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My MX5!



Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
Changed the shift boots on this today, what a difference that's made!

I think its recommended to do when they get older and with this now approaching 100,000 miles i went for it, only took me an hour to do.

mid-way through taking them off
13356717033_6f461afc81_z.jpg

13356946634_f06d3702c0_z.jpg


The old boots were completely ripped around the middle and in 2 pieces.

Put some fresh oil in the turret and replaced the small nylon cup these have at the base of the gear stick and put it all back together. The shift has improved quite a lot. Its noticeably tighter and better to use.
 
  Listerine & Poledo
Dude, you could have had a full leather OEM interior for the price of that seat!

Of course, that would mean less scene points ;)
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
Yeah that wouldn't do any good for my JDMness.

I have bought this for the right reasons though as I tend to find myself bracing to stop me sliding about.
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
So the seat eventually got fitted a couple of weeks ago, I tried to mount them on the sliders from the original seat but once mounted it was sitting far too high so I plumped for some mx5 specific floor mounts.

Very happy with it, and its not that uncomfortable, did nearly 3 hours non stop and wasn't crippled when i got out.

Anyway, some terrible photos for the moment, which also highlight the plastidip coming away on the roll bar.
14208421436_75b43bc028_z.jpg
DSC_0249 by Euan94, on Flickr
14044957040_b4a88ab0b5_z.jpg
DSC_0247 by Euan94, on Flickr
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
Currently deciding on this cars future, I've had it over 2 years now and whilst I still love driving it, I want something a bit faster in reality.

So I've given myself 2 options, get a different car that's faster, clio or Subaru wrx are contenders, but I still love RWD and I think I'd miss it if I got something FWD.

Or sink roughly 3k into the Mazda and turbo it with a setup capable of around 240hp. Although currently I'm only looking to go to around 200hp. Obviously this is a lot of money to put into a car worth half that, but I really do love driving it and would like not to get rid of it if I don't have to.

So that's a third option. Find somewhere to store it and turn the mx5 into a track car whilst getting something quicker for the road. But that seems very expensive.

Opinions are welcome, maybe someone can talk sense into me as I'm leaning towards the turbo option.

In the meantime I'm going to a trackday at Bedford on the 16th of this month whilst saving money to go down one of these routes.
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
S-body? :smile:
I'd love one but I think I'd want one that had more power than standard and I think insurance would be too much. It's around a grand for a standard one, I'm only 20 at the moment you see.
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
Yeah, jap and RWD but with about the pace of a clio would be perfect!
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
Not that keen on altezzas really.

I'm very keen to turbo the Mazda it just seems like a lot of money to pile into a car worth about a grand!
 

Philip.

ClioSport Club Member
  VRS 245
A mate of mine is going to turbo his MX5 this year, he got that for £450 quid!
Spent a fortune on it but it's really cool.

Ever thought about an RX8? They're becoming a bit more popular now they're so cheap.
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
Never realised there were so many rx8s for under 2 grand! They scare me slightly so I've not really looked but maybe I will. Could be a good shout.
 

Philip.

ClioSport Club Member
  VRS 245
As long as you look after them they'll be fine!

Not everyone's cuppa, but this appeared on DW not long ago.
1888641_774428329294716_851728679510385687_n.jpg


Awesome spec!
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
I'd look after an rx8 it's just the previous owner I'd be dubious about.

As much as I like that one above I just couldn't live with it.
 

Philip.

ClioSport Club Member
  VRS 245
I agree, to live with the above would be a right pain!

I'd just look for one with FSH, lots of bills etc. A good owner will keep everything.
 
  Listerine & Poledo
RX-8 is your only cheap solution....to purchase and keep at a standtill. That said, a boosted '5 will do about the same MPG for fuel, but it wont burn oil half as fast.
I wouldn't trust the home-brew, fit-yourself / ebay special 2-3k turbo kits either.
If I had 3k to pour into listerine-
Throttle bodies & ECU
Flowed & ported head.
Light flywheel

Between them you should start nudging the 190hp mark if set-up and red-lined at 7.5k, with a much twitchier throttle. I'm assuming you have a sporty exhaust already,
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
ITB's are tempting although mines only a 1.6 so I'm not sure I'd see quite that power from it. I'm looking for close to 200 really.

