1995 Mk1 Mx5 1.8iS - 260bhp
Discussion
Well I’ve been here a while so I thought I’d better get round to posting some photos of my car. Up until 2009 I’d had 15 years of company cars, which has limited my choices somewhat, although my last company car was a 330d Msport which felt rather special.
With a change of circumstances - recession, birth of 2 children and my wife giving up work to look after the kids, I needed to take the cash alternative and fund the purchase of 2 cars – family and fun. So the wife got a C-Max for the kids and I went on the search for a Clio 182. I struggled to find one in good condition for the money I wanted to pay and ended up with a Mk2 1.8iS MX5.
And that’s it, I was hooked, the MX5 was a revelation - it made every journey fun. Suddenly I was modifying it – roll bar, harness bar, bucket seat, smoothed bumper and a fair bit of cash sorting out the rust. I’d got myself into trackdays and the 5 was perfect, but I just craved a bit more power. I spent 6 months pulling together the bits to supercharge my Mk2 – Jackson Racing Supercharger, water injection, custom built Megasquirt ECU. I still had a few more bits to buy, pay to get it installed and tuned, when I spotted a totally sorted turbocharged Mk1 for sale for the same value as my car plus all the bits. And before I know it I’m on a train to Bristol to pick up my new car.
It’s a UK 1995 1.8iS MX5 fitted with an FM2 turbo kit (Flyin Miata). It’s putting out 260BHP which makes it really rather rapid considering the weight of the car. It looks a bit like this :
The full spec when I picked it up included:
Flyin Miata FM2 TURBO KIT
Garrett GT2560R water cooled ball bearing turbo
(0.60 A/R compressor, 0.64 A/R turbine)
15 x 8 x 3” intercooler
2” ID – 2.5” ID pipes from compressor to intercooler
2.5” ID pipes from intercooler to throttle body
Ductile iron manifold
All pipes either formed silicone or polished stainless steel
Cold air intake setup and free flow air filter
FM Link replacement ECU with keypad, electronic boost control, knock & air temp. sensor
550cc RC injectors
GFB recirculating bypass valve
2.5” stainless steel downpipe
Westberg boost gauge with black FM face
Tech Edge 2BO wideband oxygen sensor kit
Twin 2.5in full length custom SS exhaust system, no cat
Koni sports adjustable suspension kit
Upgraded FM rear bump stops
FM anti-rollbars
Wilwood big brake kit on front, standard on rear - EBC Greenstuff pads
Stage 3 paddle Clutch with lightened flywheel
Hard dog roll bar
OEM original front lip spoiler
Lester PU spoiler OEM 3rd brake light-style bootlid
Low rise twin headlights with vented light covers
Clear Black style rear lights
White side repeaters
All hoses are silicone
New roof with glass heated window
Goodridge brake hoses
Race rad with twin fans
Undersealed & cavities filled with Dinitrol
Since I’ve had the car I've struggled to stop spending money on it. I’ve done the following :
Leather seats
New gear and handbrake gaiters
Momo Race steering wheel
TR Lane Harness bar
Mounting points for the TRS Magnum Harness
Replaced the Koni suspension with MeisterR Zeta-S Coilovers
Polybushed the car with Super-Pro bushes
Full laser alignment done by Blink Motorsport (top guys BTW)
Installed a water temp gauge
I also have a Sparco Sprint 5 seat which gets installed for trackdays.
Anyway here’s some more photos:
With a change of circumstances - recession, birth of 2 children and my wife giving up work to look after the kids, I needed to take the cash alternative and fund the purchase of 2 cars – family and fun. So the wife got a C-Max for the kids and I went on the search for a Clio 182. I struggled to find one in good condition for the money I wanted to pay and ended up with a Mk2 1.8iS MX5.
And that’s it, I was hooked, the MX5 was a revelation - it made every journey fun. Suddenly I was modifying it – roll bar, harness bar, bucket seat, smoothed bumper and a fair bit of cash sorting out the rust. I’d got myself into trackdays and the 5 was perfect, but I just craved a bit more power. I spent 6 months pulling together the bits to supercharge my Mk2 – Jackson Racing Supercharger, water injection, custom built Megasquirt ECU. I still had a few more bits to buy, pay to get it installed and tuned, when I spotted a totally sorted turbocharged Mk1 for sale for the same value as my car plus all the bits. And before I know it I’m on a train to Bristol to pick up my new car.
