A bargain or an MX-5 shaped money pit?
Discussion
I was having a conversation with my new boss about her Mercedes SLK and the conversation moved onto car history. She told me about her previous supercharged mk1 MX-5 and the mk2 she replaced it with, casually mentioning that it was still sat on her drive and she was looking to sell it. At this point I should have moved the conversation on as I am 90% of the way through a Land Rover series 2 rebuild, I have just sold a moped that I bought for no reason and I am trying to sell my van.
However she then mentioned that the first person to put £200 in her hand and turned up with a trailer could have it! That was it, I knew that I had just over £200 at home after selling the moped and a bit of a shed clear out. I had admired the MX-5 since my friend owned one about 10 years ago, I was hankering after another rear wheel drive car after talking about my old 200sx and this MX-5 was a bit special, but more on that when I get it home!
I just need to get hold of a trailer now! Plus I haven't actually told my wife yet, at all, that conversation could go well!
However she then mentioned that the first person to put £200 in her hand and turned up with a trailer could have it! That was it, I knew that I had just over £200 at home after selling the moped and a bit of a shed clear out. I had admired the MX-5 since my friend owned one about 10 years ago, I was hankering after another rear wheel drive car after talking about my old 200sx and this MX-5 was a bit special, but more on that when I get it home!
I just need to get hold of a trailer now! Plus I haven't actually told my wife yet, at all, that conversation could go well!
This one isnt supercharged, this is fitted with a turbo and front mounted intercooler, coilovers and the most complete service history I have ever seen! There is recepts for wiper blades and decals! The turbo kit was all bought individually from all over the world.
It has been sat on her drive for 2-3 years and her and her husband are fed up of it and just wanted it gone, I thought she was joking when she said £200!
I havent seen the car in the flesh yet but I am pretty confident even if i parted it out I could at the very least get my money back! I am waiting for her to email me over the pictures today so I will put them up when I get them
It has been sat on her drive for 2-3 years and her and her husband are fed up of it and just wanted it gone, I thought she was joking when she said £200!
I havent seen the car in the flesh yet but I am pretty confident even if i parted it out I could at the very least get my money back! I am waiting for her to email me over the pictures today so I will put them up when I get them
That is exactly why I am facing the wrath of my wife to get it! Even if I get it home and the front rails are shot there has got to be close to a £1000 just in spares.
Found out today its also got a mohair roof that was fitted about 7 months before being parked up and she is going to chuck in a load of parts she has lying around!
Found out today its also got a mohair roof that was fitted about 7 months before being parked up and she is going to chuck in a load of parts she has lying around!
Well we are home, the family volvo tows impecciable and having now towed with an automatic it is the way ahead!
Ive had a quick look underneath and the news appears to be good, both sills are solid and both front rails seem solid as well!
Also discovered it is fitted with a sports cat! The only problem I have found is all four discs may need replacing and one of the front intercooler pipes is split, the battery dispite being sat since february 2012 still had 9 volts in it!
Missus has gone from hating it to claiming it as her own! (Thats not her in the last pic!)
Ive had a quick look underneath and the news appears to be good, both sills are solid and both front rails seem solid as well!
Also discovered it is fitted with a sports cat! The only problem I have found is all four discs may need replacing and one of the front intercooler pipes is split, the battery dispite being sat since february 2012 still had 9 volts in it!
Missus has gone from hating it to claiming it as her own! (Thats not her in the last pic!)
Couldnt resist having a quick go at starting it! Got a couple of coughs but nothing else.
Also i pulled the carpet off the rear shelf and there are two blooming great holes cut in it with corresponding holes above the rear shock mounts so I am guessing it had a rollbar at some point. Also the boot is full of water!
Also i pulled the carpet off the rear shelf and there are two blooming great holes cut in it with corresponding holes above the rear shock mounts so I am guessing it had a rollbar at some point. Also the boot is full of water!
As this appears to be a solid shell its staying in this one!
After having the battery on charge overnight I had a go at getting it started today.
I removed the plugs and gave them a clean up and checked for a spark, which was present if a little weak, put in a can full of the finest super unleaded and dropped a bit of oil into the turbo feed to save breaking it!
The first big disappointment of the project was that it didn't start
I have started a thread in the mx5 section asking for help!
It has no immobiliser light on the dash when you first turn on the ignition but a couple of times it has come on after cranking when the battery has got a bit tired and other random dash things have happened!
I am hoping it is a simple fault but I am struggling with what to check next, I am more used to working on land rovers with much simpler electrics!
