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Hello everyone! 

My name is John , I have been on here for a little while with a few posts and replies here and there. I am a car builder in Florida near the Tampa Bay area. I am the designer  of the saleen s7 replica called the Bueno zs7 By Bueno Designs a few years ago  built on a 4th Gen Camaro Z28.  you can google it if you like, My latest build is a 356 wide body  built on a 94 Mazda Miata witch  will raise a lot of questions concerns and I'm sure some criticism. It was not my intention to offend the legacy nor the classic look of the car but  to try to stay as close to original as I could on a front engine Miata, it was very challenging but my idea was to appeal to all those people like my self who love the 356 but are not big fans of the VW platform ( not knocking it, Just not for me.) plus I wanted to offer something a bit different. these  cars will comes with all the standard miata options like 4 cylinder 128 HP engine, power steering , power brakes, ABS anti lock system, independent suspension, 4 way disc brakes , AC, Heat and even cruise control. there is also an endless aftermarket performance products line out there for the miata world.  I decide to build this one the stock miata wheel base of 89.2 to show the added leg room but I can also build it at the shorter 82.7 wheel base , because this is a wide body I don't think the extra 5 inches hurts the look. I also left the factory instrument cluster , steering Colum and the seats as you can see but can be changed to the traditional 356 style and look. it also has a few improved safety features like a metal frame and cross beam inside the doors and a functioning miata roll bar.

so there it is, Other than a small local show a few weeks ago, I wanted to show it on this forum first before you saw it for sale or advertised on other websites to include this one.    the price will be slightly under $30K for a completed car. this is a running driving car not a computer rendering of one.

Thanks to all .   Johnmy speedster 1my speedster 2myspeedster 4my speedster 5my speedster 6

 

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  • my speedster 2
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  • my speedster 5
  • my speedster 6
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Happy owner of a '16 Mazda MX-5 ND convertible (Miata) and a CMC unfinished Speedster in NW FL.  What a great idea - of course I'd like to see the new ND engine and drive train used - 155 hp with a 6 speed would be great.  That said, there are lots of performance parts for the older Miatas and, of course, many donors available for cheap.  Are you using the old CMC moulds?  Does it also use the Miata's AC and heating components?  How does weight compare to the Miata. Looking at the photos, I see familiar Miata underpinnings like the original trunk with gas tank and even the Miata 4 bolt pattern wheels.

Ok, its not air cooled, doesn't leak oil, and isn't tail heavy plus has modern conveniences like ABS, fuel injection and auto-trans (so maybe even paddle shifters!).  The price is right - I'm sure a lot of folks here would have an interest.  Great idea.  Now how about a coupe model too!

Write to the folks at ReinCARnation and have them do professional photos and a piece in their magazine.  They have many other Miata based reproductions there - from Caterham/Lotus Super 7, Aston Martin DB4, Ferrari, AH --- but never a Speedster!

https://www.rcnmag.com/topics/miata

 

WOLFGANG posted:

Happy owner of a '16 Mazda MX-5 ND convertible (Miata) and a CMC unfinished Speedster in NW FL.  What a great idea - of course I'd like to see the new ND engine and drive train used - 155 hp with a 6 speed would be great.  That said, there are lots of performance parts for the older Miatas and, of course, many donors available for cheap.  Are you using the old CMC moulds?  Does it also use the Miata's AC and heating components?  How does weight compare to the Miata. Looking at the photos, I see familiar Miata underpinnings like the original trunk with gas tank and even the Miata 4 bolt pattern wheels.

Ok, its not air cooled, doesn't leak oil, and isn't tail heavy plus has modern conveniences like ABS, fuel injection and auto-trans (so maybe even paddle shifters!).  The price is right - I'm sure a lot of folks here would have an interest.  Great idea.  Now how about a coupe model too!

Write to the folks at ReinCARnation and have them do professional photos and a piece in their magazine.  They have many other Miata based reproductions there - from Caterham/Lotus Super 7, Aston Martin DB4, Ferrari, AH --- but never a Speedster!

https://www.rcnmag.com/topics/miata

 

Thanks, yes the possibilities are endless.  I know the guys at ReinCARnation magazine they did a piece on my other build and are scheduled to do one on this car soon.  Thanks again. 

Congrats on your accomplishments.   I like the look.

This brings up a concept I often thought would be a great business...

A component chassis system that would allow the use of a tried & true drive train, be it Mazda, Subaru, what have you.   Such that you could build a rolling chassis in many configurations (diff wheel base, track, etc) that would also allow one of many body styles.

Imagine a replica builder with the option of the following body styles (I know... trade dress infringement issues, but hey, let's dream foor a minute):

Porsche 356 550, etc.

Jauguar E-type

Ferrari 250

Jaguar 120

Austin Healey

Aston Martin DB5

And so on... 

