Show cars are often cleverly designed faades of real tuner cars. While there is nothing wrong with creating the look, show cars can be anti-climatic to the performance purist. Just ask Mark Andrews, the owner of this very capable Miata. When it came time to build a real eye-opener, instead of simply bolting on a few flashy accessories, Andrews understood how to tease 'em and still create an admirable street performer. When everyone's convinced his Miata is nothing but a dreamy showboat, Andrews hits 'em with a high-power punchline that's clearly no joke at all.
What impresses us is his thorough, methodical approach for achieving a specific, narrowly defined result: building a discretely dressed rear-drive roadster with the suspension, drivetrain and frame strength capable of handling this much turbocharged horsepower.
Andrews' initial parameters were straightforward enough. For his "blank sheet of paper," he wanted a pre-OBD-II Miata with the twin-cam 1.8-liter four-banger and, if possible, the Torsen limited-slip differential that has appeared in so many of Mazda's special editions and "limited" packages over the years. His lucky stars guided him to a '95 model with only 11,000 miles and costing just under $10,000. For the next year and a half, Andrews patiently took all the right steps in precisely the proper order to transform Mazda's cute little people-pleaser into a gorgeous supermodel with a hidden superiority complex.
Within a week, Andrews had ordered a Hard Dog Hard Core roll bar and Racing Beat Type II body kit from Performance Buyers Club in Chantilly, Va. Racing Hart Tracer wheels and Toyo Proxes T1 tires, moreover, were on the way from DAZZ Motorsport in Baldwin Park, Calif. Andrews' tire specs called for 205/45ZR16s up front and 225/40ZR16s out back. A fairly standard wheel size of 16x7 would suffice for the front pair, but the 16x8 rears he needed would take eight months to build on special-order in Japan.
Andrews made good use of the time. Although he postponed bodywork until the proper wheels could be fitted into the overall design, he tapped Import Sports of Glen Burnie, Md., to install the roll bar. Andrews had specified the hardtop-compatible bar to allow him the eventual option of bolting on Miata's attractive hard hat during winter months. He found, moreover, that after the low-profile bar was chassis-welded in place, the Miata's overall handling was appreciably tighter, thanks to the enhanced frame rigidity.To further exploit the tossability factor of his masterpiece-in-the-making, Andrews spec'd and installed Koni adjustable struts and Eibach Pro-Kit springs. The resultant lowering of ride height reassured Andrews that he would be spared "the 4x4 look" when his oversize 16-inch wheels were eventually fitted.
All that remained before bodywork surgery was the installation of a Max-5 clutch and 8.5-lb. lightened flywheel package, also from Performance Buyers Club. At this point, Andrews' pre-turbo, stock-body Miata was a legitimate sleeper: the bulked-up frame, beefy drivetrain and thoroughbred suspension tweaks still lay hibernating under secretary-car bodywork. Andrews detected a hint of what was to come, though, in the Miata's much-improved cornering manners at the limit and the inspiring improvement in throttle response. He couldn't guess how dramatically even these improvements would change once the engine tweaks were done; but that experience would have to wait. The twin boxes at the front door meant that the Miata's custom rear wheels were in and that, in turn, meant a visit to the body doc.
Body Sculpting
Andrews had selected South County Customs of Edgewater, Md., to oversee the installation of his body kit and Erebuni three-piece rear wing, because of its established reputation for seamless sophistication. The shop's employees agreed with Andrews that his Miata project would achieve its greatest impact through subtlety and they complimented his selection of a body kit that retained so much of the gentle, rounded styling that has justifiably transformed Mazda's Miata into an automotive icon over the last dozen years.