Locals: Chris Horne's Honda Odyssey powered Mazda Miata

I would imagine that everyone in the Middle GA car community has an opinion of Chris Horne. Online, he's developed quite the reputation as a bit of an antagonist. Chris is not one to keep his thoughts bottled up, and he's certainly not going to shy away from an opportunity to release his inner troll. And while that persona isn't necessarily an act, underneath that somewhat jagged exterior lies one of the most helpful, genuine, creative people I've met in Middle Georgia.

Over the past several years, Chris has become the go-to person for the Mazda Miata in town. In addition to a steady rotation of interesting cars and trucks, he and his wife Christina have had an ever-changing handful of Miatas in variable stages of construction and deconstruction, prepared for either sale or scrap. In that organized chaos, Chris has slowly put together this 1995 Merlot Mica M-editon, which I'm told is a bit of a rare breed. 

In case there was any doubt, this Miata was never meant to be a show queen. I won't assume to imply that I completely understand the Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetic, but I think this car might at least share some aspects of the idea. This car is imperfect in all of the best ways. All of the components of the build are top-shelf parts: Nardi and KG Works interior, Garage Vary taillights, OEM hardtop, and the first MiniTec Honda V6 swap kit ever sold. All together, it all just oozes character.

Chris and his family are making the move to England with the Air Force in August, and this Miata is going with him. He's going to leave a huge hole in this community. For every sarcastic remark on Facebook. there's a story of Chris staying up all night to help install a suspension, swap a motor, or replace a busted oil pan; all without any expectation of payment or favors. Chris is the kind of guy that you ask to help with something, and when you step inside to get a forgotten tool, you come out to find that he's already finished it with his hands. He's that guy.

Speaking for all us, we'll miss you and Christina a ton. Y'all come back soon.