MX5 Owners in here....bring your curling tongs

Tuned a 1.6 MK1 today with a tiny little Garret 2052.

Some mechnical issues that won't let it make any more than about 8psi boost but should certainly have woken it up.

Final dyno numbers need 5% adding on top
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I was holding out with the intention to pick up a cheap Mk3 after the summer but spotted this locally so went to have a look.

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52 plate 1.8 SVT, so heated leathers, 6 speed box and LSD. 76k, 3 owners, the previous owner spent £2k on it 4000 miles ago fitting Gaz coilovers with fast road alignment, AD08R tyres and Yellowstuff pads all round, and getting the sills replaced and chassis rails protected.

It's in very good condition bar some rust starting to reappear on the drivers side front wing, so I will get this seen to ASAP. Didn't want to spend much, just wanted something to hoon around in over the Summer.

Driving back, I did have second thoughts but they disappeared as soon as I folded the roof down :D I think I've spent the last 3 hours just driving around, brilliant little car.
 
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Looks great that Andy. What did you pay in the end?

One thing to mention if you're not already aware, grab a trombone cleaning brush rod for clearing the drain holes, it'll help the sills not rust from the inside.

If you're only in it for the summer, give me a shout when you look to move it on. Shame about no heated seats, i thought they were standard in the SVT model and they'e very effective for roof down winter hooning.
 
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@Frozennova, oh, you mean a 12v portable hairdrier! I can definitely see the appeal of a 'charged MX-5 though! While this isn't going to set the world alight, it sure loves to rev and sounds great doing so.

Thanks Marv, I was doing some reading last night and found some good links with suggestions to keep the rust at bay so will definitely keep on top of it, not that I'm a stranger to rusty cars having owned countless Rovers over the years! Oh, it does have heated seats :) Not sure what my plans are with it at the moment, whether I keep it for 6 months/a year etc but hopefully I bought a good one with a nice few mods which will help it to retain its value. I'll definitely keep you in mind when I come to sell.

It was up for £2250, I knocked it down to £2050 which I don't think is too bad. Even rotten Mk2.5s can sell for over a grand so factor in the condition, work that's been done, low milage and owners and I don't think I've done too badly.

CBS Autos did the restoration work (a quick google shows that they specialise in Mazdas) and the seller mentioned they used Dinitrol ML in the cavties. I've used this myself on the MG and Scooby so will pick up a couple of cans and give the sills another coat. Anyone had any experience with CBS before?
 
Yeah, think the guys called Carl? Over Colne type way?

When i bought mine, i spoke to him and he told me to pop over and he'd give it a once over for me. Spent around 20 minutes poking around and wouldn't accept any money!

He's got a unit piled high with various bits of parts if you ever need anything :p
 
That's the one @Marvt74, good to hear they're respectable. I mentioned some rust starting to come back on the front wing which even though the work was only done 4000 miles ago, it was 3 years ago. I might get in touch with Carl and see if he can give it a once over.

And yes, thanks for that. The last thing I need is more parts! :p

We've had some nice evenings this week so I've been out in the car every night for a couple of hours, top down of course! Turns lots of heads with the roof down, I don't think people realise you can actually hear what they're saying about you though :D Regardless of the image, it's superb to drive. Has enough power to be fun and its cornering ability means you don't have to slow down much, if at all.

Insurance is very reasonable too, £350 with NCB mirrored across all 3 cars. Very similar to what I pay for the ZT. Getting older has some benefits at least!
 
I don't think my post code is particularly good. I was getting quotes of £280 TFTP on comparison sites so to pay £350 FC with wheels and suspension declared doesn't bother me too much. That's SD&P only. I had a quote of £550 from a different insurer with SDP&C :eek:

FWIW, I pay £550 FC with mods for the Scoob.
 
The combination of postcode/age differences means we probably end up paying around the same.

£550 is roughly what I was quoted on an STI while I was umming and arring over buying my old man's when he upgrades his
 
@agw_01 I have dealt with Carl at CBS a lot, used to work near him and walked passed every day while he was chopping sills and working on alsorts. He's very very good, if he doesn't know it's not worth knowing when it comes to these things.

I know you're handy with the tools but if you can't be bothered he's the best up here I think plus he has a lot of used parts available usually. Does need booking a few weeks in advance usually though.

I'm jealous, we need a bigger car not smaller!
 
@Frozennova, what's your Dad getting to replace the Scoob?

@Dup, that's really good to know. I'll more than likely arrange to pop up and see him in the next few weeks, if not only to find out more about the work done to the car but also to get him to give it the once over. Not that I don't trust the guy that I bought it from, more to see how the sills and chassis legs are holding up after they repaired them.

Haha, does your Mrs drive? She can have the family chariot and you can get a fun car for when there's just 2 of you, be it her or the little lad!
 
:eek: Nice!

Slightly envious of you having one for an extended weekend. No wonder you want to move the MX5 on and move into something more focused!
 
agw_01 said:
:eek: Nice!

Slightly envious of you having one for an extended weekend. No wonder you want to move the MX5 on and move into something more focused!
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I'd been considering selling it for a while anyway, I don't think I've even don't 1000 miles in it since starting the new job.

It's looking like the MX5 may be quicker to sell than I'd expected, one very brief not even really a for sale post on a local group and there's already interest

but the GT-R did spoil me a little. I must be a little warped, but after 3 days I couldn't help but think it needed another 150hp
 
Forgot to say pal, there's a local community to you ran by a guy called Wayne who's known as "Mazda Mender" they have their own forum but him and a guy who runs a bodyshop (and who did my sills) are both in Wigan. Wayne also has a garage full of parts, think i bought my style bars from him.

http://www.mazdamenders.net/forum/index.php

If you can et past the 1990's design of the website it's a decent resource. Lots of service manuals etc
 
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