Post by khare on Feb 16, 2018 9:56:48 GMT
So my background is mainly from VW Golfs, I owned a MK2 1.6, a MK3 GTI 8v, MK3 GTI 16v (my 8v with 16v lump in), MK3 VR6 Highline. They were my pride and joys growing up until I went all grown up with a Honda Accord.
I fancied something RWD, lightweight, convertible and tuneable, so the MX5 was a pretty good contender. Purchased a pretty standard 1.6 Eunos back in June ready to drive it to Spain for my holidays over the summer.
I didn't fancy driving it in standard-ish form, as a lot of roads around where I'm from (Galicia, North-west) are very much a petrol head's wet dream. Long, wide, newly asphalted and very quiet mountain roads are a great habitat for the 5.
So here it was as I bought it, other than a dual exit exhaust, K&N cone, aftermarket wheels, lowering springs and a TT style bar, the rest of the car was stock.
Shortly after purchasing the spending began,
I changed the suspension to coilovers I got on eBay, upgraded the brake lines with goodridge braided hoses and new discs and mintex 1144 pads and brembo brake fluid, added Yokohama AD08R all round, added a deep front splitter, changed the engine, gearbox and diff oil to synthetic stuff, new long reach plugs, cleaned out K&N filter, removed charcoal canister, removed aircon, MX5parts decat pipe, and replaced a bunch of things that needed urgent attention like gearshift boots, balljoints and track rod ends.
I also took the car to WIM (wheels in motion), which I HIGHLY HIHGLY HIGHLY recommend if you want a decent geometry setup. Tony set the car with the "evo" settings, which he said are an evolution of the fast road numbers. For MY driving it's set up perfectly, Tony said he prefers the standard fast road settings for himself, but I like progressive oversteering and lightweight steering.
All in all up to that point I spent about £1000 getting it set for the holiday.
Turned all lights LED (tail lights, fog light, reverse light, side lights, interior lights). I swapped the side light with the indicator, this means a MUCH brighter side light. especially with LED, I think a very worthwhile mod!
New decat pipe, shineyyyyy
After a good polish
After my summer holiday I took the car to Bedford for a trackday, which gave me a real good insight into what the MK1 MX5 needs to really press on. And I also got myself a hardtop and removed the softop for the winter months.
(Photo credit to the dude that takes pics for MSVTrackdays)
So I spent a bunch more monies! Rollbar, 1.8 brake conversion with grooved discs and new Mintex 1144 pads front and rear, RBF600 fluid, steering wheel spacer, and next week I'm off to Wales to pick up a Torsen diff and a 4 branch manifold. So in preparation for another trackday at Silverstone on the 6th of November, I've fitted the rollbar, steering wheel spacer, new engine oil, and performed the "foamectomy" on the driver's seat whilst I haven't got bucket seats, as with a helmet I was having to hunch down to fit inside with the hardtop in place. Torsen diff and manifold will go in before the 6th. Got a new o2 sensor to go with it too. Car runs sweet as a nut but it doesn't hurt to stick a new part in.
Rollbar in place
Foamectomy, and removed backrest foam pad too. Took off about 4 inches of foam from the seat base and left the standard seat height towards the front to give it a proper bucket seat feel. Highly recommend this to anyone tall (I'm 6ft) or even anyone who needs better side support. I'm well in place in the car now and helmet doesn't foul on the hardtop when I'm in anymore
Plenty more to happen. Before next summer's holiday to Spain again I plan on building a high power NA engine, amongst other bits (Nankang AR1's will be going on when the warm weather comes, along with a new soft top). I want to go down the ITB route with lumpy cams and ME221 ECU, and further down the line look at porting the head, head skim and upgrading the valve lifters for some higher RPM.
I'll do my best to keep you all posted
I fancied something RWD, lightweight, convertible and tuneable, so the MX5 was a pretty good contender. Purchased a pretty standard 1.6 Eunos back in June ready to drive it to Spain for my holidays over the summer.
I didn't fancy driving it in standard-ish form, as a lot of roads around where I'm from (Galicia, North-west) are very much a petrol head's wet dream. Long, wide, newly asphalted and very quiet mountain roads are a great habitat for the 5.
So here it was as I bought it, other than a dual exit exhaust, K&N cone, aftermarket wheels, lowering springs and a TT style bar, the rest of the car was stock.
Shortly after purchasing the spending began,
I changed the suspension to coilovers I got on eBay, upgraded the brake lines with goodridge braided hoses and new discs and mintex 1144 pads and brembo brake fluid, added Yokohama AD08R all round, added a deep front splitter, changed the engine, gearbox and diff oil to synthetic stuff, new long reach plugs, cleaned out K&N filter, removed charcoal canister, removed aircon, MX5parts decat pipe, and replaced a bunch of things that needed urgent attention like gearshift boots, balljoints and track rod ends.
I also took the car to WIM (wheels in motion), which I HIGHLY HIHGLY HIGHLY recommend if you want a decent geometry setup. Tony set the car with the "evo" settings, which he said are an evolution of the fast road numbers. For MY driving it's set up perfectly, Tony said he prefers the standard fast road settings for himself, but I like progressive oversteering and lightweight steering.
All in all up to that point I spent about £1000 getting it set for the holiday.
Turned all lights LED (tail lights, fog light, reverse light, side lights, interior lights). I swapped the side light with the indicator, this means a MUCH brighter side light. especially with LED, I think a very worthwhile mod!
New decat pipe, shineyyyyy
After a good polish
After my summer holiday I took the car to Bedford for a trackday, which gave me a real good insight into what the MK1 MX5 needs to really press on. And I also got myself a hardtop and removed the softop for the winter months.
(Photo credit to the dude that takes pics for MSVTrackdays)
So I spent a bunch more monies! Rollbar, 1.8 brake conversion with grooved discs and new Mintex 1144 pads front and rear, RBF600 fluid, steering wheel spacer, and next week I'm off to Wales to pick up a Torsen diff and a 4 branch manifold. So in preparation for another trackday at Silverstone on the 6th of November, I've fitted the rollbar, steering wheel spacer, new engine oil, and performed the "foamectomy" on the driver's seat whilst I haven't got bucket seats, as with a helmet I was having to hunch down to fit inside with the hardtop in place. Torsen diff and manifold will go in before the 6th. Got a new o2 sensor to go with it too. Car runs sweet as a nut but it doesn't hurt to stick a new part in.
Rollbar in place
Foamectomy, and removed backrest foam pad too. Took off about 4 inches of foam from the seat base and left the standard seat height towards the front to give it a proper bucket seat feel. Highly recommend this to anyone tall (I'm 6ft) or even anyone who needs better side support. I'm well in place in the car now and helmet doesn't foul on the hardtop when I'm in anymore
Plenty more to happen. Before next summer's holiday to Spain again I plan on building a high power NA engine, amongst other bits (Nankang AR1's will be going on when the warm weather comes, along with a new soft top). I want to go down the ITB route with lumpy cams and ME221 ECU, and further down the line look at porting the head, head skim and upgrading the valve lifters for some higher RPM.
I'll do my best to keep you all posted
Nice quality turbo back from Turbo Dynamics, pleased with the outcome even if a little on the expensive side (£600 for the rebuild and to go hybrid).
Back of engine, cleaned up ready to house the new skuzzle clutch.
lol
le sigh