Roadster/ MX5 RS Ltd track tool.
Discussion
Thought it was about time I put together the story of my Roadster after a few years of ownership and spam it across the forums…
When I picked it up I didn’t plan to keep it very long, but the time has flown by, and after 3.5 years it’s still here!
So how did I end up with it? I like to think I was slightly ahead of the PH ‘answer to everything’ band wagon
It started with a Tesco clubcard funded experience day at Thruxton. While driving a Cayman, 355 and single seater was fun it was at the same time frustrating because just as I was starting to get the hang of each car it was time to come in. To be honest, I can’t say much about a F355 because I was concentrating so hard on mastering the basics of track driving
Anyway, I decided then that I wanted to get into trackdays but without spending silly money.
Like many, I had previously dismissed MX5s in favour of pokier and er, manlier offerings but after carefully consideration it seemed to stack up pretty well as a fun, robust track tool. Here follows a pictorial history of what happened next!
The search began, and after viewing a few rust buckets I found this one in decent nick. It was looking a little sorry after a winter sitting on the previous owner’s lawn but with a bit of TLC it scrubbed up well.
At this point I thought it was basic 1.8 import, but it subsequently turned out to be an RS Ltd ( 1 of 500ish I think) but as usual without the tasty carbon backed Recaros and BBS wheels
I’d never really worked on my own cars before, so one thing I’ve enjoyed with this one is getting my hands dirty and in the process learning a lot about how cars go together. An early job was ripping out the crappy sound system for added lightness!
I figured that it might be good idea to get some car control skills prior to taking it to the track. First was a day on the low grip surfaces of the Porsche centre at Silverstone.
See if you can spot me… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml5nr4djNeQ
After that was a Mazda on Track car control day at Finmere. Again, a lot of fun and some valuable lessons learnt.
Then came my first real trackday, at Bedford. Was pretty intimidating at first but soon got into it.
A massively funny photoshop thanks to my mate, ha ha ha.
Cool birthday present from my sis.
Out with the old daisys and in with some tasty Team Dynamics, nom nom.
On track at Snetterton.
At a chilly Oulton Park, roof down of course...
Again at Snetterton, sharing a garage with an old beetle or something (actually needed a lie down after a passenger ride in that!). K&N filter is the only engine mod.
Had a TR Lanebar fitted by the man himself.
At an OC run.
Posing at Cadwell (definitely my favourite circuit).
Decided some undersealing at Rustmaster was in order, before and after.
Again at Snett (used to be my local circuit). Note the addition of the missing RS sticker, which bizarrely was obtained from the local Mazda dealer (why are Mazda UK stocking a sticker for an old car they never sold in the UK?)
Proving that camping in a Roadster is easy, so long as you a) leave the missus at home and b) don’t want to cook anything. This was the MX5 OC Blyton Bash weekender last year. Top weekend of camping…
…and track time. This was me earning my first ever black flag (won’t anyone think of the novices!!! )
Took a trip to Scotland at the end of summer last year.
For the time being it’s as I want it. If/ when a spring or damper fails I’ll use that as an excuse to splash out on some fancy coilovers but it seems to work well enough on the stock Bilsteins with Mazdaspeed springs added by a previous owner in Japan.
Thanks for looking, I’ll get a few more pics of some recent tweaks shortly.
When I picked it up I didn’t plan to keep it very long, but the time has flown by, and after 3.5 years it’s still here!
So how did I end up with it? I like to think I was slightly ahead of the PH ‘answer to everything’ band wagon
It started with a Tesco clubcard funded experience day at Thruxton. While driving a Cayman, 355 and single seater was fun it was at the same time frustrating because just as I was starting to get the hang of each car it was time to come in. To be honest, I can’t say much about a F355 because I was concentrating so hard on mastering the basics of track driving
Anyway, I decided then that I wanted to get into trackdays but without spending silly money.Like many, I had previously dismissed MX5s in favour of pokier and er, manlier offerings but after carefully consideration it seemed to stack up pretty well as a fun, robust track tool. Here follows a pictorial history of what happened next!
