RE: First factory-restored Mazda MX-5 Mk1 completed

[Agent57]

BricktopST205 said:

All that and they couldn't be bothered with a proper rear fog light?

Agree but I'd rather that than the one fog and one reversing light arrangement of later cars.

[Howrare]

kentviking said:

Any recommendations for who in the UK might offer something similar? I bought mine new in 1994, sold it to my brother who had it for a few years, then bought it back off him when he left for foreign shores...she has done c120k miles but still gives me more smiles per gallon than any other car I have owned. About time she had a bit of pampering

https://www.themx5restorer.co.uk/

I also know that Mark at Total5's in Penarth did an incredible OEM+ resto job on a BRG car last year

[bimsb6]

humphra said:

2 months?! Just using the ol' "back of a fag packet" maths, I reckon that's about £20k in labour, based on £60 per hour (8 weeks x 5 days x 8 hours per day and assuming that's all effort in that time). Before parts get added. And i reckon £60 per hour might be on the low side. Ouch.

I could buy at least 10 used mx5s for that £20k.....

That assumes only one man works on it at a time .

[BricktopST205]

E65Ross said:

Is there something in "factory-restored" which makes you think means "newly designed"?

Erm no but just use UK spec rear clusters or a red bulb in one of the reverse lights.

Edited by BricktopST205 on Thursday 25th October 21:42

[Gman77]

Out of interest, does anyone know what those buttons are in the blank panel below the radio? The article mentions the pics are from a Mazda UK car, so I'd assume those are original fitment? Australian market cars just had an open cubby box there.

[Sway]

Howrare said:

kentviking said:

Any recommendations for who in the UK might offer something similar? I bought mine new in 1994, sold it to my brother who had it for a few years, then bought it back off him when he left for foreign shores...she has done c120k miles but still gives me more smiles per gallon than any other car I have owned. About time she had a bit of pampering

https://www.themx5restorer.co.uk/

I also know that Mark at Total5's in Penarth did an incredible OEM+ resto job on a BRG car last year

Seconded. Garath at MX5 Restorer has done some simply superb work on mine.

I have a loose plan for a restomod type build, which I'm slowly working my way through on mine. Should probably stop putting 30k miles a year on it during the process though!

[kentviking]

Howrare said:

https://www.themx5restorer.co.uk/

I also know that Mark at Total5's in Penarth did an incredible OEM+ resto job on a BRG car last year

Thanks...My mother still lives in Dinas Powys so a trip to Penarth may be in order.

[Black S2K]

Gman77 said:

Out of interest, does anyone know what those buttons are in the blank panel below the radio? The article mentions the pics are from a Mazda UK car, so I'd assume those are original fitment? Australian market cars just had an open cubby box there.

My cars had that blanking plate for the Mazda clock option and there was a red LED for the alarm/immobiliser in it. I do not remember having a switch in it, but there might have been a blanking plate for a switch. It's a long time ago, now...

[kentviking]

Sway said:

Howrare said:

kentviking said:

Any recommendations for who in the UK might offer something similar? I bought mine new in 1994, sold it to my brother who had it for a few years, then bought it back off him when he left for foreign shores...she has done c120k miles but still gives me more smiles per gallon than any other car I have owned. About time she had a bit of pampering

https://www.themx5restorer.co.uk/

I also know that Mark at Total5's in Penarth did an incredible OEM+ resto job on a BRG car last year

Seconded. Garath at MX5 Restorer has done some simply superb work on mine.

I have a loose plan for a restomod type build, which I'm slowly working my way through on mine. Should probably stop putting 30k miles a year on it during the process though!

Thanks for the suggestion...Eastbourne is not to far from where I live...so I have 2 very useful recommendations. Will update on here when I get round to sorting out the old girl.

[Billy.RS]

Gman77 said:

Out of interest, does anyone know what those buttons are in the blank panel below the radio? The article mentions the pics are from a Mazda UK car, so I'd assume those are original fitment? Australian market cars just had an open cubby box there.

I think it was for electric mirror adjustment?

[wombat593]

Maybe there is an environmental benefit to this too - making an existing car factory fresh probably has lower total emissions than building a new car from scratch and over the life cycle of the cars that would offset the lower CO2 emissions of the shorter-life cycle new car. If I was in the market for a new MX-5 I would compare the cost of that with a factory fresh Mk1.

[anonymous-user]

Firstly, the photos in the article are just stock photos, not the photos of an actual "restored" car.

The "restoration" programme is as extensive as the owner can afford. There is menu pricing:



4.85 million yen for the full works, plus the cost of the car itself.

But you have to find a car acceptable to Mazda. So no cars with rust, accident damage, modified parts, ie. you start off with a pretty good MX5



Mazda's approach seems to be to analyse what on a 25 year old MX5 needs replacing, check that the parts are available, and if not, put a limited number into production. Then its just a matter of taking the car apart and building it back up with new parts, irrespective of condition, ie. this is not a conservation restoration.

Car gets stripped back, and repainted



Interior is cleaned (no new dashes available)



Nardi kit is replaced as a matter of course.

Engine refreshment seems restricted to a top end service and belts




Underside gets new parts




Owner gets a before-after album as a keepsake



But why, oh why, doesn't 4 million yen get you a new exhaust?



When you get the car, the Restoration Centre turns out to be a corner of a warehouse surrounded by boxes of parts




Jaguar's setup is a bit more amitious

[ZOLLAR]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

Great post ^^^^^^






(off to google how many equals how many pounds....)

Almost £34,000 at todays rates!!!

[Gilhooligan]

sr.guiri said:

I don't reckon that owners were beating down Mazda's doors to offer this service, as the article seems to suggest. It is probable that small, independent MX5 specialists were making a whole load of coin that Mazda felt they should have. It's not enough for them to sell a car once, they want to do it again, 30 years later.

By having your MX5 refurbed at Mazda, the child of a small independent specialist may well go starving tonight.

Stick with the independent, Mazda made their money on your car 30 years ago. Now it's someone elses turn.

As a side note. An MX-5 independent specialist probably knows and loves these cars more than Mazda. The specialist will put more love into the rebuild and their service will be more personalised than you'll get with Mazda.

Don't let the big boys take over our "cottage-industries". Just sayin!!

Your post sounds a bit jealous. It’s great that Mazda are doing these restorations. You never know, with all the attention that this will be bringing, it may even generate more business for the independent specialists.

[Mr-B]

ZOLLAR said:

Almost £34,000 at todays rates!!!

Does that include underseal?