Magnum's Supercharged Mk1 Eunos

[T S Magnum]

[Photobucket have screwed this thread unfortunately. I have replaced some pics]



The Red Baron has been on the go since early ’09 when I got my first house with a decent sized garage. When we got the house I was still very much enjoying my Clio 182 (still miss it )…

…but fully recognised my manly duty to occupy the garage with a project car The yawning empty space lasted about a month before being filled with a low mileage ’94 1.8 Eunos, riding high on standard suspension and 17 inchers! Let's Off-Road: As an added bonus, all four tyres were different makes and tread patterns

Replaced them with Rotas and T1Rs (all round): A nice lowering / stiffening with adjustable Koni Sports and the standard front lip reinstated:

Handling wise I’ve also added Hard Dog roll over hoops (which stiffen up the rear) and P5 chassis rails: Twin exhaust for noise, looks and because the existing one was rusty and shoddy:

Took it for a benchmark dyno. 131bhp / 115 lb.ft so pretty bang-on the factory figures. Then I got my mitts on this little tinker…

[supercharger]

…so got busy under the bonnet. A fair bit of time, cash, stress and self-education later it looked a bit like this:


Goodies include:

Eaton M45 supercharger
LC-1 wideband
Megasquirt ECU
Supra injectors
Mishimoto rad (OE rad blew in spectacular fashion nearly taking my face off )
T R Lane mounting brackets
Home brew inlet and BMW Mini bypass valve

(also EBC discs and pads, braided brake hoses and a SPEC clutch)

Then took it to John Sleath Racing Cars for mapping wizardry. John’s a top bloke and really knows his onions. I’d totally recommend him:


This resulted in 173 bhp and this noise:

Only running light boost (4 psi) and currently no intercooler so the figures were close to what I was expecting.

Inside, I’ve spruced things up with a Nardi Wheel and JVC speakers / DAB head unit.

When it’s in one piece and road worthy it’s a joy to drive. I’m not delusional and I know it’s no rocket ship but it certainly surprises a few in a straight line and the noise is always amusing. The stiffening has helped but it’s still a bit wobbly on broken surfaces. I’m no Mike Cross but the handling and grip seem spot-on (had a full Hunter set-up after the lowering). Always averages ~30 MPG which is nice!

Yes, I’ve probably spend an irrational amount on it but I see it as a hobby rather than a car. All miles I do in it are for fun as I’ve got a bike and a trusty 190E for normal duties. What I spend on both cars is less than half the depreciation on one newish dull box-on-wheels. It does make me chuckle when owners of said boxes think I’m a flash git with ‘a Merc and a sports car’

I’ve taken it to many a North East PH drive-out around Northumberland, the Pennines and the Scotland trip. All great fun with a quality mix of cars and people (rained a lot though).

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Updates for Oct 2020 -----











Hope you like but feel free to say if you don’t! Ed

Edited by T S Magnum on Thursday 22 February 08:30

Edited by T S Magnum on Saturday 3rd October 14:40

[T S Magnum]

Ta very much.

I've made a rod for my own back with the large rad making IC pipework tricky (as I understand it). Enjoying it as it is for now anyway. Also may start restraining the spending to save for the next project, whatever that may be. Saying that, I am considering a full respray so who knows!

Edited by T S Magnum on Thursday 26th July 12:13

[T S Magnum]

Very kind.

The W201 (known as Hans) is only the 1.8 so, being a three brick design, struggles a bit at motorway speeds. My commute is mostly urban anyway and otherwise I love it. Sooo quiet inside, very soothing vessel to row! They don't build base models like that now.

[T S Magnum]

Thanks.

I've just noticed that I've been caught in two minds and put Mk1 Eunos in the title . Obviously meant Mk1 MX-5 / Eunos. Or is there a Mk2 Eunos I don't know about, thereby saving face



No, thought not.