The search began, and after viewing a few rust buckets I found this one in decent nick. It was looking a little sorry after a winter sitting on the previous owner’s lawn but with a bit of TLC it scrubbed up well.
At this point I thought it was basic 1.8 import, but it subsequently turned out to be an RS Ltd ( 1 of 500ish I think) but as usual without the tasty carbon backed Recaros and BBS wheels
I’d never really worked on my own cars before, so one thing I’ve enjoyed with this one is getting my hands dirty and in the process learning a lot about how cars go together. An early job was ripping out the crappy sound system for added lightness!
I figured that it might be good idea to get some car control skills prior to taking it to the track. First was a day on the low grip surfaces of the Porsche centre at Silverstone.
See if you can spot me… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml5nr4djNeQ
After that was a Mazda on Track car control day at Finmere. Again, a lot of fun and some valuable lessons learnt.
Then came my first real trackday, at Bedford. Was pretty intimidating at first but soon got into it.
A massively funny photoshop thanks to my mate, ha ha ha.
Cool birthday present from my sis.
Out with the old daisys and in with some tasty Team Dynamics, nom nom.
On track at Snetterton.
At a chilly Oulton Park, roof down of course...
Again at Snetterton, sharing a garage with an old beetle or something (actually needed a lie down after a passenger ride in that!). K&N filter is the only engine mod.
Had a TR Lanebar fitted by the man himself.
At an OC run.
Posing at Cadwell (definitely my favourite circuit).
Decided some undersealing at Rustmaster was in order, before and after.
Again at Snett (used to be my local circuit). Note the addition of the missing RS sticker, which bizarrely was obtained from the local Mazda dealer (why are Mazda UK stocking a sticker for an old car they never sold in the UK?)
Proving that camping in a Roadster is easy, so long as you a) leave the missus at home and b) don’t want to cook anything. This was the MX5 OC Blyton Bash weekender last year. Top weekend of camping…
…and track time. This was me earning my first ever black flag (won’t anyone think of the novices!!!
)Took a trip to Scotland at the end of summer last year.
For the time being it’s as I want it. If/ when a spring or damper fails I’ll use that as an excuse to splash out on some fancy coilovers but it seems to work well enough on the stock Bilsteins with Mazdaspeed springs added by a previous owner in Japan.
Thanks for looking, I’ll get a few more pics of some recent tweaks shortly.
Oh dear, a lot of seller's remorse on this thread Oh well, thanks for the nice comments.
Since racing is not allowed on a track day, they have black flags instead. You add up how many you got during the day and whoever has the most is the winner. Then at the end of the season the person who 'won' the most trackdays is the UK trackday champion!
Or it could just be how the marshalls let you know that your driving efforts displease them or something important just fell off your car. The above case is the only black flag I've ever had on a trackday, but they were being super cautious that day due to the number of first timers.
Oh well, thanks for the nice comments.Since racing is not allowed on a track day, they have black flags instead. You add up how many you got during the day and whoever has the most is the winner. Then at the end of the season the person who 'won' the most trackdays is the UK trackday champion!
Or it could just be how the marshalls let you know that your driving efforts displease them or something important just fell off your car. The above case is the only black flag I've ever had on a trackday, but they were being super cautious that day due to the number of first timers.
Quick update with a few pics from Cadwell last weekend.
Had a great day in the sunshine A few other fives to play with and a very useful tuition session with driver training guru Don Palmer. Gutted though that I failed to find the free doughnuts!
Coming to the conclusion that it’s high time to get a Go Pro to record these events, as my memory is always very hazy afterwards (concentrating too hard!).
Fortunately a random Clio managed to capture my efforts for a few laps; here from about 15:40. Really enjoyed that session sharing a few laps with him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzEZdsZUiFg
Had a great day in the sunshine A few other fives to play with and a very useful tuition session with driver training guru Don Palmer. Gutted though that I failed to find the free doughnuts!
Coming to the conclusion that it’s high time to get a Go Pro to record these events, as my memory is always very hazy afterwards (concentrating too hard!).
Fortunately a random Clio managed to capture my efforts for a few laps; here from about 15:40. Really enjoyed that session sharing a few laps with him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzEZdsZUiFg
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