The answer + vintage look

I think alfa meant to do it this way;

That would be pretty cool.

In reply to pres589: Indeed I did, so thanks!

The Cosmo is a great looking car, and there are many reasons to take cues from it. Mostly thanks to family history.

That's very cool looking but can I get one for less than a kidney?

No.

icaneat50eggs wrote: That's very cool looking but can I get one for less than a kidney?

I'm not saying buy one, but if you are going to put a vintage nose on a Miata, the Cosmo is a good starting point.

To get it right, really need a stylist, as there's an NB that's a "tribute" to a Cosmo, but it looks more wrong than right.

If we're considering vintage Mazda body styles, how about a first generation 626?

The only problem would be finding one...they pretty much all rusted away years ago.

alfadriver wrote:

icaneat50eggs wrote: That's very cool looking but can I get one for less than a kidney?

I'm not saying buy one, but if you are going to put a vintage nose on a Miata, the Cosmo is a good starting point. To get it right, really need a stylist, as there's an NB that's a "tribute" to a Cosmo, but it looks more wrong than right.

And this isn't what I mean... this is too literal.

Personally, I would have just taken the nose, found some throwback rear lights, and been done with it. that way you get a simpler front end onto an NA, with the already classic lines it has.

But this one is an NB, which I also think would be better w/o the rest of the Cosmo attached.

The other "problem" with doing these conversions- how to make them. If the fenders were steel, it would be easier for most of us to weld them- and the choices of cannibalizing parts is pretty big.

I don't know how the Cosmo front end would look on an NA. So many of these front end conversions just don't harmonize with the rest of the body. The Cosmo has a lot of details and chrome in it with a strong horizontal character, the back of the car would look like a blob in comparison.

All the alternate rear lights I've seen also look very aftermarket, they're designed to fit in the same hole as the originals so they look very much like they're a square peg in a round hole. The one exception to that rule? A set of NC lights that have the design of the NA ones, they're subtle and look really good.

You have to work closely with with Mazda gives you, and generally playing with details is more effective than trying to make a big change.

I don't think the chrome bits are needed. Just a way to elegantly blend full sized lights into the fender, and using cues from a Cosmo looks like it would work.

It would be complicated to put some of that bright work in- but if you could, the Cosmo door handles would be neat- instead of the Alfa Spider door handles. Or get the more stylized ones from an actual Alfa Spider.

Could even put in fender mounted mirrors, too.... Or not.

Remember back a few months- my goal was a very simple Miata with a lot of throw back ideas- much like the one you made, just more of it.

It's that delicate brightwork that makes a car look vintage much of the time. The bumper, the window surrounds, the wipers, the badge. Trying to make the bumpers work is the biggest challenge for anyone trying to smush an Elan nose on the Miata, for example.

Trying to just use cues is a lot harder to pull off, but it's what you have to do if you want it to work. That's where the Italia succeeds - it's not a direct copy of anything, and it also addresses every body panel other than the doors.

The NA door handles are something I'd want to keep, they're little jewels and work well on a more vintage car.

Can anyone recommend a color of 3M vinyl that would look retro and would be similar to the NA's "smurf blue"?

For no reason in particular...

So which do you want, retro or Smurf? :) The fact that it's a non-metallic will automatically make it look retro these days.

I've got a 3M swatch book here, G47 looks reasonably close. I don't have any Smurf body panels handy right now, I can check at home tonight.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Yeah, I hear you on metallic. My 1990 has a metallic orange coat currently, and it looks a decade newer than it is (until you get close, then it looks like a cheap paint job on an old car). The original was smurf, so I would like to go back that direction. If you would be so kind as to let me know if it is close that would be awesome!

Look at Quinn Kizis' na. That thing has old school swagger. Especially the interior.

Take 1 miata.

pull out dash, make your own in a vintage style (wood is a real consideration here)

Replace mirrors with Raydots.

Do the 914 seats

homebew a headlight conversation similar to this (cover with lexan)

Get Vary or Barchetta tail lights.

Add a graphics package similar to what I am considering to my Bugeye.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/pw4oroieuhU

with the right wheel and tire package (hint, dont go too wide)

SOUP.

Keith Tanner wrote: I've got a 3M swatch book here, G47 looks reasonably close. I don't have any Smurf body panels handy right now, I can check at home tonight.

Confirmed. It's not a perfect match but it's pretty darn close.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Thank you!!!

If you want a period looking blue paint. I like the current Porsche RS colour "mexico Blue" . It's a shade darker than Gulf Blue. If I ever get my fiat back together, that is the colour she is getting painted

So I had another thought on this after seeing a half-built Ghetto-Cett in the classified section.

Miata Moke?