Steve Karamaghiolis's Mk1 Mazda Miata ("Yoshiko") retro build
Retro Mx5 Project
A Greek owner's long-running retro build of a Mk1 Mazda MX-5, "Yoshiko"
Steven96 documents his ongoing restoration and styling project on a rough-condition Mk1 Miata bought after moving back to Greece. The thread covers an interior refresh, a respray to the car's original Merlot colour, wheel and suspension upgrades, an engine swap, and a custom-shaped front bumper, spanning several years of sporadic updates.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- 1.6 swapped to VVT engine, with plans for an N/A build with throttle bodies
- Suspension
- Polybushings all around with Tein Street Advance coilovers (NB)
- Wheels
- Rota RKR wheels, later Autostar Classics, 15x8 et10 with 205/50 tyres
- Paint
- Resprayed to original factory colour, Merlot
- Interior
- Black carpet, NA6 dash swap, and reupholstered seats in black leather
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 1
- Mazda VVT engine swap
Replaced the failing original 1.6 engine
In the shops
Genuine Mazda VVT Oil Control Valve/Solenoid ↗
MazSpec MX-5 Spares & Accessories· £239.99 GBP
Genuine Mazda Upper Intake Manifold / Surge Tank Gasket – 1.8 VVT ↗MazSpec MX-5 Spares & Accessories· £41.62 GBP
Genuine Mazda 2.0L Variable Valve Timing Actuator/VVT (LF94-12-4X0C) ↗MazSpec MX-5 Spares & Accessories· £225.00 GBP
Suspension & Steering 2
- Polyurethane bushings
Installed throughout the suspension during the post-crash overhaul
In the shops
Complete Polyurethane Bushing Kit ↗
Flyin' Miata· $399.99 USD
Polyurethane Differential Bushings ↗Flyin' Miata· $129.99 USD
Polyurethane Differential Bushings (NC) ↗Flyin' Miata· $68.99 USD - Tein Street Advance coilovers (NB spec)
Installed as part of the suspension refurbishment
In the shops
Coilover, street basis, spec z, Tein ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £1,804.75 GBP
TEIN Street Advance-Z Coilover Kit (Set of 4) ↗
Moss Miata· $829.99 USD
TEIN Street Advance Z Coilovers (Miata NA/NB 1990-2005) ↗
Roadster360· $569.00 USD
Wheels & Tyres 1
- Autostar Classics wheels
Settled on after trying two other wheel sets
Body & Trim 1
- Custom front bumper (foam-and-filler)
Hand-sculpted from expanding foam and drywall filler, inspired by 935/SA22c/RWB styling, shaped at the owner's mechanic's shop
Interior 3
- NA6 dashboard
Swapped in to replace the original dash
- Black carpet set
Fitted during interior refresh
In the shops
Carpet Set (Black, Mk2) ↗James Paddock Ltd· £235.00 GBP
Carpet Set (Black, Mk1) ↗
Moulded Carpet Set (Black) ↗ - Reupholstered seats, black leather
Original tan leather replaced with new black leather at an upholstery shop
In the shopsSeats - Leather Red/Black ↗MGbits4U· £0.00 GBP
Leather Seat Cover Kit, Black ↗
MGOC Spares· £824.95Leather Seat Cover Kit, Black With Red Piping ↗MGOC Spares· £824.95
Electrical 1
- New battery
Fitted during lockdown maintenance work
Photos
31 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from Retro Mx5 Project. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
Steven96 · 2017-05-24T12:19:58-0400 3this post at Retro Mx5 Project ↗
Steven96 · 2017-05-27T08:54:10-0400 4this post at Retro Mx5 Project ↗
Steven96 · 2017-11-20T08:15:21-0500 6this post at Retro Mx5 Project ↗
Steven96 · 2018-02-06T08:55:31-0500 6this post at Retro Mx5 Project ↗
Steven96 · 2021-02-16T14:00:51-0500 3this post at Retro Mx5 Project ↗
Steven96 · 2021-02-17T09:33:20-0500 3this post at Retro Mx5 Project ↗
Steven96 · 2021-02-19T07:28:41-0500 6this post at Retro Mx5 Project ↗
How it was done
Starting condition
The car was bought in rough shape after the owner returned to Greece from the US, with a worn tan leather interior and horrible seats needing replacement.
Interior work
The owner fitted a black carpet and an NA6 dash, and had the seats reupholstered in black leather at a local shop, calling the interior done for the time being once finished.
Exterior and mechanical refresh
After a gap in updates, the car received a full respray back to its original Merlot colour, a new tan soft top, a roll bar, Rota RKR wheels, and various engine bay and underside parts.
Suspension failure and overhaul
About a year after an earlier VVT engine swap, a rear knuckle broke while driving, causing a spin and crash into trash cans. This prompted a refurbishment with polybushings throughout and Tein Street Advance coilovers, plus a wheel change to Autostar Classics.
Lockdown projects
During a long layoff from work, the owner tackled neglected surface rust under the bumper and in the trunk, fitted a new battery, and began sculpting a custom front bumper from expanding foam and filler inspired by Porsche 935, Mazda SA22c, and RWB styling.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at Retro Mx5 Project ↗