2006 Mazda MX-5 NC 2.0 Sport
Discussion
geraintthomas said:
And for a very crude mock-up
I think it'll look and feel quite nice. Thoughts?
Amazing freshen up on the interior - i wish i had the skill/patience/product knowledge to be able to do that on mine.I think it'll look and feel quite nice. Thoughts?
personally, i don't like the wooden gear knob - there's nothing wrong with it in isolation, but i don't think it 'fits' in that interior. there is nothing else even remotely wood, let alone the same colour..
Dunno.. personal preference obviously, just from me, it's a no.
loving every other aspect of this car (and thread) though
PixelpeepZ4 said:
Amazing freshen up on the interior - i wish i had the skill/patience/product knowledge to be able to do that on mine.
personally, i don't like the wooden gear knob - there's nothing wrong with it in isolation, but i don't think it 'fits' in that interior. there is nothing else even remotely wood, let alone the same colour..
Dunno.. personal preference obviously, just from me, it's a no.
loving every other aspect of this car (and thread) though
I can see your worry, but I'm thinking of the Carrera GT's interior and how it pulls it off:personally, i don't like the wooden gear knob - there's nothing wrong with it in isolation, but i don't think it 'fits' in that interior. there is nothing else even remotely wood, let alone the same colour..
Dunno.. personal preference obviously, just from me, it's a no.
loving every other aspect of this car (and thread) though
You may be right though, it could look terrible... will keep the original just in case and will polish it up in the meantime.
Lovely car and nice job in getting it back to fine fettle. I've been really drawn to these lately so think I might take the plunge soon enough.
Anyway, I really only wanted to post this link to a few documentaries on the MX-5 from the NA to date. Some great interviews and some better technical geeky stuff. Wish there were more documentaries like these!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr-mTF1DFa-...
Anyway, I really only wanted to post this link to a few documentaries on the MX-5 from the NA to date. Some great interviews and some better technical geeky stuff. Wish there were more documentaries like these!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr-mTF1DFa-...
bucks said:
Lovely car and nice job in getting it back to fine fettle. I've been really drawn to these lately so think I might take the plunge soon enough.
Anyway, I really only wanted to post this link to a few documentaries on the MX-5 from the NA to date. Some great interviews and some better technical geeky stuff. Wish there were more documentaries like these!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr-mTF1DFa-...
That's brilliant, thank you! Will sit down and give them a watch shortly.Anyway, I really only wanted to post this link to a few documentaries on the MX-5 from the NA to date. Some great interviews and some better technical geeky stuff. Wish there were more documentaries like these!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr-mTF1DFa-...
We took a drive through the valleys, over the Rhigos mountains, up through Brecon, on the B4520 and up to Builth Wells in mid-Wales today. Beautiful drive!
I didn't seem to see any stone chips when I was cleaning the car, suddenly after a long drive it's got quite a few. It must be the polish in the chips as for starters, it wasn't like this up until today, and I only just started the first stage when machining it, so I'll have to go over it again with the Megs 105. To be honest, black glaze does wonders under wax to hide stone chips so I'm not too worried.
I'd drive all the way there for the bacon benedict any day.
When we got home, my wooden balls (snigger) and thread insert had arrived!
The Chinese ones were resin and not wood, so I had to cancel them and buy some more off Amazon that were wood. £8 to give this a go in total, so it's worth a try.
The aim was a bit of a homage to the original MX-5:
And to the Carrera GT, one of two of my favourite Porsches. The other being a 964 Turbo.
I practiced on the lighter one, and finally did it on the darker.
Bit messy, but it's underneath.
The thread was a tight fit, so I had to hammer it in, then superglue finally bonded it in incredibly well. It isn't coming out anytime soon.
And finished
I quite like it, but I'm still torn. I love the dark wood against the black, and I love how it feels. I'll give it a try and will see how it goes.
