This just in: Starting in 2018 Mazda owners in Japan will be able to send their cars back to the manufacturer for a complete restoration. Can you imagine driving a completely factory-fresh NA Miata today?
They will also resume manufacturing certain first-generation Miata parts that had been discontinued. Mazda shows again that they are dedicated to the cult following that …
I LOVE THIS. Such a great way to get some good press, and really drive consumer loyalty.
Ive also always thought it would be great if Detroit would begin reproducing some of the pony cars - body in white - with something like headlight or brakelight position or size in a new spot vs the originals, and drop one of the newer boosted 6s or the current V8s into it. Get all the coolness points and cult following that the classic car scene generates, with the benefits of better brakes, engines, and transmissions that current cars have. Think about a "New" 70's era Camaro or Mustang, but with just enough changed that it doesnt detract value from actual classics.
Definitely a pipe dream, but it would still be cool to go down to the dealer and pick up a factory fresh restomod with a warranty...
Like.
I hate that its difficult to buy parts for cars that are only 20 or even 10 years old sometimes.
That is awesome. Japanese brands have such a different outlook on maintaining, producing, or warehousing parts for older cars than companies like Volvo do. Unfortunately, due to that cultural difference, that means that you have to choose wisely if you're going to pick up a car for a long term project since you have to rely solely on the aftermarket when various wear items go NLA seemingly shortly after production ends.
The 1st gen Miata is a great test case for the argument that legacy vehicles should continue to be supported.
Now if only the Mazdaspeed badge would make a comeback...
I don't own a Miata and think that is fantastic news...
In reply to 4cylndrfury:
Some of the pony cars are available- http://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com/ford_models2.html
Nissan decided to restore 240z in 1997, when the car was 28 years old. Interestingly enough, Mazda is restoring Miatas when they, too, are 28 years old. Man, time flies.
I wonder how many people will actually pay the price for this. I didn't see a price in there but my Japanese is really rusty.
The 240Z restoration services that Nissan did in the 90's ran in the high 20's. At least with that you didn't have to pay for the car with the Mazda service.
Good survivors are in the mid teens now just for a point of reference.
I hope this means that you can get factory-fresh front and rear bumper covers. Because other than some waves in those, a great deal of these cars STILL look good in factory paint and interior.
One of the most iconic and highest quality cars ever built, regardless of price.
4cylndrfury wrote: I LOVE THIS. Such a great way to get some good press, and really drive consumer loyalty. Ive also always thought it would be great if Detroit would begin reproducing some of the pony cars - body in white - with something like headlight or brakelight position or size in a new spot vs the originals, and drop one of the newer boosted 6s or the current V8s into it. Get all the coolness points and cult following that the classic car scene generates, with the benefits of better brakes, engines, and transmissions that current cars have. Think about a "New" 70's era Camaro or Mustang, but with just enough changed that it doesnt detract value from actual classics. Definitely a pipe dream, but it would still be cool to go down to the dealer and pick up a factory fresh restomod with a warranty...
They could sell it all in pieces but once they deliver it to you as a "car" then it needs emissions and crash testing etc. etc. If anybody was going to do it, you'd think it would be the big 3.
If they put the factory hardtops back into production, they'll end up sitting on more cash than Apple 
I think this is awesome. Very cool.
Awesome! I love this idea and am glad to see mazda taking it on with the miata.
I restored a 1990 Miata in 2006 or so, so I am getting a kick out of this article.
Customer spent $10k to have his car gone through and major mechanical and cosmetic maladies addressed (incl. new top, rust repair, complete respray, new brake lines, etc). We made sure he knew that he could buy a prisine example at the time for way less than the original estimate, but he insisted, because he was attached to that particular car.
It did look and drive very nice when we were done with it. Reminded me heavily of the '80 RX-7 that got me addicted to small cars.
GameboyRMH wrote: If they put the factory hardtops back into production, they'll end up sitting on more cash than Apple
Mazda IS producing new hardtops. They are admittedly not "street car" level of fit and finish, and the price reflects that. But, my own little corner of the motorsports world says that an "OE hardtop" is required, and last time I checked, Mazda was the original manufacturer of the Miata, so that checks out just fine.
As the owner of a '95 I can only hope that they make a run of driver seats. Maybe seats with a wider bottom cushion.
Ok, the widest possible with reinforced bolsters. Because, reality.
In the stock black fabric.
I don't necessarily want a factory fresh early Miata, just a 94-97 with solid rockers.
How many do you want woody? I can ship a few up to you. 
Actually, Year One already manufactures both a Mustang and Camaro body shell in white... Plus maybe some other stuff - I don't really follow those cars too closely...