All different body styles that use a modern drive train brought together by modular chassis combinations.

Al Gallo posted:

Very nice job  , John !  I would bet that if you built a coupe you wouldn't be able to keep up with your orders.  (as long as you don't take so many deposits that the wait gets to be several years)

A removable hard to is also in the works but not completed, that is actually an easy one. Taking alot of deposits is not my style . I can build 3 comfortably at one time the time frame will be 4 months or 120 days probably a bit less start to delivery. 

Panhandle Bob posted:

Is the extra 5 1/2"'s all in front of the windshield to accomodate the engine?

Is that a hatch I see starting just behind the handle on the front hood, and is that the primary access for engine service and access to add fluids etc?

Last question. Have you tested to make certain that the car has enough airflow to the radiator? 

No the extra lenth is all in the center cabin,  front and rear are stock, the body is laid up in 2 halves with overlaping rockers  the doors are 5 inches longer. I can also build the regular shorter version.

356 builder posted:
Panhandle Bob posted:

Is the extra 5 1/2"'s all in front of the windshield to accomodate the engine?

Is that a hatch I see starting just behind the handle on the front hood, and is that the primary access for engine service and access to add fluids etc?

Last question. Have you tested to make certain that the car has enough airflow to the radiator? 

No the extra lenth is all in the center cabin,  front and rear are stock, the body is laid up in 2 halves with overlaping rockers  the doors are 5 inches longer. I can also build the regular shorter version.

And yes the air flow is adequate with the hood scoop and the vents it also has double electric fans.

Jethro - take a look at the ReinCARnation site I provided link to - almost all those classic cars are there.  The issue with the Miata is there is not pan - just a power train back bone like the old Lotus.  The trans is actually an integral part of the chassis too.  Seems it would be difficult to alter wheel base (new is 90.9") and like BoBG pointed out the engine is set back for balanced weight distro.

Image result for 2016 miata chassis

 

Last edited by WOLFGANG
Jethro posted:

Congrats on your accomplishments.   I like the look.

This brings up a concept I often thought would be a great business...

A component chassis system that would allow the use of a tried & true drive train, be it Mazda, Subaru, what have you.   Such that you could build a rolling chassis in many configurations (diff wheel base, track, etc) that would also allow one of many body styles.

Imagine a replica builder with the option of the following body styles (I know... trade dress infringement issues, but hey, let's dream foor a minute):

Porsche 356 550, etc.

Jauguar E-type

Ferrari 250

Jaguar 120

Austin Healey

Aston Martin DB5

And so on... 

All different body styles that use a modern drive train brought together by modular chassis combinations.

I agree, there are many ways one can go. The part 9 l like the most is that it is a car that can be driven a lot with minimal maintnance repairs concernes , any mechanical issues can be handled by your local shops.

Robert M posted:
356 builder posted:
WNGD posted:

Choice is good. Hey, it's got a trunk!

btw, "this is a running driving car not a computer rendering of one." .... ouch ....

Yeah, maybe abit harsh. My apologies. 

Starke would be the only one offended by that.

Well, so long as @Banzai Pipeline doesn't find out about the thread, you'll be fine. He'll come in asking for projections, financials, and orders to date.

In all seriousness though, I'm super excited for a Speedster version of the Williams F1 Electric Chassis.

John, the 356Builder wrote: "No the extra lenth is all in the center cabin,  front and rear are stock, the body is laid up in 2 halves with overlaping rockers, the doors are 5 inches longer. I can also build the regular shorter version."

FINALLY!  A repudable answer for all of those "height challenged" guys that want to know if the seat can be moved rearward to accommodate some 6"-6"+ Speedsterguy wannabee!

THANK YOU!

Me?  I would probably take the "Mini-Me" version.......

Stan Galat posted:

John,

What you've done is nothing short of amazing. You're doing something that dreamers have been posting about since the beginning of this website.

I assume your car needs to be a wide-body to fit over the wheels, correct? Your market would be potentially bigger with a slab-side "traditional" speedster, I think. Just a thought.

Hi Stan,  thanks for the kind words.  The reason I went with the body was because I just happened to buy a set of CMC wide body molds, I can build one on a traditional speedster body but it would have to be a short one standard speedster wheelbase, I would have to purchase a body from a third party because I dont have those molds yet. In any case its all possible.  

PepeSpeed and I had diner the other night - I drove him in my ND Miata.  I mentioned your build (he is in Oviedo, FL) to him.  Was your creation sold at the Feb auction?  Are future versions in the  works?  We both argued over the hood scoop - is it to clear the dual OH cams or for cooling air to the radiator?  Is there a grill/vent for radiator under the front bumper?

Hope to see another version soon.

Here's link to the ReinCARnation write-up.

https://www.rcnmag.com/garage/...-based-356-speedster

 Speedster 8

Last edited by WOLFGANG

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