Edited by geraintthomas on Saturday 5th September 20:32
Decided to go back to the other lighter coloured one of the two that I had. I've since coated it with lacquer, and the finish is fantastic. Perfectly smooth, good to hold and I think it works quite well.
I'll be restoring the original MX-5 gear knob anyway, as I may end up changing my mind.
I'll be restoring the original MX-5 gear knob anyway, as I may end up changing my mind.
I've got my new Chemical Guys orange hex logic pad, and some more masking tape. Tomorrow is also looking very cloudy and dry, perfect for machine polishing and waxing.
Finally! It's looking like tomorrow will be the day that the car's cosmetic corrections are finished. Here's hoping the weather will hold off...
Finally! It's looking like tomorrow will be the day that the car's cosmetic corrections are finished. Here's hoping the weather will hold off...
Thanks for the kind words both. Eibach springs are on the list of things to do, though I've been contemplating KW springs (their ST line) for the same price.
The car's been detailed, it's finally finished. I'm absolutely spent, but it looks fantastic. Photos to follow later this evening.
The car's been detailed, it's finally finished. I'm absolutely spent, but it looks fantastic. Photos to follow later this evening.
I've replaced the windscreen scuttle gromets before I started the detail process. Surprised how cheap these were. The old ones were totally shot, so it was about time.
Anyway, onto the detail.
A lot of hours went into this car to get it to this stage. Fixing the suspension, rebuilding the caliper, removing the horrendous wiring, refurbishing the alloys and finally a full detail, including a two stage paint correction, headlight restore, exhausts, and a full interior job too, including dressing for all plastics.
Lots of work, but it's paid off. The car is exactly where I want it to be for now, and that's back to what it should have been like.
The exhaust was first up
1500 grit wet and dry, followed by Meguiars NXT metal polish. This is the only 'progress' photo as I couldn't be bothered to take any during the detail as I just wanted to crack on with the job.
Hope you enjoy the finished result. I forgot how much better polished gloss black looks compared to metallic black.
In total, the cosmetic jobs consisted of:
- Replaced gear knob with gloss wood knob
- Roof mould removed and hydrophobic coating added
- Refurbished alloy wheels
- Painted brake calipers, hubs and guards
- Clay treatment
- Two-stage paint correction
- Carnauba wax
- Wet sand and polished exhausts
- Interior plastics deep cleaned
- Interior plastics dressed
- Carpets thoroughly vacuumed
- Carpets shampooed
- Leather cleaned and treated
- Headlights restored
- Glass polished
- Rubbers treated
- Engine bay detailed
The main thing is, this isn't a show car. It's not going to enter any concourse competitions, and I'm not going to clean it every week. It's going to be driven and enjoyed
However, when I do wash it, it'll be washed correctly as to make the finish last. You should technically never have to polish a car and should only have to wax/protect it, as 'polishing' is the process of correcting issues. For as long as it's protected and washed correctly, it'll last. It was the same story with the Porsche, it received one big detail, and years afterwards didn't see a single swirl/scratch on the paintwork. This car is going to be used frequently and on track in the future, too.
Now to drive and enjoy it. I still need to replace the chrome indicators and a few other bits and bobs, so I'll be tackling those this weekend.
Anyway, onto the detail.
A lot of hours went into this car to get it to this stage. Fixing the suspension, rebuilding the caliper, removing the horrendous wiring, refurbishing the alloys and finally a full detail, including a two stage paint correction, headlight restore, exhausts, and a full interior job too, including dressing for all plastics.
Lots of work, but it's paid off. The car is exactly where I want it to be for now, and that's back to what it should have been like.
The exhaust was first up
1500 grit wet and dry, followed by Meguiars NXT metal polish. This is the only 'progress' photo as I couldn't be bothered to take any during the detail as I just wanted to crack on with the job.
Hope you enjoy the finished result. I forgot how much better polished gloss black looks compared to metallic black.
In total, the cosmetic jobs consisted of:
- Replaced gear knob with gloss wood knob
- Roof mould removed and hydrophobic coating added
- Refurbished alloy wheels
- Painted brake calipers, hubs and guards
- Clay treatment
- Two-stage paint correction
- Carnauba wax
- Wet sand and polished exhausts
- Interior plastics deep cleaned
- Interior plastics dressed
- Carpets thoroughly vacuumed
- Carpets shampooed
- Leather cleaned and treated
- Headlights restored
- Glass polished
- Rubbers treated
- Engine bay detailed
The main thing is, this isn't a show car. It's not going to enter any concourse competitions, and I'm not going to clean it every week. It's going to be driven and enjoyed
However, when I do wash it, it'll be washed correctly as to make the finish last. You should technically never have to polish a car and should only have to wax/protect it, as 'polishing' is the process of correcting issues. For as long as it's protected and washed correctly, it'll last. It was the same story with the Porsche, it received one big detail, and years afterwards didn't see a single swirl/scratch on the paintwork. This car is going to be used frequently and on track in the future, too.
Now to drive and enjoy it. I still need to replace the chrome indicators and a few other bits and bobs, so I'll be tackling those this weekend.
FelixP said:
Great to catch-up yesterday, car is looking great!
I'd still skip the coilovers and get some good springs and dampers though
You too! Couldn't help but to take a photo of your car before you drove off...I'd still skip the coilovers and get some good springs and dampers though
Anyway. You're absolutely right, I'm going to get some springs asap. I've noticed that the front right shock absorber is leaking at the bottom bolt area, which starts to spit out oil when jacked up. There's also a bit of a vibration when going over some bumps in the road (not all) from that corner, so my guess is that the shock absorber is on its way out. A shame as they're only 11 months old.
It'll be £67 for a new Sachs shock absorber, which is fantastic. I'd normally replace them in pairs, but as I mentioned the rest are under a year old, so no need in this case. When I replace the shock I'll replace the springs at the same time. Saves doing it twice with two lots of alignment payments.
I'm looking into KW Suspension for the springs. They're the same price as Eibachs (around £180), and I know a few people who have KW suspension and swear by their products.
In the future I still may look into coilovers, but that's only if I get on track often. There's no need if I don't, but the ability to stiffen the suspension for track and slacken it off for long journeys is appealing. But I wonder what the difference in ride quality will be when comparing Sachs shocks with KW springs, versus TEIN coilovers for £450.
I may just stick to springs.
Edited by geraintthomas on Thursday 10th September 16:50
I, and umpteen others, will say just pony up and get Meister R. If you cannot afford them now, then just do nothing now, other than save up a bit longer.
So, so many people have done it piece meal, with springs, damper upgrades etc, but you need an alignment each time, and if your paying someone to do it, the labour costs rack up. And they end up buying the Meister R in the end anyway. Perhaps see if you can get a ride in one.
On full soft and at a sensible ride height they ride better than standard. The Eibach lowering springs get mixed reviews, and they were only intended to be used with Factory Bilsteins - you mentions yours had Sachs shocks on it recently - that is the wrong damper for your car for a start (have you still got Yellow Bilsteins on the back? )
Paint looks bloody ace, well done!
My first Mk1 was black and your right, bog standard gloss black looks amazing. I can't get my metallic black Merc looking anywhere near as good as the PZ gloss black Mazda did.
So, so many people have done it piece meal, with springs, damper upgrades etc, but you need an alignment each time, and if your paying someone to do it, the labour costs rack up. And they end up buying the Meister R in the end anyway. Perhaps see if you can get a ride in one.
On full soft and at a sensible ride height they ride better than standard. The Eibach lowering springs get mixed reviews, and they were only intended to be used with Factory Bilsteins - you mentions yours had Sachs shocks on it recently - that is the wrong damper for your car for a start (have you still got Yellow Bilsteins on the back? )
Paint looks bloody ace, well done!
My first Mk1 was black and your right, bog standard gloss black looks amazing. I can't get my metallic black Merc looking anywhere near as good as the PZ gloss black Mazda did.
snotrag said:
I, and umpteen others, will say just pony up and get Meister R. If you cannot afford them now, then just do nothing now, other than save up a bit longer.
So, so many people have done it piece meal, with springs, damper upgrades etc, but you need an alignment each time, and if your paying someone to do it, the labour costs rack up. And they end up buying the Meister R in the end anyway. Perhaps see if you can get a ride in one.
On full soft and at a sensible ride height they ride better than standard. The Eibach lowering springs get mixed reviews, and they were only intended to be used with Factory Bilsteins - you mentions yours had Sachs shocks on it recently - that is the wrong damper for your car for a start (have you still got Yellow Bilsteins on the back? )
Paint looks bloody ace, well done!
My first Mk1 was black and your right, bog standard gloss black looks amazing. I can't get my metallic black Merc looking anywhere near as good as the PZ gloss black Mazda did.
They're almost £1,000 including shipping and an alignment, which I don't need yet. The car handles well but all I want is a little less arch and a little less roll - essentially what springs would give me. The shock absorbers are also brand new, so £230 for springs and an alignment is far more economical and would give me what I'm looking for. I don't need the £1,000 suspension (yet) as I'm still saving for the house. In the future, I'd consider it.So, so many people have done it piece meal, with springs, damper upgrades etc, but you need an alignment each time, and if your paying someone to do it, the labour costs rack up. And they end up buying the Meister R in the end anyway. Perhaps see if you can get a ride in one.
On full soft and at a sensible ride height they ride better than standard. The Eibach lowering springs get mixed reviews, and they were only intended to be used with Factory Bilsteins - you mentions yours had Sachs shocks on it recently - that is the wrong damper for your car for a start (have you still got Yellow Bilsteins on the back? )
Paint looks bloody ace, well done!
My first Mk1 was black and your right, bog standard gloss black looks amazing. I can't get my metallic black Merc looking anywhere near as good as the PZ gloss black Mazda did.
You're right about the paint! My last Boxster S had metallic paint, and this one has come up far nicer.
It looks like I may need a new shock absorber, which is surprising since they’re under a year old. The O/S/F shock starts to hiss and spit oil from the bottom (where the fork is) when it’s jacked up. I’ve noticed some vibrations coming from that corner when going over certain bumps too, so it’s most likely shot.
Worst case, it’s £67 on ebay for another which is really not bad at all. But I’ve just called the garage that the previous owner had them fitted at to see if they’re under warranty. They’ve said that they should be and that they’ll check with their supplier, so I’m waiting for a call back. I won’t have to have them fit it for me, I’ll do it myself. I wouldn’t even have to have it delivered as they’re quite close to my girlfriends parents, which we see quite often. I’ll just pop in, get the new shock, then come home to fit.
I’ll wait and see what he says when he calls me back. Hopefully it'll be a nice free fix.
Worst case, it’s £67 on ebay for another which is really not bad at all. But I’ve just called the garage that the previous owner had them fitted at to see if they’re under warranty. They’ve said that they should be and that they’ll check with their supplier, so I’m waiting for a call back. I won’t have to have them fit it for me, I’ll do it myself. I wouldn’t even have to have it delivered as they’re quite close to my girlfriends parents, which we see quite often. I’ll just pop in, get the new shock, then come home to fit.
I’ll wait and see what he says when he calls me back. Hopefully it'll be a nice free fix.
snotrag said:
Fair do's on the coilovers, I suspect the RRP has gone up a bit too in the past few years.
That would be a good win on the shock, they should last pretty well so its an unusal failure after such a short time.
To fail on the bottom too... it's leaking here:That would be a good win on the shock, they should last pretty well so its an unusal failure after such a short time.
Never seen that before, they normally leak around the seal.
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