4cylndrfury wrote: Ive also always thought it would be great if Detroit would begin reproducing some of the pony cars - body in white - with something like headlight or brakelight position or size in a new spot vs the originals, and drop one of the newer boosted 6s or the current V8s into it. Definitely a pipe dream, but it would still be cool to go down to the dealer and pick up a factory fresh restomod with a warranty...
It's not a pipe dream, Revology is offering this for 1966 to 1968 Mustangs - brand new, "Ford licensed" body shells with the 5L Coyote or an emissions certified 6.2L LS3, modern brakes, suspension, steering, HVAC, lighting, etc, 1 year bumper-to-bumper warranty, 2 year powertrain warranty. The price, unfortunately, starts at $160,000. You can get it with a new VIN and title it as a replica, or if you can supply an original car, they will build a new one with that car's VIN (officially they're restoring the original).
Schmidlap wrote:4cylndrfury wrote: Ive also always thought it would be great if Detroit would begin reproducing some of the pony cars - body in white - with something like headlight or brakelight position or size in a new spot vs the originals, and drop one of the newer boosted 6s or the current V8s into it. Definitely a pipe dream, but it would still be cool to go down to the dealer and pick up a factory fresh restomod with a warranty...It's not a pipe dream, Revology is offering this for 1966 to 1968 Mustangs - brand new, "Ford licensed" body shells with the 5L Coyote or an emissions certified 6.2L LS3, modern brakes, suspension, steering, HVAC, lighting, etc, 1 year bumper-to-bumper warranty, 2 year powertrain warranty. The price, unfortunately, starts at $160,000. You can get it with a new VIN and title it as a replica, or if you can supply an original car, they will build a new one with that car's VIN (officially they're restoring the original). Link
While that is awesome, it still is a pipe dream...for me. At $160k, it might as well be a bajillionty-zillion dollars.
I mean, if a new GT Mustang runs in the 20s, couldnt a restomod version be reasonably similar in costs?
Yes, I understand the limitations in the production model of the 21st century - retooling, training, sourcing, crash testing, etc etc etc ad infinitum...but, I am resolute in my statement:I believe an affordable sporting car could be produced using unibody designs from the muscle car heyday, modernizing the running gear and powertrain, and having changed enough in terms of specific design elements (lighting and other body components) to avoid a negative impact on the originals, while generating enough interest to be a profitable product line.
In reply to 4cylndrfury:
The restomod will almost always be significantly more expensive because they'll sell less of them. So they can't spread the cost of emissions testing, etc. out across as many cars.
rslifkin wrote: In reply to 4cylndrfury: The restomod will almost always be significantly more expensive because they'll sell less of them. So they can't spread the cost of emissions testing, etc. out across as many cars.
Not only that, they will be hand built. There's a HUGE amount of advanced manufacturing that keeps the price of modern cars down that the resto-mod can't use. And being hand built- it's actually the opposite of super advanced manufacturing.
Instead of being built in 2 days (maybe 40 hours, but that's pretty pessimistic, but mostly machine hours), the restomod will be hundreds of man hours to build.
alfadriver wrote:rslifkin wrote: In reply to 4cylndrfury: The restomod will almost always be significantly more expensive because they'll sell less of them. So they can't spread the cost of emissions testing, etc. out across as many cars.Not only that, they will be hand built. There's a HUGE amount of advanced manufacturing that keeps the price of modern cars down that the resto-mod can't use. And being hand built- it's actually the opposite of super advanced manufacturing. Instead of being built in 2 days (maybe 40 hours, but that's pretty pessimistic, but mostly machine hours), the restomod will be hundreds of man hours to build.
Why would they be hand built? Im talking about stamping new steel unibodies, and installing modern drivetrains. I use the term "restomod" in the vernacular to describe an "old" chassis with a "new" drivetrain. But, by old I mean old-style.
pretend we already knew it would be profittable to start re-manufacturing 70s mustangs bodies, and equipping them with modern ford V8s. What would stand in the way of actually making it happen? In order to redesign the next generation of a vehicle (and I know Im going to be speaking from a very uninformed position), you would design the machines and tooling to stamp and assemble the raw steel into a unibody. Another set of tooling and machines to press the bodywork. Yet another to manufacture the subframes and other sub-components. Next is paint process. Then, you equip a line to run the finished bodies thru the drivetrain and running gear installation. At some point, interior goes in.
Like I said, pretending like its already known to be profitable, what is preventing Ford from designing the next generation of mustangs to utilize sheetmetal that looks 90% the same as a 69 Mustang, but with different tail lights and bigger headlights, and designed to accept the modern 5 liter mill?
In reply to 4cylndrfury:
The chassis is so different that it could not run the same line as the normal Mustang- and it was built and designed in a totally different era WRT making cars. So it's very unlikely that it could be made with machines.
Then the demand is so small that there would be no justification for updating the car to new tools and processes.
Besides, the current Mustang is already Retro. 
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