Kit and colour options.
Discussion
So I got bored. There's a job I want to do but can't until tomorrow. Wait and see I think you'll like it.
With some of the grey left and some other grey from a Fiat Abarth I messed up the bonnet...
...put it in my shed...
...and messed it up some more.
I wanted it to look as weathered as the rest of the car but it's not finished yet.
With some of the grey left and some other grey from a Fiat Abarth I messed up the bonnet...
...put it in my shed...
...and messed it up some more.
I wanted it to look as weathered as the rest of the car but it's not finished yet.
JimSuperSix said:
WJNB said:
Now I know why I never want to own or be seen in an early MX-5 again.
Because you're insecure?
When I had delusions of MOTdure I ordered a pair of side repeaters because one was missing...
...I'm still contemplating it. After all it's only welding, new subframes, wishbones, etc, etc, etc....
Irritating day today.
Brake pads that should arrive tomorrow arrived yesterday, discs that should have arrived yesterday haven't arrived yet.
So oil, oil filter and fuel filter change. Also a bit of sticker bombing...
...and for added scene points...
She was running crap today after swapping the air flow sensor, fuel filter so I'm guessing HT's or plugs.
Brake pads that should arrive tomorrow arrived yesterday, discs that should have arrived yesterday haven't arrived yet.
So oil, oil filter and fuel filter change. Also a bit of sticker bombing...
...and for added scene points...
She was running crap today after swapping the air flow sensor, fuel filter so I'm guessing HT's or plugs.
So I owe you guys an update.
I should have ordered brake pads first but had to wait until I had the budget.
WARNING
Do not order parts from eBay using the "Does this fit my vehicle" algorithm.
Rear pads...
...nope. Fronts...
...not even close. When items have been relisted automatically the vehicle fitment list is reset as well as other features that were not available in the original listing. This has happened with some of my listings as well as items I have tried to buy.
The rough running issue was down to the HT leads in the end. Number three had perished and allowed water ingress...
...the passenger mirror was something else I hadn't allocated time or budget for so Guff Panda to the rescue...
Just the last detail...
...and the car was as ready as it was going to be.
I should have ordered brake pads first but had to wait until I had the budget.
WARNING
Do not order parts from eBay using the "Does this fit my vehicle" algorithm.
Rear pads...
...nope. Fronts...
...not even close. When items have been relisted automatically the vehicle fitment list is reset as well as other features that were not available in the original listing. This has happened with some of my listings as well as items I have tried to buy.
The rough running issue was down to the HT leads in the end. Number three had perished and allowed water ingress...
...the passenger mirror was something else I hadn't allocated time or budget for so Guff Panda to the rescue...
Just the last detail...
...and the car was as ready as it was going to be.
[This is not a product placement just a grateful customer]
Thank you again to R&S Van Hire...
...for making this...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/frankhall/albums/721...
...possible.
Thank you again to R&S Van Hire...
...for making this...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/frankhall/albums/721...
...possible.
Paddock CSI and apart from the cheap brake pads lasting about twelve laps the only mechanical issue of the day...
...the gear selector gaiter split soaking my hand in warm gearbox oil and making a mess of the otherwise concourse dash.
Duct tape and a sponge cut in half and she was back on track until the pads wore away to nothing.
(photo taken after a warm up session and one quick-ish session)
Five lessons learned from my track day.
1/ MX5 speedometers are about as accurate as the USMC. At points on the track it said 89-90mph when the camera sat' nav' said 77mph. Bigger than standard wheels and different diff' but I didn't expect it to be Woodstock.
2/ The previous owner had a great deal of pride in showing me how much the geometry cost and I left it for two reasons. The car has no MOT so road testing wasn't an option and I didn't have the budget to get the car on a recovery rig or trailer to an alignment specialist. Alas a car that has been "set up" for drifting was be terrible on track. It didn't feel like the front was connected to the back, the suspension was too soft for the ride height and the rear end was snappy at slower speeds than you expect. I don't think I did a single lap without correcting three or more corners all day.
3/ On a wet track MX5's are pretty economical. Taking speedometer accuracy into account I was getting 19-25mpg.
4/ Cheap brake pads. Never by choice. Never again.
5/ A poorly set up rear wheel drive car in the wet with no brakes is as much fun as poorly set up front wheel drive car with good brakes in the dry.
...the gear selector gaiter split soaking my hand in warm gearbox oil and making a mess of the otherwise concourse dash.
Duct tape and a sponge cut in half and she was back on track until the pads wore away to nothing.
(photo taken after a warm up session and one quick-ish session)
Five lessons learned from my track day.
1/ MX5 speedometers are about as accurate as the USMC. At points on the track it said 89-90mph when the camera sat' nav' said 77mph. Bigger than standard wheels and different diff' but I didn't expect it to be Woodstock.
2/ The previous owner had a great deal of pride in showing me how much the geometry cost and I left it for two reasons. The car has no MOT so road testing wasn't an option and I didn't have the budget to get the car on a recovery rig or trailer to an alignment specialist. Alas a car that has been "set up" for drifting was be terrible on track. It didn't feel like the front was connected to the back, the suspension was too soft for the ride height and the rear end was snappy at slower speeds than you expect. I don't think I did a single lap without correcting three or more corners all day.