[T S Magnum]

Ta. It's an IL Motorsport 'zorst. The one from MX5Parts website. Crazy value and good quality.

Probably sounds obvious but I've done my research and tried to hit the value verses quality sweet-spot with each component, i.e. not always the very best quality but very good quality for the money from established suppliers.

[T S Magnum]

Thanks all.

Yep, the wheels are like Minilites but with a 'sharper' ridge on the spokes.

Cheers for the pic, demonstrates the issue well although I'm sure there's ways and means around it.

The T R Lane bits required a fair bit of modification unfortunately. Caused a few months of SC belt alignment woes last year before I worked out what was wrong. A bit disappointing for not-especially-cheap professionally fabricated parts. Seems to be sorted now though

[T S Magnum]

Please don't be put off! I still did it on my drive. Modifications were to the T R Lane parts not on the car (other than chopping off some unused heat-shield brackets. Required grinder and mate with a weld-set. Prior to T R Lane, I tried some home brew brackets from a guy off Mx5Nutz - these were garbage.

Ninety percent of the battle was working out what was causing the gradually increasing misalignment of the belt (followed by it making a bid for freedom across the engine bay and being lunched by various moving parts!).

[T S Magnum]

It's the unclassified (obviously) road that runs across the Isle of Skye just North of Uig. Utterly stunning party of the world. The hairpin at the bottom of the picture was used by the EVO team for the ECOTY group shot a while back so it might look familiar.



Copyright EVO Magazine etc.

Edited by T S Magnum on Monday 30th July 12:06

[T S Magnum]

Cheers Bazza.

[T S Magnum]

I'm now in the process of getting Mazda MX-5 changed to Eunos Roadster on the V5 so I can officially decat.

[T S Magnum]

I'll let you know how it pans out but a guy on Nutz got the V5 changed and job was a good one.

[T S Magnum]

Little update - the V5 now says Eunos Roadster and this will be replacing the cat shortly...

[T S Magnum]

Cheers guys. I hope it does up the dB a bit without raspy boy racer effects.

[T S Magnum]

At a North East PH meet in Corbridge last year:

[T S Magnum]

I may be wrong but I think it's if the car is older than '95, you can contact Mazda UK who will help get the DVLA to 'correct' the V5 to say Eunos Roadster. This then confirms to any MOT centre that the car is an import and only has to pass much higher emissions thresholds (i.e. cat can come off).

I'll soon find out when I come to MOT time in April.

[T S Magnum]

Don't know the wider picture but a few people in internetland with MX-5s older than 95 have got through without the moggy.

[T S Magnum]

Bodywork update:

Due to some, ahem, minor rust issues and a general desire for a paint refresh / slight colour change, the Eunos went on holiday to Deepcar Autobodies recently. Not the nearest bodyshop to Whitley Bay admittedly but they rightfully have a great reputation for MX-5 work:









I will get some better 'after' pics soon.

Also had a few body features removed to give smoother look. See if you can spot...

Dave and his team did a top quality job. Very chuffed with the outcome.

Edited by T S Magnum on Thursday 22 February 08:35

[T S Magnum]

RobCrezz said:

5paul5 said:

I thought all cars made from 93 on had to be fitted with a cat for the mot ?

Nope, just have to be able to pass the emissions test, which many cars need to be able to pass it, but some don't.

Yep, as an update on this, mine passed fine with decat fitted.

[T S Magnum]

Wow, big thanks for all the praise.

I won't be touching the motor for a while I don't think. I currently feels great (and sounds even better). About as quick as the 182 but a lot lower, noisier and more of an event. I don't really have an urge to change anything!

[T S Magnum]

Mini 'charger was bought on its own. Added to this were:

the TR Lane mounting kit (which needed modification my my angle grinder and a friend's weld set - bit disappointing!)
induction pipework with bypass valve built by a forum contact
pulleys belts and other bits and bobs

Very cost effective performance increase but not a five minute job!