OK, I’ve not seen this one before. Judging by the roll cage and shaved tires, this person clearly uses their Miata for actual autocrossing events.
So I’m guessing the hitch mounted spare tire serves one (or more) of the following purposes:
- Free up space in the trunk that would otherwise be consumed by the spare. (Can you even get a full-sized spare in the trunk of a first-gen Miata?)
- Allow the spare to quickly be removed to reduce weight before racing
- Cool retro “Contintal Kit” look.
Honestly, if it is for any reason other than #3 above, I’d probably just ditch the spare altogether and use a can of fix-a-flat. What do you think?
I’ve already vocally cast my lot with the “full-sized spare tire” camp. Wonder how one of these would look mounted on the back of my Sebring? I do have a full-size spare (with matching wheel), and it does take up some room in an already-parsimonious trunk.
There’s the CC vocabulary word today. Parsimonious. 🙂
I’m only on my second cup of coffee. Too early for that…
NO, NO, NOOOOO..A thousand times NO! But hey whatever blows your dress up! I work at a name brand auto parts store part time, and I see weird “personal touchs” that people do. One guy had a late model Jeep Wrangler, obviously expensive, and had a brand new red and white painted bumper jack mounted to the cowl, right in front of the windshield.???? The reason for this would be….What exactly? Plus the Jeep didn’t have so much as a scratch on it anywhere. Would indicate he’d have a stroke if he so much as rode off the shoulder, let alone off-road. Probably the biggest climb he made was the traffic humps at the mall?
You could mount a spare on each front fender, Packard 180-style. 🙂
Okay, I have a first gen Miata and know that the spare is a compact, not full sized spare. However, if you remove the compact spare, there is room in the trunk for a full size spare. With the effort the owner had to put into making this Continental kit, I would have to think it was just for effect. If you are going to Autocross, it would seem that you would want several spares, just in case, and this kit requires the use of a hitch, which is added weight that cannot be removed for racing. Just pulling the spare out of the trunk would be an easier and more logical solution, so that leaves option 3 as the most likely choice.
Just . . . wow. My guess is that the guy needs the trunk space for day-to-day use. Hanging the spare on the back gives you 1) a full sized spare and 2) a reasonably normal sized trunk.
Or maybe he just misses his old VWs or Corvairs with their rear weight bias.
He could have mounted it on the hood, desert commando style. It’s a Miata, there would be no reason to ever have to open the hood…And you have to constantly look up to see anything anyway so it wouldn’t be blocking the view.
That’s what I was thinking. If he drives to the track he may need that trunk space for other stuff.
Trying to solve bumper rash problems?
Yeah.. but look closer, and note “trunk lid rash”
I’d make a comment about “changing the weight balance of the car” but isn’t a Miata almost a perfect 50/50 from the factory?
Maybe he golfs and autocrosses therefore he needs the trunk for his clubs and the full size spare for autocross. 🙂
Well it’s still spring time and you’d want a rear bias in winter, right? 🙂
Was thinking that this is a trailer hitch attachment. There is something visible in the second image, below the tire. The why completely escapes me, though.
My first thought was that if he actually does take it to the track, it may be so that he can take two spares with him, as well as tools, then take all that off the car for his pit area while racing.
I think JP may be right, as well, he just has a routine need to maximize his trunk space. Some people are pretty dogmatic as well about having a full size spare.
Honestly, it looks better than a lot of the “continental kits” that are put on old cars. And, its functional.
It would be interesting to see this with an improved mount design and a matching wheel.
Needs a tasteful vinyl cover with the name of his Miata club on it. 😉
Hides the dent in the trunk lid. Sort of. 🙂
“I’d probably just ditch the spare altogether and use a can of fix-a-flat.”
Mazda agrees. That’s what the ND (current) Miata has.
What happens if you shred your tire? SOL in that scenario.
There’s another possibility: perhaps he regularly takes his Miata off-roading. Jeeps need rear tire mounts; why not Mazdas? 😉
Ouch! No excuse, what a shame.
Maybe it came with a bike rack when he/she bought it, if they don’t use it why not put a spare on it?
or as is my personal motto: why be normal?
I used to have a Mazda this colour – started out shiny red, ended dull pink…..
Mine did as well; strange that the top seemed to wear better than the paint.
I love the first gen and new MX-5, (Miata was used for a limited generation range —and only for Canada and the States) and I built plenty of Tamiya and Revell kits of the first Miata, (the Pink Miata was wanted more than ANY other colour!) But to but a Continental kit on one is SACRELIDGE! Although I’ve seen some Miatas towing those 50’s “teardrop” trailers or a Sea-Jet PWC around California and Quebec makes up for it. Me, I’ll take a first Gen in Orange (Go Mango) and a new one in Mary Kay Pink, thank you very much!
I think it is added rear protection because obviously some one rear ended it once (probably an SUV because they did not see it down there) . So now who ever comes up upon it will be sure to see the tire and if it does get hit maybe it will just bounce off.
Extra traction for hill trialling.
I detest continental kits. From watching some of those televised car auctions you would think that all ’58 Impalas came with one. I was a small boy in the mid to late ’50’s but was always looking at cars. I thought fender skirts and other bolt ons were pretty cool back then. But I can tell you that continental kits were a rare sight.
I have never owned a Miata but have always liked them. As to this one, as my ex brother in law used to say ” Someone spent a lot of money to ruin a perfectly good car”.
FYI:No,it’s NOT my Miata!
Not your Miata NOW, that is. I’m sure the owner would entertain a reasonable offer. 😉
I’ll bet he’s working on an early T-bird front end mod…
Adding to the polar moment of inertia by adding extra weight a few feet behind the rear axle is insane. What it does to the handling by changing the F/R balance is completely at odds with anything a dedicated track or off-road racer would want. Put the tire behind the seats, if you need the trunk room. Try to keep as much of the added weight within the wheelbase, if possible. Pity the rear floorpan couldn’t have been configured to allow for external, beneath-the-car spare-tire storage.
there is a bastard Miata making the car show rounds down here in Sarasota area FLA, I say bastard because someone thought it would be cool to graft 59 Cadillac winged fenders on to the back. I saw the guy but could not even say a word to him, like what inspired you to? like so many this one is also red. if you dont have anything nice to say…
I am going to guess that because the owner has wired up a light for a license plate that whatever is in the trunk might be semi permanent. As there is a roll case and it looks like the owner races or autocrosses it, the trunk might hold a fuel cell in it.