3/ On a wet track MX5's are pretty economical. Taking speedometer accuracy into account I was getting 19-25mpg.
4/ Cheap brake pads. Never by choice. Never again.
5/ A poorly set up rear wheel drive car in the wet with no brakes is as much fun as poorly set up front wheel drive car with good brakes in the dry.
Edited by Liquid Knight on Friday 25th September 19:46
Feliz Día de los Muertos mis amigos.
Things have been taking their sweet time due to Covid hours so before we lockdown again I thought I would give you a little update.
Problem solving.
Trimmed the excess material from the (wrong) EBC brake pads. It's a bodge but they fit.
On track the car felt choked up and only managed 1:40 laps. Considering the suspension I thought that was pretty good but she started running like crap again. I bought myself a pipe squasher...
...bent a bit of old Stainless pipe from my shed...
...cut the middle and back box off. Welded the pipe to the flange and cut a hole in the bumper...
...in line so I could weld the Peco Bigbore 4 straight back...
Not bad but I wanted to make the tailpipe fit the hole perfectly.
So I got an exhaust clamp...
...from my shed. Cut the thread ends off...
...and welded into a ninety degree threaded bolt (yes I could have used thread bar for this but I had a clamp in my shed)...
...drilled a hole in the boot floor...
...to adjust height and to adjust left to right...
...a nut on the rubber...
...to line it up perfectly.
The two ninety degree bends in the old set up didn't help but the baffle in the centre box had collapsed completely. I'm amazed the car ran at all with that much back pressure.
Things have been taking their sweet time due to Covid hours so before we lockdown again I thought I would give you a little update.
Problem solving.
Trimmed the excess material from the (wrong) EBC brake pads. It's a bodge but they fit.
On track the car felt choked up and only managed 1:40 laps. Considering the suspension I thought that was pretty good but she started running like crap again. I bought myself a pipe squasher...
...bent a bit of old Stainless pipe from my shed...
...cut the middle and back box off. Welded the pipe to the flange and cut a hole in the bumper...
...in line so I could weld the Peco Bigbore 4 straight back...
Not bad but I wanted to make the tailpipe fit the hole perfectly.
So I got an exhaust clamp...
...from my shed. Cut the thread ends off...
...and welded into a ninety degree threaded bolt (yes I could have used thread bar for this but I had a clamp in my shed)...
...drilled a hole in the boot floor...
...to adjust height and to adjust left to right...
...a nut on the rubber...
...to line it up perfectly.
The two ninety degree bends in the old set up didn't help but the baffle in the centre box had collapsed completely. I'm amazed the car ran at all with that much back pressure.
So the engine now runs brilliantly and the gearbox shifts like a bolt action rifle.
Time to have a look at the suspension. The main issue is the springs are too soft for the ride height. When you drive the car into a corner the outside rear wheels is under load, the spring compresses to the bump stop and the inside front lifts.
The chap I bought the car from had great pride telling me he had paid £400 to have the suspension "set up". I think that included these...
...I have no idea what make they are but they are rust welded solid and the rings ruined by various blunt objects.
For a laugh I thought I would chuck an 18 on...
...while she was in the air.
On a marginally more serious note my second lockdown project will be to to bin the coil overs and find something more acceptable.
Time to have a look at the suspension. The main issue is the springs are too soft for the ride height. When you drive the car into a corner the outside rear wheels is under load, the spring compresses to the bump stop and the inside front lifts.
The chap I bought the car from had great pride telling me he had paid £400 to have the suspension "set up". I think that included these...
...I have no idea what make they are but they are rust welded solid and the rings ruined by various blunt objects.
For a laugh I thought I would chuck an 18 on...
...while she was in the air.
On a marginally more serious note my second lockdown project will be to to bin the coil overs and find something more acceptable.
Lockdown 2.0
Sanding...
...primer...
...gunmetal base...
...first coat...
...second coat...
...stencil net...
...mask off...
...light green coat...
...peel...
...bugger.
I put the stencil on while the dark green was still tacky. I thought it would hold it down. It didn't and combined with the light green going a tad quick at the top it peeled down to the primer when I took it off.
This is what happens when you try something new. Still salvageable and I like the overall effect. :-)
Sanding...
...primer...
...gunmetal base...
...first coat...
...second coat...
...stencil net...
...mask off...
...light green coat...
...peel...
...bugger.
I put the stencil on while the dark green was still tacky. I thought it would hold it down. It didn't and combined with the light green going a tad quick at the top it peeled down to the primer when I took it off.
This is what happens when you try something new. Still salvageable and I like the overall effect. :-)
There was some chuntering on the forums about the legality of "race" numbers on roads cars. The short version...
You can put whatever you want on your vehicle so long as it's not section five/six of the Public Order Act or an 'ism. But; if you put racing numbers on a road car expect unwarranted attention.
So I got bored again...
...as I have a Beavis gear shift.
Track day car cliche' number 412...
...the sticky back Velcro wasn't the best. I'll have to use upholstery glue when the weather warms up.
You can put whatever you want on your vehicle so long as it's not section five/six of the Public Order Act or an 'ism. But; if you put racing numbers on a road car expect unwarranted attention.
So I got bored again...
...as I have a Beavis gear shift.
Track day car cliche' number 412...
...the sticky back Velcro wasn't the best. I'll have to use upholstery glue when the weather warms up.
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