Cheap summer project (mk1 MX5 content)

[Paul.M]

Nice work, Paul! I've just had to fix my mirror for the exact same reason!

It was all going so well aswell until that point!

 

[Paul.M]

Thought I best do a massive update on where the car is at.

It spent about 6 months like this:


IMG_5217 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr

Then my friend got his on the road and sorted and gave me the kick up the backside that I needed to get the car back on the road again, cue quite a lot of different orders turning up:

Pagid brakes for now (now it is mot'd and on the road I'll decide what I'm doing brake wise)



IMG_5221 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr



IMG_5214 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr


Picked up some Rota Grid V's, these currently have 45 profile tyres on but once they run out I'll be going for some 50's on there as they are much cheaper...with the main aim to be track use this is the most sensible option.

IMG_5211 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr

Gave the car a full service, new rocker gasket and o ring on the cas, then got it mot'd and it passed first time with only 3 advisories. I also gave the rocker cover a quick going over while it was off the car to tidy it up.

IMG_5629 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr

Sorted the interior out for now, smaller dished steering wheel (being 6ft 5 this helps massively with space), put in a cd player that picks up something other than radio 2, I also now run a shifter extension and have filled in the gap below the cd player.

IMG_5140 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr

I then picked up some coilovers, just cheap ones for now until I get sorted with some work on the clio then I'll go for some hsd or meisters, not too sure what would suit me more just yet.

Anyway I whacked it all together:

Untitled by theycallmepaul, on Flickr

Untitled by theycallmepaul, on Flickr



And now it looks like:

IMG_5628 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr

IMG_5635 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr

IMG_5645 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr



And one with my brother who is of similar size to me to show how daft we both must look with it...

IMG_5626 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr



Since the pics were taken I have raised it up a bit due to it not wanting to go anywhere without scraping with myself and a passenger in, it is now set to a much more sensible and usable height.



Next up I'm going to try and find a new red nosecone and passenger wing to replace the faded ones and then it will be better coilovers and half cage time along with some seats.



Thanks



Paul :smile:

 

[JoeyD]

I've got a spare set of MeisterR coilovers and a TRLane rollbar that'd fit nicely into this!

 

[Philip.]

That looks really good now dude

 

[Mr Burns]

Agreed. It looks spot-on now, Paul.

 

[Stay Puft]

That's lovely. I have a huge want for an mk1.

 

[Goodj]

Good work.

RE: new body panels.
Since you're looking at 15yr old parts, they'll mostly be fading to pink by now, a respray will probably be cheaper and more effective.

Oh, and @JoeyD my Mk.Awesome doesn't come with chassis rail rust, just the sills and arches....just like every other MX5.

 

[Paul.M]

Thanks guys

I've got a spare set of MeisterR coilovers and a TRLane rollbar that'd fit nicely into this!

If I had the spare cash at the minute I would be getting straight in touch, sadly every spare penny is going into the final push with house saving, as far as spare parts go what a collection though, good effort!

Good work.

RE: new body panels.
Since you're looking at 15yr old parts, they'll mostly be fading to pink by now, a respray will probably be cheaper and more effective.

You raise quite a valid point actually, I haven't detailed it properly yet so that may tidy it up a little bit, if a classic red one being broken catches my eyes I may look at picking some bits off it, the aim has always been to get out and enjoy driving it and not to sit looking at it (hence me not doing anything about the holes in the current nosecone) so it isn't a massive issue.

 

[JoeyD]

I've got a full car spare! Would be loads of tasty bits if I wasn't having them all for my own car! Haha

 

[Paul.M]

I've got a full car spare! Would be loads of tasty bits if I wasn't having them all for my own car! Haha

If you're going to do it you may aswell do it properly!

 

[Goodj]

You raise quite a valid point actually.

You say that as if it's not 100% the case for every post I make.

Of course, many are correct, just not popular.

I'll have a Dig about and see if I've got any Mk.1 compatible parts you could find useful.

Should have the Mazda "Big Brake" system lying around somewhere, calipers would need a rebuild but it's an OEM bolt-on upgrade

 

[imprezaworks]

This looks awesome. How do you find the pagid stuff, I have them on mine and they are brilliant on the road and track

 

[Paul.M]

You say that as if it's not 100% the case for every post I make. :wink:

Of course, many are correct, just not popular.

This is true, how could I overlook such a fact!

This looks awesome. How do you find the pagid stuff, I have them on mine and they are brilliant on the road and track

Thank you! I haven't had much experience with them yet to be honest, I've literally done about 10 miles in the car since fitting them, the 1.6 brakes are known to be quite poor anyway so somewhere down the line I'll upgrade to the 1.8 stuff which is a very easy fit.

 

[Goodj]

Yep, get the brakes from a mk2.5 1.8 and, as much as it's not like wrapping your rotors in Wilwood metal, you will stop better.

@Scrooge can confirm that the "Big brakes" can get an MX5 to pull some heavy braking G

 

[v15ben]

Looks spot on now.
A good mate of mine used to have a red Mk1 and I had some great drives down in the Peak District, roof down, going sideways!

 

[Paul.M]

Well saturday Three sisters had another event on so with the weather being nice I thought I would take down the mx5 and get it out for a session on the track.

Only did the one just to find out what it was like, I was lapping quite slowly but this was down to me being quite nervous with rwd for the first time on track rather than the car, even at slower speeds than I manage in the clio it was fantastic fun, had the roof down and really enjoyed myself!

Anyway a picture (with the much more usable ride height):


DSC_8129 by theycallmepaul, on Flickr

And a video: