MK3 MX5 - Track/Sprint Car

[HorneyMX5]

I blame this squarely at the doors of Pistonheads. Last Sunday I went to the Sunday Service at Silverstone and decided to take my MK3 daily out for a track session to compare it to my mk1's and mk2's I've tracked.

CT-6144-(ZF-1554-81834-1-001) by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

I loved it so much I decided rather than forge ahead with my current MK1 throttle body build I would sell everything MK1 related and build a MK3 track car.

Tomorrow I collect this:

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

2006 2.0 sport with 6 speed and TorSen LSD. 124,000 miles and £2400.

and this week I have ordered:

RX8 Yellow Dot Ant Roll Bars
New Drop Links
Racing Beat 4-1 Manifold
GoPerform Stainless Back Box
Ultralite Enkei reps in 17x7.5 ET42
Nanking NSR2 215 45 17 in Soft Compound
Skuzzle TorqueIntake Induction Kit

The BC coilovers I bought for the daily will now be going on this.

That little lot with a remap at Skuzzle Motorsport should see me at 180bhp at the flywheel and handle and grip nicely. I need to figure out brake pads next.

Finally I have the Sparco Sprint 5 bucket seats and TRS harnesses from my MK1 to fit. This brings all sorts of challenges with fooling the occupancy and airbag wiring. Not looking forward to that. I also need the rear roll bar from GC Fabrications to use the harnesses. I think I'll be putting the seats in and running with standard 3 points in the short term.

Finally. The wheels I've ordered are gold because a JPS inspired colour scheme would be rude not to right?

Edited by HorneyMX5 on Saturday 11th March 07:23

[docter fox]

Sounds like it's already coming together nicely, I didn't realise they were that cheap now, bargain!

[CABC]

a MK3 could make a really good track car. one problem for me was the inability to change the seats. that would be an mot fail on a mk3, unless you swapped once a year.

[HorneyMX5]

CABC said:

a MK3 could make a really good track car. one problem for me was the inability to change the seats. that would be an mot fail on a mk3, unless you swapped once a year.

It's not a fail if you can demonstrate its a competition car which this will be for sprinting.

[MagicalTrevor]

HorneyMX5 said:

CABC said:

a MK3 could make a really good track car. one problem for me was the inability to change the seats. that would be an mot fail on a mk3, unless you swapped once a year.

It's not a fail if you can demonstrate its a competition car which this will be for sprinting.

Exactly, I intend getting mine log booked (also used for Sprinting)

[CABC]

well i've learnt something!
can a friendly mot tester recognise a motorsport car himself and note it online, or is it better to get the V5 amended?

Too late for me. i wanted a mk3 but went down the mk1 route because of the (perceived) seat issue. i'm happy with this now having spent many hours and £ perfecting it. Fresh start and i'd go the mk3 route, get a well kept, rust-free example and mod that for many years of fun. Importantly, others reading this should definitely put a mk3 5 on their track car list. Still light, and lighter after a strip, great chassis and wishbones at all four corners.

[MagicalTrevor]

I'll show him (MOT tester) the MSA Log book, it's then officially a competition car so his back is covered.

[mikey P 500]

Very nice mk3 top one, saw at SS like the all red rear lights are these the stock ones tinted red? If so any issues getting the indicators flashing orange. Track project sounds good too.

[HorneyMX5]

mikey P 500 said:

Very nice mk3 top one, saw at SS like the all red rear lights are these the stock ones tinted red? If so any issues getting the indicators flashing orange. Track project sounds good too.

The indicators flash dark orange fine, the reverse lamp is pink however.

Time for a bit of an update with some photos.

A couple form when myself and Marc from Skuzzle went to collect it.





GoPerform back box and cheap eBay centre section with 200 cell sports cat:



New drop links, RX8 Yellow dot ARBs and BC Racing coilovers being fitted:











Voodoo Gearknob:



Speedhunters Katakana sunstrip sticker:



That's it for pictures for now. New wheels arrive last week but still waiting on tyres and I'm waiting for my Racing Beat manifold to arrive from the states.

