Newbie attempting mini restoration
Discussion
Yo!
Been a long time lurker on here but never posted anything. So i decided to start a thread as i only recently got myself a camera phone so could take some pictures to show you guys but mainly because my mx5 has been sorned and on axle stands since the end of october and is in many bits and pieces and i need some motivation to get it back on the road asap!
But anyhooo I turned 21 last year so decided to take advantage of cheap insurance and get my first 'proper' car (only previous car being a gold 60bhp clio which handled like a water bed). Spent a while looking as i really wanted a mariner blue uk 1.6 with a hardtop (I know, not leaving myself much choice ha!).
(door not shut right in this pic and i got the previous owner to get a new, and legal back number plate)
Bought the car in maidenhead after many lengthy chats and pictures emailed with the previous owner. then drove it the entire length of the M6 back to edinburgh where it performed admirably and without any problems. it even managed 400 miles on a tank!
When i bought the 5 it was mainly standard with magnecor ht leads, a K&N panel filter and an mx5 parts single exit stainless steel cat back exhaust. The guy also had a de cat in a box too which i got.
So for the next 6 months i just put petrol in it and hooned about the place. In true Japanese engineering style it never 'missed a beat'. then after seeing the ayrton senna movie i went for a spirited drive on the way home and ruptured the coolant hose right at the back of the engine bay (cue steam everywhere). so managed to duck tape it and limp home. went straight on mx5 parts the next day and ordered a nice set of yellow silicon hoses.
Haynes manual to the rescue!
before sorning the car ive done a few things to it:
de cat on (now very loud)
removed the mud flaps
removed the carbon canister thing from the engine bay
jdm square offset number plate
s-special yellow front strut brace
yellow silicon coolant hoses
went down to the lake district to do the total warrior run and stayed in a cottage with the parents. my dad has the leon fr tdi. the leon is a very capable and fast car which gets 45 to the gallon easily but driving it is quite uninteresting compared with the wee mazda and despite bucket seats you still feel like you're sitting on top of the car... and the gear box is too light, and the brakes are over servo'd, and the brake pedal sticks up too high compared with the accelerator, and the steering is too light. maybe i just prefer older cars... ha
The car, despite being an 18 year old uk model, has spent its whole life down in the Kent area and has been garaged for the at least the last 4 years by the previous owner so it was pretty clean underneath. but it wouldnt be a proper mx5 without a rusty sill so got that cut out and painted before i sorned the thing.
car currently looking like this
since the car has been sorned ive got it on axle stands and plan to:
re underseal, treat rust
fit new topmounts and coilovers
new disks and pads
refurb the daisies and fit spacers until i can afford wider wheels (not riculous 0 offset things though as i like to go round corners
)
So far ve taken off all the suspension, undertrays, arch liners, exhaust, chassis brace, arb's and heat shields so as to give everything a good lick of paint and underseal.
getting the coilovers off was a nightmare and ended up just cutting all the springs which was surprisingly good fun
started buffing things down ready for rust treatment and paint
curent pile of shiny things to put on the car
artsy fartsy picture
so thats pretty much it up til now, plans are to get the car back on the road asap and go to a couple track days and buy more shiny bits for it
Been a long time lurker on here but never posted anything. So i decided to start a thread as i only recently got myself a camera phone so could take some pictures to show you guys but mainly because my mx5 has been sorned and on axle stands since the end of october and is in many bits and pieces and i need some motivation to get it back on the road asap!
But anyhooo I turned 21 last year so decided to take advantage of cheap insurance and get my first 'proper' car (only previous car being a gold 60bhp clio which handled like a water bed). Spent a while looking as i really wanted a mariner blue uk 1.6 with a hardtop (I know, not leaving myself much choice ha!).
(door not shut right in this pic and i got the previous owner to get a new, and legal back number plate)
Bought the car in maidenhead after many lengthy chats and pictures emailed with the previous owner. then drove it the entire length of the M6 back to edinburgh where it performed admirably and without any problems. it even managed 400 miles on a tank!
When i bought the 5 it was mainly standard with magnecor ht leads, a K&N panel filter and an mx5 parts single exit stainless steel cat back exhaust. The guy also had a de cat in a box too which i got.
So for the next 6 months i just put petrol in it and hooned about the place. In true Japanese engineering style it never 'missed a beat'. then after seeing the ayrton senna movie i went for a spirited drive on the way home and ruptured the coolant hose right at the back of the engine bay (cue steam everywhere). so managed to duck tape it and limp home. went straight on mx5 parts the next day and ordered a nice set of yellow silicon hoses.