On a brighter note the wheels are Rota's and the coilovers are a decent brand, but I cant remember what!
After having the battery on charge overnight I had a go at getting it started today.
I removed the plugs and gave them a clean up and checked for a spark, which was present if a little weak, put in a can full of the finest super unleaded and dropped a bit of oil into the turbo feed to save breaking it!
The first big disappointment of the project was that it didn't start
I have started a thread in the mx5 section asking for help!
It has no immobiliser light on the dash when you first turn on the ignition but a couple of times it has come on after cranking when the battery has got a bit tired and other random dash things have happened!
I am hoping it is a simple fault but I am struggling with what to check next, I am more used to working on land rovers with much simpler electrics!
On a brighter note the wheels are Rota's and the coilovers are a decent brand, but I cant remember what!
Well she starts!!!! Eventually got it to run but it wouldn't idle properly at first then wouldn't idle when revved and allowed the freefall back to idle.
Now for the bad news! When it was running it made a horrible sound from under the bonnet, a quick inspection showed
Cylinders one and four have large cracks in them but I don't know for sure if they were there before or if they have beem caused by trying to start it?
So going on from here, do I remove the turbo, go back to n/a and look at re turboing or supercharging in the future? Try to find another manifold or just sell it as it sits/break it?
The last option isnt really an option! Both me and the wife have fallen for the little mazda!
Now for the bad news! When it was running it made a horrible sound from under the bonnet, a quick inspection showed
Cylinders one and four have large cracks in them but I don't know for sure if they were there before or if they have beem caused by trying to start it?
So going on from here, do I remove the turbo, go back to n/a and look at re turboing or supercharging in the future? Try to find another manifold or just sell it as it sits/break it?
The last option isnt really an option! Both me and the wife have fallen for the little mazda!
It is running a Greddy E manage piggy backing on the standard ecu. I have the control disc with it and it will connect to my laptop and gove signals that make me confident it is working correctly.
I also dipped the tank today and there is far more in there than I was expecting and as it has sat there for 3 years I doubt that fuel is in the best condition so I will drain that and have enough to run my lawnmower for years!
I am keen to keep the turbo if possible, it was the main reason I went for it rather than price! I am thinking about going back to n/a in the short term and getting a better quality manifold later on. I am on a fairly tight budget at the moment.
I am an experienced mechanic with understanding of engine principles and tuning its just computers I'm not that good with!
I am in Emsworth in hampshire, I need to update my profile!
I also dipped the tank today and there is far more in there than I was expecting and as it has sat there for 3 years I doubt that fuel is in the best condition so I will drain that and have enough to run my lawnmower for years!
I am keen to keep the turbo if possible, it was the main reason I went for it rather than price! I am thinking about going back to n/a in the short term and getting a better quality manifold later on. I am on a fairly tight budget at the moment.
I am an experienced mechanic with understanding of engine principles and tuning its just computers I'm not that good with!
I am in Emsworth in hampshire, I need to update my profile!
Well it turns out the manifold is beyond saving!
Everytime I walked past the mx5 since monday I sprayed the exhaust bolts with a release spray and it paid dividends! The manifold came straight off with no dramas!
I took it into the metalsmith today and even before I went in I knew what the outcome was going to be! Getting it off showed it was even worse underneath and has been repaired before!
So I am looking to put it back to n/a for now unless I can find a reasonablly priced turbo manifold! It will definitely be going back turbo as the turbo is in perfect condition and I love the idea of having a turbo'd mx5!
Everytime I walked past the mx5 since monday I sprayed the exhaust bolts with a release spray and it paid dividends! The manifold came straight off with no dramas!
I took it into the metalsmith today and even before I went in I knew what the outcome was going to be! Getting it off showed it was even worse underneath and has been repaired before!
So I am looking to put it back to n/a for now unless I can find a reasonablly priced turbo manifold! It will definitely be going back turbo as the turbo is in perfect condition and I love the idea of having a turbo'd mx5!
unfortunately the 1.8 is longer than the 1.6 but thank you anyway.
I am still toing and froing what to do! I want to keep the turbo but I cant afford to do it properly at the moment! But at the same time its not exactly cheap to get it back to naturally aspirated!
I was working on my land rover today and thinking I really want the mx5 on the road!
I am still toing and froing what to do! I want to keep the turbo but I cant afford to do it properly at the moment! But at the same time its not exactly cheap to get it back to naturally aspirated!
I was working on my land rover today and thinking I really want the mx5 on the road!
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