Left to do is:

Fit tyres and wheels.
Fit Skuzzle Torque Intake
Fit new Thermostat
Fit manifold
Remap
Wheel alignment
Fit new pads
Full fluid change

THen it should be read for SpringFest at Castle Combe in a couple of weeks!

After that I need to look at fitting my bucket seats.

[JQ]

I'll be watching this with interest. The seat issue also put me off doing a Mk3 track car, I've had Mk1 and Mk2 trackday cars and am toying with getting another Mk1. I also didn't realise someone in the UK was going proper Mk3 roll bars, when I was looking into it the cost of getting one imported from the states also put me off. I genuinely can't comprehend how people do trackdays in standard seats and belts. A bucket seat and harness was the first thing I did after my first trackday many years ago.

Is there a reason why you don't just carry out these upgrades to your existing Mk3, would presumably save a fortune?

[HorneyMX5]

JQ said:

Is there a reason why you don't just carry out these upgrades to your existing Mk3, would presumably save a fortune?

Yes. It's my daily and I do 30,000+ miles a year. I don't really fancy doing that mileage in a track car and not sure my companies clients will be that impressed when I turn up popping and banging, ha ha.

[R8Steve]

What is the seat issue with MK3's out of curiosity?

[HorneyMX5]

R8Steve said:

What is the seat issue with MK3's out of curiosity?

Not sure for the 1.8 cars but the 2.0 sports have weight sensors for the seat belt waringing and bolster airbags. There is therefore a need to fool the ECU these are operating as normal when removed. There are also no easy fit systems for physically bolting the seats in which will take some work. Finally MOT testers should fail a car fitted with airbags from New if they've been removed. You get round this by proving he car is built for road legal competition events.

[R8Steve]

HorneyMX5 said:

R8Steve said:

What is the seat issue with MK3's out of curiosity?

Not sure for the 1.8 cars but the 2.0 sports have weight sensors for the seat belt waringing and bolster airbags. There is therefore a need to fool the ECU these are operating as normal when removed. There are also no easy fit systems for physically bolting the seats in which will take some work. Finally MOT testers should fail a car fitted with airbags from New if they've been removed. You get round this by proving he car is built for road legal competition events.

Thanks, it's not really any different to any other car then, i just wasn't sure if there was a bigger issue as i'll be looking to change my 2.5 to a 3 at some point in the near future.

Fitting bucket seats in the 2.5 was a royal PITA as well.

Looking forward to hearing how you get on with yours on track.

[HorneyMX5]

Well this was a short love affair. It's started smoking badly at high revs, suspected oil ring failure. The cars too ropey for me to considered spending big bucks on an engine replacement or rebuild so I think I'll be breaking it.

[Planet Claire]

Well, I wasn't expecting to read that, sorry to hear it hasn't gone well.

[HorneyMX5]

After sleeping on it I'm going to pull the engine out, stip it and see what's what.

[Evoluzione]

I guess it was asking a lot of a high mileage engine, time for a 2.3 perhaps? I was reading about a 2.5 conversion the other day, but I don't think you can get that particular engine over here.
Not that you got a lot of time for evaluation, but what did you think to the coilovers, in particular road manners and ride comfort?

[MagicalTrevor]

Evoluzione said:

I guess it was asking a lot of a high mileage engine, time for a 2.3 perhaps? I was reading about a 2.5 conversion the other day, but I don't think you can get that particular engine over here.
Not that you got a lot of time for evaluation, but what did you think to the coilovers, in particular road manners and ride comfort?

Roddisons do a 2.5l engine swap. Might be worth speaking to him as I believe it's a reasonable price.

However, if you're sprinting then I doubt you'll want to go down that route.

[HorneyMX5]

Today I decided to try and resolve the oil smoke with an engine flush.



It didn't work. Looks like next up is an engine apart and new rings fitment. Arse.

So anyway, last weekend before it all went Pete Tong I refitted the strut brace and boot liners after modifying them for the adjusters for the coilovers.







We also fitted one of Skuzzle's Torque Intakes:



Whilst there I also changed the thermostat so it now runs at the right temperature.

I then took it down to get the wheel alignment done but every bolt was seized. Damn it! Therefore have ordered a full set of new alignment bolts. Another job added to the list.

Finally, today I fitted the new wheels and tyres and had it washed at the local hand wash.