Mk1 MX-5 V-Spec II
Discussion
Some of you may have seen my "Which Mk1 MX-5 for the track?" thread I posted a couple of weeks ago. In the end I just decided to try and find the best car I could get for less than £2k without worrying too much about track mods, and ended up with a '95 V-Spec II in BRG. It has a TR Lane roll bar, as well as ventilated and grooved discs with performance pads which is all good news for the track. Totally rust free and is in great condition.
Jobs that I'm looking to do;
-Fit an FIA-spec bucket seat - will really make a difference to the feel of the car
-Replace the radio - not much of a job but the current one won't take in any CDs
-Change the rear tyres - there's one odd tyre on the rear left. Any recommendations?
Other than these jobs which I'll do with immediate effect, I'll probably also look into a good suspension set up. At the moment it feels more harsh than my dads '6 GT3 on country lanes - again, any recommendations here?
Cheers all
Jobs that I'm looking to do;
-Fit an FIA-spec bucket seat - will really make a difference to the feel of the car
-Replace the radio - not much of a job but the current one won't take in any CDs
-Change the rear tyres - there's one odd tyre on the rear left. Any recommendations?
Other than these jobs which I'll do with immediate effect, I'll probably also look into a good suspension set up. At the moment it feels more harsh than my dads '6 GT3 on country lanes - again, any recommendations here?
Cheers all
Edited by 911p on Sunday 11th November 17:07
v8will said:
Performance 5 for your suspension, no idea on cost as I haven't owned a MX-5 for a few years now. Well regarded though.
I ran Toyo tyres on mine albeit in 15".
Looks a really nice example OP, enjoy!
The choice for tyres is fairly limited for the 14 inch wheels sadly. No Toyo T1Rs I ran Toyo tyres on mine albeit in 15".
Looks a really nice example OP, enjoy!
Friend of mine had a MX5 with HSD / Driftworks coil overs with a full bush upgrade to Superflex items.
It utterly transformed the car into a real B road weapon, but surprisingly was still rather capable of being used as a daily user, being you can dial down the damping for road and up for a track day with only a few clicks.
Short of that, decent springs and Bilstein shocks are a good compromise with some up-rated anti roll bars.
It utterly transformed the car into a real B road weapon, but surprisingly was still rather capable of being used as a daily user, being you can dial down the damping for road and up for a track day with only a few clicks.
Short of that, decent springs and Bilstein shocks are a good compromise with some up-rated anti roll bars.
Thanks for the comments all
The car is very well sorted inside and out, other than perhaps the suspension - the HSD setup looks interesting, but it's very expensive. Tyre wise, I'm still stumped, there seems to be no performance tyres in this size. Finding the right setup is all part of the fun though!
The car is very well sorted inside and out, other than perhaps the suspension - the HSD setup looks interesting, but it's very expensive. Tyre wise, I'm still stumped, there seems to be no performance tyres in this size. Finding the right setup is all part of the fun though!
_Al_ said:
I thought Eagle F1's were highly rated? Sure they're not a track tyre but I didn't feel short-changed in my old 5 when on road tyres.
Don't seem to sell Eagle F1s any more. No R888s either.Might get some Michelin Energy Saver+ on the rear axle. Meant to be hard wearing and I'll have a little more play at the rear, should be grippy enough anyway.
So here's what the old girl looks like now. I'll give a brief summary of what's been done, and what's (approx) been spent below.
Interior
-Sparco Rev Plus seat
-Sabelt 6-point harness
-Harness pads
-Steel seat floor mounts
Total cost £500
Exterior
-15" Speedline 2114s
-Yokohama AD08s
-Brack front grille
-Tow hooks painted black
Total cost £330
Brakes
-Pagid discs
-Axxis ULT pads
-HEL braided brake lines
-New front calipers
-Motul RBF 600 fluid
Total cost £450
I'm now planning to sort out the suspension on the car, as on track it seems to bounce and roll around everywhere - the dampers aren't doing their job, and the springs are far too soft. It will be going to Performance 5 next month for some new springs and dampers, stiffening rails, and a four wheel alignment. Should be absolutely amazing around the corners after the work has been completed.
In the meantime, visit my YT channel here to see it in action on track!
I'll give a brief summary of what's been done, and what's (approx) been spent below.Interior
-Sparco Rev Plus seat
-Sabelt 6-point harness
-Harness pads
-Steel seat floor mounts
Total cost £500
Exterior
-15" Speedline 2114s
-Yokohama AD08s
-Brack front grille
-Tow hooks painted black
Total cost £330
Brakes
-Pagid discs
-Axxis ULT pads
-HEL braided brake lines
-New front calipers
-Motul RBF 600 fluid
Total cost £450
I'm now planning to sort out the suspension on the car, as on track it seems to bounce and roll around everywhere - the dampers aren't doing their job, and the springs are far too soft. It will be going to Performance 5 next month for some new springs and dampers, stiffening rails, and a four wheel alignment. Should be absolutely amazing around the corners after the work has been completed.
In the meantime, visit my YT channel here to see it in action on track!
New parts have arrived, I'm now working on the chassis and suspension side of the car.
First items are SportDrive frame rails, these are 2mm thick stainless steel rails which sit over the standard ones. They'll stiffen the car up significantly, preventing the chassis itself acting as an undamped spring.
The next items to have arrived are the Meister R coilovers. They have adjustable ride height, spring preload and damping, and will replace the original 17 year old springs and dampers. They look like really serious pieces of kit.
At present on its standard chassis the car rolls, dives and bounces around like mad, yet it's still hugely capable when cornering on track. These new parts should make it absolutely amazing - cannot wait to get them on! That's all for now.
First items are SportDrive frame rails, these are 2mm thick stainless steel rails which sit over the standard ones. They'll stiffen the car up significantly, preventing the chassis itself acting as an undamped spring.
The next items to have arrived are the Meister R coilovers. They have adjustable ride height, spring preload and damping, and will replace the original 17 year old springs and dampers. They look like really serious pieces of kit.
At present on its standard chassis the car rolls, dives and bounces around like mad, yet it's still hugely capable when cornering on track. These new parts should make it absolutely amazing - cannot wait to get them on! That's all for now.
Nikko 40691 said:
Interested to see how these performance rails work. 
The standard chassis rails aren't particularly stiff and will have taken a beating over the years, so their ability to stop the chassis flexing around isn't as good as it should be. The new ones are made of 2mm stainless so are extremely stiff, they just fit straight over the standard ones and are held securely onto the chassis. Pretty simple, and an extremely popular mod within the '5 community.
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