MX5 Turbo - Modified

[PGD5]

Hi all

I'm another one which looks at the cars in here on a regular basis, yet never put anything up about my own motor! So here we go...

Here's pretty much how she looks at the moment


MX5 Turbo lightpainted frontal by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

The car was build by Roddisons from the ground up as a fun/track car (for himself I might add, not me) after the car was run for a while Paul found himself more involved with race cars and didnt use this one much.. And thats where I stepped in

Some specs:
Its a 1990 1.8 Eunos, with: Flyin Miata FM2 Turbo, Link ECU, rebuilt engine with Wiseco pistons, carrillo rods, ARP bolts, reworked head by CNC heads. Kosie wheels, Sparco seats, 3" OMP harnesses... etc etc

A dyno graph reveals this lot now pushes out 280bhp, which makes things interesting

Since my ownership I have merely tweeked, tinkered, and titivated the car. Oh and drive it whenever I can

A shot from our day trip to the Lakes (were from West Yorkshire)

Autumn driver by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

Somewhere on the Moors..

Moors strobist - pgdesigns by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

And somewhere on the Dales

Dales drivers by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

[PGD5]

A shot of the bay, pretty much as it looks now:


My MX5 Engine bay by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

And how it looked..

eunos underbonnet by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

Wiring loom has been tucked behind the NS wing, and rerouted drivers side. Powdercoated cam cover, with the coating milled off the reveal the lettering DIY Turbo heat shield, DIY catch can, DIY coolant overflow bottle...

Note the Golden Stig too, this was an Award I'd just won at the Autotronix Developments Rolling Road day - this was for 'Highest Bhp of the day' which was 266.8 BHP....246 lb/ft

That was a very good day

Even if it did show up that the car doesn't boost as consistently as it should

[PGD5]

In most cases I'd say remove the rear lights too, but I'm sticking with these.. When they are on they look far far better and illuminate with a red doughnut, much like a single lamp on a skyline. I guess I need to do a photo to illustrate the point!

[PGD5]

MrMoonyMan said:

Edit; What are the gear ratios like? Where does 2nd/3rd get you to for example?

I haven't tried that specificaly tbh. It is rather short geared like any MX5 but I'm not into sitting at jail bait speeds on the roads tbh. However, it does get up to speed rather well Though I've never actually timed that either so I cant give you any figures

As to putting the power down, well, that can be a hoot! In the winter months you do have to be careful with it, but I like that. Its not tricked up with driver aids, in fact it doesn't have any at all, and in my mind that does nothing but ADD to the driving experience

In the dry with the Federal RSR tyres on its really very good, I love those tyres!

Thanks for the photography compliments too Thats another hobby of mine I've been getting into over the last couple of years. And yes I have put pictures up in the Photography section for a while now

[PGD5]

Jimmy No Hands said:

Very nice. Where in West Yorkshire?

Ossett

Cant fault the RSR's, even in the wet they behaved very well imo. When you get them warm though they really do shine

[PGD5]

Great to hear the car is going down so well with you lot

Another picture to keep you going


PGDesigns-lightpainting sunset by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

[PGD5]

StottyZr said:

Hi from Earlsheaton. I can't believe I haven't seen this out and about before.

Thats not far at all Do you go to the local meetings? I'm gonna try and get to plenty more of them this year..

[PGD5]

Greg_D said:

hi there,
I'm curious about the power output, with the engine built as it is you would be safe going quite a bit higher than you have, is this down to personal choice or the limitations of the standard GT28 turbo?

Money really - speed is a question of money afterall. I agree though, I could get more power from the car, but do wonder if I 'need' it tbh. Drive the car on the road and I'm never left thinking it could do with a bit more.. Even on track I've never felt the need..

However, for bragging rights, thats a different story

[PGD5]

StottyZr said:

After the section 59 fest that unfolded at the Ituned meet last Sunday I doubt I'll be at one for a while :/

Ituned? Never heard of it, what is it?

[PGD5]

Thanks for that deviant, it made for an interesting read

I have seen the back of one gearbox already so clearly its quite close to the line. We replaced that with other 5 speed tbh but if I had the same issue a few times over then I'd have to shell out somewhat for something stronger. A chap near me has a Quaife straight Cut box in his Strong yes, easy to live with on a drive, it is not!