Haynes manual to the rescue!
before sorning the car ive done a few things to it:
de cat on (now very loud)
removed the mud flaps
removed the carbon canister thing from the engine bay
jdm square offset number plate
s-special yellow front strut brace
yellow silicon coolant hoses
went down to the lake district to do the total warrior run and stayed in a cottage with the parents. my dad has the leon fr tdi. the leon is a very capable and fast car which gets 45 to the gallon easily but driving it is quite uninteresting compared with the wee mazda and despite bucket seats you still feel like you're sitting on top of the car... and the gear box is too light, and the brakes are over servo'd, and the brake pedal sticks up too high compared with the accelerator, and the steering is too light. maybe i just prefer older cars... ha
The car, despite being an 18 year old uk model, has spent its whole life down in the Kent area and has been garaged for the at least the last 4 years by the previous owner so it was pretty clean underneath. but it wouldnt be a proper mx5 without a rusty sill so got that cut out and painted before i sorned the thing.
car currently looking like this
since the car has been sorned ive got it on axle stands and plan to:
re underseal, treat rust
fit new topmounts and coilovers
new disks and pads
refurb the daisies and fit spacers until i can afford wider wheels (not riculous 0 offset things though as i like to go round corners
)So far ve taken off all the suspension, undertrays, arch liners, exhaust, chassis brace, arb's and heat shields so as to give everything a good lick of paint and underseal.
getting the coilovers off was a nightmare and ended up just cutting all the springs which was surprisingly good fun
started buffing things down ready for rust treatment and paint
curent pile of shiny things to put on the car
artsy fartsy picture
so thats pretty much it up til now, plans are to get the car back on the road asap and go to a couple track days and buy more shiny bits for it
First things first, never start a post with "Yo" 
Good write up though and looks like you're doing it properly. I recently did a mini restoration on mine. I undersealed and sorted the rust, the sills were not as bad as yours they were just starting to go and I think I caught them just in time.
Keep tis thread updated with the progress.
Good work.
ETA... Heres a link to my thread
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
And a link to another brilliant thread which helped me....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Good write up though and looks like you're doing it properly. I recently did a mini restoration on mine. I undersealed and sorted the rust, the sills were not as bad as yours they were just starting to go and I think I caught them just in time.
Keep tis thread updated with the progress.
Good work.
ETA... Heres a link to my thread
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
And a link to another brilliant thread which helped me....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Edited by Eighteeteewhy on Friday 6th April 15:56
Good effort, I appreciate the work as the past two weekends I've been doing mine too - entire underside treated, repainted and undersealed, new suspension, some new bushes, rebuilt all brakes etc.
For the underside can I reccomend POR-15 black, and Rejel's Black chassis wax. Also used Dinitrol RC900 rust converter then Brown chassis wax inside all box sections, etc.
Wishbones and subrames just painted with the POR-15. Looks cracking.
For the underside can I reccomend POR-15 black, and Rejel's Black chassis wax. Also used Dinitrol RC900 rust converter then Brown chassis wax inside all box sections, etc.
Wishbones and subrames just painted with the POR-15. Looks cracking.
snotrag said:
Good effort, I appreciate the work as the past two weekends I've been doing mine too - entire underside treated, repainted and undersealed, new suspension, some new bushes, rebuilt all brakes etc.
For the underside can I reccomend POR-15 black, and Rejel's Black chassis wax. Also used Dinitrol RC900 rust converter then Brown chassis wax inside all box sections, etc.
Wishbones and subrames just painted with the POR-15. Looks cracking.
had a look at the por-15, think i might get some cheers. already got a box of rejel's finest waiting to go on after reading your rustproof your roadster thread ha!For the underside can I reccomend POR-15 black, and Rejel's Black chassis wax. Also used Dinitrol RC900 rust converter then Brown chassis wax inside all box sections, etc.
Wishbones and subrames just painted with the POR-15. Looks cracking.
got round to doing the anti roll bars today which meant lots more buffing and painting.
the rear arb was a state but after much noise and sparks i eventually got it looking like this...
then lots of painting later
both these came off the rear arb. hate when people only replace one side!
the rear arb was a state but after much noise and sparks i eventually got it looking like this...
then lots of painting later
both these came off the rear arb. hate when people only replace one side!
hey folks. ive continued the rest of my built thread on mx5nutz if anyone is interested.
http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9...
http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9...
I wish I had the tools, know how and balls to do this kind of thing to mine! My fists are hams and my wallet bled dry by the usual things in life. I attempted my first ever bit of tinkering on the car last weekend and sheared the first bolt!
Great work on your car, it should be a beaut!
Great work on your car, it should be a beaut!
iantek said:
I wish I had the tools, know how and balls to do this kind of thing to mine! My fists are hams and my wallet bled dry by the usual things in life. I attempted my first ever bit of tinkering on the car last weekend and sheared the first bolt!
Great work on your car, it should be a beaut!
cheers man. this is the first car ive ever mucked about with and i was a complete beginner beforehand. i just took my time and read all the forums. yeah i sheared 3 bolts doing what i did. the worst one being the big bolt that holds the rear chassis brace on! took me and my dad an hour and a half to buff the nut off after failing to extract the remains of the bolt. nightmare!Great work on your car, it should be a beaut!
but yeah cheers, it not got any rust on it any more but i think i'll need to sort all the dents/ scratches before i can call it a beaut ha.
i reckon it's worthwhile polybushing the ARB's and droplinks (or get rosejoint drop links). makes teh weak arb's a little more effective as the rubber bushes give a little resistance to their movement.
also, unless you've already fitted the EBC ultimax, take them back for a refund and get something else. Mintex M1144, or Axxiss Ultimate, or even standard (genuine Mazda) OEM pads.
also, unless you've already fitted the EBC ultimax, take them back for a refund and get something else. Mintex M1144, or Axxiss Ultimate, or even standard (genuine Mazda) OEM pads.
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