An Englishman Finds Happiness in a Japanese Motorcar 

A native of England, John Ormerod came by his love of British sports cars naturally. In his early twenties, he realized the first of his automotive dreams when he became the proud owner of a 1959 Austin Healy “Bug Eye” Sprite. With the help of a friend, who would one day own a business renting classic cars to moviemakers, John upgraded the car’s 948 cc with a 1.5 liter engine, giving it plenty of pep on Yorkshire’s country lanes. By the late ‘60s, he had traded the cool clime of England’s north country for the tropical breezes of Barbados and his “Bug Eye” for a Mark I.

After yet another global move to New York, John again fulfilled his dream by purchasing a brand new 1976 Triumph TR-6. It would be the last in the line of the carmaker’s classic styling and was destined to become an appealing collector car. Most importantly, it met John’s bachelor driving needs. But soon marriage and the demands of a young family compelled him to surrender “Bertie” for more practical things like…furniture.

Thanks to Custom Classics, this story has a happy ending. When John found a mint-condition 1990 Mazda Miata on display in our showroom, he knew the time was right to once again indulge in driving pleasure. The Miata’s traditional English styling, combined with its reliable engine, made it the perfect hobby car. And when our owner, Bryan Reehoff, learned that the car would be a birthday gift from John’s wife, he personally delivered the Miata on John’s big day.

This time around, John plans “to keep ’Junior’ until it becomes a classic,” he says. To maintain his Miata in top condition, John hand washes and waxes Junior, only drives when the weather is fine and stores it during the harsh Midwest winters.

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