from the Mazda Vault, Mark Jordan's photos of the Club Racer Miata

[Phatmiata]

I was briefly chatting with Mark Jordan about an upcoming Miata book he is working on :ninja:, and after sharing some photos with him from my flickr page he was kind enough to return the favor and send me some of his as well.

Below are some previously unseen photos of the 1989 Miata Club Racer.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7420/13894599368_4b01177842_c.jpg


Since I was involved in the exterior design of the Miata NA from years 1983-86, I have lots of early development photo archives. I've attached a few images from my files of the 1989 Club Racer project done in December 89. I gave up my Christmas vacation in 1989 to make this project happen! We used a Mariner blue early prototype NA as a base.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/13894583939_2f1d8a3b4c_c.jpg


The Mariner Blue car was a pre-prototype car that was destined to be crushed. In the late 80's we had about three of these cars for North American testing. There were a couple of features on these cars that didn't make it into production, like the door panel design and some mechanical features. It was a perfect mule-car to make into the club racer.

This is the car that we showed up at the 89 Chicago show. Our purpose was to show what could be done to the Miata as a weekend street racer. We tried to make it with "bolt on parts" with the intention to offer this kit to the Miata weekend hobbyist. Unfortunately, we didn't have Mazda Japans support for the go-ahead. What a shame.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2901/13894595677_0cfb6f12d9_c.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2927/14081701434_3b30c7117c_b.jpg


Also check out the recent article by our own Ricky Silverio about this special car and all its quirky pre-production differences here
http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread.php?9033-1989-Mazda-MX-5-Miata-Club-Racer


:bow:

[Hammerhead]

Thanks for posting these. The Club Racer has always been one of my favorites.

[RotorNutFD3S]

Whoa, awesome! Definitely going to be on the lookout for this book.

I was very excited when they brought this car and the others to Road Atlanta a few years back and I finally got to see them in person. It's like meeting a legend.

[WASABI]

So freaking cool Randy!!! She started out blue, that corroborates with finding blue paint chips along the lower pinch welds.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/14072724271_845c43954a_z.jpg


This type of creative would be my dream job!!!!

[revlimiter]

I bet the JNC dude who wrote the latest Miata article (http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/2014/04/29/profiles-1989-mazda-mx-5-miata-club-racer/) would love seeing this.

[Phatmiata]

I bet the JNC dude who wrote the latest Miata article (http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/2014/04/29/profiles-1989-mazda-mx-5-miata-club-racer/) would love seeing this.

well FWIW.......... that "JNC dude" is one of our own here on MR :blaugh2:


I also heard he likes Hot Wheels :teehee:

[revlimiter]

Really? Whoa. hahaha, I had no idea he was on here.

Back to the yellow car- I wonder why they didn't carve into the bumper cover for their headlight design. They would likely have not had to use THREE BEAMS in each lid to get decent lighting.

And they went to the effort of painting the pinch welds BLACK. That's awesome.

[fwdtamiya]

Awesome stuff :)

Do you think the license plate refers to this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansei_Reforms

[Rogue]

Awesome, Thanks for posting this.

Look at the 3 pc rear bumper, molded in on the sides…….Interesting.

[WASABI]

Awesome...

Look at the 3 pc rear bumper, molded in on the sides…….Interesting.

I missed that. From the pictures, it's hard to gauge how much they changed the rear bumper to accommodate the wider body. Also, it looks like they stretched the rear lights as well. They look about an 1.5" longer.

[Darikr]

Hola Randy!

Awesome! Thanks for the additional info Randy! Perusing some old archive material in my library also showed the club racer during the clay process in blue as well. So test shot and color evaluation phase confirmed. I'll get try to get more details on my next trip to Socal. There is also the Canadian Club Site With Scanned Photos of the CR Build from various publications (which also has the image of the Car in Blue During The Clay Phase)
http://www.clubmiatamonteregie.ca/les_prototypes.htm
There is also photos of the M speedster Build and before it was redone ( hideously) for its role in the First Fast & Furious (it was parked in the showroom of the shop Brian worked at) and to hawk the equally hideous focal wheels at Sema.
There is a lot in store for the Miata This year and we at JNC are actively pursuing all avenues for the Miata to be accepted and recognized in the Japanese Classic Car Community on a much bigger level.
Adam, I replied to your post on JNC and as Randy Mentioned I dabble with hotwheels too...

Ricky

[Martin]

So freaking cool Randy!!! She started out blue, that corroborates with finding blue paint chips along the lower pinch welds.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/14072724271_845c43954a_z.jpg


This type of creative would be my dream job!!!!

This shot shows the club racer's red engine bay. What gives?

http://i2.wp.com/JapaneseNostalgicCar.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/60-6330_Mazda-MX5-Miata_Chicago-Auto-Show-yellow-Club-Racer-111.jpg

[Darikr]

Hello Martin, The car started out as a pre production test and evaluation car to test the various components for fit, finish performance and reliability as well as driving dynamics. The Car was originally painted in red. After that iteration it is believed to have been painted blue (outside only) to evaluate and or preview mariner blue color. After it was then commandeered into being the car to be turned into the club racer. I will confirm if the car was to be presented in blue for its show car debut or if yellow was decided from the get go. Either way what is unique about this car is that this one is the only (Some M2 Concepts May have used similar pre pro cars) one built from a pre production prototype car and not off a regular press or production car as with the other US created Concepts.

Ricky

[Darikr]

What is interesting is that at one point it was actually considered to market this body kit as an option or accessory package. With the abundance of aftermarket support and the crazy multiple division / unique niche model era at Mazda the idea was soon shelved. Hence the body add ons were designed in a component style and why the rear was also accentuated with a seam to the bumper. (Also to maybe denote the original bumper and or for the allowance of flexing between the fiberglass fenders and the flexible bumper. Hence to this alludes to the taillights looking wider which is just an illusion given the the seamless transition into the wider fenders. Down the road, many aspects of this car were replicated (in similar style) such as the color, rear spoiler, and hard tonneau on the Rod Millen Turbo Demo Car. Although the Millen Car had no wide fenders, it did have a unique wedge front Nose which a few were produced.
to answer the headlight question the front headlights were kept in their orientation / body cut line to emphasize the stock lines of the miata. On a whole the car is "enhanced" but all the body lines are kept true to factory. Any deviance from this would probably create confusion or division and take away from the cars debut.
Another interesting aspect is the headlights are fake with only 1 bulb in each to allow illuminated photography or presentation. Projector technology was only making inroads at the time and that was the case here. However if you were to house the componentry in the small space behind it simply would not fit..... Thats the beauty of concept cars eh?

Ricky

[etikoner]

Darikr! That's so awesome how you've been around roadsters for so long, I remember reading Antonio Alvienda's write up of your car for speed hunters a few years ago. Then I somehow found you on IG and man, I gotta say I really like your NA!

It's pretty awesome how now the roadster is set to be accepted at JNC, I'm really hoping to keep my roadster for many years to come.

[iKhanh]

whoa, a JNC guy is here?! i love you! i've been keeping my eye on some stuff from the store and haven't pulled the trigger yet.. but this so cool; i love seeing behind-the-scenes cars in the development process.