MIATA RESTYLING:
CLASSIC
SPORTS
CARS:
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By Alan Paradise
 o say that the Miata has become
a world car would be an understatement. With over 500,000 of our beloved MX-5s
roaming the planet, one could conclude that the engineering, styling and reliability have
won over car enthusiasts everywhere.
Within a few years of the Miata's
introduction, kits were developed to reshape and/or cover the neat perfect bodylines of
Gen-1 models. Miata lovers took great exception to this seemly insult on the purity
of the car that was responsible for the rebirth of the personal sports car.
However, one restyling kit that has broken the mold and has been embraced by the Miata
community is the Italia. The Ferrari influenced roadster package has been a prime
ingredient in the production of many stunning hybrids. Included in this group is the
vehicle that many within the Miata inner circle consider as being the world's most
beautiful Miata.
The two Italia examples
presented here include Jack Gosney's, the celebrated most beautiful Miata, and the brute
force of a V8 powered monster owned by James Tankersley. Both cars started out life
as Gen-1s, although manufactured five years apart. Each, however, traveled
completely different roads to becoming highly distinctive show cars. Both Gosney and
Tankersley have a story to tell. The approach each builder decided to adopt resulted
in vehicles that share many things in common, but are as different as night and day.
Small and extreme attention to detail has made Gosney's
Italia one of the most beautiful Miatas ever built. Note the chromed bumperetts and
perfectly placed dual exhaust exits.
Jack Gosney's version of the perfect Simpson Design Italia Miata
was one of balance. To begin with, Jack started with a showroom new 1997 edition.
Throughout 1997 and into 1998, Jack assembled a show-winning version. The suspension was
treated to Jackson Racing anti-sway bars, MazdaSpeed coil-over shocks with Eibach springs.
Oscar and company was also asked to add more punch under the hood. Jackson installed one
of his roots supercharger packages with a big boost kit and MSD boost control. Jackson
Racing also bolted on a header while BrainStorm bolted on a dual center exhaust
system. To handle the extra torque, a Jackson Racing kevlar clutch and MazdaSpeed
flywheel were added. A BrainStorm short shift kit completed the tranny package.
The Gosney
edition features Mazda power with Jackson Racing boost. The supercharger upgrade brings
the horsepower rating into
the 200 neighborhood.
Not being one to be content, lack had nearly everything either
chrome plated or polished. The results were staggering as they created a consistent show
stopper. And, all this took place prior to the car being converted to an Italia.
Much to the pleasure of other show quality Miata owners, Gosney
and his 1997 disappearedfrom the event/show circuit. However, just when you were thinking
it was safe to enter a show again, Jack returned with a car that eclipsed anything that
had come before it.
During the absense, Jack completely tore his car apart to add the
Simpson Design conversion package. Daryl Doskocil was given the responsibility of
grafting a seamless application of the Italia kit. After hundreds of hours of work,
Doskocil turned over the perfected body surface to painter Richard Cook. Cosney kept true
to Mazda's factory SU Red. Cook masterfully sprayed multiple layers of base coat followed
by clear.
Tankersley's Italia rear features a clean
smooth appearance. The exhaust thunder on this version comes from down under.
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Shoehorned
under the yellow hood
is a 302 cubic inch Ford V8.  |
The entire car was wet sanded and buffed to
achieve that "two-foot thick" appearance.
Once the newly re-styled Miata left the paint and body shop, the
interior was treated to premium black leather from BrainStorm. The carpet was also
given an upgrade. BrainStorm was the source for the Rosewood dash, door panels and
console fascias, white face guages as well as the stainless and chrome dash accents.
Jack replaced the airbag steering wheel with a retro-style Nardi mahogany unit.
The door pulls were custom made, as were the polished aluminum sill plates.
The interiors of the two Italias share some of the same styling features. Both have
been upgraded to leather and both feature wood accents.
To complete the retro styling of the Italia package, chrome plated
Alfa side mirrors were attached to the doors. A final touch was the custom
fabricated Ferrari-style grille insert. Since its completion, it's been one show win
after another, much to the chagrin of other Miata owners.
On a completely opposite road was James Tankersley's construction
of his Ferrari Yellow Italia. The donor 1992 base model became a project car by
default. The car was far less than pristine. This made it a perfect candidate
for a confersion with an international flavor.
The little red roadster's 1.6L engine had seen better days.
Tankersley promptly remedied the situation by way of Monster Motorsports. A
302 cubic inch V8 was installed, juiced up with a high lift cam and reworked intake and
exhaust valves. The spent gas flow from the custom made shorty headers through a
one-off designed 2.5-inch tubing to Flowmaster dual-chamber mufflers. Lyons Muffler in
San Marcos, California gets the credit for the custom fabrication.
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SOURCE: Simpson Design and Development
Dept. MM
6828 Twin Cedars Drive
Clinton, WA 98236
(360) 321-4122
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