enthusiasts. KC SOURCE: Simpson Design and Development
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