A parking lot collision in the early 2000s sparked one of the most unusual Mazda MX-5 transformations to date. What began as a damaged second-generation Miata has reemerged as a hand-built homage to the mid-1950s Jaguar D-Type, complete with a full aluminum body crafted over a wooden frame.
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The project, recently listed for sale in the United Kingdom, consumed more than 3,000 hours of labor stretched across seven years. Instead of restoring the compact roadster to its original form, the builder fabricated new body panels from aluminum sheet and riveted them in place, evoking the spirit of postwar sports racers. Though the resemblance to Malcolm Sayer’s legendary D-Type is more impressionistic than exact, the car’s spirit is unmistakably adventurous.
Underneath the retro skin, the Mazda remains mechanically faithful to its NB-generation origins. Power comes from the factory 1.8-liter four-cylinder paired with its original running gear, refreshed with extensive new components including brakes, suspension, clutch, water pump, and fuel system. The car also wears new wheels and tires, along with a list of updates ranging from spark plugs to ABS sensors.
The Mazda MX-5, sold in North America as the Miata, has long been celebrated as a modern interpretation of the lightweight British roadster. Since its 1989 debut, the car has achieved global sales exceeding one million units and become a grassroots racing favorite. Yet few examples have strayed as far from factory specification as this aluminum-bodied experiment.
With 119,746 miles showing on its odometer, the one-off creation is currently offered on Car & Classic. For enthusiasts drawn to ingenuity over convention, it represents not just a Miata, but a testament to perseverance in the garage.
Source and Images via Car & Classic
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