The rev limiter is set to 7400rpm, again, we could go with more.. Its not a tune which puts everything at risk of breaking. And so far its working very well as, bar the gearbox its been faultless to date

Yes I was at the Batley Brag It was a good turnout that wasn't it. I will try to be at the next one too. I've a few photos from the day in my Flickr photostream too In fact it was through one of those photos I got to see, passenger and photoshoot my favorite Hotrod!!

One from the 'shoot

Stanced Coupe by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

[PGD5]

Cheers Deviant. Have you any more info or links to your Race car build, specs or pictures? And what race series do you compete in?

Reminding us of sunnier times


MX5 - Sunlight strobist by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

[PGD5]

deviant said:

having an LS1 V8 fitted to it

Drools! I'd love that soundtrack in, well, anything tbh It must be a real hoot in something as light as the MX5! I'd certainly like a go in one, see what its like with enough torque to pull a house round with you but we just dont have many of them over here

Rear end shot, shot at the same time as the one on the first post. Same technique, just didnt turn out quite right in my view. It doesn't show the lights of the their full either, must try harder


MX5 Turbo lightpainted rear end by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

It shows the rear bumper cut though, which I did myself very slowly with an angle grinder! The bumber had a cutout for a twin exit exhaust (which I removed as I didnt like the look or noise of) and a cutout for a central foglight. That lok looked cluttered imo, so it was chopped off

[PGD5]

Yeah I thought about making a diffuser up too, even mocked one up in cardboard.. then left it at that.

[PGD5]

Greg_D said:

Do you run the car on the road Greg, with the full cage?

[PGD5]

Greg_D said:

god no, anyone that does is a maniac with a penchant for brain injuries

Thats what I was wondering too Greg, as much as I'd love a cage in there to see both the stiffness and safety benefits, without a helmet on it could make things much worse.

Single seater! Wow *goes green with envy*

Are you a Nutz user too Greg?

[PGD5]

Here's something else I've done while owning the car..

A full wet-sand! Sounds horrific, but bear with me..

From a distance the paintwork looked fine, its was white.. But look closer and things were not so good, but considering it was painted in a garage, it wasn't bad. But with a bit of 'elbow grease' its looking much better..

The beginning


The mucky line on the bonnet seen here was purely from water running down the bonnet, and hitting a bit of polish or wax I'd put on the lower section a couple of weeks before.


I knew there was plenty of paint on the car, so I had no worries about cutting it back a little to make it smooth. So I did just that! The car has been completely wet sanded with 2000 grit paper with a flat firm sponge as a sanding block. I've never done anything like this before either!


The rear bumper mid sand, I went all nerdy and run a mask line down to see the difference sanding had on the colour..


Front wheel arch, notice the brown staining pre sanding..


Same with the bonnet


Once the sanding was done I started with the polishing. This was done with a rotary buffer and G3, and OMG, what a result!






Good old before and after shots




I was a happy chappy when this lot was done!

[PGD5]

Greg_D said:

i am on nutz

your car is lovely and a credit to you

Are you part of the Pheonix fives bunch/area? I recognise the car pictured in your profile, did we meet briefly when you sorted an indoor karting event out, when we travelled down from Yorkshire?

Thanks for the paintwork compliments guys As said I knew there was a lot of paint on there, so I had little worries of going through it.

[PGD5]

Here's a of shots from a photoshoot I did of 'PainterDaves' car back in late 2010.

With the two cars looking really quite similar I couldn't resist sticking them both next to each other for a couple of shots So once I'd got plenty of Daves car a quick line up was setup

This image made it into last years MX5Nutz calender too (wahoo)

Could be twins by PGDesigns.co.uk, on Flickr

And how the interior looks (taken at Pistonheads Yorkshire Big Breakfast October 2011 at Specialist Cars, Malton)

Thanks to DanielJames for taking this picture

[PGD5]

Thanks for adding that mate

I've seen bits of your car, build and videos over on Nutz, your certainly pulling the numbers out of that setup! It must go very well indeed! Good work

[PGD5]

Close up of the front brake setup when I'd just replaced the Rotor's, shame they need replacing again now though





I've had to resort to getting the Rotor's made up by Hi Spec Motorsport as I couldn't find any to match all the measurements. Any better ideas very welcome

Think I'll go for Plain discs this time too, and continue to use the 'Roddison Motorsport' pads

Rotor measurements are: