Mk 1 full respray - what to look out for

[robcollingridge]

My son's 1990 Eunos is going off for a full respray (and colour change) at the end of the month. We are stripping it down and removing all the chromework, locks, fittings, etc. The bodyshop is going to remove the windscreen. Anything else to look out for?

The windscreen header seal is coming off and needs to be replaced. Is there are guide on how to remove it?

[flood1]

Is the body rust free ?

Biggest issue may be painting all and then having rust popping through again.

I had full respray last year on my S-Limited as part of rust repair where i replaced sills and front/rear wings. I took off all trims and windows out. I was keeping same colour so i cannot comment on colour change as this may need more work unless you are happy with different colours in engine bay boot etc.

[robcollingridge]

Yes, although it is a 1990 Eunos, it was imported from Japan and clearly spend all it's life garaged. Virtually no rust on the car :-) We have spend the last year sorting it all mechanically and now want to treat the paintwork. At some point it was resprayed and then left with a cover on. This has caused the lacquer coat to bubble.

You can track progress on my son's website: http://ethancollingridge.com/MX5/

[flood1]

looks clean. Not sure of colour. Has it been painted before?

You taking doors, bumpers, front wings off? All helps respray look? inside boot and engine bay?

[robcollingridge]

Yes, it has been painted before. It was imported from Japan in 2002. Sometime after this the interior was changed (to tan) and the car resprayed the current colour. We have started to strip it down as it is booked into the paint shop now. Bumpers, bonnet, boot, wings, doors, etc. are coming off. Windscreen is coming out too.

Progress is being captured by us both here: http://ethancollingridge.com/MX5/diary/2018/04/ind...

Rob

[Ursicles]

How much roughly is a respray?

Really considering respraying mine,

[robcollingridge]

I got quotes from £1300 to £4500! I went with a paint shop that had painted a few mk 1 MX-6's before, including his own. I've also used them for repairs to other cars and was very happy with the work. Looking at about £2200 including windscreen removal and refit. There is a good chance it will break on being taken out though and a new screen is about £140.

Is it worth it? Probably not but we plan to keep this car for a very long time, so I'm looking at it as a long term investment in the car and my son.

Rob

[DippedHeadlights]

What do you plan to do about the "stonechip" effect on the lower half of the doors? Well it's not just the doors, original cars had a slightly textured finished along each side below the belt line. It feels like just thicker paint.
I'm preparing for a respray of a very original car and want to keep it but my paint bloke wants to remove it back to metal (because he doesn't know what it is and is worried new paint might not adhere to it).
DH

[flood1]

I had a S-limited repaired and fully resprayed last year

build thread on nutz.. http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3...

it is missing some pics of repair which i am trying to sort tonight, but you see finished car. stone chip was removed, then redone back to factory look.

I used fat fender and they did a great job and fair price

[robcollingridge]

DippedHeadlights said:

What do you plan to do about the "stonechip" effect on the lower half of the doors? Well it's not just the doors, original cars had a slightly textured finished along each side below the belt line. It feels like just thicker paint.
I'm preparing for a respray of a very original car and want to keep it but my paint bloke wants to remove it back to metal (because he doesn't know what it is and is worried new paint might not adhere to it).
DH

I was given the option. They could replicated that if I wanted but my son wanted smooth paint.

Rob

[VladD]

robcollingridge said:

Yes, although it is a 1990 Eunos, it was imported from Japan and clearly spend all it's life garaged. Virtually no rust on the car :-) We have spend the last year sorting it all mechanically and now want to treat the paintwork. At some point it was resprayed and then left with a cover on. This has caused the lacquer coat to bubble.

You can track progress on my son's website: http://ethancollingridge.com/MX5/

[pedant mode]
Can you tell your son to change "Mazda Eunos" to just "Eunos". Saying "Mazda Eunos" is like saying "Toyota Lexus". This forum is incorrectly named too, but PH won't change it for some reason.
[/pedant mode]

Edited by VladD on Tuesday 24th April 11:02

[robcollingridge]

VladD said:

[pedant mode]
Can you tell your son to change "Mazda Eunos" to just "Eunos". Saying "Mazda Eunos" is like saying "Toyota Lexus". This forum is incorrectly named too, but PH won't change it for some reason.
[/pedant mode]

Edited by VladD on Tuesday 24th April 11:02

But it is a Mazda Eunos Roadster to give it it's full name ;-)

[cwinterb]

They rot from the inside out. Get a good look in the rear of the sills.

[VladD]

robcollingridge said:

But it is a Mazda Eunos Roadster to give it it's full name ;-)

Not is isn't.

Mazda MX5
Mazda Miata (US)
Eunos Roadster (Japan)

Eunos is to Mazda as Lexus is to Toyota, Acura is to Honda and Infinity is to Nissan. In America you get an Acura NSX, not a Honda Acura NSX.

[Ursicles]

Mine needs a load of welding done to get it through the MOT, so going to do that, then i think next yr come MOT time ill send it in for a proper seeing to and respray

Figure these little gems will keep going up in value.

[cwinterb]

Ursicles said:

Mine needs a load of welding done to get it through the MOT, so going to do that, then i think next yr come MOT time ill send it in for a proper seeing to and respray

Figure these little gems will keep going up in value.

Trust me, the man maths has to be very special to justify what I had done to mine (pictured above, it looked the same on both sides). I know I'll never get the money back. But while I don't intend to sell it, who cares?

[flood1]

cwinterb said:

They rot from the inside out. Get a good look in the rear of the sills.

looks a lot of work, a little more than mine.

Got a build thread anywhere online ?

I see doing it properly as an investment as well.

[robcollingridge]

cwinterb said:

They rot from the inside out. Get a good look in the rear of the sills.

Done that already. This is a Japanese import and there is no rust in the sills. Looks like it has been garaged all its life.

Rob

[edo]

If you want a proper job doing, it's over £2k (assuming no rust).

I just had a rest free MX5 properly painted including a hard top and it was £3k plus.

This was doors, bonnet, bumpers, boot off, glass out etc.

[cwinterb]

robcollingridge said:

Done that already. This is a Japanese import and there is no rust in the sills. Looks like it has been garaged all its life.

Rob

If yours is truly rust free then I think you are extremely fortunate. And I'm quite jealous!

Your son's blog says the car has been painted before. I'd want to know that it had been done properly and that it hadn't been patched up to hide some nascent tin worm. Therefore, if you can afford to, I would still go back to bare metal round the lip of the rear arches and below the swage line along each side. Get the front wings off as well. If it is clean as a whistle then that's a bonus. If not, you can decide what to do about it...