It’s a UK 1995 1.8iS MX5 fitted with an FM2 turbo kit (Flyin Miata). It’s putting out 260BHP which makes it really rather rapid considering the weight of the car. It looks a bit like this :
The full spec when I picked it up included:
Flyin Miata FM2 TURBO KIT
Garrett GT2560R water cooled ball bearing turbo
(0.60 A/R compressor, 0.64 A/R turbine)
15 x 8 x 3” intercooler
2” ID – 2.5” ID pipes from compressor to intercooler
2.5” ID pipes from intercooler to throttle body
Ductile iron manifold
All pipes either formed silicone or polished stainless steel
Cold air intake setup and free flow air filter
FM Link replacement ECU with keypad, electronic boost control, knock & air temp. sensor
550cc RC injectors
GFB recirculating bypass valve
2.5” stainless steel downpipe
Westberg boost gauge with black FM face
Tech Edge 2BO wideband oxygen sensor kit
Twin 2.5in full length custom SS exhaust system, no cat
Koni sports adjustable suspension kit
Upgraded FM rear bump stops
FM anti-rollbars
Wilwood big brake kit on front, standard on rear - EBC Greenstuff pads
Stage 3 paddle Clutch with lightened flywheel
Hard dog roll bar
OEM original front lip spoiler
Lester PU spoiler OEM 3rd brake light-style bootlid
Low rise twin headlights with vented light covers
Clear Black style rear lights
White side repeaters
All hoses are silicone
New roof with glass heated window
Goodridge brake hoses
Race rad with twin fans
Undersealed & cavities filled with Dinitrol
Since I’ve had the car I've struggled to stop spending money on it. I’ve done the following :
Leather seats
New gear and handbrake gaiters
Momo Race steering wheel
TR Lane Harness bar
Mounting points for the TRS Magnum Harness
Replaced the Koni suspension with MeisterR Zeta-S Coilovers
Polybushed the car with Super-Pro bushes
Full laser alignment done by Blink Motorsport (top guys BTW)
Installed a water temp gauge
I also have a Sparco Sprint 5 seat which gets installed for trackdays.
Anyway here’s some more photos:
mx5tom said:
Looks fantastic 
Not sold on the interior and it would annoy me having two different seats, but I think I could live with that considering the rest of the car.
Do you mind me asking how much you paid for it?
The bucket seat is only in for trackdays. The rest of the time there's a matching leather drivers seat. I couldn't cope getting in and out of the bucket every day. Not sold on the interior and it would annoy me having two different seats, but I think I could live with that considering the rest of the car. Do you mind me asking how much you paid for it?
I'd rather not say how much I paid but considering the performance and handling I can't see much matching it for the money.
Chuggy said:
This should be on the Bad Parking thread.....
I live on a narrow cul-de-sac where there would be traffic chaos if we all parked fully on the road. Every single person on the street parks like that and it works just fine.Daggers89 said:
Fantastic! Just what I'm looking for! Let me know if you ever come to sell it 
Not looking to sell at the moment, I've finally got it just as I like it. But if I do decide to get rid I'll let you know. Can't imagine what I'd replace it with though.stew-S160 said:
Awesome car. s
t bucket seat(steel frame, base mount= not good). But very cool.
Lots of buckets don't fit in an MX5, Sprint 5's being base mounted and narrow mean they bolt straight onto standard rails, and so are very popular with 5 owners. Not the comfiest seat in the world, but on the basis it's only in the car for a dozen days a year it doesn't bother me.t bucket seat(steel frame, base mount= not good). But very cool. Sideways Rich said:
Brilliant, bet that is a real hoot to drive on track.
I've only done 2 trackdays in it so far and both have been wet, which has made it rather lively.Marf said:
Nice 5
What boost are you running?
Honest answer is I don't know, the incar boost gauge is rather crap.What boost are you running?
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