I remember the buzz that the Miata caused when it was introduced 37 years ago. It was hailed as a throwback to the lightweight, two-seater British roadsters of the 1950’s and ’60’s, but without the oil leaks, reliability issues, and the finicky Lucas “Prince of Darkness” electrical systems. (Some car owners with Lucas electrical systems even coined the motto, “Get home before dark.”) With virtually no comparable models in production when introduced in the fall of 1989, the Miata was the king of the hill and hit a home run here in the States. Demand for the inexpensive sports car ($13,800 MSRP) was so strong that dealers put customers on a pre-order waiting list (and usually marked them up $5,000 – $6,000 over MSRP). Here’s a first-year, first-generation 1990 Miata time capsule for your consideration. You’ll find it garaged in Libertyville, Illinois (fitting since I’m writing this on July 4th) and listed for sale here on craigslist for $16,400. Thanks, Rocco B., for spotting this well-preserved Miata.
For model year 1990, a total of 57,972 Miata’s were produced for the North American market. This is one of the 12,420 units ordered in Crystal White and the paint looks great as does the rest of the exterior. Mazda was smart in having the Lotus Elan serve as the design inspiration. I read where the pop-up headlights, grille opening, door handles, tail lamps, engine appearance, and even the center console layout were based on the classic Lotus Elan. The black convertible top looks good, though the seller says the rear window is a little cloudy. The tires are in good shape and it’s also wearing the alloy wheels that helps to accentuate the sporty nature of this two-seater.
Inside, this Miata is just as impressive at its clean exterior. I’m not seeing any major wear and tear and dash and instrument panel look near perfect. This Miata was ordered with Option Package A which included alloy wheels, power steering, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an AM/FM radio with cassette player. The optional air conditioning unit works and has a new compressor.
Under the hood is the Miata’s 1.6-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine. It generates 116 horsepower @ 6,500 RPM and the odometer reads 30,094 original miles. The engine is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission to drive the rear wheels. The seller states that the roadster has a new timing belt, new rear brakes, fresh fluids, and a new SS exhaust (but the original is intact). I was impressed how Mazda revived the idea of a small, lightweight, fun-to-drive sports car that had the spirit of the MGB, Triumph Spitfire, and Fiat Spider, but was now more refined and reliable. What do you think of this magnificent Miata?
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