The turbo wouldn't be a cheap eBay jobey, either do it myself with the manifolds from a guy on mx5nutz (sturuvo?) who's sold loads and had good results or give it to another seeming new company to the turbo world, g19 engineering in Ipswich who I rang this morning and will do a full install with mega squirt and intercom let for just shy of 2k. I would supply the turbo and injectors so that bumps up the price a little and I've factored in a new clutch and the added insurance cost.

Interestingly g19 seem to be the people who did the manifolds for Chip who used to be in here's RWD nova so I think I'd trust them. They've been churning out mx5 turbos recently due to the low cost.
 
  Listerine & Poledo
RX-8 injectors from a breakers then.
Head work and ITBs will be about 170 on a 1.6, surely?
And the raw noise and response will make up for the wait....wait.....waaaaiit....BOOST. 200hp!!.. change gear. waaait.........
After trying a 200hp 1.6, that was my finding anyway.
Mind, I'm an NA fanboi, nothing but cubes and revs counts. ;)
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
The problem is, I have an itch for a turbo now. I need to go out in a NA tuned one for it to convince me I think. I'm all for ITB's tbh and love the sound they make. If it was a clip I'd go straight for them but its just the power that worries me.
 
  Listerine & Poledo
The problem is, I have an itch for a turbo now.
bloody ricers :wink:
Remember, unlike the Clio types, MX-5's dont actually need 200hp to feel significantly quicker than stock.
That's the joy of sitting on the floor :smiley:

My chief concern is how long a "budget" turbo setup will last at 200hp.
 
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Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
I know but, I'm going to sound very much like a ricer here, I want to keep up with some other cars on the road. I wanted a faster car before, but recent developments mean it's also about bragging rights.
 
  Listerine & Poledo
AHHH!
Yes, forgot about that.
The mk2 1.6 is a painful 99hp job. They reduced the power to promote the 1.8

Euan, have you thought about just getting an S-VT eqipped car? That would have 50hp extra straight away and you could retro-fit your seat and dildo as if nothing had changed :)

Anyway, yes, ITBs or even a turbo on the UK 1.6 is just pouring good money into a toilet.
 
Still though the 1.8 is around 130 BHP I have been really thinking about getting an MX5 to practice going sideways as a mate at work got one and he loves it. only problem, im 6ft 4/5 with the roof up i struggle to get out comfortably and not sure if i could actually drive it
 
  Listerine & Poledo
The pauper 1.8s are 130ish, yes
Later 1.8s with valve timing are 150ish, plenty to have civilised fun with. Not enough to do pink slips down the retail park 1/4 mile though, granted.

Roryb, just try it. I'be had 6.3 drivers in my old mk2. It wouldn't have been comfortable for a200mile hike, but enough to turn some lap times without rucking your neck or buckling an ankle
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
I believe the mk2 got boosted back to 110hp instead of the 90 of the later mk1?? I think that's right anyway.

But yes I could get myself an SV-T and I have thought about it in th past I'm just not sure it would be enough. I might just be being greedy but I know I can get 200+ from mine and I think I'd be slightly disappointed.
 
  Listerine & Poledo
It did indeed.
A stock S-VT won't be enough to win kudos from the midnight club of Bedford, no. But it is enough to make an MX-5 squirrelly, even in the dry, if you drive it like you're trying to set lap times, instead of drift angles. :)
 

Euan94

ClioSport Club Member
  Volvo C30
It's certainly something to think about. I'm certainly not doing this to be the badman of Bedford.

The problem I have is I've got a target, that being a friends corrado vr6, and I just wonder if I'd always be left slightly disappointed. At the same time I shouldnt really care as In reality it's just about enjoying the car when I take it on track.
 


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