Hi Peeps. I have recently bought a Platinum JC which I have discovered is missing its …/100 plaque.
Irritatingly, the previous owner who had inherited the car does not know the number of 100, or can
I find any indication in all the paperwork of which limited edition number it is. There are no certificates
showing such like. I have contacted Mazda helpline, who couldn’t help, even with the supply of
first buyer, vin number etc. Can any of you very nice people help?
Try emailing these guys CIM@mazdaeur.com I found them helpful when I was looking for the original specs from my JC
As far as numbers go there where only 100 platinum & 400 blacks made - I’ve No. 75 of the black - so 1 in a hundred guess ! Although this would say 1 in 80
https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/mazda_mx-5_conran_-_platinum#!tax
Sorry - I can’t offer immediate help, this car was one of the early SE’s done by MCL (Mazda Cars Ltd.) a British owned importer. When Mazda opened a branch office around 2001/2, MCL went out of business as a Mazda importer, and picked up another non descript brand instead.
You may have checked this site already (as you seem to know only 100 were made in Platinum colour,) but I include it if you haven’t. - http://www.mx5-mazda.co.uk/jasperconran.htm - This is Bourne Road Mazda, a dealer, and the only one who shows information about MCL cars. If you wish to download the brochure, it will cost you £1. Ignore the late drawn on outline of Mk2 style headlights, my guess someone wondered what it would look like as a Mk2. All NA’s (Mk1’s) came with pop ups.
I doubt that dealers or Mazda can tell you anything about this model, other than the ‘build date’, from the VIN number. Only person I know who might be able to help is Mark Fryer, a former MCL employee, who left MCL in 2002 and opened his own independent garage. His website is here - www.freelancemazda.co.uk and if you access his website you’ll also see (under ‘contact’) his works phone number and email address.
He’s a very busy man, so an email might suit him better than a phone call.
From recollection, MCL SE edition plates were located on the engine side of the firewall, on the offside, if it’s not there, then it’s either been removed or it fell off. He won’t be able to tell you who first bought the car, or subsequent owners either, and I doubt he can tell you from the VIN number either, though it’s worth mentioning it. My only thought - I hope it’s not a copy cat, as later cars also came in platinum, and Jasper Conran badges are available elsewhere.
It has been obvious for a while now that the notional special edition “car number” of a numbered special editions does not follow any logic re VIN numbers or any other factual variable that anyone can find.
It would appear to be a bloke with a box of plaques who installs them in a random manner. Or for that matter a lady who knows nothing about cars that just sticks them on.
It’s a (very) long shot but have you looked at the Special Edition Register in the Downloads section?
Save your money and get the brochure for free:
http://mx5roadster.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Mazda_MX5_Jasper_Conran_Brochure.pdf
Location of plaque
Fairly consistent location inside the centre console storage bin.
As it was launched in 2000, it was one of the last special editions produced by MCL prior to it being reduced to being the Kia franchise holder. Not sure why there is confusion whether the Conran was a Mk1. It was a Mk2.
Strangely, you can buy Jasper Conran Mazda loafers:
http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_084010716660_-1
It obviously had crappy floor mats, prompting a VOSA recall:
http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/searches/expand.asp?uniqueID=46B00E3C46C1CED480256BB900268A00&freeText=Blank&tx=0.7125818
Key note of relevance to the discussion; VOSA states that Conrans were not sequential. The implication is that MCL sold 167 of these before they noticed the mats were slipping. I’m guessing all of the Platinums, then thereafter, the black ones were produced based on orders.
Or a bloke who knows nothing about cars. Or a lady with a box of plaques who installs then in a random manner. Don’t presume all “blokes” know about cars, or that application of a plaque in a random manner denotes a disinterest in cars.
Note, even for factory editions, these were not produced in a contiguous manner. From my research of VINs, cars like the RS-Limited, SR-Limited, R2-Limited etc, were produced in batches. The factory would do a run of a few dozen cars, all of a particular edition, then switch to some regular cars, The biggest batch would be done in preparation for the launch. So, for instance, the first SR-Limited, a white car, was made 21-08-97, VIN 408852, and the last one was made 27-10-97, a sparkle green car, VIN 410027. The cars that might be of most interest in terms of the production sequence are the M2-1001 and M2-1002, as its quite clear, besides the “unique” colour (though Brave Blue Mica was used on other Mazdas), when you start getting into the guts of these cars, there is a huge amount of hand fabricated parts and modifications (handmade door pull reinforcement brackets, hacksaw marks on the dashboard shell, the spaghetti loom for the clocks).